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Study in Städteregion Aachen district

Städteregion Aachen combines a university city, connected commuter towns and Eifel countryside near Belgium and the Netherlands.

Find a course in Städteregion AachenJump to key facts
Wide view across Monschau’s historic town centre
Photo: ArthurMcGill (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Städteregion Aachen is a rural district (Landkreis) in North Rhine-Westphalia with 582,410 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has 2 universities: RWTH Aachen University (Aachen), Fachhochschule Aachen (Aachen). Summers average 16.2 °C and winters 1.8 °C, with about 784 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Städteregion Aachen district in numbers

Population

582,410Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

706.91 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

824Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

2Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

RWTH Aachen University and Fachhochschule Aachen

Typical student rent

€453.34 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Advertised monthly rent for a partly furnished 24 m² single apartment at Kastanienweg 8–14 (KaWo 3), as listed on Studierendenwerk Aachen’s undated residence page, checked November 2026. Internet has a separate resident-run tariff, and stepped rent increases apply. This is a residence example, not a private-market average.

Average temperature

8.9 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

784 mm a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Sunshine

1,644 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

60 a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

About Städteregion Aachen district

Städteregion Aachen brings Aachen together with surrounding towns and Eifel communities, including Herzogenrath, Eschweiler, Stolberg, Monschau and Simmerath. Its urban centre sits beside the Belgian and Dutch borders (StädteRegion Aachen (opens in a new tab), Aachen background (opens in a new tab)).

The district offers distinctly different settings: Aachen has its cathedral and universities, Stolberg has historic streets and former industrial courtyards, and Monschau offers an old town beside the Rur. Choose your neighbourhood around your actual campus journey, especially when considering the southern countryside (Aachen Cathedral (opens in a new tab), Stolberg tourism (opens in a new tab), Tourismus NRW (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Universities here

Universities in Städteregion Aachen district, biggest first.

RWTH Aachen University and FH Aachen make Aachen the natural starting point for a student housing search; FH Aachen also has a campus in nearby Jülich, so check your programme’s teaching location before choosing accommodation. Herzogenrath, Stolberg and Eschweiler offer rail connections into Aachen, while Monschau and Simmerath rely on bus links for this journey (go.Rheinland (opens in a new tab), ASEAG (opens in a new tab)). This district suits students who want university life with access to smaller towns and countryside, provided they choose a workable door-to-door commute.

Find a course in Städteregion Aachen

Housing

Start looking early: RWTH’s student union warns that finding suitable accommodation can be difficult around the beginning of each semester. Studierendenwerk residences are popular, and applications can be submitted before admission or enrolment; a room is not guaranteed (RWTH AStA (opens in a new tab), Studierendenwerk Aachen (opens in a new tab)).

The typical student rent we found, and what that figure covers, is in the key facts.

How to find a place

  • Apply through Studierendenwerk Aachen as soon as Aachen becomes a serious study option; flexibility over move-in dates and room types improves your chances (Studierendenwerk Aachen (opens in a new tab)).
  • Search WG-Gesucht, ImmobilienScout24 and immowelt alongside residence applications; RWTH’s AStA lists these for the Aachen housing search (RWTH AStA (opens in a new tab)).
  • Consider a temporary sublet, advertised as Zwischenmiete, while searching for a longer contract (RWTH AStA (opens in a new tab)).
  • Compare addresses near euregiobahn stops in Herzogenrath, Stolberg and Eschweiler, then check the onward journey to your teaching building before signing (go.Rheinland (opens in a new tab)).

Student residences

Cost of living

Housing availability deserves as much attention as the advertised price. The KaWo 3 apartment example is €453.34 monthly, with separately charged internet and stepped rent increases (Studierendenwerk Aachen (opens in a new tab)). The standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per calendar month in 2026 and covers local and regional public transport; check your university’s semester-ticket arrangements before buying another subscription (VRS (opens in a new tab)). A dependable current comparison with larger German cities was not established, so do not assume that every surrounding town will produce a cheaper total budget.

Jobs & employers

Useful sectors to investigate include technical development, pharmaceuticals and medical research. AIXTRON lists student roles in Herzogenrath, Grünenthal operates its headquarters and manufacturing activities in Aachen, and the university hospital’s medical informatics institute describes routes into student assistant work (AIXTRON (opens in a new tab), Grünenthal (opens in a new tab), Uniklinik RWTH Aachen (opens in a new tab)). These are places to search, not promises of an available position.

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

ASEAG buses serve Aachen and surrounding communities; the RB20 euregiobahn connects Aachen with Herzogenrath, Alsdorf, Stolberg and Eschweiler (ASEAG (opens in a new tab), go.Rheinland (opens in a new tab)). For the southern district, SB63 links Aachen with Simmerath and SB66 with Monschau via Roetgen. The published SB66 construction timetable shows roughly 70 minutes from Aachen Bushof to Monschau Altstadt, before any onward campus journey (ASEAG routes (opens in a new tab), SB66 timetable (opens in a new tab)). Aachen–Cologne takes about 55 minutes on a direct regional train in DB’s published example; check your travel date for changes (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers domestic local buses and regional trains, but generally not ICE, IC or EC services; check cross-border validity separately (VRS (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Maastricht Aachen Airport

The closest airport listed by Aachen’s city guide is across the border in the Netherlands. A public-transport option combines the Aachen–Maastricht train with Arriva bus 30 to the terminal; allow for the transfer (City of Aachen (opens in a new tab), airport access (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Roetgen (10 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

1.8 °C

68 mm rain a month

2.2 h sun a day

Spring

8.3 °C

55 mm rain a month

5.4 h sun a day

Summer

16.2 °C

75 mm rain a month

6.6 h sun a day

Autumn

9.3 °C

63 mm rain a month

3.7 h sun a day

Expect cool, damp winters, changeable spring weather and generally mild summers; keep a waterproof layer handy throughout the year. The supplied climate reference comes from upland Roetgen, so treat it as regional guidance rather than an exact description of central Aachen. Summer brings the Sommerbend, while late autumn turns toward the Christmas markets in Aachen and Monschau (Öcher Bend (opens in a new tab), Aachen Tourist Service (opens in a new tab), City of Monschau (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Local identity includes Öcher Platt, Aachen’s traditional dialect, and festivals such as the Öcher Bend fair. Aachen also has several theatres, including the Grenzlandtheater and DAS DA Theater (Aachen background (opens in a new tab), Öcher Bend (opens in a new tab)). For regular student evenings, Aachen is the practical base; if you live outside it, plan the journey home as carefully as the journey to class.

The smaller towns have their own character: Stolberg’s Kupferhöfe reflect its industrial past, while Monschau’s historic streets and mustard-making tradition offer a different weekend setting (Rureifel Tourismus (opens in a new tab), Tourismus NRW (opens in a new tab)).

If you plan to study in English, check your programme’s language requirements separately and build conversational German for life outside class. English alone should not be your plan for finding work, dealing with landlords or communicating with authorities: the Federal Employment Agency specifically identifies German as helpful in these situations (Federal Employment Agency (opens in a new tab)). Aachen’s traditional dialect is Öcher Platt; focus your learning on standard German (Aachen background (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Exterior of Aachen Cathedral

    Exterior of Aachen Cathedral

  • Aerial panorama of Rurberg and the adjoining reservoirs

    Aerial panorama of Rurberg and the adjoining reservoirs

Student experiences

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Studying in Städteregion Aachen district: FAQ

Is Städteregion Aachen a good place to live as a student?

It offers a choice between Aachen itself, surrounding rail-connected towns and Eifel communities. For frequent campus attendance, choose accommodation around the actual journey to your teaching building; RB20 connects several surrounding towns with Aachen (go.Rheinland (opens in a new tab)).

Are there universities in Städteregion Aachen?

Yes. RWTH Aachen University and FH Aachen are in Aachen. FH Aachen also teaches in nearby Jülich, so confirm your programme’s campus before choosing where to live.

Can I commute to Aachen from the surrounding towns?

Yes: Herzogenrath, Alsdorf, Stolberg and Eschweiler are served by the RB20 euregiobahn. Simmerath and Monschau have express-bus links to Aachen; include the onward campus connection when comparing addresses (go.Rheinland (opens in a new tab), ASEAG (opens in a new tab)).

How expensive is student housing in Aachen?

Studierendenwerk lists a KaWo 3 single apartment at €453.34 monthly, with separate internet charges and stepped rent increases. This is a specific residence example, not the average private rent, and availability is limited (Studierendenwerk residences (opens in a new tab), housing applications (opens in a new tab)).

What student jobs can I find in Städteregion Aachen?

Verified routes include software, laboratory and purchasing support at AIXTRON in Herzogenrath, plus student research assistance in medical informatics at Uniklinik RWTH Aachen. Check the employers’ current requirements and vacancies (AIXTRON (opens in a new tab), Uniklinik RWTH Aachen (opens in a new tab)).

How long does the train from Aachen to Cologne take?

A direct regional train takes about 55 minutes in Deutsche Bahn’s published example. Check your travel date, and select regional services if travelling with a Deutschlandticket (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab), VRS (opens in a new tab)).

More guides

Sources & photo credits

Last updated November 2026. Population and area: Destatis. Weather: Deutscher Wetterdienst. Universities and courses: our catalogue. Everything else was researched from the sources below and checked — how we research these guides.

Sources

Photo credits

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