You are welcome to download our short guide for International Applicants to get a quick overview of how to apply for admission to a Bachelor’s degree programme at Aarhus University.
All applicants with a non-Danish qualifying entry examination must apply by 15 March at 12.00 noon. If you have applied by 15 March at the latest, the deadline to submit documentation is 5 July at 12.00 noon for quota 1 and 2 applicants.
Please note that quota 3 applicants must both apply and submit all their documentation by 15 March at 12.00 noon.
Applicants holding a qualifying entry examination from The Duborg School or The A.P. Møller School can apply for quota 1 until 5 July at 12.00 noon.
If you hold a refugee status in Denmark, then you can find further support for the application process at Student Refugees.
The following entry examinations qualify for assessment in quota 1 and quota 2:
The following entry examinations qualify for assessment only in quota 2:
A full list of qualifying entry examinations can be found at the website for the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science.
You can find information about the requirement of with at least one year of higher education (university/college level) or equivalent supplementary subjects here.
If you are uncertain about whether or not your entry examination qualifies for admission, please contact Bachelor Admissions at ba@admission.dk.
Aarhus University follows the guidelines set by the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science in the assessment of applications for Bachelor’s degree programmes with a Non-Danish entry examination. The Ministry website contains guideline conversion tables for a number of selected countries. This conversion only pertains to qualifying entry examinations that can be assessed in both quota 1 and quota 2.
Aarhus University will perform a so-called linear grade conversion, if no guideline conversion tables exist for a country, but the Ministry of Higher Education and Science has provided the lowest passing grade and the highest grade for the relevant country. The linear grade conversion will be based on the lowest passing grade and highest grade on the relevant country’s grading scale and the Danish grading scale. In Denmark, the lowest passing grade is 2 and the highest grade is 12.
Please note that a linear grade conversion can only be used for conversion of single subject grades for a quota 2 assessment, such as a Mathematics grade.
The single subject grade is converted into a number with two decimals between 2 and 12. By rounding this number, it is converted into a whole number grade on the Danish 7-point grading scale.
Converted single subject grades will only be used in the quota 2 assessment – including the quota 2 grade average (GPA) which is based on particularly relevant subjects.
Only grades for upper secondary school subjects are converted according to the above principles.
The above calculation method is approved by the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science.
All applicants must fulfill the specific admission requirements for the desired programme in addition to having a qualifying entry examination.
You can find information about how your qualifying entry examination and your subject levels will be assessed at the website for the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science (only available in Danish).
If you are going to finish a supplementary course after 15 March, then you must list the expected end-date in your application on Optagelse.dk. Furthermore, you must upload a copy of the final documentation that shows that you have passed the supplementary course no later than 5 July at 12.00 noon.
In order to be considered for a student place, you must:
Aarhus University assesses if your foreign exam is qualifying and makes the conversion of your foreign grades and subject levels so it matches the Danish system. This conversion is done by means of guidelines made by The Danish Agency of Higher Education
As a Norwegian applicant, you apply for admission on the same terms as Danish applicants, except Medicine and Odontology. These two programmes have a special quota arrangement (Nordmandskvoten) which means that there is a limit to the number of admitted Norwegian applicants:
Medicine | Max. 21 admissions* |
Odontology | Max. 2 admissions* |
* The numbers include all admissions in quota 1 and quota 2.
The Norwegian quota applies for applicants having both Norwegian citizenship and holding a Norwegian entry examination.
Please note that the Bachelor’s degree programme in Medicine requires a minimum grade point average of 6.0 on the 7 scale in quota 1 and quota 2. This is the equivalent of a Norwegian grade point average of 4.2 calculated from the grades listed on your førstegangsvitnemål/primærvitnemål. In addition to this, you must also fulfil the specific admission requirements for the programme.
This does also apply if you receive your studiekompetanse after March 15th. If you apply at 15 March at the latest you will have the opportunity to document that you fulfil the admission requirements until 5 July at 12.00 noon.
You can a find a list of other other important deadlines here.
In order to be eligible to apply for admission, you need to have completed a qualifying exam. For Norwegians applicants this means that you must have achieved generel studiekompetanse by taking a 3 year exam from videregående skole.
When you apply for admission in Denmark, it is not possible to improve your grade point average in quota 1 by improving single subject grades or by supplementing subjects after finishing your qualifying exam. This means that the conversion to a Danish grade point average from a Swedish diploma will be converted on the basis of your original førstegangsvitnemål/primærvitnemål. If you do have a copy of a førstegangsvitnemål/primærvitnemål, you may possibly be eligible for admission in quota 2.
Other vitnemål can be used to fulfill the specific requirements, if these are not fulfilled by the subjects on your førstegangsvitnemål/primævitnemål.
Please note that Aarhus University does not accept e-vitnemål.
On the Agency of Higher Education’s website, you can find a conversion scale, comparing your Norwegian grade point average to a Danish grade point average. Please note that the conversion scales are regularly revised.
In addition to having a qualifying examination, you must have particular upper secondary school subjects at certain levels to meet the specific admission requirements. You can find the specific requirements under each programme. Just choose the menu Admission Requirement.
In the following link to you will be able see how we convert your Norwegian subject level into a Danish subject level. You will therefore by means of this link from the Danish Agency of Higher Education be able to convert your Finnish subject level and see if you fulfil the specific requirements.
Please note: The conversion table are revised each year at the beginning of March. Therefore, there may be changes to the table close to the application deadline.
If you have other subjects than the stated, Aarhus University will make an individual assessment of your application. In this case, you must upload a course description of the relevant subject to your application at www.optagelse.dk.
If you do not hold the necessary upper secondary school subjects, but have taken similar subjects at a högskole or a university, Aarhus University will make an individual assessment of these as well. In this case you must upload a course description of the relevant subject to your application at www.optagelse.dk, if you do not fulfill the specific requirements.
About Danish as a Specific Admission Requirement (Danish A)
The majority of Aarhus University’s bachelor’s degree programmes are taught in Danish. As a rule, you can expect that the teaching and the exams are conducted in Danish and that a large proportion of the curriculum is in Danish.
This means that applicants that apply to a Danish taught degree must document Danish qualifications comparable to Danish A level
Norwegian applicants fulfill the requirement of Danish A by passing Norwegian on a comparable level (see the subject conversion table below).
Bergentesten, passed with ”Godt bestået” in combination with mother-tongue at the highest level is considered comparable to a Danish A level.
If you do not fulfil the specific admission requirements for your desired programme you can take a supplementary course. You may take supplementary subjects in Denmark as well as in Norway but be careful that you are supplementing the correct subject level. If you are currently taking a supplementary subject, you must state this in your application at www.optagelse.dk.
The deadline for uploading documentation for passed subjects is July 5th. The documentation must be uploaded to your application at www.optagelse.dk.
Supplementary subject after July 5th
It is possible to take one supplementary subject during the summer (or fall, if you apply for a programme that has study start in February). You must state in your application that you are taking a supplementary subject after July 5th and state what subject and level you are taking. You application will be assessed for conditional admission.
You must apply online on www.optagelse.dk. You must upload your documentation here as well. Please remember to send in the signature page before the deadline if you do not hold a “NemID”.
Read more about the application process.
When you apply for admission, you must upload the following documentation in order to document that you fulfil the Specific Admission Requirements and have Qualifying Exam. You must also upload documentation for any other academic qualifications that you have (remember that your documentation should be signed and stamped by the issuing authority):
Depending on your situation, it may be relevant for you to upload the following:
As a Swedish applicant, you apply for admission on the same terms as Danish applicants. In order to be considered for a student place, you must:
Aarhus University assesses if your foreign exam is qualifying and makes the conversion of your foreign grades and subject levels so it matches the Danish system. This conversion is done by means of guidelines made by The Danish Agency of Higher Education
This does also apply if you receive your eksamensbevis/slutbetyg after March 15th. If you apply at 15 March at the latest you will have the opportunity to document that you fulfil the admission requirements until 5 July at 12.00 noon.
You can a find a list of other Other important deadlines here.
Please note that the Bachelor’s degree programme in Medicine requires a minimum grade point average of 6.0 on the 7 scale in quota 1 and quota 2. This is the equivalent of a Swedish grade point average of 14.6 calculated from the grades listed on your Eksamensbevis/Slutbetyg. In addition to this, you must also fulfill the specific admission requirements for the programme.
In order to be eligible to apply for admission, you need to have completed a qualifying exam. For Swedish applicants this is a 3 year exam from Gymnasieskolen.
If you hold an Eksamensbevis for Högskoleforberende Eksamen, Gymnasieskolen, the following programmes makes you eligible to apply for admission in quota 1 and quota 2:
If you hold a Slutbetyg fra Gymnasieskolen, the following programmes makes you eligible to apply for admission in quota 1 and quota 2:
If you hold another exam than the ones stated, you can find out if it is qualifying for applying in quota 1 or quota 2 by reading The Agency of Higher Education’s guidelines .
When you apply for admission in Denmark, it is not possible to improve your grade point average in quota 1 by improving single subject grades or by supplementing subjects after finishing your qualifying exam. This means that the conversion to a Danish grade point average from a Swedish diploma will be converted on the basis of your original Eksamensbevis/Slutbetyg. If you only upload a copy of your Samlede betygsdokument, you may possibly be eligible for admission in quota 2.
Improved subjects and supplementary subjects must therefore appear on a separate document and can be used to fulfill the degree specific requirements, if these are not fulfilled by the subjects on your original Eksamensbevis/Slutbetyg.
On the Agency of Higher Education’s website, you can find a conversion scale, comparing your Swedish grade point average to a Danish grade point average. Please note that the conversion scales are regularly revised.
In addition to having a qualifying examination, you must have particular upper secondary school subjects at certain levels to meet the specific admission requirements. You can find the specific requirements under each programme. Just choose the menu Admission Requirement.
In the following link to you will be able see how we convert your Swedish subject level into a Danish subject level. You will therefore by means of this link from the Danish Agency of Higher Education be able to convert your Finnish subject level and see if you fulfil the specific requirements.
Please note: The conversion table are revised each year at the beginning of March. Therefore, there may be changes to the table close to the application deadline.
If you have other subjects than the stated, Aarhus University will make an individual assessment of your application. In this case, you must upload a course description of the relevant subject to your application at www.optagelse.dk.
If you do not hold the necessary upper secondary school subjects, but have taken similar subjects at a higher education, Aarhus University will make an individual assessment of these as well. In this case you must upload a course description of the relevant subject to your application at www.optagelse.dk, if you do not fulfill the specific requirements.
About Danish as a Specific Admission Requirement (Danish A)
The majority of Aarhus University’s bachelor’s degree programmes are taught in Danish. As a rule, you can expect that the teaching and the exams are conducted in Danish and that a large proportion of the curriculum is in Danish.
This means that applicants that apply to a Danish taught degree must document Danish qualifications comparable to Danish A level
Swedes fulfil the requirement of Danish A by passing Swedish on a comparable level (see the subject conversion table below)
You may take supplementary subjects in Denmark as well as in Sweden but be careful that you are supplementing the correct subject level. If you are currently taking a supplementary subject, you must state this in your application at www.optagelse.dk.
The deadline for uploading documentation for passed subjects is July 5th. The documentation must be uploaded to your application at www.optagelse.dk.
Supplementary subject after July 5th
It is possible to take one supplementary subject during the summer (or fall, if you apply for a programme that has study start in February). You must state in your application that you are taking a supplementary subject after July 5th and state what subject and level you are taking. You application will be assessed for conditional admission.
You must apply online on www.optagelse.dk. You must upload your documentation here as well. Please remember to send in the signature page before the deadline if you do not hold a “NemID”.
Read more about the application process.
When you apply for admission, you must upload the following documentation in order to document that you fulfil the Specific Admission Requirements and have Qualifying Exam. You must also upload documentation for any other academic qualifications that you have (remember that your documentation should be signed and stamped by the issuing authority):
Depending on your situation, it may be relevant for you to upload the following:
If you have any questions, you are of course welcome to contact us by writing to ba.admission@au.dk.
As an Icelandic applicant, you apply for admission on the same terms as Danish applicants. In order to be considered for a student place, you must therefore:
Aarhus University assesses if your foreign exam is qualifying and makes the conversion of your foreign grades and subject levels so it matches the Danish system. This conversion is done by means of guidelines made by The Danish Agency of Higher Education
This does also apply if you receive your stúdentsprof after March 15th. If you apply at 15 March at the latest you will have the opportunity to document that you fulfil the admission requirements until 5 July at 12.00 noon.
You can a find a list of other Other important deadlines here
Please note that the Bachelor’s degree programme in Medicine requires a minimum grade point average of 6.0 on the 7 scale in quota 1 and quota 2. This is the equivalent of a Icelandic grade point average of 7.2 calculated from the grades listed on your Stúdentspróf. In addition to this, you must also fulfill the specific admission requirements for the programme.
In order to be eligible to apply for admission, you need to have completed a qualifying exam. For Icelandic applicants this is a 4 year stúdentspróf including a minimum of 140 Einigar (Ein) or 200 Framhaldsskólaeinigar (Fein).
When you apply for admission in Denmark, it is not possible to improve your grade point average in quota 1 by improving single subject grades or by supplementing subjects after finishing your qualifying exam. This means that the conversion to a Danish grade point average from an Icelandic stúdentprof will be converted on the basis of your original stúdentspróf. If you only upload a copy of an improved Stúdentspróf, you may possibly be eligible for admission in quota 2.
Improved subjects and supplementary subjects must therefore appear on a separate document and can be used to fulfill the degree specific requirements, if these are not fulfilled by the subjects on your original stúdentspróf.
On the Agency of Higher Education’s website (unfortunately only in Danish), you can find a conversion scale, comparing your Icelandic grade point average to a Danish grade point average. Please note that the conversion scales are regularly revised.
In addition to having a qualifying examination, you must have particular upper secondary school subjects at certain levels to meet the specific admission requirements. You can find the specific requirements under each programme. Just choose the menu Admission Requirement.
In the following link to you will be able see how we convert your Icelandic subject level into a Danish subject level. You will therefore by means of this link from the Danish Agency of Higher Education be able to convert your Icelandic subject level and see if you fulfil the specific requirements.
About Danish as a Specific Admission Requirement (Danish A)
The majority of Aarhus University’s bachelor’s degree programmes are taught in Danish. As a rule, you can expect that the teaching and the exams are conducted in Danish and that a large proportion of the curriculum is in Danish.
This means that applicants that apply to a Danish taught degree must document Danish qualifications comparable to Danish A level
Icelandic applicants fulfil the requirement of Danish A by passing Icelandic on a comparable level (see the subject conversion table)
Please note: The conversion table are revised each year at the beginning of March. Therefore, there may be changes to the table close to the application deadline.
If you do not fulfill the specific requirement for the desired programme, you must pass supplementary subjects before July 5th.
If you have other subjects than the stated, Aarhus University will make an individual assessment of your application. In this case, you must upload a course description of the relevant subject to your application at www.optagelse.dk.
If you do not hold the necessary upper secondary school subjects, but have taken similar subjects at a higher education, Aarhus University will make an individual assessment of these as well. In this case you must upload a course description of the relevant subject to your application at www.optagelse.dk, if you do not fulfill the specific requirements.
If you do not fulfil the specific admission requirements for your desired programme you can take a supplementary course. You may take supplementary subjects in Denmark as well as in Iceland but be careful that you are supplementing the correct subject level. If you are currently taking a supplementary subject, you must state this in your application at www.optagelse.dk.
The deadline for uploading documentation for passed subjects is July 5th. The documentation must be uploaded to your application at www.optagelse.dk.
Supplementary subject after July 5th
It is possible to take one supplementary subject during the summer (or fall, if you apply for a programme that has study start in February). You must state in your application that you are taking a supplementary subject after July 5th and state what subject and level you are taking. You application will be assessed for conditional admission.
You must apply online on www.optagelse.dk. You must upload your documentation here as well. Please remember to send in the signature page before the deadline if you do not hold a “NemID”.
Read more about the application process.
When you apply for admission, you must upload the following documentation in order to document that you fulfil the Specific Admission Requirements and have Qualifying Exam. You must also upload documentation for any other academic qualifications that you have (remember that your documentation should be signed and stamped by the issuing authority):
Depending on your situation, it may be relevant for you to upload the following:
If you have any questions, you are of course welcome to contact us by writing to ba.admission@au.dk.
Finnish applicants apply for admission on the same terms as Danish applicants. In order to be considered for a student place as a Finnish applicant, you must therefore:
Aarhus University assesses if your foreign exam is qualifying and makes the conversion of your foreign grades and subject levels so it matches the Danish system. This conversion is done by means of guidelines made by The Danish Agency of Higher Education
This does also apply if you receive your Ylioppilastutkintotodistus/studentexamensbetyg after 15 March. If you apply at 15 March at the latest you will have the opportunity to document that you fulfil the admission requirements until 5 July at 12.00 noon.
You can a find a list of other Other important deadlines here.
Please note that the Bachelor’s degree programme in Medicine requires a minimum grade point average of 6.0 on the 7 scale in quota 1 and quota 2. This is the equivalent of a Finnish grade point average of 6.9 calculated from the grades listed on your Ylioppilastutkintotodistus/ studentexamsensbetyg and Lukion päättötodistustus/avgångsbetyg fra gymnasiet. In addition to this, you must also fulfill the specific admission requirements for the programme.
In order to be eligible to apply for admission, you need to have completed a qualifying exam. For Finnish applicants this is a Ylioppilastutkintotodistus/studentexamsensbetyg from Lukiokoulutus/gymnasieutbildingen.
Finnish applicants must have both the Ylioppilastutkintotodistus/studentexamsensbetyg and the Lukion päättötodistustus/avgångsbetyg fra gymnasiet in order to be considered for admission.
On the Agency of Higher Education’s website (unfortunately only in Danish), you can find a conversion scale, comparing your Finnish grade point average to a Danish grade point average. Please note that the conversion scales are regularly revised.
In addition to having a qualifying examination, you must have particular upper secondary school subjects at certain levels to meet the specific admission requirements. You can find the specific requirements under each programme. Just choose the menu Admission Requirement.
In the following link to you will be able see how we convert your Finnish subject level into a Danish subject level. You will therefore by means of this link from the Danish Agency of Higher Education be able to convert your Finnish subject level and see if you fulfil the specific requirements.
Please note: The conversion table are revised each year at the beginning of March. Therefore, there may be changes to the table close to the application deadline.
If you do not hold the necessary upper secondary school subjects, but have taken similar subjects at a higher education, Aarhus University will make an individual assessment of these as well. In this case you must upload a course description of the relevant subject to your application at www.optagelse.dk, if you do not fulfil the specific requirements.
About Danish as a Specific Admission Requirement (Danish A)
The majority of Aarhus University’s bachelor’s degree programmes are taught in Danish. As a rule, you can expect that the teaching and the exams are conducted in Danish and that a large proportion of the curriculum is in Danish.
This means that applicants that apply to a Danish taught degree must document Danish qualifications comparable to Danish A level
Finnish applicants fulfil the requirement of Danish A by passing Swedish on a comparable level (see the subject conversion table).
Please note: The conversion table are revised each year at the beginning of March. Therefore, there may be changes to the table close to the application deadline.
If you do not fulfil the specific admission requirements for your desired programme you can take a supplementary course. You may take supplementary subjects courses in Denmark as well as in Sweden but be sure that you supplement the correct subject at the right level. If you are currently taking a supplementary subject, you must state this in your application at www.optagelse.dk.
The deadline for uploading documentation for passed subjects is July 5th. The documentation must be uploaded to your application at www.optagelse.dk.
Supplementary subject after July 5th
It is possible to take one supplementary subject during the summer (or fall, if you apply for a programme that has study start in February). You must state in your application that you are taking a supplementary subject after July 5th and state what subject and level you are taking. You application will then be assessed for conditional admission.
You must apply and upload documentation online on www.optagelse.dk . Please remember to send the signature page before 15 March if you do not hold a “NemID”.
Read more about the application process.
When you apply for admission, you must upload the following documentation in order to document that you fulfil the Specific Admission Requirements and have Qualifying Exam. You must also upload documentation for any other academic qualifications that you have (remember that your documentation should be signed and stamped by the issuing authority):
Depending on your situation, it may be relevant for you to upload the following:
If you have any questions, you are of course welcome to contact us by writing to ba.admission@au.dk.
A pre-assessment can help you determine, if you meet the academic requirements for a specific Bachelor’s Degree programme. If you are unsure about whether or not you meet the entry requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree programmes that you are interested in, Aarhus University can make a pre-assessment prior to your application for admission. A pre-assessment is not a guarantee of admission. It is only an assessment of your academic qualifications.
We make pre-assessments from 15 September to 1 December. If you wish to have a pre-assessment made, you must send an email to ba.admission@au.dk with a pre-assessment request. You will then receive an email from us regarding how you submit your educational documents in order to have a pre-assessment made.
You are required to pay an application fee of DKK 750 per applicant (app. EUR 100 per applicant) in order to have your quota 3 application(s) processed.
You are a quota 3 applicant if you are a non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen and you are applying for an English taught Bachelor's programme. For further details, see here bachelor.au.dk/en/admission/quota-1-2-and-3/.
Applicants with a temporary work permit in Denmark (e.g. green card) must pay application fee.
Please contact ba.admission@au.dk in due time before the application deadline if you are unsure whether you must pay application fee.
The deadline for paying application fee is 15 March at 12:00 noon.
All EU/EEA/Swiss citizens are exempt from payment of tuition fees.
All non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens (including students holding a British national overseas passport) are liable to pay tuition fees.
Exempt from payment of tuition fees are students:
You cannot obtain a study residence permit in Denmark without having paid your tuition fees. Aarhus University is not allowed to inform The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration of your expected arrival before you have paid your tuition fees. In addition, after that date, the Agency will spend up to two months dealing with your application for a study residence permit. Thus, for you to obtain your study residence permit in due time before commencement of studies, we strongly advise you to pay your first tuition fee instalment two-three months in advance.
If applicable, your current residence permit in Denmark must always be uploaded in your application(s) for admission in order for Aarhus University to determine whether or not you are liable to pay tuition fees.
In case of changed residence status during your enrolment, you must always notify Aarhus University and submit your new residence permit. Please use the contact information below.
For further information, please contact AU Studies Administration, Admissions:
The tuition fee rates are determined by the university faculties and may be subject to change, also for enrolled students during their degree programme.
Tuition fee rates for non-EU/EEA students for academic year 2019-20:
Tuition fee rates for non-EU/EEA students for academic year 2018-19:
Valid from 1 January 2012
Top up students must always pay for the total number of remaining ECTS for the Bachelor’s degree programme before commencement of studies.
The above is stipulated pursuant to Section 3 of the
Ministerial Order no. 598 of 8 March 2015 on Funding and Accounts, etc. at Universities.
Please note that applicants with non-Danish qualifications cannot apply for transfer. If you wish to transfer to Aarhus University from an non-Danish institution, you must apply for regular admission. If you are granted admission, Aarhus University will always assess whether credit transfers may be granted for previously passed courses or subjects.
Would you like to be transferred to a degree programme at Aarhus University from the same degree programme from another Danish university? Find information on how to transfer here.
British students applying for a full degree at Aarhus University from fall 2019
The United Kingdom has decided to leave the EU. It is yet unknown what the impact of the decision will be within the area of education, and in particular, how it may effect tuition fees for UK citizens at Danish institutions. As soon as the University has any confirmed information concerning the status of UK students, it will be posted on this website: https://international.au.dk/life/studentscomingtoau/brexit-how-will-it-affect-you-as-a-student/
Until now, UK students have not been charged tuition fees as pertaining to their EU citizen status. This may change when the UK leaves the EU. Students applying for admission in 2019 are advised to take note of the undetermined situation.
Please read more on the Brexit-page of the Danish Foreign Ministry
And also on the page of the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science – regarding tuition fees and student grants
For full degree students currently enrolled at Aarhus University
The British government and the EU have reached an agreement on a Withdrawal Agreement, which secures rights for EU citizens in the United Kingdom and for British citizens in the EU.
If the Withdrawal Agreement is not approved and the United Kingdom leaves the EU without an agreement (the no deal-scenario), the Danish government is expected to put forward a legislative proposal to extend your existing EU rights as a student in Denmark for a transitional period.
Please read more on the Brexit-page of the Danish Foreign Ministry
And also on the page of the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science – regarding tuition fees and student grants
Should you have any further questions regarding admission to full degree Bachelor’s programmes and Brexit, please contact ba.admission@au.dk.
