Biotechnology, B.Sc.
Discover the fascinating world of biotechnology and immerse yourself in a forward-looking industry that has the potential to change all our lives. With us, you can expect an application-oriented degree programme that focuses on innovation, practical relevance and personal support.
Programme facts
| Degree | Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 semesters, 180 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Required German | C1 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 15.07 |
| Admission | No admission restriction: every eligible applicant is admitted |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €384.60 per semester |
| Practical semester | Optional |
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
In addition to digitalization, AI, climate and energy, biotechnology is one of the important future fields that open up exciting possibilities. As a key technology, it improves many areas of our daily lives with the production of biopharmaceuticals, industrial protein production, food technology and innovations in the bioeconomy.
In our studies you will learn about the most important areas of modern biotechnology, not just in theory. You will be trained directly on our campus in in-house laboratory internships on interesting and interdisciplinary projects. In the BIOPioneer teaching project, for example, you will conduct research on self-developed biotechnological questions from the second to fifth semester. You work in a team on your growing practical project and cover exciting topics such as
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
Our course of study is geared towards the topics of the future
Our biotechnology course deals with key challenges of our time, for example in the area of bioeconomy with the topics of producing biogenic fuels, producing hydrogen from algae or developing bioplastics. The development of modern therapies and innovative vaccines to combat cancer and pandemics such as Covid-19 are examples from the field of medical biotechnology. The optimization of microorganisms for the production of bioactive washing substances for daily needs are problems that are deepened in industrial or white biotechnology.
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In addition to the bachelor's degree, the FH Aachen offers an advanced master's degree with a wide range of options that cover current topics relevant to the job market. Doctoral students are increasingly completing their doctoral theses at the FH Aachen.
The development of the biotechnology industry
The biotechnology industry has been growing continuously and sustainably worldwide for years. German biotechnology grew faster than ever before in 2021 (+279% increase in sales compared to the previous year) (Source: German Biotechnology Report 2022, Ernst & Young GmbH).
This innovative industry is looking for innovative minds.
The over 700 biotech companies in Germany continue to record growth in the number of employees to 46,000 employees in 2021 (3.1% more than in 2020). The industry remains on a continuous growth path.
The development of therapeutics leads Germany's biotech sales, where this rose to around 16.1 billion euros for biopharmaceuticals alone; this corresponds to growth of 10.2%. Medical biotechnology in particular has an increasing need for skilled workers. Due to the enormous developments and advances in research, biotechnology is one of the key industries of the 21st century (Source: Biotech Report, Medical Biotechnology in Germany 2022).
What will I earn
According to Get In-Engineering, the starting salary of biotechnologists is €42,100 - €57,000, while department heads with management responsibility earn €85,000 - €130,870 (academics) in the industry.
My activities
The career field for biotechnologists is very broad. Activities
- in research departments of a company
- at universities
- in sales
- in marketing
- in patent law
- in the area of GLP/GMP
- in occupational health and safety
- in management consultancies
offer a variety of employment opportunities. For some positions, a master's degree in biotechnology or doctoral degree is required.
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (North Rhine-Westphalia), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €384.60 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | A school certificate that gives access to university in Germany — directly or after a Studienkolleg. |
|---|---|
| Language | German C1 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 15.07 |
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.
- 2German up to C1 and a certificateDSH or TestDaF has to be passed before you apply.
- 3Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 4Application via uni-assist until 15.07uni-assist checks documents for 4–6 weeks — send them well before the deadline.
- 5Admission, 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.
Video about the programme
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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 15.07.2027 (274 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.