RWTH Aachen University
About
A university in Aachen offers engineering, IT, science, technology, engineering and maths (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
- SoSe (Master NC)Jan 15
Restricted Master's SoSe deadline
- Winter semester — Master's, admission-restricted (NC), non-EU/EEA applicants15 July
Confirmed, matches stored row. This is a hard cutoff (no late applications accepted); supporting documents may still be submitted until 1 August. Source: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/dqml/lidx=1
- Winter semester — Master's, open admission (zulassungsfrei), non-EU/EEA applicants1 March
Added: non-EU/EEA applicants to open-admission Master's programmes face a much earlier winter-semester cutoff than NC programmes — not previously in the stored data. This is the most important deadline for this group. Source: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/dqml/lidx=1
- Summer semester — Master's, open admission (zulassungsfrei), non-EU/EEA applicants1 September
Confirmed, matches stored row (previously listed as 'SoSe Master open'). Source: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/dqml/lidx=1
- Winter semester — Bachelor, non-EU applicants15 July
Corrected: the deadline of 15 July is confirmed, but the application goes directly through the university's own online portal (RWTHonline) — the central application service (uni-assist) is not mentioned as required on RWTH's own Bachelor page for international applicants. Source: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/root/studium/vor-dem-studium/bewerbung-um-einen-studienplatz/bewerbung-bachelor/~bqrn/internationale-studierende/?lidx=1
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study at RWTH Aachen University as a non-EU student?
Tuition for non-EU students at RWTH Aachen University is €0 per year. Living costs in Aachen are separate.
What IELTS score do you need for RWTH Aachen University?
English-taught programmes at RWTH Aachen University typically require IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. Confirm the exact requirement per programme on the official admissions page.
How much money do you need to show for a student visa to Germany?
For a student residence permit in Germany you must prove €11,904 per year (2026, DAAD / Study in Germany — proof of financing (blocked account, 992 EUR/month for 12 months): https://www.study-in-germany.com/en/plan-your-studies/requirements/proof-of-financing/).
Does RWTH Aachen University offer scholarships?
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).
Where is RWTH Aachen University located?
RWTH Aachen University is in Aachen, Germany. Templergraben 55, 52062 Aachen, Germany
What can you study at RWTH Aachen University?
Fields offered include: Engineering, Computer Science, STEM, Business, Economics, Social Sciences, Humanities, Medicine, Natural Sciences.
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+.
- Studierendenwerk Aachen · regional student services — it allocates the halls, not the university
- WG-Gesucht
- HousingAnywhere
- ImmobilienScout24
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 science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) programmes match the highest-demand fields in Germany's industrial and small and mid-sized companies (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 preparatory course (Studienkolleg) 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 science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) programmes is competitive; a strong academic record in mathematics and sciences is essential, not optional.
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These fields in the country
Tuition and deadlines change with each academic year — the date beside the figures says when we last confirmed them on the official source. Visa rules are set by governments and can change between our checks.
We break down figures like these in the channel — each one with a source and a date. Open the channel