Career Services and Networks
The International Academy's Career Services offer an extensive array of consultations, trainings, events and networking opportunities for students of the master programmes at RWTH International Academy. It’s our goal to support our students with their career entry in Germany and provide them with valuable contacts.
Therefore, the team of the RWTH International Academy conducts for example application seminars on a regular basis, where you will receive all necessary information in order to prepare your application documents properly. One of these workshops that is being offered regularly is the "How to apply" workshop or CV Check Events conducted by company representatives. You are also kindly invited to arrange a personal CV check with us via email or in person.
In addition, we organize our yearly Career Day event as well as our new format Networking Night, during which our students have the chance to get to know several German companies.
Furthermore, we offer excursions and company visits to various German firms in order to give the students specialized insights into different companies and to get first-hand information on their job perspectives.
We are continuously working to further improve our career services for our international students.
Company Visits
In the past, we visited the following companies. Every year, we work keenly on developing our portfolio further.
Tips on German applications and CV's
When applying for a job in Germany, it is essential to know how to create a German standard CV and cover letter. The following links and downloads give you guidance on what needs to be considered.
If you should have any questions or wish for an individual CV check, please contact us!
How to find Student/Scientific Assistant (Hiwi) Positions
Student assistants are employed for services in research and teaching and related administrative activities. The student assistant, or so called "Hiwi", is a student who works up to 19 hours per week at a university institute within the framework of an official work contract.
This calculator ("Hiwi-Komfort-Rechner") will help you to evaluate your monthly income and leave entitlement.
If you have worked for at least 3 months with 10 hours a week (120 hours) as a science assistant (research assistant), this work experience can be included in your final transcript. You will have to submit this form to the ZPA, when turning in your Master thesis at the latest.
The institutes at the RWTH Aachen University usually provide information on vacancies regarding mini thesis (Studienarbeit), Master thesis, and Hiwi positions (Studentische Hilfskraft) on their websites.
- You can find an overview of all mechanical engineering institutes here
- You can find an overview of all electrical engineering institutes here
- You can find an overview of all civil engineering institutes here
Further you may refer to these search engines:
- RWTH Search engine for student assistant jobs here
- Search Engine of the students' association ASTA here
How to find Internship Positions
If you want to gain work experience in the German industry, it is common for students to do internships. There are different types of internships: voluntary internships that can be completed out of personal interest, and compulsory internships which are a required part of many academic courses (e.g. CAME). Please also view the section "Earning money-legal framework" below for information regarding the minimum wage.
Information concerning internships is also provided by the chamber of commerce and industry (IHK). Two PDFs listing companies that offer internship positions especially for international students can be found here.
The following links provide some job search engines:
Earning money - Legal framework
International students from non-EU countries are permitted to work for a total of 120 full or 240 half days per year off-campus. This does not include work you do as a student assistant (Hiwi). However, you will need to inform the foreigners' office. Students are generally allowed to earn EUR 8354 per year tax free, which means they can hold a mini-job paying EUR 450 per month without having to pay taxes. If you take up a job, you will need an income tax card which can be obtained from the Residents' Office of the City of Aachen (Einwohnermeldeamt):
Though a minimum wage of EUR 8.50 was introduced in Germany in 2015, it does not necessarily apply to interns (student assistants do receive a fixed income that is higher than the minimum wage).
Excluded from the minimum wage:
- Compulsory internships during your studies
- Voluntary internships during your studies for up to 3 months
Entitled to minimum wage:
- Internships done after your studies
- Voluntary internships during your studies that last longer than 3 months
Please find more information on the following websites:
Listed below, please find the latest job announcements for internships and HiWi positions. If you would like to publish your job announcement here, please contact us!
Residence Permit for Job Search
To be able to search for a job in Germany, a residence permit for the time after completion of studies can be applied for. This permit for job seeking purposes can be obtained for a maximum period of 18 months. Please note that you cannot continue your education once you have been issued a residence permit for job seeking.
PhD Studies
There is more than one way to get your doctoral title in Germany. Depending on the subject, research proposal and type of university, there are several possible paths to a PhD, the most common of which are individual doctoral studies and structured PhD programmes. The majority of doctoral candidates in Germany pursue PhDs through individual doctoral study, yet structured PhD programmes are becoming increasingly common [Source: DAAD].
More information on further PhD studies and a career in academia are available here:
Searching for Engineering Jobs
If you are looking into developing your career in Germany, you can use the below job search portals to find open positions in your field of interest. All graduates of the RWTH Aachen University can also seek consultation at the RWTH Aachen Career Center and the Center for Doctoral Studies.