The Freshman students live and learn on our Freshman Campus in Geilenkirchen, Germany.
The Freshman Program is structured so that all participants are well prepared for the final exams. Details on the structure are shown in our academic calendar.
Depending on the track chosen, students have different courses. The performance in the courses during the Freshman Program and in the final exams are based on the German grading system.
Are you thinking about a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, medicine or business & economics in Germany?
Do your school certificates not allow you direct access to the German academic system?
Do you not yet know German?
Do you want to study in English in Germany?
Are you curious about studying in an intercultural environment?
The Freshman Program has the answers. We make access to the German university system easier for international students.
The Freshman Program, the foundation programme (Studienkolleg) at FH Aachen, is a joint programme between the Freshman Institute of FH Aachen and Aachen Institute of Applied Sciences e.V. (AcIAS e.V.). The Freshman Institute is responsible for overseeing the quality of the Freshman Program as well as supervising teaching content & issuing final certificates. Aachen Institute of Applied Sciences e.V. is responsible for the financial aspects & framework of the Freshman Program.
A year in the Freshman Program will benefit you for a lifetime!
Students study in an intercultural environment, expanding their intellectual horizons while preparing for a future in today's global economy. The Freshman Campus is only a short train ride away from the German cities of Aachen, Cologne & Düsseldorf as well as near Belgium & the Netherlands.
More than 300 students successfully complete our programme each year. Our motivated & engaged students are from all over the world. Depending on your study preferences & language skills, you can choose from three different tracks offered in the Freshman Program:
- German Track FeP – completely in German – Study engineering, medicine or business & economics. Previous knowledge of German is required.
- English Track FeP – completely in English – Study engineering or business & economics in your choice of English-language Bachelor’s degree programmes in North Rhine-Westphalia. We also offer guaranteed admission to one specific business & economics Bachelor's degree programme at the FH Südwestfalen / South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences. Previous knowledge of German is not required.
- English-to-German Track – transition from English to German – Study with guaranteed admission to selected engineering programmes at the FH Aachen and University of Duisburg-Essen. Previous knowledge of German is not required at the time of application.
During the Freshman Program, students receive a solid preparation for university studies, including:
- Engineering: mathematics & physics
- Medicine: biology, chemistry & physics
- Business & economics: business mathematics & economics
Engineering students in the English-to-German Track also complete practical training in university laboratories.
Join our online seminar What is the Freshman Program?