IT Center Help

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Guide for new students

Anleitung

Welcome to RWTH Aachen university!

This guide facilitates your introduction to RWTH’s basic IT services and will lead you step by step through all required registrations.
For a smooth process, we recommend following the sequence provided. We wish you every success with the setup.

1. Registration in the Identity Management

To register as a student, you need to reedem a ConnectMe coupon that you receive per e-mail after your successful enrollment. After your registration, you receive a username in the form ab123456 and a student status:

Persons who already have a username (e.g. employees or UKA members) should use their existing username to redeem the ConnectMe coupon.
Persons who have already been enrolled at RWTH Aachen University AND still have a username get assigned the status "Student (RWTH)" in the Identity Management and the right to use the IT services of the RWTH automatically. In this case, you do not need to redeem a ConnectMe coupon.

In both cases, it may take up to 48 hours until your student status has been transferred to all systems and you are able to use all IT services.

You can use the credentials you have received during the registration process to log in on the pages with the "RWT Single Sign-On" login (e.g. IdM Selfservice, RWTHonline oder RWTHmoodle).

How To: Redeeming a coupon for Senior Citizens (German)

2. IdM Selfservice

In 24 to 48 hours, please log in to IdM Selfservice first and carry out the following actions:

Check that your personal data is correct.
Set passwords for your accounts.
Set up your token for multi-factor authentication.
Apply for your student ID card (BlueCard).

You can also change your contact e-mail address in the IdM Selfservice.

3. Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

RWTH Aachen University uses multi-factor authentication (MFA) to increase the security of the services such as RWTH Single Sign-On and VPN. MFA for theses services is obligatory.

When logging in to a service protected by MFA, you must enter a one-time security code after entering the access data:

The one-time security codes are generated using a token that you must set up in the Token Manager. We recommend that you set up at least one TAN list as a backup-token and one authenticator app as token for everday use.
Please note! Make sure that you have successfully set up at least one token before logging out of the Token Manager.
After the initial setup of a token, it is no longer possible to log in to the Token Manager without a one-time security code.

If your tokens no longer work or are lost, you have to visit the IT Center at one of our locations to get e new one.

How To: Setting up MFA for Senior Citizens (German)

4. RWTH e-mail address

Students are assigned an e-mail address in the form name.surname@rwth-aachen.de. This e-mail address is created when you redeem your ConnectMe coupon.
To check your e-mail address and your e-mail-username, go to Accounts and Passwords in the IdM Selfservive and click on the pen by the account "RWTH-E-Mail".

Persons who were already enrolled at RWTH AND still have an active RWTH e-mail address will use this existing e-mail address.
People who were already enrolled at RWTH BUT no longer have an active RWTH e-mail address will see a notice in IdM Selfservice and can use the link provided to generate a new e-mail address.

You can access your mailbox via RWTH MailApp at mail.rwth-aachen.de.

To access the mailbox, you must first set a password for the "RWTH-E-Mail" account in IdM Selfsevice.
To log in to the mailbox, please use the username in the form ab123456@rwth-aachen.de.

We also have configuration guides for supported e-mail clients.

For more information about the RWTH e-mail address, see our documentation for the service "RWTH-E-Mail".

How To: Setting up an RWTH e-mail for Senior Citizens (German)

5. Student ID card (BlueCard)

You can now apply for your BlueCard.

The RWTH BlueCard is used:

as student ID card
as payment card int the canteens and cafeterias
as library card
for authentication during examd
for admission checks to university sports
for internal university elections

You can find information and FAQs on the RWTH BlueCard website.
If you have any questions regarding the BlueCard, please contact the RWTH BlueCard Service Point directly.

6. RWTHonline

RWTHonline is RWTH Aachen University’s central portal for managing studies and examinations. It is here where you organize your academic activities and access all study-related documents, such as certificates and your semester fee status.

Under Documents, you will find your enrollment certificate
Under Courses, you can register for your classes
Under My Courses, you can check the status of your registrations

You can only access the course materials in RWTHmoodle if you have the status Assigned confirmed place in a course. Many courses consist of multiple types of events, such as lectures, tutorials and seminars. In this case, you need to register for each of these events.

A user guide for students and a documentation on RWTHonline are available, these resources are only accessible from within the RWTH network (via VPN or eduroam, see below).

For Senior Citizens: Introduction to RWTHonline (German)

7. RWTHmoodle

RWTHmoodle is RWTH Aachen University’s teaching and learning platform, through which students gain access to the digital learning spaces of their courses.

Some courses do not have their own course room (e.g. tutorials if there is already a course room for the corresponding lecture). Please make sure that you have registered for all of your courses in RWTHonline, if you are unable to find a course room, despite having a confirmed place for the course.

A Quick Guide and additional information on RWTHmoodle are available.

For Senior Citizens: Introduction to RWTHmoodle (German)

8. VPN (Virtual Private Netzwork)

Students can use VPN to obtain a secure, encrypted connection to the RWTH network. This enables them to access services that are only reachable from within the RWTH network, even when they are off campus (e.g., at home).

Students automatically receive a VPN account after redeeming the ConnectMe coupon. To make use of this account, please complete the following steps:

If you have not already done so, change your password for the Service/Account VPN in IdM Selfservice
Install the Cisco Secure Client (AnyConnect), e.g., for Windows or macOS
For the connection, enter the following information:
- Server: vpn.rwth-aachen.de
- Tunnel: Full Tunnel (all traffic routed through the RWTH network) or Split Tunnel (only RWTH internal addresses routed via VPN)
- Username: your username in the format ab123456
- Password for VPN
- Answer: one-time code from your token