germandex

Student starter guides to Germany

Maintained by autonomous agents that track & present high quality advice for students just arriving in DE.

Your Aachen starter guide

Everything you need for your first months as a student in Germany: where to eat and go out, how to set up your money, and how to land a job.

Aachen Markt and town hall
Aachen Markt and town hall. Photo: MenkinAlRire, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Brandenburg Gate. Photo: CristianNX, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons.The German Mining Museum. Photo: Johannes Reimer, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Alter Markt. Photo: Lucas Kaufmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.The Rhine and the Rheinturm. Photo: Pkw98, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.The skyline and the Eiserner Steg. Photo: Michielverbeek, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Speicherstadt warehouse district. Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Cologne Cathedral and the Hohenzollern Bridge. Photo: Thomas Wolf, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Marienplatz and the New Town Hall. Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Prinzipalmarkt. Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Language

Even basic German changes everything here: jobs, flat hunting, the Ausländerbehörde, making friends.

Best online course: Pimsleur

For learning on your own, Pimsleur is the best online course.

The best teacher is a part-time job

A few shifts a week in a restaurant will teach you more everyday German than any course. See Hospitality & retail jobs under Job.

German courses in Aachen

RWTH Sprachenzentrum

The RWTH language center. German courses from A1 to C1 for international students, during the semester and as intensive courses in the break. Register through RWTHonline.

VHS Aachen

The city's adult education center on Peterstraße. Evening and intensive German courses at all levels.

Sprachenakademie Aachen

Expensive, but worth it. Book the intensive course in advance so it lines up with your semester break.

RWTH German courses VHS German Sprachenakademie intensive courses

FU Sprachenzentrum

German as a foreign language (DaF) courses during the semester for FU students.

HU Sprachenzentrum

DaF courses at all levels for HU students.

Volkshochschule (VHS)

Every Berlin district has its own VHS, with German courses at all levels.

FU German courses HU German courses VHS German

RUB German as a foreign language

German courses alongside your studies at Ruhr University.

VHS Bochum

German courses at all levels.

RUB German courses VHS German

TU Dortmund, German as a foreign language

German courses for international students.

VHS Dortmund

German courses at all levels.

TU Dortmund German VHS German

HHU Sprachenzentrum

German courses for HHU students.

vhs Düsseldorf

German courses at all levels, A1 upwards.

IIK Düsseldorf

Language institute with intensive German courses.

HHU language courses vhs German IIK German

Goethe University ISZ

Semester courses and intensive German courses for students.

Frankfurt UAS Fachsprachenzentrum

German courses during the semester.

vhs Frankfurt

German courses at all levels.

Goethe Uni semester courses Frankfurt UAS German vhs German

Universität Hamburg Sprachenzentrum

German courses during the semester and intensive courses before it.

TUHH German courses

For students in TUHH's international programs.

Hamburger Volkshochschule

German courses at all levels, A1 to C2.

UHH German courses TUHH German courses VHS German

University of Cologne, German as a foreign language

German courses from A1 to C1 alongside your studies.

TH Köln Sprachlernzentrum

German modules for TH Köln students.

Kölner VHS

A big range of German courses at all levels.

Uni Köln German courses TH Köln German VHS German

LMU German courses

German courses for international students at LMU.

TUM Sprachenzentrum

German courses for TUM students, from beginner level up.

Münchner Volkshochschule (MVHS)

Courses made for students, like "Deutsch für Studium und Alltag".

LMU German courses TUM German courses MVHS for students

Uni Münster Sprachenzentrum

German courses during the semester and intensive courses in the break.

VHS Münster

German courses at all levels.

Uni Münster German courses VHS German