Information for International Exchange Students [pdf] 9213k

RWTH AACHEN UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL OFFICEInformation forInternational ExchangeStudentsbeforearrivalwww.international.rwth-aachen.de

ContentsWelcome to RWTH Aachen University 3How to Become an Exchange Student 6Do I qualify as an exchange student? • Why choose Aachen? • Differenttypes of exchange programme: Course work vs.thesis workHow to apply and plan your stay 9Choosing classes/Academic year • German language qualification• Your applicationHow to prepare for your stay 12Recommended reading • Costs and funding • Housing • Publictransportation • InsurancesWhere to find more information 14

5RWTH Aachen University, one of the world’s top-ranking technicaluniversities, cordially invites you to spend part of your educationas an international student with us. Studying at our university is aunique experience!RWTH Aachen University is a centre of excellence in research,providing a very high standard of education, with top students fromGermany and abroad, who enjoy the international atmosphere oncampus and in the city of Aachen.This brochure will provide you with basic information aboutplanning a period of study at RWTH Aachen University. If youwould like more information, we recommend our web site www.rwth-aachen.de, as the best source of up-to-date information.Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate tocontact us.Your International Office

How to Become an Exchange Studentat RWTH Aachen UniversityDo I qualify as an exchange student?If you want to study at RWTH AachenUniversity as an exchange student, youhave to be enrolled as a regular studentat one of our partner universities. Thereare different ways a university qualifiesas a partner university: through an inter-universityagreement, a faculty-tofacultyagreement, or as part of a largerexchange scheme such as UNITECHInternational. As an exchange student,you will be able to transfer credits gainedat RWTH Aachen University toyour home university, but you are notaiming at completing a RWTH degree.If you would like to study at RWTH as ashort term or non-degree student, eventhough your university and RWTH AachenUniversity do not have an agreement,you can apply to RWTH AachenUniversity as a free mover, for whomthe processes and procedures describedin this brochure are the same. However,you would have to pay tuition fees andthe faculty in question must agree toaccept you as a student.Why choose Aachen?RWTH Aachen University is one of theleading technical universities in Europewith an academic staff of 2,420 (including420 full-time professors) andapproximately 30,000 students. Morethan 5,000 international students, representingover 130 different countries,are currently enrolled at the university.The specific strength of our university’sdepartments is the combination of educationand advanced research. Advancedstudents and graduates are providedwith numerous opportunities topursue project and thesis work withinthe framework of ongoing research activities.Aachen is a medium-sized city of250,000 residents, whose life is alsomarked by the city’s unique geographicallocation. In Germany’s westernmostcity, the borders between Germany,Belgium, and the Netherlands are onlya few kilometres away from the citycentre.The attractions of living in this triangleof nations include a colourful mix oflanguages as well as short distancesto cities such as Maastricht, Cologne,Düsseldorf, Brussels, and Amsterdam.Aachen is an ancient spa city, whosehot springs have been valued for theircurative properties from Roman timesup to the present day. Over the pastdecades, Aachen has been marked bya fast development in the high-techsector. These developments have alsobrought a youthful, urbane, and metropolitanflair to Aachen, with a livelyclub scene, modern sports facilities andmany arts and cultural programmes.6

Different types of exchange programme:Course work vs. thesis workThere are two basic types of internationalexchange students:1) those who conduct project or thesisresearch only and2) those who attend taught coursesand sit examinations, perhaps combinedwith integrated research work.The procedure of planning a studyperiod at RWTH Aachen Universitydepends on the type of exchange programenvisaged.1) Project and thesis workIf you would like to pursue project orthesis work, this means solving a scientifictask in the framework of a largerresearch project. The duration ofsuch work varies between two and sixmonths, and you will need a work placein a laboratory or an office as well asguidance and scientific feedback, whichis to be provided by your supervisor.At RWTH Aachen University, it is theprofessor who decides on research topicsto be pursued at his or her departmentand who selects the students andgraduates (German or non-German)who are accepted in his or her researchgroups. Due to his or her function asmanager (and fundraiser) of the department,a German professor is rarelyavailable for appointments with students,and often does not have the timeto answer all e-mails. Students shouldtherefore refer to the department’s assistantprofessors or senior lecturers. Inthe faculties of engineering, it is usuallythe chief engineer (Oberingenieur)of the department who is authorisedto make decisions on behalf of theprofessor. Larger departments usuallyhave various research groups headedby senior staff who take on responsibilitiescomparable to those of a chiefengineer.If you are an exchange student intendingto undertake project or thesis workat an RWTH department, you first mustget the approval from the respectiveauthority. A letter of recommendationor a specific request directly addressedto the respective RWTH professor by astaff member of your home universityshould be extremely helpful. We at theInternational Office can help you findthe right contact person.If you want to receive credit for the projectwork conducted at RWTH AachenUniversity, your academic supervisor atyour home university must agree thatyour successfully completed project atRWTH is fully recognised at your homeuniversity.7

2) Taught courses and examinationsMost of the exchange students comingto Aachen will participate in our regularcourse program, take exams, and receivecredit for the courses attended. Onlya few of our partner universities haveset up specific curricular or frameworkregulations prescribing a study planor study options for their exchangestudents at RWTH Aachen University.Usually, visiting students have to puttogether their curricula individually. TheGerman system of higher education ischaracterised by a high level of independenceon the part of the student.RWTH Aachen University is a fairly largeuniversity, and the amount of guidanceand supervision provided mightbe different from that of your homeuniversity.Especially the engineering curriculaof RWTH Aachen University offer somany different options that the individualstudent is hardly able to designhis or her study plan (curriculum) withoutcompetent advice. In particular,curricula of exchange students needcareful planning and usually have tobe created by taking into account boththe credit demand of your home universityand the course options offeredby RWTH Aachen University. Most ofthe RWTH departments publish studyguides (Studienführer) which describethe usual curriculum for RWTH degreestudents. RWTH’s course catalogue orthe “Campus” online system providea complete list of RWTH lecturers andcourses as well as course summaries.You can find Campus at www.campus.rwth-aachen.de.Student advisors (Studienberater) ineach faculty or exchange coordinatorsare helpful persons of contact fordiscussing your study plans, as theyprepare the decisions regarding the recognitionof previous studies, specificcurricula arrangements for internationalstudents and international credit transferprocesses. Thus they are the maincontact persons for international staffand students who are seeking advicein curricular and examination matters.We strongly advise you to get in touchwith the respective faculty in order toget full and competent advice and information.For further information about thecontact of the departmentalcoordinator please ask atinternational@rwth-aachen.de.8

How to apply and plan your stayChoosing classes /Academic yearRWTH Aachen University’s academicyear is divided into two semesters: thewinter semester lasts from October toMarch, the summer semester from Aprilto September. The lecture period (i.e.the time classes are held) varies eachyear but is approximately from October15th to February 15th for the wintersemester and April 15th to July 15th forthe summer semester.Due to the organisation of the Germanacademic year, starting your classes inthe winter term is preferable to startingin the summer term. Project and thesiswork is basically possible at any time ofthe year.German language qualificationGerman is the primary language of instructionat RWTH Aachen Universityexcept for a few special courses (althoughthe majority of RWTH professorsand staff speak English). Whereasinternational degree students are obligedto pass a high level language testprior to enrolment, exchange studentsmay be exempt from this prerequisitedue to special institutional agreements.Nevertheless, you should have sufficientcommand of the German languagewhen entering your programme atRWTH Aachen University.Academic Yearmid-July Deadline for Applicationsmid-Oct 9 Weeks of LecturesChristmas breakmid-Feb 6 Weeks of LecturesSpring Lecture Break:Examinations, Industrial Internship, Project Workmid-April 6 Weeks of LecturesExcursion Weekmid-July 6 Weeks of LecturesSummer Lecture Break:Examinations, Industrial Internship, Projekt WorkWinter SemesterSummer Semester9

Exchange students who only undertakeproject work (and do not visit taughtcourses) might be permitted to writetheir report or thesis in English. Whetheror not your are permitted to do soshould be clarified with your supervisingprofessor at RWTH Aachen Universitybefore your arrival in Aachen. But evenif you are allowed to write your thesis inEnglish, you will need to speak and understandGerman to succeed and feelat home in the academic environmentand in the city of Aachen.As a rule of thumb, you should be ableto follow lectures and take exams if youhave had more than 1,000 hours of instructionin German (corresponding tolevel B1 in the European Frameworkof Reference). In order to improve theGerman language once students havearrived, the Language Center of RWTHAachen University offers German languagecourses to incoming exchangestudents. There are two different typesof courses: a course “German as a foreignlanguage” which is offered duringthe semester and the 4-week intensiveGerman language course (EURO languagecourse) offered prior to each wintersemester in September.EURO intensive German languagecourse (4 ECTS)The Language Center organizes an intensiveGerman language course for incomingexchange students starting theirexchange period in the winter term. This4-week brush-up course is designed especiallyfor exchange students and costs100,00 Euros, excluding costs of livingand accommodation. The fee containsthe course materials as well as all costsfor excursions. Requirements to enterthis course are a minimum level of A2in the European framework (the coursestarts from level B1 only) and your acceptanceto RWTH Aachen Universityas an exchange student or free mover.Applications for this course must bedirected to the International Office. Avalid application consists of the “confirmationof participation” (to be foundat www.international.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/ton) and the German languagecertificate of at least A2 level. Incompleteapplications will not be considered.• Duration of the course: Beginningof September until beginning ofOctober• Placement Test: There will be acompulsory placement test beforethe course starts. This testis necessary in order to ensurethat all participants meet the languagerequirements. Successfulparticipants will then be dividedinto groups regarding their levels.It is not possible to join the course10

without taking the placement test!• Final test: at the end of the coursestudents must participate in thefinal exam. A language certificatemay only be issued after passingthe test successfully.• Deadline for applications: End ofJunePlease noteIf you do not take the placement test (forexample because you arrive after that date)you may not participate in the German languagecourse!RWTH Aachen University does not offer anyEURO intensive German language courseon beginner’s level! If a student does notmeet the language requirements or doesnot pass the placement test, no alternativelanguage course can be provided!Courses during the semesterDuring the semester German coursesare offered by the Language Centerto any international exchange studentinterested in improving their Germanlanguage knowledge. They are chargeda fee of 50,00 Euros for 2-hour weeklycourses and 100,00 Euros for 4-hourweekly courses. You can find more informationon the courses and how toapply at www.sz.rwth-aachen.de.Your applicationIn order to apply, you must fill in theregistration form for exchange students(http://www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/ces/). Other forms of application orregistration will not be accepted. Pleasesubmit a fully completed and legibleregistration form with personal data,envisaged educational programme (includingparticipation in the languagecourse) at RWTH Aachen University,details of your previous education (coursesand exams already taken), signatureof your academic sponsor or supervisorand a statement on your language proficiency.After receiving your completeapplication, the International Office willcheck it carefully and forward it to thecorresponding department at RWTHAachen University. The decision aboutthe acceptance of the applicant lies inthe responsibility of the departmentalcoordinators or, in the case of projectwork, of the academic supervisor.If academic supervision is secured (asevidenced by the signature of both academicsupervisors) or, in case of participationin taught courses and exams,your intended curriculum (learning agreement)is approved by the receivingRWTH department, the InternationalOffice will send you a letter of admissionwith details on how to proceed.11

How to prepare for your stayRecommended ReadingFor those interested in more detailedinformation about Germany, we recommendto visit the German AcademicExchange Service’s website at: www.daad.de/deutschland/index.de.htmlCosts and fundingExchange students who come underthe framework of a bilateral agreementgranting a tuition waiver are exemptfrom tuition fees, which is the casefor most exchange students. All RWTHstudents – including exchange students– have to pay about 220.00 euros persemester covering the social insurancecontribution (Sozialbeitrag) and freepublic transport in and around Aachen.This compulsory fee is not a tuitionfee.The major cost factors for exchangestudents will be food and accommodation.We estimate costs of living(including food, rent and books) to beapproximately 750 Euros per month.Exchange students might make use ofscholarships or funding support providedby ERASMUS, DAAD, national institutionsand organisations or privatesponsors. Most partner universities ofRWTH Aachen University offer financialaid of some kind to their outgoingexchange students.HousingDorms in Aachen are administered bythe Student Services Organisation (Studentenwerk).You can apply for housingonline at www.studentenwerkaachen.de/wohnen/download/Auftrag_zur_Wohnungsvermittlung.pdf (thisinformation is also given in the registrationform). Please note that roomsare in short supply and reservations willbe made on a first come, first servedbasis.If you book accommodation in a hall ofresidence, you will be invoiced upon arrivaland are required to pay for accommodationat the Studentenwerk duringyour first day at RWTH Aachen University.The rent depends on the hall ofresidence (ranging from older buildingsto new buildings of higher standard );the average rent ranges from 150 to300 euros per month (single room, allmeals excluded). The accommodationcomprises a standard single room with asingle bed, wardrobe, desk, and lamp.Some students prefer to live in a rentedaccommodation in the local area. Thereis a good amount of accommodationavailable within a convenient distanceof RWTH Aachen University. The averagerent in private accommodationis about 250.00 to 350.00 euros permonth. Upon request, the International12

Office can provide you with addressesof private landladies/landlords in andaround Aachen.InsurancesHealth insuranceStudents are obliged to take out healthinsurance. EU-nationals will have toconfirm their membership in their homehealth insurance by presenting an internationalhealth insurance card or form E128. If you do not have a national healthinsurance, you will need to takeouta health insurance contract in Aachen,which is available at relatively low costfor fully enrolled students under theage of 30. Students older than 30 willhave to take out health insurance withone of the more expensive private insurancecompanies.Personal liability insuranceIn addition to your health insurance, apersonal liability insurance is stronglyrecommended. Personal liability insuranceprovides compensation for athird party in case of an accident causedby the student. Please visit www.rwthaachen.de/go/id/ckw/for more informationon insurances.13

Where to find more informationIf you have any questions, please visit our website atwww.international.rwth-aachen.deor get in touch with us at:RWTH International OfficeTemplergraben 5752062 AachenTel: +49 241 80 90660Fax: +49 241 80 92662international@rwth-aachen.deTourist information on Aachen(Verkehrsverein Bad Aachen)ElisenbrunnenD-52062 Aachen, GermanyPhone +49 241 180 29 60www.aachen.de14

www.international.rwth-aachen.de