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:
During the Freshman Program, students receive a solid preparation for university studies, including:
Engineering students in the English-to-German Track also complete practical training in university laboratories.
Join our online seminar What is the Freshman Program?
Depending upon your future studies, you will study either completely in German, completely in English or transition from English to German.
Students who apply to Bachelor's programmes at the FH Aachen or one of our partner institutions are guaranteed a place in a Bachelor's programme after successfully completing the Freshman Program. See What Can You Study? for a list of our programmes with guaranteed admission. Our staff assists students with their university applications.
Integrated internships for specific engineering programmes
21,500 EUR
Included in the fees are the following:
In order to be admitted to the Freshman Program, you must pass either
Depending on your selected field of study (see What Can You Study?), knowledge of English or German will be required for admission.
Required language levels:
If you take the entrance exam, you do not have to submit a language certificate. You will be tested at the level mentioned below during the entrance exam. Students applying with TestAS must submit a language certificate.
For English Track FeP and English-to-German Track: English: IELTS 4.5 or TOEFL iBT 53. Prior knowledge of German is recommended but not required for admission.
or
For German Track FeP: German level B1 with 90% or B2
All applicants must take an entrance exam: Entrance Exams or TestAS
Contact freshman@fh-aachen.de for details.
During the Freshman Program, students live in furnished double rooms with four to eight people in apartments in our student dormitories. Bedrooms are equipped with a bed, desk, chair, and wardrobe for clothing. Kitchens have a refrigerator, sink, stove with burners and oven and basic kitchen supplies. Washing machines will be provided for the students. All rooms have free Internet.
Students can purchase light meals, such as soups, salads, and sandwiches, in our cafeteria, which is open Monday–Friday in the middle of the day. By cooking meals together in small groups, students can learn important life skills as well as explore food from other cultures.
Excursion, social activities, sports and music
The Freshman Program is an integral part of the FH Aachen and the Aachen Institute of Applied Sciences e.V. (AcIAS e.V.) that enables students who do not meet the standard admission requirements to qualify for admission to German universities. Participants from around the world live and learn in small groups on campus. Approximately 300 students complete the Freshman Program each year.
The FH Aachen is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Germany. With roughly 15,000 students, we focus on engineering, business and related fields. Theory and practice are closely interconnected in all programmes. The FH Aachen has a long tradition of internationalisation with about 25% international students. The FH Aachen ranks very highly in the fields of mechanical and electrical engineering and business among the German universities of applied sciences.
Our Freshman Program campus is in Geilenkirchen, a small town of about 20,000 people in a green environment. Shopping, doctors, pharmacies and a hospital are within walking distance. Larger cities such as Cologne, Düsseldorf or Aachen can be reached free of cost via public transport using the student travel ticket.
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Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Language course/short course
Preparatory course
