Automotive Engineering, M.Sc.
Within this program, students are taught the technological basics and in-depth knowledge in the conception and the development of passenger cars and commercial vehicles, and optionally of motorcycles and off-highway vehicles. This comprises technical vehicle design with regard to market, legislative and manufacturing requirements. Course modules cover all of the vehicle’s main domains such as chassis, body, drivetrain, safety, driver assistance systems and others. Graduates will be proficient in relevant technological areas like vehicle dynamics, energy efficiency, acoustics, mechatronics, structural fatigue and durability.
The program provides in-depth knowledge of industrial design approaches and research topics with regard to real-world vehicle requirements, market developments and legislative constraints.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Science (M.Sc.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 semesters, 90 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Required English | B2 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | winter semester until 01.03 |
| Admission | No admission restriction: every eligible applicant is admitted |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €375.19 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
Every applicant who meets the formal requirements is admitted — but places can run out before the deadline, so apply at the start of the window.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →What you study
This three semester program consists of two semesters of compulsory and elective courses; a 22 week Master's thesis concludes the study program in the third semester. The courses are taught in English and usually comprise lectures and adjacent exercises as well as a written or oral examination. The Master's thesis can be written in English or German language, with basic knowledge of German required for the registration of the Master's thesis. The students have the possibility to attend a German language course during their studies, a time slot is reserved for German language courses.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
The program’s goal is to provide qualification for most demanding positions in the automotive sector. This includes jobs in industrial, research and development and other private or public organizations. Jobs in traffic systems technologies and traffic guidance/organization are also possible.
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The outstanding reputation of the Institut für Kraftfahrzeuge (ika) in the automotive world and of RWTH Aachen University as top university underlines the excellent prospects for Master's program graduates.
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (North Rhine-Westphalia), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €375.19 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | A bachelor's degree in a related field. |
|---|---|
| Language | English B2 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | winter semester until 01.03 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 3Application until 01.03Send the documents well before the deadline — an incomplete application cannot be completed after it.
- 4Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 01.03.2027 (138 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.