The master's degree is an opportunity for you to deepen your knowledge in those areas of computer science that interest you the most. The master's program at RWTH offers you great freedom, which is both an opportunity and a challenge. We have compiled some information for you here so that you can get off to a perfect start.
In order to study the Master Computer Science at RWTH, a completed bachelor's degree - not necessarily in computer science, by the way - is required.
Start of Studies
Application
An application is required for the Master's program in Computer Science. The documents to be submitted and the application deadlines in the summer and winter semester depend on the home university and nationality:
- Bachelor in Germany (15.7. for WiSe, 15.01. for SoSe)
- EU Citizen (15.7. for WiSe, 15.01. for SoSe)
- Coming from third countries (01.03. for WiSe, 01.09. for SoSe)
If you have German citizenship, a German Abitur, or a German Bachelor's degree, then the Student Secretariat is your contact point for all questions regarding application and enrollment. Otherwise, the International Office is responsible for you.
Admission requirements
- fachliche Zulassungsvoraussetzungen:
- Practical computer science: programming, data structures and algorithms, databases and information systems, software engineering.
- Technical computer science: technical computer science, operating systems and system software, data communication and security, system programming.
- Theoretical computer science: Formal systems, automata and processes, computability and complexity, mathematical logic.
- Mathematics: Discrete Structures, Analysis for Computer Scientists, Linear Algebra, Applied Stochastics
- Language skills
- English at B2 level
- The proof in the case of a German Abitur, is on the Abitur certificate.
- Otherwise, an English Bachelor thesis or seminar paper written at the RWTH can serve as a proof of English proficency. To this end, please file a request to the examination board and attach your thesis or seminar paper.
- If your English Bachelor thesis has not been written at the RWTH, you can still file a request to the examination board. In this case, you have to attach your thesis and a confirmation that the thesis has been written in English. This confirmation has to contain the title of the thesis and the name of the author. It can be issued by the supervisor of the thesis or by the examination board of the university where the thesis has been written.
- German at C1 level
- English at B2 level
Since both the requirements and many application subjects are offered exclusively in German, a very good knowledge of German is absolutely necessary for the Master of Computer Science.
Here you can find more information about the language requirements.
The current processing status of the application can be viewed via RWTHonline; possible missing documents are only noted here.
You also completed your Bachelor's degree in Computer Science at RWTH and have further questions about the transition from Bachelor's to Master's degree? Then you can find more information about the degree and special cases in the transition on our Bachlor-Information Page under the section "Transition to the Master of Computer Science at RWTH".
If you are unsure whether your German language skills are sufficient, we recommend taking a look at the English-language Software Systems Engineering program.
Enrollment
Once you have the admission in your pocket, you have to enroll For this purpose, the certificates and documents described above must be submitted.
Introductory event
Every semester, there is an introductory event for the M.Sc. Computer Science. It covers lots of information about the structure of the program, tips for organizing your studies, and the right points of contact for many different kinds of questions and problems.
The here are available for download.
Certificates and Transfer of Credits
If you already need certificates for the start of your studies or want to submit an application for recognition of other academic achievements, you can do so via this website.