# RWTH Aachen University (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen)

RWTH Aachen is a founding member of TU9 and one of Germany's largest and most prestigious technical universities, funded under the national Excellence Strategy. It is a global leader in engineering and the natural sciences - consistently top in Germany for mechanical engineering and materials science - with exceptionally deep industry ties, Europe's largest research campus (RWTH Aachen Campus) and the Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance (JARA). More than 30% of its roughly 45,000 students are international, drawn from over 130 countries, and its location at the German-Belgian-Dutch tripoint gives it a distinctive cross-border character. As a North Rhine-Westphalia public university it charges no tuition - including for non-EU students, the clean contrast with Bavaria - only a semester contribution that bundles the Deutschlandsemesterticket (valid Germany-wide plus Dutch Zuid-Limburg). Master's applicants apply directly via RWTHonline, not uni-assist.

City: Aachen (https://studygermany.dev/cities/aachen.md)
HTML page: https://studygermany.dev/universities/rwth-aachen/

- Official website: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/a/?lidx=1
- International Office: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/root/zielgruppenportale/~uzn/internationale/?lidx=1

## Master's programmes covered

- Applied Geophysics (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-applied-geophysics.md
- Automotive Engineering (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-automotive-engineering.md
- Battery Science and Technology in Engineering (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-battery-science-and-technology.md
- Biomedical Engineering (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-biomedical-engineering.md
- Civil Engineering (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-civil-engineering.md
- Data Science (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-data-science.md
- Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Engineering (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-electrical-engineering-it-computer-engineering.md
- Engineering Geohazards (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-engineering-geohazards.md
- Materials Engineering (International Profile) (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-materials-engineering.md
- Physics (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-physics.md
- Simulation Sciences (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-simulation-sciences.md
- Software Systems Engineering (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-software-systems-engineering.md
- Sustainable Management (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-sustainable-management.md
- Transforming City Regions (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-transforming-city-regions.md
- Transport Engineering and Mobility (MSc): https://studygermany.dev/programmes/rwth-aachen-msc-transport-engineering-and-mobility.md

## Services for international students

- International Office (Incoming Student Services): First stop for international students: arrival support, the dorm-quota application route, and guidance for the on-campus SuperC residence-permit branch. A separate Welcome Center serves international researchers. (https://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/root/zielgruppenportale/~uzn/internationale/?lidx=1)
- Zentrale Studienberatung (ZSB): Central student advising: programme choice, study organisation and switching, before and during your degree.
- Psychological Counseling: Free psychological counselling for students - usually much faster than the statutory-insurance therapy queue; go here first if you need support.
- Career Center: Jobs, internships and employer events - backed by the unusually deep industry network around the RWTH Aachen Campus.
- Language Center (Sprachenzentrum): German at all levels plus other languages. RWTH-specific perk: after you complete B1, the German course fee is refunded on presenting the completion certificate.
- University Library (UB): Central library and branch libraries across campus. (https://www.ub.rwth-aachen.de)
- IT Center: University accounts, WiFi, software and the service desk behind RWTHonline and RWTHmoodle access. (https://www.itc.rwth-aachen.de)
- Hochschulsport (HSZ): Large subsidised university sports programme, Sportkarte-based - one of the cheapest ways to meet people.
- Studierendenwerk Aachen: Dining (Mensa), the dorm system and BAföG administration - a separate organisation from RWTH itself. (https://www.studierendenwerk-aachen.de)

## Scholarships

- Deutschlandstipendium at RWTH: €300/month (half federal, half private sponsor), one year and renewable. Rewards achievement plus personal commitment, and connects holders to sponsor companies.
- German-course fee refund (Language Center): Confirmed RWTH-specific support: complete level B1 at the RWTH Language Center and the German course fee is refunded against the completion certificate.
- DAAD scholarship database: The definitive searchable database for international-student funding in Germany. (https://www.daad.de/en/studying-in-germany/scholarships/)
- External funding RWTH students commonly use: Stipendium Plus (the 12 Begabtenförderungswerke, including KAS, which has a strong Aachen community), the Bayer Foundation, and mystipendium.de. Honest note: some 'tuition-reduction' awards you may see advertised belong to the private RWTH International Academy - RWTH's public master's have no tuition to reduce.

## Campus systems

- RWTHonline: The central campus portal: application, course registration, exam registration, grades and official certificates (Studienbescheinigung, Notenspiegel, address changes). Also where you pull the enrolment certificate and transcript needed for the SuperC residence-permit appointment - and enter your German address by ~March so the BlueCard student ID can be posted. (https://online.rwth-aachen.de)
- RWTHmoodle: The learning platform: course materials, lecture recordings and assignments. Distinct from RWTHonline - you will use both. The old L²P platform is retired - RWTHmoodle replaced it; ignore outdated guides that mention L²P. (https://moodle.rwth-aachen.de)
- Prüfungsamt / Examination Matters: Exam registration (separate from course registration), credit recognition and extensions. The module handbook and Prüfungsordnung (PO) are the binding references. Exam registration has strict deadlines - miss one and you cannot sit the exam. Culture note RWTH is candid about: first-semester exams in the flagship open-admission programmes are brutal and thin large cohorts - plan the first two semesters accordingly.

## Provenance

Last checked: 2026-07-10

- RWTH Aachen - Facts and Figures: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/root/wir/profil/~enw/daten-fakten/?lidx=1
- RWTH Aachen - International (target-group portal): https://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/root/zielgruppenportale/~uzn/internationale/?lidx=1
- AStA RWTH Aachen - semester contribution (no tuition; ticket bundled): https://www.asta.rwth-aachen.de/en/semester-contribution/
- Wikipedia - RWTH Aachen University: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RWTH_Aachen_University