RWTH Aachen University Student, Ahmet Kadioglu from Turkey, Shares His Journey of Studying Industrial Engineering in Germany

Hello, I am Ahmet Kadioglu, 23 years old. I am from Turkey, and I study Industrial Engineering with a field of study: Materials and Process Engineering. Now I am at my 9. Semester and doing my Internship at Procter & Gamble as a Quality Assurance Intern, focusing on Computer system Validations. I chose this Degree because I wanted to have engineering skills and knowledge with business knowledge.

Educational Background

I went to high school in Turkey. Kabatas Erkek High School is one of the best Highschool in Turkey. In the high school exam in 2016, I was in 0.19% among the students who took the exam. This high school really gave me the Vision. Kabatas Erkek High School and the Department of Education and Culture, Germany have an agreement, so I had one year preparatory class for German, and in high school i got my C1 certificate in German. My high school gpa was 93 / 100. After I graduated, I participated in the 2021 Turkish University Exam, and I was in 0.18% among the students who took the exam. I was 4500. among 2,5 million students, and I managed to get into Istanbul Technical University; however i didn’t study there and got an acceptance from RWTH Aachen, so I moved to Germany.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to RWTH Aachen University?

Actually, I worked with a paid consulting firm because I was scared of the German bureaucracy. If you know German, I can recommend that you do it yourself because even with the firm, you prepare all the documents, and that is tiring. So, without paying, you can write emails everywhere, and you can get an answer. But if you are like me and don’t take your chances with the documents, paid consulting isn’t bad, either.

What Drew You to Choose Germany to Pursue Your Degree?

Actually, the life that lies ahead of me. I am in love with Turkey and Istanbul. The culture, sightseeing, my family and friends are all in Istanbul, but unfortunately, the politics, trust in justice, and economic reasons made me take this decision. Germany is much more peaceful and stable. And of course engineering degree from RWTH Aachen is one of the best academical degree in the world.

What Were Some of the Challenges You Faced as an International Student, Particularly Regarding Living Costs or Part-time Work Opportunities?

I think the most challenging part is psychological rather than other things. My first semester was during Pandemic so I was in a different country without my loved ones, and I couldn’t make any friends. Those 6 months were one of the hardest times in my life. But when you make new friends, everything starts to feel much better. For Germany, I can say that the rents are pricey, and it's so hard to find an apartment. But other than that, Unis are free of charge. They get a semester fee in Aachen, which is ~300 Euro, but it depends on where you study, so the costs are not so challenging, but of course, it depends on the economic situation that you´re in. And there are especially in Uni-Provinces many part-time or minijob opportunities.

Looking Back, Would You Recommend Studying Here for International Students Seeking Affordable Higher Education? Why or Why Not?

Yes, because I don’t think anywhere in the world gives this many opportunities with such a small fee.

How is (was) Your Experience at RWTH Aachen?

It is so much harder than I thought. I was always a good academic student, but when I came to RWTH Aachen, I hit the wall. But it happens, and if you study so hard, you can graduate(maybe). But else is so far so good. Now I have friends, hobbies, and something to do, so it is cool to be here.

How Does RWTH AachenSupport International Students?

The application process was easiest among the German Universities and rwth have International student community.

Are Your Classes Conducted in English or German?

For a Bachelor German and master English.

Would Potential Students Have Any Problems Academically Not Knowing German?

For bachelor's, c1 certificate is required to apply to RWTH.