Master Data Science
Application for Admission – Data Science
Table of Contents
Students interested in enrolling to the Data Science (DS) master program must apply for admission. Further, if (and only if) the applicants are accepted, they can enroll to the DS master program. There are hard deadlines for both steps, i.e. for submitting the application for admission and for enrolling to the DS master program.
Deadline
The DS can be started either in the summer term (starts beginning of April) or the winter term (beginning of October). In order to join the DS master program, applicants have to submit their application for admission before the application for admission deadline (this is a hard / strict deadline!). The deadline depends on the applicant as there is
- a deadline for applicants who are not from the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) and
- a deadline for applicants who are from the EU or EEA.
Note that exceptions to this rule are described on the master application information for internationals page.
Non-EU & Non-EEA applicants
March 1st1
This is the deadline for the application for admission for a first semester start in the following winter term. The applications can be submitted between December and March 1st.
For a higher semester start2 applications can be submitted
- between December and March 1st for the following winter term and
- between June and September 1st for the following summer term.
Read the explanation in the footnote 2 before applying for a higher semester start.
EU & EEA applicants
July 15th1
This is the deadline for the application for admission for a first semester start in the following winter term. The applications can be submitted between June and July 15th.
For a higher semester start2 applications can be submitted
- between June and July 15th for the following winter term and
- between December and January 15th for the following summer term.
Read the explanation in the footnote 2 before applying for a higher semester start.
1: For the latest information always refer to the master application information for internationals page on RWTH Aachen University’s website. The DS master program is a program with an open admission (not a restricted admission (NC)). In case the information on this page and the linked page differs, consider the information on the linked page as correct.
2: There are increased requirements for an admission to a higher semester start. Students do not only need to provide qualifications for the admission to DS but also for the semesters they want to skip, e.g., if they apply for a second semester start they apply for DS plus skipping the first semester. For this students need to provide proof of completed courses related to the master DS curriculum amounting for the number of semesters they intend to skip (approx. 30 ECTS credit points / semester). Most students do not have the qualifications for a higher semester start and thus should apply for a first semester start. Carefully check this before applying!
Prerequisites
An application must strictly meet the formal admission / entrance requirements. Applications that do not meet these requirements are rejected. Thus, the requirements must be read carefully before applying.
- An applicant must have a first degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics or a closely related area awarded by an internationally recognised university-level institution. This can be a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Informatics, or other closely related discipline. Additionally, one of the profiles mentioned below must be fulfilled.
- You need a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test result that meets all of the following requirements (see exception below):
- quantitative reasoning score: above 75th percentile (among 25% best)
- verbal reasoning score: above 15th percentile (among 85% best)
- analytical writing: minimum score 3.5
The GRE general test result must be provided with the application for admission before the application for admission deadline. It cannot be handed in after the application for admission deadline.
Exception: The GRE is not required for applicants with citizenship of the European Union or European Economic Area or who completed their secondary education in Germany (to be more precise, they have to be what is called “Bildungsinländerinnen oder Bildungsinländer” in German, meaning you have an Abitur or equivalent).
An applicant must have a English language certificate that proofs that he/she is able to speak and write fluently in English.
For a list of accepted English language certificates and further information refer to the English language requirements for master programs described on the International Office’s language requirements page on RWTH Aachen University’s website. Note the limited validity time of language certificates (TOEFL and IELTS tests lose their validity after two years after the tes). For an IELTS test, note that it must be the academic IELTS test, not the general IELTS test.
Profiles
The ECTS and content’s discription of a module can be found in the electronic lecture directory RWTHonline. The contents of the modules must be comparable to the RWTH’s modules.
- Practical Computer Science: Programming (8 CP), Data Structures and Algorithms (7 CP), Databases and Information Systems (6 CP), Introduction to Software Engineering (6 CP)
- Technical Computer Science: Introduction to Computer Architecture (6 CP), Operating Systems (6 CP), Computer Network and Security (6 CP)
- Theoretical Computer Science: Formal Systems, Automata, and Processes (Theory of Computation I, 6 CP), Computability and Complexity (Theory of Computation II, 6 CP), Mathematical Logic (6 CP)
- Mathematics: Discrete Structures (6 CP), Analysis for Computer Science (Calculus I+II, 8 CP), Linear Algebra (6 CP), Introduction to Stochastics (6 CP)
- Analysis: Analysis I (6 CP), Analysis II (9 CP), Analysis III (9 CP)
- Linear Algebra: Linear Algebra I (6 CP), Linear Algebra II (9 CP)
- Further competences: Numerical Analysis (9 CP), Stochastic (9 CP)
- Experimental Physics: Experimental physics IV (7 CP), Experimental physics V a (5 CP), Experimental physics V b (5 CP), Networking of experimental physics (9 CP)
- Theoretical Physics: Theoretical physics III (9 CP), Theoretical Physics IV (9 CP), Networking of theoretical physics (8 CP)
- Mathematics: Higher mathematics I (8 CP), Higher mathematics II (8 CP), Higher mathematics III (8 CP)
- Further Competences: Advanced internship (6 CP)
The core content of the profiles is in accordance with the respective comprehensive exmaination regulations for each Bachelor at the RWTH. If you received your Bachelor’s degree in one of these profiles at the RWTH, you are automatically eligible for admission. This also applies if a new comprehensive examination regulation for one of the aforementioned degrees has since come into effect.
GRE Tests
GRE tests during COVID-19 pandemic
In case the GRE test center is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for many regions it is possible to take the GRE test online.
Submitting the GRE test result with an application
- The GRE test results must be submitted with the application for admission, i.e. the GRE test results must be submitted before the application for admission deadline.
- You can optionally submit the GRE test results to RWTH Aachen University via ETS using the ETS code for RWTH Aachen University, which is 8504 (Aachen U Technology). However, independent of that you always need to upload the GRE test results document in RWTH Aachen University’s online application portal.
How to apply
German applicants should check the Zugangsvoraussetzungen für den Master page and the Bewerbung Master page.
Get translations of documents
The online application portal requires you to upload some documents for your application for admission. Note that the documents need to be translated if they are not in German or English language. For further information refer to the International Office’s master application for internationals website and in particular the “translation of your documents” section on that page.
Make sure to obtain a proof of English proficiency
For details on when to upload the document proving the applicant’s English proficiency, refer to the language requirements page on RWTH Aachen University’s website. As of March 2021 the website explains that the applicant is not asked to upload a document proving his/her English proficiency during the application for admission. Instead the applicant has to provide the document(s) when enrolling.
Prepare the module descriptions document
- Provide a matching of the requirements: Add a cover sheet in front of the module descriptions document(s) and write down on this cover sheet which of the courses you passed fit to which of the special admission requirements.
- Provide an easy to search document: Add on the cover sheet for every course you passed that is relevant for matching the special admission requirements the page number of the repective module description. If possible provide a searchable PDF module description document.
- Provide a complete document: Make sure to provide official descriptions of all courses relevant to meeting the special admission requirements of your application.
- Provide a list of open (not yet completed) exams: If you have not yet completed all courses relevant to meeting the special admission requirements, but you will soon, note this down in the cover sheet. If we do know about these courses, you might be admitted based on the condition that you later prove that you completed the exams.
Submit your application
Submit your application for admission via RWTH Aachen University’s online application portal. You need to register and create an account first. Then, you can input and submit your application. Make sure to submit your application before the application for admission deadline.
Application result notification
Checking the applications takes some time. For the application for admission with the deadline of 1st March the applicants are usually not informed before May. Once the admission decisions are made, RWTH Aachen University informs all applicants about their result.
Enrollment
Accepted applicants must enroll to the Data Science master program in time, i.e., before the enrollment deadline.