RWTHonline & RWTH Aachen Mandatory GRE/ECTS Manual

Executive Summary: Why RWTH Aachen is Unique

RWTH Aachen offers 100% FREE tuition (€0) for all international students (located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia).

However, admission standards for Indian B.Tech graduates are among the most rigorous in Europe:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ RWTH AACHEN AT A GLANCE │
├───────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Application Portal│ **RWTHonline** (`online.rwth-aachen.de`) │
├───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Tuition Fee │ **€0 FREE** (Only ~€320/semester admin fee) │
├───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Winter Deadline │ **JULY 15TH** (May 31st for select international) │
├───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Summer Deadline │ **JANUARY 15TH** │
├───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ GRE Requirement │ **MANDATORY for MS CS** (Non-EU Degrees) │
│ │ Quant > 75th %, Verbal > 15th %, Writing ≥ 3.5 │
└───────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

⚠️ The RWTH GRE Cutoff Warning: If you apply for M.Sc. Computer Science at RWTH Aachen, GRE is non-negotiable. If your Quantitative score is in the 74th percentile (short by 1 percentile of the 75th requirement), RWTHonline will automatically lock and reject your application!

Step-by-Step RWTHonline Operational Walkthrough

┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐
│ STEP 1 │ │ STEP 2 │ │ STEP 3 │ │ STEP 4 │ │ STEP 5 │
│ REGISTER │───>│ SELECT MS │───>│ ENTER GRE │───>│ UPLOAD │───>│ TRACK │
│ RWTHONLINE│ │ DEGREE │ │ ETS CODE │ │ MOD CATALOG│ │ CREDIT │
│ ACCOUNT │ │ PROGRAM │ │ & VERIFY │ │ & SYLLABUS│ │ ANALYSIS │
└───────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────┘

Step 1: Register Account on online.rwth-aachen.de

• Visit online.rwth-aachen.de and launch the Application Wizard.
• Create your applicant profile and save your registration credentials.

Step 2: Select Your Engineering Stream

Choose your Master's stream:

• M.Sc. Computer Science
• M.Sc. Robotic Systems Engineering
• M.Sc. Automotive Engineering
• M.Sc. Electrical Engineering and Information Technology

Step 3: Input & Verify GRE Scorecard (ETS Code: 7396 / Direct)

• Input your GRE General test registration number and official sectional scores (GRE GMAT Waiver Directory).
• Verify that your scores meet or exceed:
• Quantitative Reasoning: > 75th Percentile
• Verbal Reasoning: > 15th Percentile
• Analytical Writing: ≥ 3.5

Step 4: Upload Course Description & Syllabus Catalog

RWTH Aachen requires comprehensive documentation to verify your Indian university's curriculum:

• Official Module Handbook / Syllabus: PDF book stamped by your Indian university describing course content for all 4 years of your B.Tech.
• Uni-Assist VPD PDF: Evaluated grade certificate (Uni Assist Manual).
• APS Certificate: Mandatory for Indian passport holders (APS Certificate Guide).
• IELTS Academic Scorecard: Overall 6.5+ (no section below 6.0: English Language Tests).

RWTH Aachen Curricular Credit Requirements (MS CS)

The RWTH Examination Board (Prüfungsausschuss) conducts a strict subject-by-subject ECTS audit. To gain admission to M.Sc. Computer Science, your Indian B.Tech transcript MUST prove:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ RWTH MS CS ECTS CREDIT REQUIREMENTS │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. Theoretical Computer Science: MINIMUM 18 ECTS │
│ (Automata Theory, Computability, Formal Languages, Complexity) │
│ │
│ 2. Software Engineering & Programming: MINIMUM 26 ECTS │
│ (OOP, Data Structures, Algorithms, Software Architecture) │
│ │
│ 3. Mathematics & Formal Methods: MINIMUM 20 ECTS │
│ (Linear Algebra, Calculus, Discrete Math, Statistics) │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ IF CREDIT DEFICIT > 30 ECTS: AUTOMATIC REJECTION ❌ │
│ IF CREDIT DEFICIT ≤ 30 ECTS: CONDITIONAL ADMISSION (Bridge Courses) ⚠️│
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

4 Rules for Winning Admission at RWTH Aachen

1. Retake GRE Immediately if Quant is Below 75th Percentile: Never attempt to apply to RWTH MS CS with a 70th or 74th percentile GRE Quant score expecting leniency. The portal algorithm auto-rejects non-compliant scores.
2. Highlight Theoretical CS Subjects: In your CV and module catalog, explicitly map subjects like "Formal Languages and Automata Theory (FLAT)" or "Compiler Design" to prove theoretical CS proficiency.
3. No Tuition Fees Advantage: Because RWTH Aachen is in NRW, tuition is 100% FREE (€0)! You only pay ~€320 per semester for administration and free state-wide public transit.
4. Track Application Self-Service: Monitor the "Self-Service" tab in RWTHonline. If the admission office requests additional syllabus clarification, respond within 7 days.

** to see how to accept your offer letter and pay semester fees.