With the start of the summer term approaching, RWTH Aachen University is once again preparing to welcome numerous new international students from all over the world.
To help them settle in and find their way around campus and the city, the International Office, in collaboration with numerous RWTH services, student initiatives, and partners, is organizing a diverse Welcome Week for new international students from April 7 to 10, 2026.
The program includes guided campus and city tours, information events, social meet-ups, and cultural highlights, all designed to help new students make connections and feel at home in Aachen.
The Welcome Week is a central element of RWTH’s onboarding process for new international students. Even before their arrival, students can take part in preparation webinars and receive step-by-step guidance via the website First Steps for New International Students, which provides resources available throughout the year and is therefore also suitable for late arrivals.
A major component of social integration at RWTH is the BeBuddy Program, which connects new international students with experienced RWTH students. Through individual support, Buddies help newcomers build social networks, gain insights into everyday student life, and feel part of the RWTH community from the very beginning.
Building on the Welcome Week, RWTH continues to support new international students throughout their first semester with dedicated international first-year support. This offer focuses on academic orientation and provides a natural continuation of the Welcome Week program. Through additional events and the guidance of Peer Success Coaches, students can better understand how RWTH and the German academic system work, discover academic expectations and structures, and connect with fellow students, making it an especially valuable opportunity for those who arrive later or are unable to attend the Welcome Week.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all partners, volunteers, and members of the RWTH community whose dedication makes this initiative possible. RWTH students who volunteer during the Welcome Week can receive a component of the Certificate International.