Preliminary maths course
for technical bachelor’s degree programmes

When you start studying for a technical degree, you might find some of the maths rather challenging. Particularly if you majored in non-technical subjects at high school, or if you left education more than a year ago, you might like to – and should – consider brushing up on and improving your maths. Taking the preliminary maths course before starting to study gives you a chance to ease your transition onto the degree programme considerably.

Students on the bachelor’s degree programmes in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Mechatronics, Robotics, and Industrial Engineering for Technology and Sustainability (Faculty of Electrical Engineering) are required to take the foundation maths test during the first semester as a prerequisite for studying. Taking the preliminary maths course will prepare you optimally for the foundation maths test – and if you pass the test at the end of this course, that already counts, meaning that you’ll no longer have to take the test during the first semester.

For students starting on the bachelor’s degree programme in International Engineering, which launches in Winter Semester 2025/26, even though the foundation maths test is not classified as a prerequisite for studying, they nonetheless are required to pass the test (earning 1 ECTS Credit Point for taking it).

For students on the bachelor’s degree programmes in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (Renewable Energies and Environmental Engineering, Vehicle Engineering, Food and Packaging Technology, and Mechanical Engineering), even though the foundation maths test is not classified as a prerequisite for admission to study, they nonetheless are required to take the test as a compulsory part-module. Thus, if you wish to embark upon a degree programme in the field of Mechanical Engineering, we strongly recommend attending the preliminary maths course in preparation for the foundation maths test.  Taking the foundation maths test at the end of this course counts in the place of the compulsory test during the degree programme, thus fulfilling this obligation.

For students on the bachelor’s degree programme Industrial Engineering for Technology and Sustainability in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and for students in the Faculty of Computer Science, the preliminary maths course is a voluntary option.

Try your hand at a sample test of basic mathematical knowledge (see download) to check your skills level. The tasks address topics on the general mathematics curriculum leading to a higher school leaving certificate. Confidence in these basic principles is a fundamental requirement for successfully studying our technical degree programmes. If you struggle to solve any of the set tasks, we recommend taking the preliminary maths course.

The preliminary maths course always runs once a year in September. The dates for 2026 will be annoucend here approximatley in April 2026.

The fee for attending the course in 2025 is € 180.

As soon as you have signed up for the preliminary maths course in MeinCampus, please transfer the course fee to the following bank account. The payment must reach the account no later than 9 September 2025 (i.e. before the course starts).

Make sure that the reference field (“Verwendungszweck”) contains all the details citedabove(PK number + student registration no. + Surname, First name). We need this information to identify your payment and attribute it properly.

Please note:

• The course fee cannot be reimbursed under any circumstances.
• Nor will any concessions or reductions to the fee be considered, under any circumstances. (e.g. You cannot claim a reduction in the fee due to possibly missing some of the classes.)

Besides attending the preliminary maths course, we recommend the following literature (latest edition):

• Title: Vorkurs der Ingenieurmathematik
• Author: Jürgen Wendeler

Note:
This is recommended reading, not an absolute must.