RWTH Aachen Exchange Program

• Background
• Location Information
• Program Dates
• Host Institution
• Academic Information
• Academic Disciplines
• Credit Transfer Information
• Eligibility Requirements
• Program Costs
• Housing and Meals
• Insurance
• Extracurricular Activities
• Climate
• VISA & Passport Information
• Your Next Steps
• Experiences of Former Students
• Contact Details

BACKGROUND
Georgia Tech (GT) has developed a number of overseas programs around the globe. These programs provide students with the opportunity to complete a portion of their academic programs in top-notch foreign universities that are partnered with GT. As a result of immersion in a foreign academic and cultural environment, students have the maximum opportunity to learn to operate effectively in an atmosphere that is wholly different from that of GT and the U.S.

LOCATION INFORMATION
Germany
Germany is one of the world's leading industrialized countries. Located in Europe, it is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea, to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic, to the south by Austria and Switzerland, and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Germany is a democratic parliamentary federal republic, made up of 16 states, which in certain spheres act independently of the federation. Germany was unified as a nation state during the Franco-Prussian War in 1871.
The Federal Republic of Germany is a member state of the United Nations, NATO, the G8 and the G4 nations, and is a founding member of the European Union. It is the European Union's most populous and economically most powerful member state.

Aachen
The city of Aachen - also known as Aken, Aquisgrana, Cáchy or Aix-la-Chapelle - is the westernmost town in Germany, located at the borders to Belgium and the Netherlands. Due to its location it is regarded as Germany’s most international town or "the Gateway to Europe".
Aachen used to have a provincial status, but with a population of about 260.000 inhabitants, a booming high-tech industry and renowned university, it has developed into a mid-sized town with a modern yet historic flair. The historic centre of town is a colorful mix of people and languages, where older citizens, young students and visitors mingle and enjoy the lively atmosphere.
Aachen maintains long-standing cultural and economic relations with the neighboring communities in Belgium and the Netherlands which make up the Regio Aachen. Regio Aachen and part of the Dutch province of Limburg, the two Belgian provinces of Limburg and Liège and the German-speaking community of Belgium form the EUREGIO Maas-Rhine.
The typical Euregio resident lives in Germany, works in the Netherlands and shops in Belgium or vice-versa. Regular bus lines make cross-border commuting easy, and people come to enjoy the cultural programmes and leisure facilities offered here. There is a wide range of musical, theatrical and literary events that attract visitors from Euregio and beyond its borders.
A driving factor of great importance for this thriving town is without a doubt RWTH Aachen University (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule): the world famous University of Technology provides research and training on the highest level and draws students and academics from numerous countries.

PROGRAM DATES
Full Academic Year: early October - late July
Spring Term: early April - late July
Summer Research Program: late May - late July

NOTE: Students may participate in this program for the spring or for a full academic year. Alternatively, they may participate in the summer research program. Click here for more information.

YEAR PROGRAM STARTED:
2008

HOST INSTITUTION ACADEMIC INFORMATION
RWTH Aachen University is the largest university of technology in Germany and one of the most renowned technical universities in Europe. It currently has around 28,000 enrolled students, most of them in the field of engineering. Every year, a large number of international students and scientists come to the University to benefit from its high-quality study programmes and excellent facilities, both of which are internationally recognized. Almost 5,000 international students are currently enrolled in undergraduate, graduate and PhD programmes. The proximity of Aachen to the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg and its variety of cultural heritages has placed the University in a unique position for international collaboration with other educational and research institutions as well as with business and industry. Aachen's unique location in the "Euregio" border region is apt to enhance and accelerate research activities and technology transfer between Germany, the neighboring states of Belgium and the Netherlands and Europe at large.

RWTH Aachen University was founded as a polytechnical institute (Polytechnikum) in 1870 by an industrial initiative, in a then fringe area of the Prussian heavy industry. As early as 1899, it was granted the right to award doctoral degrees. Re-established after World War II as the Institute of Technology of North Rhine-Westphalia (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen) it soon obtained the status of a university. Within a period of forty years, students numbers increased from around one thousand to 38,000 students in the 1990s. The rapid advance in the sciences and in engineering and the concomitant growth of the departments resulted in the creation of further faculties in engineering and the natural sciences. As early as the 1960s, the university met the increasing societal demands by expanding its range of degree courses. The Faculties of Arts and Humanities and Medicine were founded in the 1960s, followed by the Faculty of Business and Economics in the 1980s.

Teaching and research are characterized by an international, innovative, and interdisciplinary approach and a close cooperation with business and industry. The main educational objective of RWTH Aachen Universitys is to provide solid knowledge of the basic scientific subjects, including the ability to apply this knowledge to engineering problems, and a high level of expertise in the various fields of specialization, fostering the students' capabilities to transfer research results into economic and technical applications. In addition, the intensive interaction between the various fields of study in teaching and research is a direct response to the demands placed on future young professionals. Our engineering professors usually hold leading positions in industry before they become faculty members, and other experts from industry teach special courses which enable students to benefit from their expertise in bringing technological know-how to market. RWTH Aachen University has a long history of close and wide-ranging cooperation with national and international research centres and industries and thus contributes to the success and development of the German economy, increasingly extending this role within the European Union.

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES

Subject Areas Available:

• Architecture
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Science
• Economics
• Electrical Engineering
• German
• History, Technology, and Society
• Industrial and Systems Engineering
• International Affairs
• Literature, Communication, and Culture
• Management
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Modern Languages
• Philosophy, Science, and Technology
• Physics
• Psychology
• Sociology

Language Information
Most courses are taught in German. GT recommends that students complete at least 2 years of college level German or have the equivalent advanced/3000 level of skills before participating in this program. For the summer research program, the working language is English. Students also study German as part of the research program.

Course Information
For detailed course information: click here

Summer Research Program
In addition to the semester program options, RWTH Aachen offers an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program during the Summer.  For details, click here.

CREDIT TRANSFER INFORMATION
Credit for courses taken as part of GT exchange programs is added as transfer credit on the GT transcript. Since it is important to know which kind of credit students will earn abroad as soon as possible, GT requires that courses be pre-approved for transfer. With a Foreign Credit Approval Form (available from OIE) in hand, and the credit transfer system information (listed below), students should submit course descriptions to the appropriate academic unit to request their approval. If taking Math classes, for example, then the student should go to the GT School of Mathematics to get permission for the courses to transfer to GT. If approved, the GT School of Mathematics signs the Foreign Credit Approval Form showing how the courses will transfer so that students will know which type of credit they should expect to receive.

For detailed credit transfer instructions click here

For the Foreign Credit Approval Form click here

CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM
Under construction

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Eligible students must meet the following criteria:

• Georgia Tech degree-seeking undergraduate student
• 3.0 GPA or higher
• undergraduates complete at least two semesters of college-level study prior to participation
• at least 18 years of age by the program's departure date
• enroll in 12 or more credit hours at the host institution and earn a C or higher for each course
• international students (non-US citizens) may have additional requirements set by the overseas university
• all students must have completed all the prerequisites for any courses they wish to take
• provide evidence of adequate level of German (recommend 3000 level German) if participating in the semester program

PROGRAM COSTS
Students must pay tuition and fees to the GT Bursar for each semester they are abroad. No other expenses associated with this program are paid to GT; instead, these expenses are paid on site.

DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) created the Undergraduate Scholarship Program to support undergraduate US and Canadian students interested in studying, doing research, or completing an internship in Germany. The scholarship review committee is looking for students who are currently Sophomores or Juniors in any academic field, are seeking DAAD support for a 4-10 month period in Germany during the German academic year, and demonstrate an interest in contemporary German and European affairs and who explain the significance of their project in Germany to their future studies, research or professional goals. The application deadline is generally in late January for the following academic year. More information about this scholarship opportunity is available on the DAAD web site: click here

The currency in Germany is the Euro (EUR). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check the newspaper or click here.

DON'T FORGET TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS!! See the OIE web site for more info: click here

Following are cost estimates for one semester at RWTH Aachen that may help you prepare for your term abroad. All costs are in USD.

In State Tuition	$3,035
Out of State Tuition	$3,285
GT Mandatory Fees	$818
Books and Supplies	$250
Administrative and/or Application fees	$0
Miscellaneous (includes passport/visa fees, required field trips, local transportation and incidentals)	$300
Roundtrip Airfare	$1,150
Room and Board	$3,750
Additional Language Instruction
Mandatory Insurance	$150
Total	$9,453 (in state)
	$9,703 (out of state)

*Out-of-state students pay in state tuition, plus $250 for this exchange program.

*Costs in the preceding chart are estimates for undergraduates based on tuition rates posted by the GT Bursar for "continuing students." Guaranteed tuition rates, graduate tuition rates, and MBA tuition rates vary. Please check the GT Bursar's web site to confirm actual tuition rates based on degree, term, or level of study. Actual costs may be higher or lower than those listed above, depending on the exchange rate and personal spending habits/needs.

HOUSING AND MEALS

Housing

• student housing
• off-campus apartment/room for rent

RWTH Aachen University tries to arrange accommodation upon arrival for exchange students. The student has to apply at the Studentenwerk for a room in a student hall of residence. Please note that rooms are in short supply and reservations will be made on a first come, first served basis. Accommodation is always available on the first day of a month. Students booking accommodation in a hall of residence will be invoiced upon arrival and will be required to pay for accommodation at the Students Services (Studentenwerk) during their first day at RWTH Aachen University. The rent depends on the hall of residence (ranging from older buildings to new buildings of higher standard ); the average rent ranges from 250 to 300 euro per month (single room, all meals excluded). The accommodation will comprise a standard single room with a single bed, ward robe, desk, lamp, bed sheets.

Some students prefer to live in a rented accommodation in the local area. There is a good amount of accommodation available within a convenient distance of RWTH Aachen University. The average rent in private accommodation arranged by the accommodation office is about 250.00 to 350.00 Euro per month. If a student confirms a reservation made for private accommodation s/he is in any case obliged to pay the first installment of rent even if s/he does not move in. Upon request the international office may provide students from abroad with addresses of private landladies/landlords in and a round Aachen.

Meals

• NO meal plan
• on-campus dining

INSURANCE
Students participating in this program will be assessed $150 per semester for mandatory insurance coverage. You will be covered by T.W. Lord and Associates. For detailed information about this insurance plan, click here. This cost is included in the above cost estimates for the program.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
In order to adapt to life in Aachen at at RWTH Aachen University as easily as possible, you may want to get in touch with the various international students associations at our university. Here, you can meet your peers, make friends and get valuable information about living and studying in Aachen.

There are three major organizations which in close cooperation with the university and the International Office:

INCAS - Intercultural Centre for Students in Aachen
INCAS works on behalf of the International Offices of RWTH Aachen University and of the Aachen University of Applied Sciences with the aim to promote contact between students from all over the world and to help international students settle into life in Aachen and make some new friends before the start of their course.

ASAS - Aachen Students for International Students
Aachen Students for International Students
ASAS offers a mentoring programme for international students, who will be matched with a "buddy" or mentor who helps them adjust to academic study as well as adapt to university life in Aachen.

AEGEE - AACHEN e.V
It is the goal of AEGEE to bring European exchange students together, to have fun and to meet new people by organizing numerous cultural events such as tours, parties, talks, and other leisure activities.

CLIMATE
Although Germany lies, for the main part, north of the US-Canadian border and is nearer the Arctic Circle than the equator, the climate is moderate without extreme cold or hot periods. Most of Germany is situated in the moderately cool west wind zone with damp westerly winds from the North Sea. The climate in northwest and northern Germany is notably oceanic with rainfall all year round. The winters there are relatively mild and the summers comparatively cool. Eastern Germany has all the characteristics of a continental climate. There are often long cold periods in winter and the summers can be very warm. This region is also often affected by long periods of dry weather. Temperatures are at their highest in July and their lowest in January. Local differences in temperature and rainfall are commonplace. It rains more often to the west of the mountains in Germany than to the east. There are also islands of warm areas nested in the protective zones between the uplands, like the lowlands along the Upper Rhine. The lowlands of northern Germany have an average temperature of 18 degrees Celsius in July. The sunnier areas of southern Germany reach average temperatures of 19.4 degrees Celsius.

VISA AND PASSPORT INFORMATION
Complete information about how to apply for or renew a U.S. passport is available from the GT Office of International Education or online click here.

U.S. citizens are allowed to stay in Germany for 90 days without a visa. For stays of more than 90 days, you must apply for a visa. For visa information, contact the German Consulate in Atlanta click here

YOUR NEXT STEPS
To begin the process of participating in this exchange, please do the following:

• Attend an exchange program information session. For dates, click here. If you are unable to attend, please make an appointment with the OIE staff member listed below.
• Download the OIE Exchange and Study/Work Abroad Application instructions at click here and submit the completed application by the appropriate deadline.
• Deadlines: Fall/academic year/summer applications are generally due in mid-February. Spring applications are generally due in early to mid-September. Specifics are listed in the application packet.
• Visit the host institution's course information link located under "academic disciplines". Print course descriptions of all the courses of interest that you believe will fit into your GT academic plan.
• Make an appointment with your Academic Advisor to review course options, bring course descriptions to help.
• If you need to get or renew a passport, you should start that process now! Passport information is online: click here.
• For financial aid information click here.
• For scholarship information click here.

EXPERIENCES OF FORMER STUDENTS
click here

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Becky Gunter, Semester Study Abroad Advisor
GT Office of International Education
631 Cherry Street
Savant Building, Suite 211
Atlanta, GA 30332-0284
Phone: (404)894-7475 Fax: (404)894-9682
E-mail: becky.gunter@oie.gatech.edu
OIE web site: click here

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