RWTH Aachen University
About
A university in Aachen offers engineering, IT, STEM, business, economics, social sciences, humanities, and medicine; tuition is tuition-free for international students, with an IELTS 6.5 entry bar. The EU-recognised diploma comes with Germany's 18-month post-study job-seeker visa. Aachen borders Belgium and the Netherlands, a daily multilingual, cross-border environment.
Aachen is a historic border city near Belgium and the Netherlands, with a compact, walkable centre and student-friendly atmosphere. Living costs are modest (€700–900/month), and the city's proximity to other European countries makes weekends abroad routine—you're never far from Paris, Amsterdam, or Brussels.
Application deadlines
- WiSe (Master open admission)Mar 1
Hard deadline for non-EU international Master's applicants. Portal opens ~December. Apply early — visa processing takes 3–4 months. Applied directly via RWTHonline (no uni-assist for Master's).
- WiSe (Master NC-restricted)Jul 15
Restricted admission Master's via RWTHonline
- WiSe (Bachelor non-EU)Jul 15
Via uni-assist. Submit to uni-assist ~6–8 weeks before deadline (effective ~late May).
- SoSe (Master open)Sep 1
September 1 for open-admission Master's. Many programs WiSe-only.
- SoSe (Master NC)Jan 15
Restricted Master's SoSe deadline
Accommodation
Studierendenwerk Aachen: ~5,000 places in 24 residences, €220–400/mo all-inclusive. Very high demand (~9,000 new students per WiSe). University advises beginning search 2–3 months before arrival. Private market Aachen: €500–800+.
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
- Public university with €0 tuition for international students, unlike private German alternatives that charge €10,000–20,000 per year.
- Nordrhein-Westfalen does not impose the non-EU semester fee charged in Baden-Württemberg, keeping annual costs near zero.
- Strong engineering, IT, and STEM programmes match the highest-demand fields in Germany's industrial and Mittelstand economy.
- Aachen borders Belgium and the Netherlands, giving students daily exposure to a multilingual, cross-border European environment.
- An EU-accredited degree qualifies graduates for Germany's 18-month post-study job-seeker visa and access to the Schengen labour market.
- International students may work 120 full days or 240 half days per year, supporting living costs during studies.
What to check
- Most bachelor programmes are taught in German; without C1 level, your admission options are effectively limited to English-taught master's degrees.
- Non-EU school leavers without a recognised Abitur equivalent typically must complete a Studienkolleg preparatory course before admission.
- You must prove roughly €11,904 in a blocked account (Sperrkonto) before the visa is issued — this capital must be available upfront.
- Aachen is a mid-sized city; while the cross-border region offers some options, the local internship and job market is narrower than in Munich, Berlin, or Hamburg.
- Admission to engineering and STEM programmes is competitive; a strong academic record in mathematics and sciences is essential, not optional.
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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.