RWTH country — Germany's largest engineering university, the densest student nightlife per square metre in Germany, and a 30-min train to Belgium/Netherlands.
Photo: Unsplash · representative city image
Aachen is dominated by RWTH (Germany's top engineering university) and FH Aachen. The international engineering cohort is the largest of any German university. Aachen sits at the corner where Germany, Netherlands, and Belgium meet — Maastricht is 35 minutes by bus, Liège 45 minutes by train, Brussels 2 hours. Rent is cheaper than west-German peer cities. This guide covers the Pontviertel student-bar density, the RWTH international housing scramble, and the small things that make Aachen feel like home.
Watch
Living in Aachen
Opens YouTube · big-channel results
Explore on map
Pontviertel, Aachen, Germany
Interactive · drag to explore
Aachen's student halls are cheap (€220-380/mo) but oversubscribed. Apply via studierendenwerk-aachen.de within 24 hours of receiving admission. Without halls you're competing in the Pontviertel WG market.
Bundled in your RWTH fees. Free travel on all regional trains in North Rhine-Westphalia (Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn) plus Aachen city buses. One of Germany's best student-ticket regions.
Maastricht (Netherlands) is 35 min by bus 350. Liège (Belgium) is 45 min by train. Brussels is 2 hours. Most international students don't realise how close they are to the entire Benelux until 3 months in.
Aachen is bike-heavy and bike-theft-heavy. €50 on an Abus U-lock + a cable for the front wheel is the standard student kit.
Charlemagne is buried here. Aachen was the seat of the Holy Roman Empire. The cathedral is UNESCO World Heritage. Free entry, €4 for the treasury. The most surprising history-tourism in Germany.
Many short-term Aachen sublets (especially in the Pontviertel) don't allow Anmeldung. Without it your visa-renewal blocks. Always confirm in writing before signing.
Aachen is in NRW's rain-belt — wettest major German city. Buy a real rain jacket (Vaude, Gore-Tex) before October. A cheap umbrella will not work for a year here.
It's loud — bars on every corner, weekend noise until 4am. Year-1 students love it. Year-2 students move to the Frankenberger Viertel or Soers. Plan accordingly.
Belgium + Netherlands are Schengen, so no border checks normally — but random ones happen. Carry your residence permit (not just passport) on every cross-border trip.
Ordered by urgency. Top items have hard deadlines.
Book Bürgeramt Anmeldung appointment via Aachen.de
Pick up Semesterticket at the AStA office
Open a German bank account (N26 or Sparkasse Aachen)
Get a German SIM (Aldi Talk / O2 prepaid)
Sign up for TK or AOK student health insurance
Get a bike + U-lock
Visit the Auslandsamt (international office) in your first week — they have housing leads not posted publicly
Aachen is more international than its size suggests
Half of all RWTH master's programmes are taught in English. International cohorts are massive. You'll find your tribe fast.
Belgian + Dutch influence on culture
Frites + mayo is normal. Belgian beer is widely available. People sometimes mix in Dutch or French expressions. Aachen feels less 'pure German' than Munich or Hamburg.
Carnival (Karneval) is a big deal in February
Aachen takes Karneval seriously. Multiple weeks of parades, costumes, drinking. The week of Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) is a city-wide party. Don't expect serious lectures.
Aachen is generally safe — Pontviertel exception
The Pontviertel student-bar district has the most incidents per square metre due to alcohol. Standard urban awareness; don't walk home solo at 4am with visible electronics.
Bike theft is the #1 student crime
Cheap locks are not enough. Park your bike in well-lit, busy areas. Never leave it overnight in the Pontviertel.
112 + 110 + 116 117 — same as rest of Germany
Plus the RWTH has its own campus security number for issues on university grounds.
Mensa Vita + Academica are excellent
RWTH's two main Mensas serve €3-5 hot lunches. Mensa Vita has the better salad bar. Mensa Academica is closer to the engineering faculties.
Aldi Süd + Lidl in Aachen are 35% cheaper than Rewe
Same German rule. The Aldi at Hbf is closest to Pontviertel. Save €150-200/month vs. shopping at Rewe.
Use the Semesterticket for Brussels/Maastricht/Cologne weekend trips
The ticket covers all NRW regional trains. Add €5-10 to extend to Belgian/Dutch cities. Brussels weekend trip total cost: €15.
Free help in your language — we narrow the city down to your neighborhood, your budget, your university.
See Aachen apartments
