You have successfully completed your Bachelor's degree at RWTH or are about to do so and would now like to switch to the Master's program in Computer Science? Congratulations! However, if you have successfully completed your Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and would like to switch to the Master's degree in Computer Science, there are a few important steps and deadlines to consider:
Step 1: Application for the Master's program
Applications for the Master's program are made via RWTHonline and must be submitted by July 15 for the winter semester or by January 15 for the summer semester. You can therefore enrol for both the summer and winter semester.
Required documents for the application are the Transcript of Records from RWTHonline and, if applicable, other certificates of achievement such as achievements in other degree programs. In order to successfully apply for the Master's program, you must either have already achieved all 180CP or be registered for the missing modules.
If you have successfully uploaded all your documents to RWTHonline, you will usually receive a response within a few days to 1-2 weeks, about which you will be notified by e-mail from RWTHonline. If there are any problems with your documents, you will also be notified by e-mail in good time. You can find out more about the deadlines and further information on the RWTH website.
Step 2: Enrollment in the Master's program
Enrollment in the Master's program must be completed by 31 October for the winter semester or by 31 April for the summer semester.
Required Documents:
- The degree certificate or a pass certificate (so-called 4.0 certificate) if you have not yet completed your Bachelor's thesis. You can obtain this from the Central Examination Office on presentation of a pass certificate, which must be signed by both supervisors. You can find out more about this and other certificates in connection with theses on the RWTH website.
- Affidavit, which must be printed out, signed and then scanned. A digital signature is not sufficient. If you have definitively failed a degree program or subject at RWTH or another higher education institution, but have not lost your right to take examinations for the Master's degree program in Computer Science, you must also add a confirmation of no objection, as noted in the affidavit.
- Proof of level B2 of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages" (CEFR) in English. As a rule, your Abitur certificate is sufficient. If it is not sufficient or you did not obtain your Abitur in Germany, then a certificate from the RWTH Aachen University examination board for a Bachelor's thesis or seminar paper written in English will also suffice. An application must be submitted in paperless. Alternatively, an English test at the RWTH Language Center is also possible.
The Central Examination Office is responsible for entering all grades. The Registrar's Office is responsible for transcription. Both institutions communicate internally with each other, no intervention is necessary. It is imperative that all your credits are entered in RWTHonline by the last day of the deadline. If, for example, you do not yet have your grade for your Bachelor's thesis and need a pass certificate, it is best to contact the person responsible for you at the Central Examination Office directly to make sure that your documents are processed in time.
Preliminary Master Subjects and Status Change when submitting the Bachelor Thesis
With the entry of the last academic achievement, the context Bachelor's degree expires in RWTHonline. This means that all registered preliminary Master's subjects must be re-registered in the Master's degree program.
Please be aware:
There may be the unfavorable case that the BA degree is awarded shortly after the registration deadline of 31.10. or 31.3. has passed. It is no longer possible to register for exams or Moodle. The only solution to continue participating in courses is to make an agreement with the lecturers that you cannot currently register for exams due to the "late" Bachelor's degree and to ask them to record your participation and issue you with a certificate of your exam result.
As soon as you are enrolled in the Master's program, you can submit an application for credit transfer in paperless so that the grades are entered in RWTHonline. (In this case, by the way, the 30-credit limit will be dropped). If the sum of the credits from the preliminary Master's and credited subjects is 30 credits or more (also applies if you only achieve 30 credits through preliminary Master's subjects), you will be upgraded by one semester. You start directly into the second Master's semester.
Bluecard and Immatriculation Number
Bluecard and matriculation number are retained in the event of a smooth transfer. If there is an de- and subsequent enrollment (reasons may be expired health insurance or forgotten tuition fees), both will be reissued.
Semester Fees
The transferred tuition fees - paid in the Bachelor's semester - will be credited for the Master's semester. It is not necessary to transfer the money back or again.
Studierendenstatus/Semesteranzahl
Even if you enrol in the first 4 weeks after the start of the semester, this semester is counted as the first Master's semester.
Graduation Certificate
As soon as your graduation certificate has been issued, you will receive an email from the central examination office. Please note that this may take a few weeks. After receiving the email, you have the choice of picking up your certificate in person (only possible by appointment) or receiving it by post. You will also receive more detailed instructions on the process from the central examination office.
Graduation Celebration
The Graduate Festival is a ceremony organized centrally by the RWTH to honor all graduates of the RWTH and takes place once a year - usually in September - in the equestrian stadium of the Soers sports park in Aachen. The invitation is sent by email to the RWTH email address by the Central University Administration. If you have any questions, please send them directly to this address. Unfortunately, the IT department cannot help.
Computer Science Day
The Computer Science department also honors its graduates with a ceremony on Computer Science Day. This takes place once a year and is organized by the Computer Science department. All graduates whose degree has been fully recorded in RWTHonline by the deadline (end of semester before the current ceremony) will receive an invitation to the ceremony by email to their RWTH email address a few weeks before the ceremony. Receipt of the certificate documents is independent of participation in the festival.
Student Assistant Positions
A different salary group applies to Student Assistants who have completed their Bachelor's degree. Either the degree certificate or the 4.0 certificate is required for this. A new contract is then drawn up with the chair.