Frequently asked questions

Many questions about RWTH and studying are already answered by RWTH in the Frequently Asked Questions post. Please check there first to see if your question can be answered there. The questions listed below refer specifically to topics related to the Institute of Automotive Engineering (ika).

Help topics

Covid-19

Almost all lectures are held in person. A change to digital delivery is planned in the event that the RWTH crisis team assesses the infection situation accordingly or official orders require this.

The legal regulations apply. Wearing a mask (FFP2 or similar) is recommended.

Simultaneous video streaming usually does not take place. The learning rooms usually contain the course content covered. Please contact the module supervisors in case of prolonged illness to clarify further questions.

General

The ika is intensively involved in all automotive engineering courses at RWTH. Many of these are offerings of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, e.g. mechanical engineering. In addition, events of the institute are included in many other study programs.

The exam regulations can be found under the heading Official Announcements (german only) on the RWTH website. To do so, enter the name of your degree program in the search field.

Here you can find a overview of our lectures.

In the lectzres section, the specific language is designated.

Please contact the respective module supervisor as early as possible in order to clarify the formalities for the examination. General support is also available from the Student Advisory Service at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Many students are affected by stress and also test anxiety in the course of their studies. Possible contact points for advice are the mentoring of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the central student advisory service. In the case of problems that relate specifically to automotive engineering topics and the special features of the English-language degree program, the student advisory service at the ika may also be able to provide tips and advice (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). The counseling is always confidential; no information is passed on to examiners/lecturers.

Theses

Industrial companies and institutes usually advertise vacancies on their own websites. There you apply for the corresponding positions.
Topics for external theses in industry often arise during an internship.

For external theses, a faculty supervisor from an institute active in your field of study is required. The exact process for registering an external thesis can be found here.

This is a special case and the procedure depends on the student's faculty. Please contact the Academic Advising Center (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Automotive Engineering M.Sc.

The courses are equally consecutive to the bachelor's degree program in mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen University and therefore build on its course content. Automotive Engineering and Transportation is usually taken by graduates of the Bachelor's program in Mechanical Engineering and is taught in German. Automotive Engineering is taught entirely in English and is very popular with students from abroad. In the English-language program, the choice of electives is somewhat smaller; further differences exist only in the adapted application process and the language requirements.

Yes, the program is in principle open to anyone who holds a recognized bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or comparable and meets the conditions listed in the examination regulations. This also applies to degrees from German-speaking countries. It should be noted, however, that formal proof of English proficiency must be submitted with the application. For further information, please refer to the website of the International Office of the RWTH.

No, the program is a public law program and is offered without tuition fees. The semester fee is currently (2023) around 300 euros per semester and includes a local transport ticket for North Rhine-Westphalia.

No scholarships are offered by RWTH Aachen University.

Yes, applicants from countries outside the EU or EEA need such a test as a formal and professional requirement for the application. The application will otherwise be rejected on formal grounds. Students from the EU (incl. Germany) and the EEA are exempt and do not require proof of GRE.

You can make up modules parallel to the master's program at RWTH, as long as the amount of missing content is not too large. The maximum is usually 30 CP. If the amount is greater than 30 CP, the application will be rejected. Each application will be examined individually and you will then receive a list of the recognized or non-recognized modules from your previous degree program. and if you are admitted to the program, a list of the imposed module requirements.

No, the industrial internship is an admission requirement for the Automotive Engineering degree program. Therefore, there is no separate internship during the study program. However, when you apply for the degree program, it is not checked whether you have already completed this internship, but only when you register for the master's thesis. This means that even those who are still missing certain parts of the internship or are still awaiting formal recognition by the Internship Office of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering can take the master's program.

Yes, this is possible, provided that there is nothing to prevent it under employment law and, if applicable, on the basis of a visa. The prerequisite, however, is an available hiwi position and a successful application specifically directed to it. Open Hiwi positions at the ika can be viewed here.

The application procedure does not differ from regular applications. Please contact the Student Advisory Service (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) if you have special details to clarify, e.g. the crediting of certain academic achievements.

RWTH Aachen University is aware of the difficult situation of many students from war and crisis regions of the world. Please contact the Student Advisory Service (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for a personal and confidential consultation if you come from war zones or other regions of danger to discuss possibilities of support in formal and professional aspects.

Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Address

Institute for Automotive Engineering
RWTH Aachen University
Steinbachstraße 7
52074 Aachen · Germany

office@ika.rwth-aachen.de
+49 241 80 25600

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