Design and development
CAD, dimensioning, calculation, prototypes, standards. The classic route, quiet working environment, a high share of detail work and documentation.
Mechanical engineering while you keep working
You work in production, maintenance or design and want the engineering degree behind your name. Distance learning is the direct route, and it is also one of the most calculation-heavy ones. Here is what to expect, and what your existing qualifications are worth.
Where it sits
What mechanical engineering is, and what it is not
Three neighbouring subjects sit right next to it and get confused constantly.
Mechanical engineering is the technically deepest of the classic engineering subjects. The core consists of advanced mathematics, engineering mechanics, materials science, thermodynamics, design and manufacturing technology. You learn to calculate components, dimension them and take them into series production. Business content appears, but it is a side dish, not the main course.
These three neighbours cause the most confusion:
- Industrial engineering sits at the interface between technology and business. Less calculation depth, more costing, procurement and project control.
- Mechatronics combines mechanics, electronics and software control. If you work on plants where drives, sensors and control loops interact, that is often the better home than pure mechanical engineering.
- Electrical engineering revolves around energy, signals and automation. There is plenty of overlap, but the mathematical toolkit is a different one.
And now the part the provider brochures rarely spell out: mechanical engineering by distance learning is not a subject you pick up on the side. The share of mathematics and physics is high, the modules build on each other strictly, and losing the thread in the first maths module still hurts three semesters later. On top of that come lab practicals and design exercises that cannot be delivered online. That is where most drop-outs happen, not for lack of interest. How to handle a wobble is covered under dropping out of distance learning.
Admission
Also without A-levels, through the vocational route
Anyone coming from a metal or electrical trade usually holds the key already.
What counts most for admission here is whether you bring an advanced vocational qualification. A state-certified technician in mechanical engineering and an industrial master craftsman in metal open general university access in most German states, so you are not tied to a single subject. Without that qualification the route runs through subject-linked access: a completed technical apprenticeship plus several years of relevant practice, depending on the state combined with a counselling interview, an aptitude test or a trial semester.
The typical feeder occupations are industrial mechanic, cutting machine operator, construction mechanic, toolmaker, mechatronics technician and technical product designer. The three routes in detail are set out under studying without A-levels, and the specifics of the master craftsman route under master craftsman and bachelor credit.
One piece of advice that costs nothing: if your school mathematics is ten years back or more, take the preparatory maths course before the first semester rather than alongside it. In this subject the first semester decides more often than elsewhere whether someone stays the course.
Credit transfer
What technician and master craftsman are worth
This is the strongest lever in the subject, and it is rarely used in full.
Technician college is a formal qualification with documented learning outcomes and a substantial number of taught hours. That is what a credit decision rests on. Many universities have established credit routes for state-certified technicians, and the overlap in the technical foundation modules is noticeable. For the industrial master craftsman it sits more in manufacturing, work organisation and quality, and less in mathematics.
What that means in time is a simple calculation. Take a bachelor's programme worth 180 ECTS. If 60 of those are credited, 120 remain. At 15 ECTS per semester that is four years instead of six. Do factor in one detail, though: engineering bachelor's degrees are often advertised at 210 rather than 180 ECTS, which adds one to two semesters that no brochure highlights.
The order matters. Clarify the credit first, then choose the university. With identical prior learning the differences between providers are considerable, and switching provider after the second semester is expensive. How the procedure works is explained under credit transfer and in depth on my page on credit for work experience. Which universities exist at all and how they differ can be compared with sources on Hochschulnavigator.
Workload
Time and cost, realistically
Calculation subjects need connected blocks, not leftover minutes.
| ECTS per semester | Hours per week | In daily life | Bachelor takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | around 7 to 8 | one module plus its exercises, no more | 18 years, only sensible as an entry semester |
| 10 | around 15 | two evenings plus one weekend day in one piece | 9 years, 6 with credit transfer |
| 15 | around 22 | workable with predictable hours, tight in project phases | 6 years, 4 with credit transfer |
| 20 | around 30 | effectively a second part-time job | 4.5 years |
Calculated at 30 hours per ECTS and around 20 active weeks per semester. How to work out your own figure is explained under ECTS per semester.
One difference to business subjects: calculation modules do not tolerate fragmentation. Twenty minutes over lunch will not move you forward in engineering mechanics, you need blocks of two to three hours. If you cannot cut your week that way, start with fewer ECTS.
On cost, part-time bachelor's programmes usually sit in the range of a few hundred euros per month. In this subject one item gets overlooked: travel and accommodation for attendance phases, lab practicals and exams. Across several dates per semester that adds up noticeably. The full picture is under what distance learning costs. Employers contribute comparatively often here, because engineers are scarce. Watch for repayment clauses, they typically tie you in for several years, see getting your employer to pay.
Afterwards
Where the degree leads
Three directions that differ clearly in daily work and demands.
Production and maintenance
Manufacturing planning, process optimisation, plant availability. Close to the shop floor, often with staff responsibility and the pace of live operations.
Technical sales and projects
Quotations, sizing at the customer site, commissioning, project management. For those who can explain technology and do not mind travelling.
An honest word on pay: the degree alone does not change it, the changed position does. Anyone doing the same job after the degree typically earns the same. The step comes with the move into an engineering role, and for that the degree is the formal prerequisite in many firms. More on this under salary after your degree.
One point worth knowing: the professional title of engineer is protected in Germany and governed by the engineering acts of the individual states. They normally require a technical or scientific degree of at least three years of study with a corresponding share of engineering content. Distance learning is not a disqualifier, but the assessment is made by the responsible authority in your state and depends on the specific programme. If you want the title, clarify it before you enrol, not after.
Frequent questions
Mechanical engineering by distance learning
The questions that come up in almost every initial consultation.
Can I study mechanical engineering without A-levels?
As a rule, yes. A state-certified technician or an industrial master craftsman qualification opens general university access in most German states. With a completed technical apprenticeship and several years of relevant practice you enter through subject-linked access, depending on the state after a counselling interview, an aptitude test or a trial semester.
How much on-site attendance does the programme require?
More than in business subjects. Lab practicals, design exercises and most written exams take place on site, ranging from single weekends per semester to regular Saturday sessions depending on the provider. A programme with no attendance at all is the exception here, because lab competence is expected of graduates.
Will my technician or master craftsman qualification count?
Often yes, and this is the strongest lever in this subject. Many universities have established credit routes for state-certified technicians, because technician college has documented learning outcomes. How much it is in practice differs considerably between providers. For learning acquired outside higher education, an upper limit of 50 percent of a programme's ECTS usually applies.
How hard is the mathematics really?
Mechanical engineering is one of the most calculation-heavy distance programmes. Advanced mathematics, engineering mechanics and thermodynamics build on each other, and losing the thread in the first maths module still hurts three semesters later. If your school mathematics is a long way back, take a preparatory course before you start.
What is the difference to industrial engineering?
Mechanical engineering goes deep on the technical side, industrial engineering sits at the interface between technology and business administration. If you want to design, calculate and develop, choose mechanical engineering. If you want to understand technology but steer it commercially, industrial engineering is the better fit.
Next step
What is actually possible in your case
Admission, credit transfer and the right programme settled in one conversation.
Levels in this subject
Which level fits your goal?
The same subject, two different answers. Each level has its own admission routes and leads somewhere else.
Bachelor part-time
Admission via technician and master craftsman
Master part-time
Which bachelor qualifies, which specialisation fits and when the second level brings nothing at all
Information Notice
The information on this page is general in nature and based on my advisory practice (last updated 31.07.2026). It does not replace an official credit transfer or recognition decision by the respective university and is not legal advice. Specific decisions are made by universities, the ZAB (Germany), the BMBWF (Austria), or the SBFI (Switzerland). I clarify binding next steps with you in the initial consultation.