Fachhochschule Aachen
About
Fachhochschule Aachen charges no tuition (just a ≈€654/year semester contribution) for STEM, business, and social-science degrees, with IELTS 6.0 entry — competitive even among public German universities. Its EU degree opens the Schengen labour market and the 18-month job-seeker visa, and students may work up to 120 full days a year to offset living costs.
Aachen is a lively STEM town on Germany's western border, home to 40,000+ students and strong connections to both Dutch and Belgian universities. The city has excellent public transport, cheap student housing in shared flats, and a genuine international feel — you'll meet students from everywhere here.
Application deadlines
- Winter Semester — non-EU general (visa-required)2026-06-15
General window for most programmes via uni-assist. Varies by programme (some Jun 1, some Jul 15). Always verify on programme page.
- Winter Semester — International Business Studies B.Sc., non-EU2026-07-15
Later window for this programme specifically (mid-May to Jul 15).
- Summer Semester — non-EU (visa-required)2026-11-30
Approx. end of November for non-EU applicants. Verify on official dates page when published.
Accommodation
Studierendenwerk Aachen — 22 housing areas in Aachen and Jülich. €257–395/month all-inclusive (no extra charges). High demand — apply early via studierendenwerk-aachen.de.
Scholarships
- 🏛DAAD
- 🏛Deutschlandstipendium
DAAD: Master's/PhD, merit-based (RU/BY de-facto restricted post-2022). Deutschlandstipendium: €300/mo, all nationalities, merit + social commitment. Apply via university portal (Apr–Jun).
National funding for this destination
Honestly
Why this works
- No tuition is charged, even for non-EU students — the university collects only a semester contribution of ≈€654 per year for administration and student services.
- STEM, business, and social-science fields are available, matching the strongest sectors of Germany's engineering-driven economy.
- An EU degree from Germany opens the entire Schengen labour market and simplifies recognition in CIS countries.
- After graduation, Germany grants an 18-month job-seeker visa, giving you time to convert your degree into a work contract.
- Students may work up to 120 full days or 240 half days per year, helping offset living costs during studies.
- Aachen sits on the Belgian and Dutch border, offering access to three EU labour markets and multicultural student life.
What to check
- You must open a German Sperrkonto (blocked account) with roughly €11,904 to prove financial means — a significant upfront sum for CIS applicants.
- Many bachelor programmes at German Fachhochschulen are taught in German, so C1-level German is often required even when the listed fields sound international.
- Non-EU school leavers whose diploma is not directly recognised may need to complete a Studienkolleg preparatory year before admission.
- Aachen is a mid-size city; while the job scene is strong in engineering, opportunities in finance or media are more limited than in Frankfurt or Berlin.
- Germany offers no guaranteed on-campus housing, and Aachen's student accommodation market can be competitive — budget for private rental from day one.
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Figures are indicative and change by academic year. Always confirm tuition, deadlines and visa requirements on the official institution and government sources before applying.