RWTH Aachen University
Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen
A tuition-free technical university of 44,000 students where every bachelor's degree is taught in German.
- Students
- 44,382
- International
- 36%
- of students
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1870
About RWTH
RWTH Aachen University was founded in 1870 as a polytechnic in Aachen, on Germany's border with Belgium and the Netherlands. In the 2025/26 winter semester it had 44,382 students, including 15,811 international students from 141 countries. It is organised into ten faculties, from Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science to Medicine, Architecture and Arts and Humanities, with about 260 institutes.
RWTH holds Excellence University status under Germany's federal and state Excellence Strategy and runs three Clusters of Excellence, in climate-neutral construction, fuels and chemicals, and quantum computing. Its annual budget was 1,264 million euros in 2025, of which 523 million came from external research funding, a sign of how closely its institutes work with industry.
For undergraduates the key facts are simple: there are no tuition fees, only a semester contribution, but every bachelor's and Staatsexamen programme is taught in German, so international students need German at C1 level by enrolment. Admission for non-EU applicants rests mainly on the grade of their school-leaving qualification. RWTH suits students who want a demanding, engineering-heavy degree and are ready to study in German.
Zukunft denken
“Thinking the Future” — university motto
Why students choose RWTH
No tuition fees for any student, including non-EU internationals; the semester contribution of 375.19 euros for winter 2026/27 includes a Germany-wide Deutschlandticket for public transport.
Ten faculties with a strong engineering core, including Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, and Computer Science.
A large international community: 15,811 international students from 141 countries in winter 2025/26.
An Excellence University with 3 Clusters of Excellence and 523 million euros of external research funding in 2025.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry
Selectivity
RWTH publishes no overall acceptance rate. Non-EU applicants need an entrance qualification grade of 2.5 or better (German scale), or a TestAS result to compensate. Open-admission programmes admit all eligible applicants; for restricted (NC) programmes places are ranked by entrance-qualification grade, with at least one place per nationality.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign school-leaving certificate (direct entry) | Must count as a German university entrance qualification (check the anabin database), with an overall grade equivalent to at least 2.5 |
|---|---|
| Foreign school-leaving certificate (indirect entry) | If it does not qualify directly, you need prior university study in your home country or a Studienkolleg (preparatory college) in Germany first |
| German language | C1 by enrolment: DSH-2, TestDaF with 4 in all four sections, Goethe-Zertifikat C1, ÖSD C1 or telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 90 Only some bachelor's programmes (for example Computer Science, Business Administration, Materials Science) also require English at B2: TOEFL iBT 90 (single sitting, MyBest not accepted), IELTS 6.0 or Cambridge B2 First grade B. School graduates from the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, Australia or New Zealand are exempt. |
Deadlines
- Winter semester, NC-restricted bachelor's programmes (incl. all non-EU applicants to restricted programmes) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~9 months15 July 2027
RWTH's standing annual deadline for restricted (NC) bachelor's and Medicine applications (application period 1 May to 15 July). For winter 2026/27 the portal opened on 4 May 2026 and closed on 15 July 2026; the 2027 portal opening date is not yet announced. Applicants are ranked by entrance-qualification grade.
- Winter semester, open-admission bachelor's programmes Non-binding In ~12 months20 October 2027
RWTH's standing annual deadline for open-admission bachelor's programmes: applications from 1 May until 20 October, enrolment from 1 August until 30 October.
RWTH's deadlines page lists fixed annual winter-semester dates (1 May to 15 July for restricted programmes, 1 May to 20 October for open-admission ones), so the 2027 dates above follow that standing schedule; the exact 2027/28 portal opening date had not been announced. First-semester bachelor's entry to restricted programmes is in the winter semester only. International applicants who first need a preparatory German course must plan a year ahead.
How to apply
Apply directly to RWTH through the RWTHonline portal (not uni-assist). Upload your school-leaving certificate and translations, language certificates and any TestAS result. Restricted programmes are run through the national Dialogue-Oriented Service Procedure (DoSV). Missing documents are flagged only in the portal, so check your status before the deadline.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving qualification recognised as a German university entrance qualification, directly or via a Studienkolleg.
- An overall entrance-qualification grade of 2.5 or better on the German scale, or a TestAS result to make up for a weaker grade.
- For restricted programmes, a strong grade, since places are ranked by entrance-qualification grade.
- German at C1 level by enrolment, and English at B2 for programmes that require it.
Tips for applying to RWTH
- 1 Check anabin before anything else: if your certificate only gives indirect entry, you need a Studienkolleg or university study at home first.
- 2 Complete the SelfAssessment for your chosen subject early and keep the certificate, as you must show it at enrolment.
- 3 If your grade converts to worse than 2.5, take the TestAS; it is mandatory anyway for Medicine and Dentistry.
- 4 Aim for TestDaF 4 in every section or DSH-2; RWTH offers no English-taught bachelor's degrees.
- 5 Budget at least 1,100 euros a month for living costs, and plan for the blocked-account proof that the visa requires.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
RWTH charges no tuition. The winter 2026/27 semester contribution of 375.19 euros covers the student body fee (12.62 euros), the mobility contribution for the Deutschlandticket and a Zuid-Limburg add-on (234.57 euros), and the Studierendenwerk social contribution (128 euros). Non-EU students must show funds in a blocked account to get a visa.
- 375.19 euros
- Semester contribution, winter 2026/27
- At least 1,100 euros per month
- Recommended living budget
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer)
Mechanical Engineering (B.Sc.)
Taught by one of RWTH's ten faculties, at the core of its engineering identity; German C1 required.
Computer Science (B.Sc.)
Offered by its own Faculty of Computer Science; requires German C1 plus English B2 (TOEFL iBT 90 or IELTS 6.0).
Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (B.Sc.)
Offered by a dedicated faculty, with a variant that includes an orientation semester.
Business Administration and Engineering (B.Sc.)
Pairs management with a technical field such as Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering or Electric Energy Technology.
Medicine (Staatsexamen, Model Course of Study)
Restricted state-exam programme for which non-EU applicants must take the TestAS.
Architecture (B.Sc.)
Taught by RWTH's Faculty of Architecture, in German.
Research
- Three Clusters of Excellence: CARE (climate-neutral and resource-efficient construction), FSC² (Fuel Science Center) and ML4Q (Matter and Light for Quantum Computing, with Cologne, Bonn and Forschungszentrum Jülich).
- 523 million euros in external research funding in 2025, within a total budget of 1,264 million euros.
- 14 Collaborative Research Centres and Transregios across about 260 institutes (2025).
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Architecture
- Faculty of Civil Engineering
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
- Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
- Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- School of Business and Economics
- Faculty of Computer Science
- Faculty of Medicine
RWTH does not publish a graduate employment rate on its facts pages; it awarded 7,458 degrees in the 2025 academic year.
Student life
With more than 44,000 students, RWTH shapes daily life in Aachen. Teaching is spread between the historic Main Building of 1870 on Templergraben and newer buildings such as the SuperC student service centre and the CARL lecture hall building, opened in 2017. The semester contribution includes a Deutschlandticket for public transport across Germany and a Zuid-Limburg add-on for trips into the Netherlands. RWTH suggests budgeting at least 1,100 euros a month, with rent usually between 400 and 600 euros.
- The semester ticket covers travel across Germany plus the South Limburg region of the Netherlands.
- 15,811 international students from 141 countries (winter 2025/26).
- The SuperC building is the central point for student services.
- The student union (AStA) funds student sport, childcare, a university radio station and student councils from the semester fee.
Housing. RWTH advises international students to budget 400-600 euros a month for accommodation and associated costs.
Location
Aachen is Germany's westernmost city, with Charlemagne's cathedral at the centre of its old town, and it sits right on the Belgian and Dutch borders; the semester ticket even covers the neighbouring Dutch region of South Limburg. It is a compact, student-heavy city where RWTH's buildings are spread through the centre.
Nearest airport: Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST); Düsseldorf (DUS) and Cologne Bonn (CGN) are the main hubs
Notable alumni
- PD Peter DebyeNobel Prize in Chemistry 1936; studied electrical engineering at Aachen
- BJ B. J. HabibieAerospace engineer and third President of Indonesia
- HJ Hugo JunkersAviation pioneer and aircraft manufacturer
- WW Wendelin WiedekingFormer CEO of Porsche
- HW Hans Wilhelm SchlegelGerman astronaut who flew on the Space Shuttle
- RY Ranga YogeshwarPhysicist and science journalist
- FJ Franz Josef OchComputer scientist and chief architect of Google Translate
Frequently asked questions
Is RWTH Aachen free for international students?
Yes. RWTH charges no tuition fees, including for non-EU students. Everyone pays a semester contribution, which was 375.19 euros for winter 2026/27 and includes a Deutschlandticket.
Can I study a bachelor's degree in English at RWTH?
No. RWTH currently offers its bachelor's and Staatsexamen programmes only in German, so you need German at C1 (for example DSH-2 or TestDaF 4 in all sections) by enrolment.
Do I apply to RWTH through uni-assist?
No. International bachelor's applicants apply directly through RWTH's RWTHonline portal. For winter 2026/27 restricted programmes the deadline was 15 July.
What grade do I need for RWTH Aachen?
Non-EU applicants need an entrance-qualification grade of 2.5 or better on the German scale; a TestAS result can make up for a weaker grade. For restricted programmes, places go to the best grades.
Does my high school diploma qualify me for RWTH?
Check your certificate in the anabin database. If it gives only indirect entry, you need to attend a Studienkolleg in Germany or complete some university study at home first.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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