Information for new students
Pre-study internship
No pre-study internship required from the 2025/26 winter semester onwards
From the winter semester 2025, pre-study practical training is no longer required for admission to the Bachelor's degree programmes in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics and Industrial Engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics.
However, as practical training helps students to better understand the content of the degree programme, we strongly recommend that you complete at least 8 weeks of voluntary practical training before starting your studies and learn as many basic skills as possible, such as
- manual and/or mechanical working techniques on metals, plastics and other materials (e.g. filing, drilling, turning, milling, ...)
- Non-cutting moulding techniques (e.g. casting, forging, bending, deep drawing, ...)
- Joining techniques, heat treatment, surface treatment (e.g. welding, soldering, bonding, hardening, tempering, chrome-plating, painting, anodising, ...)
- Assembly, commissioning, maintenance, repair of machines or enclosures
- Setting up or carrying out tests, measuring/testing
- CAD/design, programming, business management/organisational activities (e.g. purchasing, costing, human resources, order planning, scheduling, work preparation, production planning/control, sales, quality management).
As internships are not offered by FH Aachen, interested students must look for an internship themselves. Information on internships can be obtained from employment offices, chambers of industry and commerce and chambers of skilled trades. As this is voluntary practical training, it does not need to be recognised by FH Aachen.
Pre-course Mathematics 2023/24
Mathematics education in engineering is a great challenge for many students. In order to overcome this hurdle, we at FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences have developed various support services in Mathematics for prospective engineers.
The first component is the preliminary course in Mathematics at the beginning of the studies.
Here, from fractions to integral calculus, all topics that are necessary for the start of studies are refreshed or presented and practiced on the basis of numerous exercises.
The preliminary course not only forms the bridge from school mathematics to university mathematics, but also offers students the opportunity to get to know the university, the lecturers and their contact persons. The personal contact between students and lecturers is an important aspect of teaching at the University of Applied Sciences Aachen.
Further information about the preliminary course in Mathematics can be found here.
Information for new Bachelor students
Freshers' Week
The freshmen week ("Ersti-Woche" for new Bachelor students) is likely to take place from 05. - 09. October 2026. You will receive your schedule at the beginning of the semester by e-mail and also during the introductory events at the Ersti-Woche. You will be divided into groups for the practical trainings.
During the first week of lectures, there will be parallel introductory events and events for first semester students. On Monday, there will be an introductory event for first-year students in the large lecture hall Goe 01301. If possible, everyone who is new to the department should attend this event. However, due to known circumstances, the introductory events may also take place online. All information about the Ersti-Week can be found on the FSR's website of the Faculty 8 (Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics).
The Student Representative Council (FSR8) of the faculty consists of students from different semesters, Bachelor as well as Master students. The FSR is responsible for the organization of the Ersti-Week.
There is also a page with information for first semester students in our e-learning platform ILIAS. Instructions on how to register in ILIAS can be found here (PDF file).
Further dates for first semester students:
The student council also organizes a first semester trip (TNT - "Tierisch Nette Tage"), which usually takes place in October. On the TNT's you get the opportunity to meet your fellow students, experience professors outside the lecture hall, master tricky tasks and get useful tips from your tutors and student council representatives. And of course, it will be fun!
Die Erstsemester-Woche (Ersti-Woche für neue Bachelorstudierende) findet vom 26.-30.9.2022 statt. Euren Stundenplan erhaltet Ihr zu Beginn des Semesters per E-Mail und auch während den Einführungsveranstaltungen bei der Ersti-Woche. Zu den Praktika werdet Ihr in Gruppen eingeteilt.
Während der ersten Vorlesungswoche werden parallel Einführungsveranstaltungen und Events für Erstsemesterstudierende stattfinden. Am Montag findet dann im großen Hörsaal Goe 01301 eine Einführungsveranstaltung für die Erstsemester statt, an der möglichst alle, die neu bei uns im Fachbereich sind, teilnehmen sollten. Aufgrund bekannter Umstände können die Einführungsveranstaltungen jedoch evtl. auch online stattfinden. Alle Informationen zum Ablauf der Ersti-Woche gibt es beim Fachschaftsrat des FB8.
Der Fachschaftsrat (FSR) des Fachbereichs 8 (Maschinenbau und Mechatronik) besteht aus Studierenden verschiedener Semester, Bachelor- sowie Masterstudierenden. Der FSR ist für die Organisation der Ersti-Woche maßgeblich verantwortlich.
Es gibt in unserer E-Learning Plattform ILIAS auch eine Seite mit Informationen für Erstsemesterstudierende. Eine Anleitung zur Anmeldung in ILIAS findet Ihr hier (PDF-Datei).
What you need...
At the beginning of your studies here at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics, you will be confronted with several things and terms that are needed to successfully manage and organise your everyday university life. On the page"What you need" you will find a brief explanation of the most important topics and useful links.
Mentoring Programs
It is important to us to provide our students with optimal support throughout their studies. In order to make it easier for our bachelor's students to start their studies and to show them ways to identify and tackle potential problems and challenges in good time, we offer mentoring programs at the beginning of their studies, in which they are supported in individual or group discussions on questions relating to their studies and on how to successfully shape their course of study.
Professors' mentoring
During freshman week, students have the opportunity to get to know various professors in the faculty. In this question or chat session in a relaxed atmosphere, initial fears of contact are reduced, so that you should not be afraid later to approach or contact a professor with questions or problems in your studies.
Student mentoring
The transition from school or work to university life is challenging. In order to prepare you specifically for the demands of the course, experienced students from higher semesters accompany you throughout the first semester and instruct you in important procedures or formalities as well as working methods for coping with everyday university life. The mentors will provide you with advice and support based on their own experience.
Student mentoring is a compulsory course for all bachelor's students in their first semester and is linked to the Physics practical to ensure that it is as relevant to the degree program as possible. During the compulsory sessions, the tutors teach you interdisciplinary skills (including organization at the start of the semester, time management, and exam preparation). You should definitely attend!
Registration for lectures, tutorials and practical courses
Registration in the CampusOffice will be possible from 16/09/2026, 12.00 noon to 05/10/2026, 10.00 am. As freshers, please register under your degree programme in one of the groups mentioned there (e.g. for the degree programme Mechanical Engineering Full-time (MBB) in one of the groups A - F). Once you have registered in one of these groups, your personal timetable for the first semester is fixed, as these groups are adopted for all modules and course forms of the modules in the first semester.
You therefore proceed as follows:
- Select the semester (e.g. WS 2026/27),
- Select the Bachelor's degree programme (e.g. Mechanical Engineering),
- Select your Examination Regulations (PO -> Prüfungsordnung). The timetable then includes all lectures and exercises as well as practical trainings. We have also created a guide to the timetable, which should answer many questions: Guide to the timetable (PDF file)
- Select your group (e.g. in the degree programme Mechanical Engineering (MBB) "Group A (MBB)") and click on the field "Enter all dates of the respective group in the calendar".
- Repeat this step until all group-specific exercises and practical trainings have been entered in your personal calendar.
- The calendar then offers you the option "Export dates of WS 2026/27 to iCal format", which you should select to create a file that you can then transfer to your mobile phone or iPad or notebook, for example.
Information on individual modules or courses
An insight or overview of the individual courses can be found here on the website of the faculty 8 degree programs. If you click on "Course content" on the left side of the respective course, you will get a list of all modules that are linked to CAMPUS-Office, where you can find more details about the course module:
- Course contents Bachelor Maschinenbau
- Course contents Bachelor Mechatronics
- Course contents Bachelor Engineering Management
- Course contents Master Mechatronics (3-semester) and (4-semester)
- Course contents Master Product Development in Mechanical Engineering
- Course contents Master Engineering Management
The study contents published here on the website are always based on the latest valid examination regulations, which are mentioned at the top of the page. If you are studying according to another, older examination regulations, you must of course select this accordingly in CAMPUS-Office.
Examination regulations
With your enrollment you sign that you accept the currently valid framework examination regulations of the FH Aachen as well as the examination regulations valid for your study program. Therefore, it is important that you also know the contents. All students should have read both examination regulations. The examination regulations can be downloaded online at the respective study program.
If you have any questions about the examination regulations, the faculty's student council (FSR8) will be happy to help you. Alternatively, you can contact the chairman of the examination board, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christian Effertz. For e-mail inquiries to him, please always use his functional address "[email protected]".
Examination Office (Faculty 8)
If you have formal organizational questions about your exams, you can contact the Examinations Office of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics.
There are also help videos on the subject of Campus Office on YouTube. If you are interested, have a look here:
- CampusOffice: Check your timetable: https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6rnk4ncckg
- CampusOffice: Register for courses and timetable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bfJ7FOUMtM
- QIS: Exam registration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaKeAJe189Y
University committees
The university structure is without question complicated. Nevertheless, as a student you should at least know something about your university. Then it is much easier to find the right contact person. If you don't know your way around, you lose many opportunities to exert influence and make life unnecessarily difficult for yourself. Here is a brief introduction to university committees.
Recognition of achievements in the case of a university change
For students who have already studied at another university and would now like to change to FH Aachen, there is general information about this on this FH website: https://www.fh-aachen.de/studium/bewerben/hochschule-wechseln
Bachelor degree programs
If you have already studied at another university and would now like to continue your Bachelor's degree program at FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, you can have your previous academic achievements checked to see if they can be credited to your Bachelor's degree program at FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences.
However, the credit recognition will only be carried out AFTER enrollment.
The procedure is as follows:
- Prior to application, the pre-internship certificate (issued by Mr. H. Lingens, see below under pre-internship) and the placement certificate (issued by Mr. Pfeiffer) must be obtained.
- Apply at the FH Aachen for the desired bachelor program (-> Online Application Portal).
- After admission to the program, go to the student secretary's office at FH Aachen and enroll for the program with the above-mentioned documents.
- For the recognition of previous examinations, you have to submit the corresponding certificates. The contact person for this is Mr. Pfeiffer, who you can visit during his office hours.
Master degree programs
If you have already started a Master's program at another university and would now like to continue it at the FH Aachen, you can have it checked AFTER enrollment whether previously completed coursework can be credited for the Master's program at the FH Aachen. For the recognition, corresponding evidence must be submitted.
Under certain circumstances, achievements from a successfully completed seven-semester Bachelor's program can also be recognized for the Master's program.
The procedure is as follows:
- Apply for the desired Master's program at the FH Aachen (-> Online Application Portal).
- After successful admission to the study program, go to the student secretariat and enroll for the study program at the FH Aachen. You will need to bring the placement certificate issued by Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christian Effertz from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics.
- For the recognition of previous examinations, appropriate proof must be submitted. The contact person for the recognition of achievements is the head of the respective study program.
Who is heading the degree programs in Faculty 8?
The contact details of the program directors of the Faculty 8's Master programs can be found on the Contact page of the respective Master program:
Head of the study program Master Product Development in Mechanical Engineering
Head of the study program Master Mechatronics
Head of the study program Master Engineering Management
BAfÖG and study financing
You can find information on this topic on this page here.
BAföG is an important source of funding for many students - unfortunately, one often despairs of even submitting the application. The AStA offers a counseling service for this purpose. The advice center for BAföG and student financing helps you with the application process, gives students important hints, tips and information about the Federal Training Assistance Act, housing subsidies, scholarships, student loans and about getting a job. Just send an email to tudienfinanzierung(at)asta.fh-aachen.org for more information or to make an appointment.
Jobs and Hiwi vacancies
Student health insurance
If you are insured as a student with your health insurance company and have a job in addition to your full-time studies, you should know that the latter may not exceed 19 hours per week for full-time studies, otherwise you will lose your entitlement to the low-cost compulsory student insurance.
If you work more hours, you should know that there are exceptions, e.g. if you work mostly on weekends (i.e. not on weekdays during the lecture period). Sometimes health insurances require that you can prove the working hours on weekends, e.g. by a work schedule.
If this is the case, it is best to discuss this with your health insurance company before you start working.
Job portal of the Career Service
The Career Service of the FH Aachen offers students a job portal and information on job fairs and job exchanges.
Faculty 8's digital pinboard in Ilias
Job offers are published in Ilias: Log in to Ilias with your FH ID and then look under Faculty 8 in the FB8 Pinboard: Either under "Jobs general" (viewable for all FH students of all faculties) or under "Final & project work, Hiwi jobs" (viewable only for students of Faculty 8).
