Aalborg University (AAU) admission for 2027 entry: deadline, English rules and costs

Aalborg University (AAU) takes bachelor applications from February 2027, for entry in September 2027, and international applicants apply through optagelse.dk before 15 March at 12.00 noon. Only four bachelor programmes are taught in English; every other programme needs Danish.

AAU states that applicants can apply for bachelor's programmes from February 2027, for entry in September 2027. The 15 March deadline on the same pages carries no year, so treat it as AAU's standing date and check it again when applications open.

Four programmes are taught in English: Applied Industrial Electronics, Energy Engineering and Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology in Esbjerg, and Economics and Business Administration in Aalborg. To enter one of them you must prove English equivalent to Danish level B, for example IELTS Academic: Overall 6.5 (min. 6.0 per section).

What non-EU/EEA applicants pay

AAU lists tuition for the academic year 2026 (two semesters) as DKK 115,700 for Applied Industrial Electronics, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology and Energy Engineering, and DKK 55,600 for Economics and Business Administration. These are 2026 rates, not a published price for 2027 entry. Applicants with citizenship outside the EU/EEA also pay an application fee of €150 before 15 March, otherwise the application is not processed.

Rules that catch international applicants out

• Print, sign and email the Signature Page to bacheloroptag@aau.dk before the deadline 15 March.
• Non-EU/EEA citizens must upload diplomas and single-subject certificates by 1 May.
• AAU notes that the IB Diploma is released after the documentation deadline 5 July 12.00 noon. Paying applicants, with a documentation deadline of 1 May, cannot apply if you earn your IB exam in the year of application.
• AAU does not offer financial support or scholarships to bachelor students.
• AAU does not work with agents, so apply directly.

Aalborg University (AAU) was opened in 1974 and reports 17,692 regular students in its 2025 key figures. The two ranking positions below are AAU's own statements, attributed to AAU; no overall world position from QS, THE World, ARWU or U.S. News is published on AAU's pages.

AAU says it is among the top two percent of the world’s 17,000 universities. That is the university's own claim and AAU does not name the ranking behind it, so it cannot be checked. Read it as AAU's description of itself, not as a publisher's position.

Two ranking results are stated in AAU's own pages with a publisher and a year. AAU writes that the Times Higher Education Impact ranking has AAU in 9th place out of 2526 universities; the table behind it is headed SDG 2025, so this is the 2025 edition. Impact is a ranking of contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), not of research output or teaching quality. In the same table AAU lists SDG4: Quality Education 3.

AAU also reports that in the Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings (THE ISR) it holds 65th place in the world, 11th place in Europe, and 3rd place in the Nordic region among 911 universities from 94 countries. The AAU news item is dated 12.03.2026.

History: from AUC to Aalborg University

Since its start AAU has been characterised by a problem-based and project-oriented teaching method, also called the Aalborg Model; the next chapters on study explain how it works day to day. AAU calls itself a young university with only 50 years of history.

Faculties and campuses

AAU organises education and research in four faculties: Social Sciences and Humanities, Engineering and Science, Medicine, and the Technical Faculty of IT and Design. The Technical Faculty covers electronic systems, computer science, architecture and media technology, and planning. Teaching runs on three campuses: Aalborg, Esbjerg and Copenhagen.

How many students and staff: figures that differ by page

AAU's key figures for 2025 list 17,692 regular students, of whom 2,528 are international. The same figures list 2,343 full-time academic staff and financing of DKK 3,514 million.

Other AAU pages give different numbers for the same things. The About page says 17.700 students and +3.306 million DKK in financing, while the history page says the number of students has risen to 18,597. All three student counts are shown because the pages do not say which year each refers to; the 2025 key figures are the only one tied to a year.

Aalborg University (AAU) does not publish an acceptance rate, and it publishes no applicant or admit figures for international students. What it does publish is a quota 1 cut-off per programme: 3.3 for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, labelled "Quota in 2026", and a minimum grade point average of 5,9 for Economics and Business Administration in 2024.

A cut-off is a statistic from a past round, not a minimum for your application. AAU's own admission pages say the quotient shows the grade average that was needed at the latest intake to get in through quota 1, that it can rise or fall at the next intake, and that it "må ikke forveksles med et adgangskrav" (it must not be confused with an entry requirement). The Danish word is adgangskvotient, the admission quotient.

Two figures disagree for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology: the programme header shows 24 study places in 2026, while the text of the same page says In 2026 AAU offer 25 student places. AAU does not explain the difference, so treat the number as about two dozen places.

What restricted admission means

AAU explains that several degree programmes have restricted admission: there are only a certain number of places and you are not guaranteed a study place, even if you meet the entry requirements. For Energy Engineering AAU states that the programme has restricted admission. Applied Industrial Electronics showed "All Admitted" for 2026, but AAU adds that From 2027, the programme is restricted in admission. That note is the one that applies to the September 2027 intake, so do not read the 2026 result as a promise.

For comparison, one Danish-taught programme shows its own figure: Datalogi (computer science) with "Alle optaget" (all admitted) and 60 places. It needs Danish and is outside the English-taught route.

Applicant figures AAU publishes

AAU's key figures use the Danish coordinated enrolment system, called KOT (Koordineret Tilmelding). AAU does not say whether they include international applicants, so no acceptance rate can be calculated from them. AAU notes that the applicant figures are published annually in the end of July.

Aalborg University (AAU) assesses you, if your exam is from outside the EU/EEA, only in quota 2 through an overall assessment of your school grades, entry-subject grades, relevant education and relevant work. AAU does not use motivation letters or recommendations.

Quotas only matter on programmes with restricted admission, for example Economics and Business Administration and Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. AAU's Danish-language pages add that on all other programmes every applicant who meets the entry requirements and applied on time is admitted. The pages do not give a year for these rules, so check them against the 2027 admission pages when applications open.

In Danish the two are kvote 1 and kvote 2 (quota 1 and quota 2). AAU's Danish pages say that the large majority of places on restricted programmes go to quota 1 and that an applicant in quota 2 is also automatically in quota 1, so competing for 100% of the places.

How large quota 2 is per English-taught programme

• Economics and Business Administration: quota 2 is 20% of all student places, assessed on grades in English B, History B and Mathematics B.
• Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology: quota 2 is 20% of all student places.
• Energy Engineering: quota 2 is 20% of all student places.
• Language and International Studies, English (a Danish-taught programme with English in its title): quota 2 is 25% of all student places.

If your exam is from outside the EU/EEA

For exams from outside the EU/EEA and others, AAU says it is not possible to compare the grade point average to the Danish grading scale. AAU's Danish page draws the consequence: such applicants can only apply in quota 2. AAU makes an overall assessment based on grades in your upper secondary exam, grades in the specific entry requirement subjects, relevant education or supplementary courses, relevant work experience.

If you hold a non-Danish degree that may be converted into a Danish GPA, AAU says your application will also be assessed in Quota 1. Which exams convert is covered in the chapter on IB, A-levels and foreign diplomas.

What counts in quota 2, and by when

The subject average (fagsnit) is a simple average of your grades in the entry-requirement subjects; AAU does not distinguish between the individual subjects. Only activities completed and documented by 15 March are taken into consideration, and AAU does not grant dispensation from the quota 2 criteria.

What AAU does not consider or offer

• Motivation letters and recommendations are not considered relevant.
• A gap year is not a problem.
• AAU does not offer pre-assessments of your qualifications; you submit a regular application instead.
• AAU does not work with agents.
• On restricted programmes you can also apply for a standby place (a waiting-list place, standbyplads in Danish).

Exceptional circumstances

If exceptional circumstances hurt your grades, your application must contain documentation no later than 15 March at noon. A preliminary assessment of this specific request can be submitted between 1 October and 15 November; AAU gives no year for that window, and the result is valid only for the upcoming admission round.

Aalborg University (AAU) asks for no SAT, ACT or other admission test on its bachelor programmes: the Danish page says AAU does not use unitest or any other form of admission test. The only exceptions are Music and Music Therapy, which have an entrance test.

No AAU admission page mentions the SAT or the ACT as an admission requirement or as an alternative to a school-leaving exam. For all other programmes AAU states that there are no admission tests. The word to know in Danish is adgangsprøve (entrance test); AAU also says it does not use a unitest.

Music and Music Therapy applicants must pass an entrance test; check AAU's Danish programme pages for the test dates.

AP tests and a US diploma

AP (Advanced Placement) tests are not an admission test at AAU. They appear as one way to make a US high school diploma qualifying: a USA High School Graduation Diploma plus 3 AP tests from College Board, each passed with a minimum score of 3 and from different academic subject areas. The diploma and credential rules are explained in the chapter on IB, A-levels and foreign diplomas.

Motivation letters and recommendations

A motivational letter is not a part of the selection process and "will not improve your chances", AAU writes. The same applies to a letter of recommendation. For non-EU applicants AAU lists both as not required. The one exception sits on the Danish pages: a motivated application matters only if you apply through quota 2 for Music Therapy and want it included in the overall quota 2 assessment. AAU also does not offer pre-assessments of your qualifications.

The language tests are not admission tests

Language proof is an entry requirement, not a test AAU sets. For Danish-taught programmes AAU requires Studieprøven (the Study Test in Danish as a Second Language) unless you have Danish A; it has three parts - reading comprehension, written production and oral communication - and you must pass all parts with a minimum of grade 2. For the English-taught programmes you must prove English equivalent to Danish level B, for example IELTS Academic: Overall 6.5 (min. 6.0 per section). The full list of accepted tests is in the English and Danish requirements chapter.

Aalborg University (AAU) names the 2027 cycle itself: you can apply for bachelor's programmes from February 2027, for entry in September 2027. International applicants apply on optagelse.dk before 15 March, 12.00 noon, and the offer reply deadline is 5 August at 23:59.

Only the opening of applications and the available places carry a 2027 date on AAU's pages. The other dates below are given without a year, so they are standing dates that AAU repeats each cycle; confirm them on the application page when it opens in February 2027. The Danish portal optagelse.dk is where you apply, and AAU says the digital application system is open from February 1st.

Applicants who need a residence permit have a harder date. AAU's Danish page tells non-EU/EEA citizens without a Danish upper secondary exam, who need a residence permit to study in Denmark, to watch the documentation deadline of 1. maj (1 May).

Documents to upload

• Receipt for application fee payment, a copy of your upper secondary diploma (original and English translation), a transcript for 1 year of further education if required, a registration receipt for a supplementary course if required, and your English test result.
• Grade sheets for the last 3 years, the Statement of hours verification form, curricula for specific subjects (translated and verified), a passport copy and a residence permit if you already live in Denmark.
• AAU states that only complete applications will be considered.

The signed Signature Page must reach bacheloroptag@aau.dk before the deadline 15 March; AAU says your application process is not completed until the Admissions Office receives it. For quota 1 the Danish pages give an application deadline of 5. juli kl. 12 (5 July, noon), while quota 2 follows the 15. marts kl. 12 deadline. Applicants with IB, EB, DBF or OIB diplomas and with a foreign qualification are listed under quota 2. AAU is aware that the IB Diploma is released after the documentation deadline 5 July 12.00 noon, so AAU needs online access to your IB diploma.

Offers, tuition and the date answers differ

The Danish page says applicants from non-EU/EEA countries get their answer on den 15. maj because of visa and tuition fee requirements. Treat 15 May as the earliest answer, and 28 July as the date by which everyone else hears.

If you are admitted, AAU sends a tuition fee message between 15 May and 5 July, and you must pay within 10 days to receive your admission letter. Offers for all applicants appear in UniStart 28. juli fra kl. 00.00, and you reply "ja tak" or "nej tak" by 5. august. Standby places (waiting-list places) can still turn into offers until 20. august.

UniStart after you apply

UniStart is AAU's student portal after the application. You must use it because the Admissions Office communicates exclusively through this platform: status, messages and the reply to your offer all go through it.

Available places after the main round

AAU writes that from 28 July 2027 it will offer a number of available places and publish the list on that day. They are for EU/EEA citizens and non-EU/EEA citizens who are exempted from tuition payment, so a paying applicant should not plan on them. You can apply for a maximum of three programmes there. AAU does not state the number of programme priorities in the main round.

For the four English-taught bachelors, Aalborg University (AAU) wants English equivalent to Danish level B, for example 6.5 overall band score with a minimum score of 6.0 in each section on IELTS Academic or the TOEFL iBT (institution code 8892). Every other bachelor needs Danish at A-level or the Study Test in Danish.

The four English-taught programmes are Applied Industrial Electronics, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Economics and Business Administration and Energy Engineering. AAU says English proficiency equivalent to the Danish upper secondary school English at B-level and adds that level B (Danish level) = level B2 (CEFR). These pages give no year, so check the scores when the 2027 application opens.

AAU's English page counts IELTS Online with IELTS Academic and TOEFL Home Edition with the iBT. The page for non-EU applicants lists only "IELTS Academic" and does not mention the online version, so confirm that with the Admissions Office if you plan to sit it online. IELTS and TOEFL results must be less than 2 years old at the time of application, and all scores must reach the minimum in one sitting.

What AAU does not accept

• IELTS One-skill Retake, and TOEFL Essentials or MyBest scores.
• Results sent by post or email: AAU verifies all tests at the specific test center.

Who does not need an English test

Your English subject in an EU/EEA upper secondary school diploma may cover the English requirement. You must document 60 minutes English lessons per school year and the number of years you attended, and English must be passed with a grade equivalent to a minimum of 2.0 on the Danish 7-point grading scale.

Other routes without a test: passing English level B or A in upper secondary school in Denmark, or holding a Nordic, German, International Baccalaureate or European Baccalaureate qualifying exam with English at a level the Danish Agency for Higher Education considers equivalent to Danish B. On its Danish page, AAU adds that Nordic applicants cannot use an English test for the specific English B entry requirement.

The Danish requirement for all other programmes

Outside the four programmes above, you must pass Danish at A-level or the Study Test in Danish as a Second Language (Studieprøven i Dansk). Danish A means the gymnasial (upper secondary) Dansk A level. Studieprøven has three parts - reading comprehension, written production and oral communication - and you must pass all of them with at least grade 2. AAU recognises it as Danish A only if you have also passed your mother tongue at the highest level in your upper secondary exam.

Language and International Studies is only partly taught in English, so AAU requires Danish at the highest level for it. For IB students, AAU's Danish page says Danish HL and Danish A Literature HL count as Danish A; if your Language A HL/SL or B HL is not Danish, Norwegian or Swedish, you need to pass Studieprøven i dansk.

Aalborg University (AAU) accepts an IB Diploma with a minimum of 24 points, UK A-levels, a US High School Graduation Diploma with AP tests or a year of college, and EU/EEA exams that convert to a Danish GPA. Exams from outside the EU/EEA are assessed in quota 2 only, usually after one more year of study.

AAU writes that to be eligible you must hold a qualifying exam, and that the rules depend on the country where you completed your education: the country where you have completed your education, and not your citizenship, determines what rules apply. Citizenship matters only for tuition fees. AAU gives these rules without a year, so check them against the 2027 pages.

IB Diploma and IB Certificate

An IB Certificate qualifies only if you also have at least 3 subjects at Higher Level (HL) and have completed at least two supplementary courses: at least 1 A-level subject and at least 1 B-level subject. Ask your IB coordinator to register you at IBNET's results service; the AAU institution code is 000148. The deadline is the same whether you apply in quota 1 or quota 2, and AAU's Danish page says it is 15. marts kl. 12.00 (the same date as for other international applicants), even if you finish your exam in the year you apply.

Note the exception for paying applicants: they cannot apply if you earn your IB exam in the year of application as the documentation deadline for paying applicants is 1 May. EU/EEA citizens, who do not pay tuition, are not covered by that sentence.

UK and US applicants

For the UK, the three A-levels can alternatively be 2 A-levels + 2 AS-levels or 1 A-level + 4 AS-levels. If your prior learning is not based on the GCSE system, AAU bases admission on 2 subjects at AS-level and 3 subjects at A-level. The rule also applies to IGCSE and international GCE levels. AAU publishes no minimum grade for either UK or US applicants.

Exams from outside the EU/EEA

AAU says that most applicants with an upper secondary school exam from outside of EU/EEA countries will also have to document one year of further education or equivalent supplementary studies. For example, a Ukrainian Svidotstvo certificate from 2019 on needs 1 year of higher education studies or supplementary courses, again with at least one A-level and one B-level subject. A non-EU/EEA diploma must be translated into English.

EU/EEA exams and the Polish matura

AAU's Danish page says exams from EU/EEA countries can normally be converted and exams from outside the EU/EEA normally cannot. If a direct conversion of your average is possible, your exam is treated like a Danish one and your application is processed in both quota 1 and quota 2; if not, it goes to quota 2. AAU converts your foreign GPA under rules set by the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

AAU publishes no rule for the Polish matura or for any other single EU certificate, so ask the Admissions Office which grades convert and what it expects from a matura. An EU diploma needs an English translation only if it is in Greek or Cyrillic letters. Nordic exams from Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Finland are handled on the same terms as Danish ones, with the deadline 15. marts kl. 12.00.

Each Aalborg University (AAU) bachelor sets its own subject requirements at levels A, B, or C (A = highest), and these levels refer to course level, not grades. The three engineering bachelors in English all ask for Mathematics A with an average of at least 4.0; Economics and Business Administration asks for Mathematics B.

The Admissions Office decides whether your foreign subjects match these levels. AAU compares them with Danish upper secondary levels under guidelines from the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science, and says the assessment is solely made by the Admissions Office at Aalborg University. For that you send the verification form and translated, verified curricula for the specific subjects. The pages give no year, so check the lists when the 2027 application opens.

Every requirement subject must be passed: AAU's Danish page says you need a minimum average of 2,0 in each of them. The requirements are a gate, not the level of admitted students; for the restricted programmes the quota 1 cut-offs in the acceptance-rate chapter are a different thing.

Danish-taught programmes

The subject requirements of Medicine, Computer Science (Datalogi) and Psychology (Psykologi) are not listed in the text of AAU's programme pages, so check each programme's entry-requirements section on aau.dk. For comparison, Language and International Studies, English asks for a minimum GPA of 4,0 (Danish standard), Danish A, English A, History B (or History of Ideas B or Contemporary History B) and A second foreign language A or B.

Missing a subject: supplementary courses

A missing subject can be added with a supplementary course. Courses can be taken in Denmark, abroad or online, but chemistry and physics must also include laboratory work. You upload the registration receipt when you apply.

Paying applicants have a hard date: AAU says it is not possible ... if these are completed after 1 May. For other applicants the Danish pages describe conditional admission, which moves the moment you must meet a requirement from den 5. juli til studiestart den 1. september (from 5 July to the study start on 1 September). On restricted programmes a conditionally admitted applicant can only be assessed in quota 1. AAU also runs summer "turbo" courses in Mathematics B-A and Physics 0-B, with an application deadline of 1. juli (1 July).

Dispensation for comparable qualifications

If you do not fulfil a specific entry requirement but have academic qualifications comparable to it, you can apply for a dispensation. You must apply before 15 March, noon.

Aalborg University (AAU) offers four programmes in English: Applied Industrial Electronics, Energy Engineering and Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology in Esbjerg, and Economics and Business Administration in Aalborg. Each is a 3-year bachelor with a September start.

These are the only bachelors an international applicant can take without Danish. Language and International Studies, English has "English" in its name but is Danish-taught. AAU says that as an international student you can study for a full bachelor's degree within the fields of humanities, engineering and natural sciences. AAU does not state a total number of bachelor programmes. Programmes run in Aalborg, Esbjerg and Copenhagen.

Applied Industrial Electronics

At Applied Industrial Electronics you develop technologies for the automation and control of industrial processes and autonomous drones, design and control robots, and develop electronic solutions for industry. AAU says the programme is in English and located in Esbjerg. You follow your chosen specialisation in the fifth and sixth semesters. AAU lists the master's programmes it gives access to: Advanced Power Electronics (Esbjerg); Energy Engineering (Aalborg); Sustainable Energy Engineering (Esbjerg).

Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology

Here you are taught in English, learn to set up and carry out experiments in the university's modern laboratories in Esbjerg, and perform computer simulation and modelling of chemical and biological processes.

Energy Engineering

In Energy Engineering you have the opportunity to specialize in either Thermal Processes or Dynamic Systems. The programme has restricted admission, covered in the acceptance-rate chapter.

Economics and Business Administration

AAU describes this English-language programme as the one to choose if you want to understand how a business works in terms of financing, economics, marketing, strategy and organisation. It is a Bachelor of Science lasting three years (a total of six semesters). A semester abroad is possible: AAU says most students choose it in the 4th or 5th semester.

Master's programmes that follow

After Economics and Business Administration, AAU names six English-language master's programmes: Business Data Science, Entrepreneurial Business Engineering, Finance, Innovation Management, International Business, and Marketing and Sales. For engineering, AAU says it has more than 30 MSc programmes. Danish master's degrees are also changing: a master's reform takes effect with the kandidatoptaget 2028 (the master's intake of 2028), so check what applies when you finish.

Aalborg University (AAU) teaches through problem based project work, which it calls The Aalborg Model for Problem Based Learning (PBL): each semester you work in a group on one large written project. Typically, that group has 4-5 students, and the project ends with an exam in which each student is tested individually.

AAU says the method is "highly recognised both nationally and internationally" and that UNESCO has placed its only Professorial Chair in PBL at AAU; both are statements by the university. Since its establishment in 1974, AAU has been characterised by this method.

What the project work looks like

Your group defines and writes the project itself, with the supervisor guiding. Often, AAU says, students do their project work in cooperation with different enterprises. AAU calls its method problem based project work, "The Aalborg Model for Problem Based Learning (PBL)".

For workload, AAU tells Economics and Business Administration students to expect approximately 37 hours per week on average, varying through the semester and the year. AAU gives no workload figure for the other three English-taught programmes.

How exams work

At the group examination, AAU says you and your group mates each make a small presentation and each be tested individually. The project is written together, but the examination tests each person.

The six principles

AAU sets out six foundational principles for PBL: problem orientation, project organisation, student-directed activities, collaboration, process orientation and exemplarity. A set of shared pedagogical principles was introduced in 2015.

Aalborg University (AAU) publishes how many students graduate, but no employment rate, no salary figure and no graduate survey. What it does publish is the career support you get as a student.

Career support: AAU Career

AAU says AAU Career offers career guidance about anything that has to do with your career. A session takes up to 45 minutes. Example topics are knowledge of the Danish labour market, feedback on a cover letter and a CV adjusted for Danish employers, advice on LinkedIn and AAU Jobbank (the university's job board), and guidance on internships and student jobs in Denmark.

Booking is only for people who already study: you need to be a current student at Aalborg University. The service lists options for Aalborg, Copenhagen and Esbjerg.

What the programme pages say about jobs

Economics and Business Administration: AAU says most graduates are employed in private companies within trade, industry, or services, but some also find jobs in the public sector. This is a description, not a figure.

Applied Industrial Electronics lists examples of possible employers: Vestas, Danfoss, Grundfos, ABB, Siemens, KK Wind Solutions and Orsted. The same page says the programme is especially relevant if you want to continue on a two-year Master's programme in engineering (MSc). Engineering students can also work with companies for an entire semester (1/2 year) and perhaps longer.

For students from outside the EU/EEA, Aalborg University (AAU) lists tuition for the academic year 2026 (two semesters) at DKK 115,700 for three English-taught bachelors and DKK 55,600 for Economics and Business Administration. EU/EEA citizens pay no tuition or application fee. AAU lists no separate rate for 2027 entry.

The rates below are the latest AAU publishes and are labelled 2026. Treat them as an estimate for September 2027, because AAU states that Fees are subject to change, and if they differ you pay the difference before enrolment.

Students from outside the EU/EEA are required to pay tuition fees. AAU states that the tuition fee covers lectures, guidance, supervision and exams, with two re-examinations if you do not pass a course. AAU does not offer tuition waivers or scholarships for bachelor's programmes.

Who is exempt from tuition and the application fee

EU/EEA citizens are not required to pay tuition fees. The application fee exemption is stated for EU/EEA and Switzerland. You are also exempt from the application fee if you hold a Danish upper secondary school exam or one of the listed Danish residence permits.

The application fee

The application fee is 150 EUR and must be paid through the AAU webshop. AAU requires it before 15 March, otherwise the application is not processed. It is non-refundable for all reasons, and it only covers the intake for which you applied: it cannot be moved to another intake.

When tuition is paid and what is refunded

• Payment: tuition for the first semester is due approximately three months before the start of studies; later semesters must be paid one month before semester start.
• Withdrawal before the start of studies: the tuition fee is refunded in full.
• Withdrawal because you did not receive a study and work permit in time: the full tuition fee will be refunded.
• Withdrawal in the first month of the semester (February for spring, September for autumn): only part of the tuition fee will be refunded.
• Withdrawal later than one month after the start of studies: not be eligible for a refund.

Living costs

AAU publishes no figure for food, transport or other living costs. Rents are in the housing chapter.

Aalborg University (AAU) does not offer financial support or scholarships to bachelor students, and tuition waivers and scholarships are only available for master's degree programmes. The Danish State Educational Grant (SU) exists, but only for foreign citizens who obtain equal status with Danish citizens.

AAU's fees page repeats it: the university does not offer tuition waivers or scholarships for bachelor's programmes. If you pay tuition as a non-EU/EEA citizen, plan to pay the full amount listed in the cost chapter. These pages give no year, so check them when the 2027 application opens.

SU, the Danish State Educational Grant

SU (Statens Uddannelsesstøtte) is the grant Danish students receive. AAU's page headed State Educational Grant (SU) for EU citizens says that as a non-Danish citizen you have the opportunity to obtain equal status with Danish citizens and receive the State Educational Grant (SU). There are different rules for applying for equal status, each with its own conditions, and AAU's page does not list them. A foreign citizen must fulfil specific conditions, so check them before you count on SU.

The SU Office at Aalborg University processes only your ordinary SU application; the Agency in Copenhagen decides on equal status. You apply in MinSU on the SU website, and AAU reminds you to apply for equal status as well, no more than 3 weeks after you fill out the ordinary SU application. You can apply once you have accepted your place and no earlier than one month before the start of your studies.

AAU also states that new SU rules come into effect on January, 1. 2027 and apply to students who start a new higher education programme on July 1, 2025 or later. A student starting in September 2027 therefore falls under the new rules, but the page does not say what they are.

Working while studying

AAU's pages mention student jobs in Denmark only as a topic you can discuss with AAU Career. They state no rule on how many hours a non-EU/EEA student may work, so check it with the Danish authorities before you rely on income.

Aalborg University (AAU) does not guarantee housing: its Copenhagen page says AAU CPH does not provide a housing guarantee with your place of study, and AAU promises a room on no campus. Its International Accommodation Office (IAO) assists in Aalborg and Esbjerg, and AAU's own rent figures date from March 2024 and April 2025.

AAU recommends that you apply for accommodation as soon as your affiliation to Aalborg University has been confirmed. The IAO will assist you in finding a place to live and other practical matters. The prices below carry the date AAU printed on them, so they are older than a 2027 move and are a guide, not an offer.

Aalborg

In Aalborg the IAO offers a single room with shared kitchen and bathroom in a dormitory, and a small one-person studio flat with private bathroom and kitchen. Other types it lists are a single room in a private house, a hall of residence room or a large flat shared with other students. Rent is paid for 3 months at the time. AAU also has a limited selection of accommodation for students with disabilities in Aalborg. The Aalborg page shows no application deadline.

Copenhagen

AAU warns that the housing situation in Copenhagen is among the most challenging in Europe, so affordable rooms are hard to find and you should start well in advance. You pay a deposit upfront: Usually 2 or 3 months rent plus possibly some pre-paid rent. AAU also notes that international students may not be entitled to government housing benefits, and that receiving benefits you are not entitled to can lead to your residence permit being revoked.

Esbjerg

Esbjerg's dormitories are close to the campus, and the International Accommodation Office (IAO) will assist you in finding a place to live. AAU's Esbjerg rent figures date from April 2025, so confirm current rent and deposit before you apply.

Aalborg University (AAU) has three campuses located in three different cities across Denmark: Aalborg, Esbjerg, and Copenhagen, and they are very different places to live: AAU describes Aalborg as a student city of around 125,000 people, Esbjerg as a city of around 72,000, and Copenhagen as a capital area of around 1.4 million.

Aalborg

AAU's Aalborg campus is where most of the university's students study. AAU has campuses both in Aalborg East and in the city centre. The page says most places can be reached by bike in 15 to 20 minutes, with beaches, forests and nature in Northern Denmark. Because Aalborg is a large student city, expect the largest student community of the three campuses.

Esbjerg

Esbjerg is the home of three of the four English-taught bachelors, so an international student here studies in a small setting.

Copenhagen

Copenhagen is the largest city of the three. AAU's Copenhagen campus is around 20 to 30 minutes from the airport by public transport. None of the four English-taught bachelors is taught there, according to AAU's list of English-taught programmes.

Student organisations and facilities

AAU says there are many student organisations to join, with social, cultural and academic activities and peers from different degree programmes and semesters. It does not give a number of clubs. As an AAU student you can use the university's fitness centres in the Aalborg and the Copenhagen campuses, and the AAU Library supports both individual study and group work. The fitness page names Aalborg and Copenhagen, not Esbjerg.

Help for new international students

• As a new international student you will be matched with a buddy to help you settle in.
• AAU hosts an introduction programme for new international students every semester, in two parts: A Pre-arrival Webinar (online) and Welcome Week activities on campus.
• You must create an AAU-Account before your arrival.
• Danish lessons are free of charge, according to AAU's Learn Danish page.

Non-EU/EEA students at Aalborg University (AAU) must have a study and work permit prior to travelling to Denmark, and EU/EEA students get residence documents on arrival instead. These pages give no year, so check the steps when you are admitted.

Applicants from non-EU/EEA countries must hold a valid residence permit to be admitted, and must keep valid residence status throughout their studies. AAU says it will begin the application and guide you through the process once you are enrolled. Citizens from a non-EU/EEA country need a permit to reside in Denmark for more than 3 months.

If the permit does not arrive in time, tuition is not lost: when a student withdraws due to not receiving a study and work permit in time, the full tuition fee will be refunded. This is the same rule as in the cost chapter.

EU/EEA and Nordic students

EU/EEA students staying in Denmark for more than three months must obtain residence documents at the State Administration upon arrival. Bring your passport, two passport photos and your letter of admission. AAU warns that issuing the documents may last up to three weeks, and you need them before you can register with the Civil Service Center, called Borgerservice. Nordic students are not required to obtain a study and work permit; if they stay for more than 6 months they register directly with Borgerservice.

CPR number and MitID

The CPR number is the Danish personal registration number. You must register for it as soon as possible after arrival, but only after you have received your residence permit/document. About Approx. 24 hours after you have your CPR number you can, and must, create your MitID, the Danish digital ID.

Health insurance

AAU strongly recommends private health insurance covering the first 4 to 6 weeks in Denmark, because you do not get free medical treatment until you receive your CPR-number health card. You get your CPR number after you have received your residence permit or document.

Working during your studies

The permit is called a "study and work permit", but AAU states no limit on weekly work hours. Check the Danish immigration authorities before you plan a job.

Aalborg University (AAU) fits you if you are an EU/EEA citizen, who pays no tuition or application fee, and want engineering or business taught in English, because AAU offers only four programmes in English. It is a harder route for non-EU/EEA applicants, who pay tuition and get no bachelor scholarships.

Three facts decide most cases. First, the language: every bachelor outside the four English-taught ones needs Danish, and Language and International Studies is only partly taught in English, so Danish language at the highest level is required. Second, the money: AAU does not offer tuition waivers or scholarships for bachelor's programmes. Third, the diploma: most applicants with an exam from outside the EU/EEA will also have to document one year of further education or equivalent supplementary studies.

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

• It suits you if you want to study engineering (in Esbjerg) or economics and business administration (in Aalborg) in English and are happy to work in a group: each semester, you will work closely together with a group of fellow students on a large written assignment.
• It suits you if you are an EU/EEA citizen, since the fee barrier is zero.
• Look carefully if you are a non-EU/EEA applicant: tuition, the application fee, the permit and the extra study year can add up.
• Look elsewhere if you want a non-engineering, non-business bachelor taught fully in English; AAU does not offer one.
• Applied Industrial Electronics showed all applicants admitted for 2026, but AAU notes that From 2027, the programme is restricted in admission.

Next steps for September 2027 entry

Alternatives inside AAU

If you speak Danish at A-level, the full list of Danish-taught bachelors opens up, in Aalborg, Esbjerg eller København (Aalborg, Esbjerg or Copenhagen). Without Danish, the four English-taught programmes are the only bachelor route at AAU. The deadlines above are standing dates, so confirm them against the application page when it opens in February 2027.

Official pages of Aalborg University (AAU), UCAS, gov.uk and the ranking publishers. Applicant reports, where shown, are self-reported and labelled.

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Photos: Aalborg University campus building: photo Tomasz Sienicki [user: tsca, mail: tomasz.sienicki at gmail.com], CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons