What Students Say
Likes
- RWTH Aachen is one the best ranked universities for mechanical engineering, and it was a no-brainer to choose it and my course once i received the opportunity! Although my course wasn't free, it was quite affordable compared to other universities in Europe and the United States. As previously mentioned, the amount of research opportunities are high and I was able to choose a track that reflected my interests. Finally, once you know the German language, the job market is also good, and studying in RWTH Aachen will give you an additional boost!
- There was a plethora of student assistant and research opportunities, available at any field you are interested in. The timings were flexible and there was no restriction on the total duration of the study. The university professors were very supportive and are willing to help you with any problems with the subject.
Dislikes
- The examinations were extremely hard, and some went beyond challenging! It needs to be noted that studying in a technical university will take away most of your time, leaving you less for your personal stuff (when compared to FH universities). The university was also spread across the city, unlike those that are bounded within a campus. This sometimes resulted in annoying transport between the classes.
Required Exams for Admission
My overall experience at RWTH Aachen has been nothing short of exceptional!! The research opportunities, amazing faculty, and a diverse international community enriched my academic journey. No to mention the support from the student bodies during the difficult times, especially the pandemic. In a nutshell, my time there has been transformative, and I am grateful for the invaluable experiences and friendships I've gained.
Course Curriculum
The course syllabus is regularly updated. The university added new subjects like Artificial Neural Networks in mechanical engineering! The industrial exposure is limited, unless a student is willing to take up a research work and connect to an external institution.
Faculty
The faculty to student ratio depends on each individual subjects. For example, courses like CFD has more than 150 students participating, the ratio will therefore be worse. Professors like Dr. Mikhail Itskov and Dr. Markus Stoffel left a positive impact on me.
Campus Life
There are many clubs, ranging from competitive racing, sporting, and language clubs! There is always some sort of extracurricular activity going on at least every week, and I am certain that a newly admitted student will get overwhelmed! Like any other university, there are excellent libraries, study rooms, WiFi, gym and other sporting like tennis (sport facilities are not free).
Placement
There is no placement concept here. A student will have to reach out to apply for job and research. However, there are company-student bonding events that occur around twice a year where companies erect stalls and students can go and enquire (Check out bonding-studenteninitiative e.V.)
Accommodation
Finding accommodation is hard and is advisable for the student to start searching at least 6 months in advance. For the student dorms in the university, apply at least 1 year in advance! Depending on budget, you can search for shared and personal accommodation. Shared accommodation generally costs at least 300 euros (including all costs like electricity and heating)
Exams
Requirements: 1 year of work experience, GRE: 160 (Quant), 145 (Verbal), 3 (writing), bachelor degree. My scores: GRE: 162 (Quant), 156 (Verbal), 4 (writing) - 2018 TOEFL: 119/120 - 2018 B.Tech - 9.522/10 (India) - 2018. I had to submit SOP, LOR, and CV. I got my LOR from my bachelor university professors. For SOP, I wrote a simple and crisp letter of less than 500 words and within 1 page. My CV was also 1 page. My suggestion is to keep things clear and neat, and not repeat things on the SOP which you have already mentioned in your CV. Furthermore, keep the letter easily readable, especially when applying to countries like Germany where English is not the first language.
Fees
18000 euros.
Scholarship
No, i did not receive a scholarship. However, I did apply for one. For that, you need to write a SOP on why you deserved the scholarship. The university will also assess your projects, grades, and any extra curricular work.
