Everything You Need to Know

RWTH Business School is the further education provider of RWTH Aachen University in the field of management. Our degree programs are designed exclusively for professionals and combine excellent interdisciplinary academic teaching with practical insights. Unlike consectutive programs our students bring prior work experience, fostering a unique learning environment, peer-to-peer exchange, and a strong professional network. Our small class sizes ensure close interaction with the lecturers, while exclusive offerings, such as career services, company visits, and networking events enrich the study experience.

Academic responsibility lies with the faculty of Business and Economics.
All RWTH Business School graduates earn a degree from RWTH Aachen University.

No, we only offer a winter intake, and our application portal will open again on October 1st.

The AACSB accreditation is one of the highest accreditation for business programs. This accreditation was given to the Faculty/School of Business and Economics of RWTH Aachen University which RWTH Business School is a part of.

All our programs (including the Data Analytics program) are also programs of the School of Business and Economics of RWTH Aachen University and thus you will be awarded a full degree by RWTH Aachen University.

An admisison to our programs is quite competitive. Overall, only 30% of our applicants can secure a spot. Congrats on being one of them!

Our international students have the possibility to work in the private sector during the semester or in the semester break for up to three months without having to obtain a work permit. Thus, you can work full-time for 120 days or part-time for 240 days. This regulation will also be stated on your residence permit. During the semester, you will be eligible to have jobs with working hours of up to 20 hours a week. Student assistants have more flexibility with regard to working hour. Most of our students work as students assistants as the university is one of the biggest employer in Aachen. Here you will find the job data base of RWTH Aachen University.

Yes, every new students gets free access to the learning app "Babbel" for one year.

RWTH Business School students re-enter the job market after an average of 2 months.

The salary depends on many different factors. On the one hand, it depends on their previous work experience and other important knowledge, their grades, and the duration of their studies. On the other hand, it is important to decide whether you want to stay in the same field or change after completing your studies. Another important factor is the respective industry as well as the size of the company. If desired, the Career Service can advise prospective graduates on the subject of salary and salary negotiations.

The Full-Time MBA at RWTH Business School offers you all the management knowhow you can expect from any classical MBA, however it also gives you a specialization in the fields of technology and digitalization accompanied by key insights and skills concerning transformational leadership.
RWTH Aachen University is worldwide renowned for its engineering expertise, hence you will not only gain theoretical knowledge here, but will also study close to technological developments of the future.

The Capstone Project builds on the knowledge gained during your studies and merges it with your business competencies, your ability to think strategically and interdisciplinary, and your leadership skills in a conclusive real-life project. Accompanied by academic experts and company managers, you work on solutions for company-specific problems in a project- and team-setting.

Find out more about the MBA Capstone Project 

While both programs are located at the intersection of management and technology, the M.Sc. Management & Engineering is specifically designed solely for STEM students, with at least 1 year of relevant work experience. The focus of this intedisciplinary program is to gain a profound foundation in management and connect it to state-of-the-art technologies and innovations.

In contrast, the Full-Time MBA is aimed at students with a STEM or a management/economics background and with at least 2 years of work experience. The focus of the program is to gain know-how in business management aín an expanding digitized economy and to acquire a skillset to e prepared for a manageerial position in an industrial company.

In total, the study course consists of 14 modules plus your master thesis.
In the first semester you take up the 6 core modules, which will provide you with basic management knowledge. In the second semester, you will choose 6 electives in the fields of management and technology. You can choose 4 management and 2 technology electives. The TIME Capstone Project and the Cambridge Ecosystem Practicum will take place in the third semester. Depending on the module itself, RWTH Business School offers the possibility to choose between two different study modes: weekly on-campus sessions or weekly live online sessions. Accordingly, examinations can be either online or on-campus.

Our dedicated study management team will guide you throughout your studies on which courses to choose based on your personal preferences and constraints.

Yes, you can switch between the two modes once during your studies.

Full-Time Page

Part-Time Page

In the Ecosystem Lab, you will travel with your study group for 5 days to Cambridge (United Kingdom), where you will experience exciting module days as well as specialist lectures, company visits and social events. All you have to do is organize your own arrival and departure as well as the necessary visas; we take care of everything else.

Check out this blog post for first-hand insights of the Ecosystem Lab

A 100% online-study/ self-study is not possible as attending the one-week Ecosystem Practicum at Cambridge University is compulsory. Besides this study trip, studying online is possible. All TIME Essentials, the TIME Capstone Project, all Management Deep Dives and two of six Tech Electives are offered in a digital learning environment. Nevertheless, it is compulsory to join live online sessions mostly scheduled in the evening (CET/CEST) and take the online exams at a specified time.

Yes, the MME TIME program was designed to personalize the study mode and duration around your needs. The workload per module is ca. 6 hours/week in total. The modules are composed of self-study phases for independent elaboration of the learning materials (video lectures, cases, papers, etc.) and compulsory attendance. The more modules you choose to study in parallel, the higher the workload per week you can expect.
Our dedicated study management team will guide you throughout your studies on which courses to choose based on your personal preferences and constraints to maximize your personal learning journey.

Yes, our Career Service and Study Management team offer you guidance and support in the form of personal consultations, compass meetings, CV checks or other workshops to help you find and organize the right internship on time.

The uniqueness of the program lies in its interdisciplinary curriculum that views sustainability through the lenses of three disciplines: technology, analytics, and transformation. This allows students to approach sustainability challenges from multiple perspectives, equipping them with the tools to address complex problems in a holistic manner.

You can expect the labs to be a key part of your learning experience. In the labs, you will work on real-world sustainability challenges faced by companies, organizations, or communities. You will apply the concepts and frameworks learned in your previous courses to develop practical solutions that are both innovative and feasible.

Our dedicated study management team will guide you on which lab is ideal for you based on your personal preferences.

To be eligible to the program, you require a first degree in a STEM related field with at least 125 ECTS plus basic academic knowledge of 10 ECTS in management. If you do not possess the required management knowledge, you are allowed to take up additional courses to close this gap. You will receive the information on which kind of additional courses to take in your admission letter. They must be completed before you register your master thesis. The courses are free of charge.
STEM related additional courses to fulfill the requirements are not offered.

Yes, you must demonstrate at least 20h/week of other responsibilities next to your studies. This can be for example a full- or part-time job, maternity leave or caring for a relative.

You require a first degree in a STEM related field with at least 125 ECTS plus an academic proof of at least 15 ECTS in one or more of the following areas:

• Higher Mathematics and Statistics
• Databases and Information Systems
• Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms
• Computability and Complexity
• Quantitative Methods / Operations Research

There are no specific programming skills required. However, Python, C++, and Julia can be valuable programming languages to know, and it is certainly beneficial to indicate them in your application.

To be eligible to the program, you require a first degree in any field plus basic academic knowledge of 10 ECTS in mathematics and statistics. If you would like to participate in the Analytics Lab in the 2^nd semester, we recommend having a passion for numbers but there are no specific programming skills required.

Professional work experience applies to those who have accumulated experience through full-time work in a field where you have incorporated the theoretical knowledge you acquired during your education. Depending on the program, a minimum of 1 to 5 years of professional work experience must be provided. Adding up several job experiences is also possible and should be indicated in your CV.

Depending on the program you are applying to, the reference process differs slightly:

• Full-Time M.Sc. applicants can upload an existing academic or professional reference letter.
• Full-Time MBA, Executive MBA, and Part-Time M.Sc. Management & Engineering applicants must request a reference via the official reference request form as part of the application.

In principle, your letter of recommendation can be written by any person. Ideally, the referee should hold a higher-ranking position and be able to evaluate your performance objectively. There is no fixed template - the letter should not exceed two pages and must include:

• Relationship to you as the applicant
• An objective assessment of your qualities, achievements, and ambitions in your respective field
• The referee’s contact details

We are also happy to accept job references if they meet the above requirements.

Important: Each letter must include a proof of authenticity (e.g., signature, stamp).

No. The Early Bird Discount cannot be combined with any of our scholarships.

The scholarship oucome will be announced together with your admission.

Yes, you can apply for a RWTH Business School scholarship even if you are applying for external scholarships. Kindly indicate in your application form if you are applying or plan to apply for other scholarships and include your application timeline. This information helps us with enrollment planning and prioritization of candidates applying for scholarships such as DAAD, LPDP, and Colfuturo. Please be assured that providing this information will not affect your eligibility for our scholarships.

Typically, you will receive a decision within 2–8 weeks, depending on the number of applications under review by our admissions committee. You will be informed as soon as the admission committee has made their decision

A GRE/GMAT score is not required for admission. However, a high GRE/GMAT score can enhance your application and improve your chances of being admitted.

We highly recommend initiating the APS process as soon as possible. Based on our experience, obtaining the APS certificate can be a lengthy and unpredictable process. Starting early will help ensure that you have it ready in time for your application. Please note that the APS certificate does not expire, making it a valuable asset for any future applications too

• Identy card / passport: Please make sure that this document is valid.
• Receipt of payment of course fees: This document was sent out by our accounting department after you have transferred the first installment of your tuition fees.
• University entrance qualification: Your bachelor degree certificate is sufficient.
• Final academic transcript: The transcript from your bachelor‘s degree program.
• Proof of health insurance: Once you have become a member of a german health insurance, your proof will be provided automatically to the university by them.
• Letter of admission from RWTH Business School: This document was part of your admission document.
• English language proficiency test: TOEFL ibt 90 pts. | IELTS academic 6.0 pts.

The following documents need to be downloaded during the enrollment process, filled out, signed and uploaded again:

• Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Oath: Declaration that you have not failed any final examination for a degree at a German University including RWTH Aachen University in the past. If this is not the case, please inform us immediately as a special confirmation from our examination board is required.
• Termination of Enrollment Certificate: Information on your previous studies in Germany. In case you were enrolled in a German university before, please also upload a deregistration certificate from your previous German university. You still must fill it out if you have not studied at a German university before.

Be aware that there are two different fees to be paid:

Semester contribution fee: This fee has to be paid each semester and directly to RWTH Aachen University. By transferring the fee, you ensure your (re-)enrollment, which is one of our contractual requirements. Usually, the Registrar's Office sends a reminder at the beginning of the re-enrollment period and one week before the deadline with all necessary information. However, it is your responsibility to transfer the fees on time.

Tuition fee: This fee is contractually agreed with RWTH Business School and thus has to be paid to us. The transferring details can be found in your contract! As soon as we have received the amount, our accounting team will provide you with the receipt via email.

No, you are still able to enroll without having received the visa. However, if applicable, uploading your APS is mandatory for the completion of your enrollment.

RWTH Business School is rooted in Aachen - a place we chose for its strong academic heritage and innovative spirit.

The Aachen Innovation Ecosystem

For more than 150 years, Aachen has been a driving force in European technology and research. With RWTH Aachen University - one of Germany’s Universities of Excellence - at its core, the city brings together top-tier research institutes, industry partners, and a thriving startup scene. As an RWTH Business School student, you study in the heart of this ecosystem.

The European Advantage

Studying here places you at the heart of Western Europe, at the tri-border of Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Weekdays are spent in a focused innovation environment, while weekends offer easy access to the cultural, professional, and networking opportunities of Europe:

From RWTH Business School, you're less than 2 hours from:

• Cologne & Düsseldorf (major business hubs)
• Brussels (EU headquarters)
• Maastricht & Eindhoven (tech ecosystems)
• Weekend trips to Paris, Amsterdam, or Frankfurt? Easy.

You study in a focused innovation environment during the week, but all of Europe is accessible on weekends.

What Our International Students Say

"I worried Aachen would feel small compared to London or Berlin. Instead, I found exactly what I needed for my Master's: a serious academic environment, an international student community, and affordable living. Plus, I've visited 12 European cities in my first year – try doing that from most business schools." – Nihal, RWTH Business School Student

The Practical Side

• Affordable: Housing €300-500/month
• Accessible: Entire city reachable by bike
• International: Students from all over the world
• Safe & Livable: Consistently ranked among Germany's most livable cities
• Student-Centered: 55,000 students in a city of 250,000

Need a quiet place to study or prepare your group work? The university offers a variety of different learning rooms spread all over the campus which are easy to reach and access. Sometimes a pre-registration is required.

Besides, you will also find many student-friendly cafés in the city centre suitable for studying.

Yes, and with the help of VPN, secure access to RWTH-internal web content is also possible from external locations. Consequently, you can access the resources of the university library or the RWTH hardware and software portals from home or everywhere in the world. The download of the VPN client is only possible within the RWTH network.

Our Career Service helps you analyze your current career path, identify your next steps, and develop a strategy to achieve your professional goals. We offer personalized job application coaching, soft skills training, and support in building your professional network.

All Career Service offerings are free of charge.

We constantly monitor the requirements of the (German) labor market in order to design appropriate target-oriented services. This includes the evaluation of the personal career path and the development of a strategy, individual application coaching, soft-skill training, and support in building a personal professional network. In addition, we maintain partnerships in industry and business and are thus able to provide our students with exclusive job offers.

All services of our Career Service are free of charge for enrolled students of RWTH Business School.