This page provides an overview of information that might be relevant for you new students (also affectionately called “freshmen”) during your first days and weeks at university.

Under Before the Studies you will find all information concerning the time before the start of your studies. So be sure to check there early on.

To make sure you don’t feel too lost, the Freshmen Workgroup (ESA) organizes a framework program for the first days and weeks. This way you can slowly get used to life and studying in Aachen without having to worry about annoying things like “making social contacts” yourself.

Introduction Week

The freshman week (also introduction week) marks the start of your studies at RWTH. It takes place in the week before the lectures begin, when you still have no obligations. Instead, you should have time to get to know your fellow students, your subject, and the university, even if you couldn’t attend the preparatory courses.

But it’s also about having fun, because there will be enough stress during your studies. Therefore, many parties take place during the freshman week.

An overview of the schedule and further information about the introduction week can be found here.

Freshmen Weekend (ESWE)

The people from the Freshmen Workgroup (ESA) spend a weekend with you in a house in the Eifel. There you have the opportunity to get to know your fellow students and make new friends through games, fun, and drinks. Besides role-playing, drinking, and board games, there are also hikes, campfires, or a karaoke evening. We are always open to suggestions for other activities you might want.

All bachelor freshmen who started their studies in the current winter semester can participate.

Further information and impressions from recent years can be found here.

Freshmen Info

The Freshmen Info Booklet (ES-Info) is published every year by the ESA. It contains a wealth of important and interesting information for your first months of study and can always serve as a guide.

Besides explanations of the modules you will complete during your studies, it also includes anecdotes about the cafeteria and the buses.

Here you will find a collection of some previously published issues of the ES-Info. You will also find the current version in the bag you receive from us during the introduction week.

Other Publications

In What’s Up we report once per semester about what we have been up to in the past six months.

Other Events

• Summer Semester Introduction
• Game Nights
• and much more...

Resources

Here we would like to point out a few more things that might be useful during the first weeks of your studies:

• Academic Advisors: A list of RWTH academic advisors. They can help you with all questions regarding the organization of your studies in your subject.
• Lecture Hall Overview: Explanations of how the room names at RWTH work and how to find your way there.
• Lecture Videos: Recorded by our Video Working Group.