RWTH Welcome Week 2026 Begins

RWTH Welcome Week, taking place from September 28 to October 2, will prepare new international students for university life in Aachen through campus tours, information events, and social activities.

RWTH Welcome Week 2026 Begins

RWTH Aachen University is welcoming new international students starting their studies in the 2026/27 winter semester with Welcome Week, taking place from September 28 to October 2, 2026. Organized by the RWTH International Office together with various university departments, student organizations, and partner institutions, the program aims to help new students become familiar with both the university and the city of Aachen.

Welcome Week is not simply an orientation program explaining how the university works. Throughout the week, campus and city tours, information sessions, social gatherings, and cultural activities will take place. This gives students arriving in Aachen from different countries the opportunity to explore the campus, meet other students, and adjust to everyday student life before classes begin.

According to RWTH's own information, the university and the International Office welcome more than 3,000 new international students each year. Welcome Week is organized as a comprehensive and free program designed to make it easier for these students to adapt to university life and living in Aachen.

Meeting People Is Just as Important as Getting to Know the University

One of the main goals of the program is to help new students build their first social networks in Aachen. Especially for students moving to another country on their own, meeting new people can be just as important as understanding the university system during the first few weeks.

For this reason, Welcome Week includes not only official information sessions, but also social activities where students can interact with one another. RWTH's support for international students does not end when Welcome Week is over.

Freshers' Fair Is Another Important Part of the Program

One of the events taking place during Welcome Week is the Freshers' Fair. According to Aachen's current event calendar, the 2026 event is listed for September 30 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM in the C.A.R.L. Foyer. Aachen's mobility team will also be present to provide new international students with information about transportation, cycling, and mobility options in the city.

In previous Welcome Weeks, the Freshers' Fair has brought together many university departments and student organizations directly with new students. During the 2026 summer semester fair, for example, the IT Center answered student questions particularly about eduroam, Microsoft 365, RWTH email accounts, and technical support services.

Support Is Available Even Before Arriving in Aachen

RWTH's preparation for new international students does not begin only when they arrive in Aachen. The International Office provides RWTH Prep webinars and First Steps for New International Students resources so that students can prepare for the university system before arriving.

These resources provide step-by-step information on topics ranging from enrollment procedures to the first administrative steps at the university and are available throughout the year.

On the International Office's current resources page, students can also find information about the 2026/27 Welcome Week program, First Steps, student representative bodies, BeBuddy registration, and International First-Year Support.

Support from an Experienced RWTH Student Through BeBuddy

Another service available to new students is the BeBuddy Program. Through the program, new international students are matched with more experienced students who are already studying at RWTH.

Buddies can help new students adjust to daily life in Aachen and at RWTH, better understand university procedures, and build a social network. RWTH runs the program specifically to make it easier for international students to adapt to university life and a new city.

For this reason, students newly arriving in Aachen from Turkey may also find it useful to take a look at the BeBuddy program in addition to Welcome Week. The International Office's current resources page still lists the BeBuddy mentee registration form among the available resources for new students.

Support Continues After Welcome Week

Welcome Week is only the beginning of RWTH's support for international students. The university's International First-Year Support program continues to support students throughout their first semester.

Through Peer Success Coaches, the program aims to help students better understand RWTH's academic structure, the German university system, and the academic study methods expected of them.

The program can also be useful for students who arrive late in Aachen or are unable to participate in Welcome Week events. The International First-Year Support Moodle area for the 2026/27 winter semester is also active.

This support can later continue with events explaining systems that new students sometimes initially find difficult to use, such as RWTHonline, Moodle, and course registration. In a previous semester, for example, the International Office organized “RWTH Explained Simply” sessions to explain these systems specifically to new international students.

Classes Begin on October 12

After Welcome Week, students will still have some time to prepare for the new semester. At RWTH, the regular teaching period for the 2026/27 winter semester will begin on October 12, 2026 and continue until February 5, 2027.

Welcome Week, which begins on September 28, therefore offers an important opportunity especially for students arriving at RWTH and in Aachen for the first time to understand the university system, learn their way around campus, and build their first friendships before classes begin.

What Should Students Who Want to Participate Do?

Because some events may have limited capacity or require registration, simply knowing the general dates may not be enough. The RWTH International Office has published the current Welcome Week program for the 2026/27 winter semester online, and it is currently listed under the “Latest News” section on the official International Office resources page.