University of Southern Denmark (SDU): Admission, uniTEST and Costs for 2027 Entry

To apply to the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) you use optagelse.dk, the Danish national application system, and SDU states the window as 1 February to 15 March at 12 noon (CET). SDU prints these as standing dates with no year, so confirm the year on SDU's page. Applicants from outside the EU/EEA all take the SDU admission test, uniTEST, which SDU schedules for April 2027.

SDU Sonderborg campus at Alsion

This chapter gives the five facts to know first and the three rules that catch international applicants out. Later chapters give the evidence and the exact scope of each rule.

Five facts to know first

A quota 1 minimum is a gate, not the level of admitted students: the 2026 figures on SDU's programme pages show the last admitted GPA, and for Market and Management Anthropology that figure sits above the 7.0 gate. SDU also labels the same figures "Admission GPA in 2025" on its programme list, so the admission numbers chapter shows both labels side by side.

Tuition is for non-EU/EEA full-degree students. If you are a full-degree student from an EU/EEA country or from Switzerland, you do not pay tuition fees. SDU lists the rates above as of the September 2026 intake and names no September 2027 rate.

Three rules that catch applicants out

• Application fee. As of the September 2026 intake, applicants who are non-EU/EEA citizens must pay an application fee of EUR 200. SDU states this for the 2026 intake; the page does not name 2027.
• Signature pages. Without a Danish MitID (the Danish digital ID), you sign your application by hand. The signed pages must be received before the application deadline of 15 March at 12 noon (CET), otherwise your application cannot be processed.
• English proof. Language tests (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo etc.) cannot be used for the English B requirement. English B, the Danish upper-secondary English level, is proven through school results or an accepted equivalent instead.

English-taught bachelor programmes and campuses

SDU's English-language bachelor list holds 16 programmes. On the Vejle campus, all programmes are taught in English, with a focus on IT and STEM: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Interactive Technology Engineering and Software Engineering. In Sønderborg, you can choose from a wide range of engineering programmes as well as business programmes and European studies. Market and Management Anthropology is taught in Odense.

SDU's own ranking page states four overall positions: 195 in the NTU ranking, 367 in ARWU, 277 in Times Higher Education and 283 in QS. Each number below is a claim SDU makes about itself, not a figure taken from the ranking publisher, so check the publisher's current table before you quote it.

SDU names an edition for only one of the four. The NTU figure comes from a news item that says SDU is ranked 195th in the latest NTU Ranking 2026, in the top 10% of the 2,000 universities included. The ARWU (Shanghai), Times Higher Education and QS positions carry no edition on SDU's page, so a reader cannot tell which year they describe.

Overall positions as SDU states them

SDU's pages do not agree with each other on ARWU. The ranking page prints Rank 367, while the Why SDU page says various rankings, including ARWU, consistently place the University of Southern Denmark among the top 200 to 300 universities in the world. Both are SDU statements, and a position of 367 is outside a band that ends at 300. Check the publisher before you quote either. SDU also says it has achieved its best-ever position in the QS World University Rankings without printing the year.

Subject and impact claims

SDU highlights a few narrower results, all from its ranking page and all its own claims. SDU is ranked 2nd in the world on ARWU's list for sports science. Its environmental research is Ranked 25th in the world, with 98.5 out of 100 points. On research impact, SDU states a field-weighted citation impact (FWCI, a measure of how often papers are cited compared with the world average) of 2.01, which it describes as the highest in Denmark. For collaboration with private businesses it gives Rank 108.

What the reputation rests on

SDU describes itself as working across 6 faculties and five campuses, from smaller campuses to the Odense campus, which SDU calls Denmark's largest. It reports over 500 international partners for exchange and research, and collaboration with more than 2,000 businesses and organisations.

In business education, SDU states that it holds AACSB accreditation and that Only 6% of the world's business schools hold this accreditation. For sustainability, SDU says it was ranked 11th out of 956 universities in GreenMetric 2021.

SDU publishes the GPA and, where the programme uses uniTEST, the test score of the last admitted applicant, and the latest table shows Artificial Intelligence at 7,6 and 52,67, Computer Science at 7,8 and 51,33, and Market and Management Anthropology at 8,7. These are statistics of a past round, not minimums, and SDU itself warns: Meeting last year’s admission numbers does not guarantee admission in the current year.

SDU defines the two columns this way: Required GPA shows the grade point average of the last applicant admitted based on grades, and Admission test score shows the test result of the last applicant admitted through SDU's admission test uniTEST. Neither figure is an entry requirement. The entry requirements are in the quota 1 and quota 2 chapters.

Two year labels on the same numbers

SDU puts two different years on the same figures, and neither label marks a 2027 cut-off. The programme list shows Artificial Intelligence as Admission GPA in 2025: 7,6, while the programme page shows Required GPA in 2026: 7,6. The admission numbers page carries separate tabs for 2025 and 2026. Treat the label as unresolved, and read every figure below as one past round whose year SDU states inconsistently.

SDU prints both a number admitted and an expected number of study places for each programme, and the two do not always match: for Artificial Intelligence the page gives 66 admitted against 30 expected places. The page does not explain the gap, so do not read the places figure as a cap.

What "All qualified applicants accepted" means

SDU explains that “Every qualified applicant admitted” means that all applicants who met all admission requirements were offered a study place. The programme pages use the phrase for most of the engineering programmes in the 2026 label. For these programmes the bar was meeting the requirements, not beating other applicants.

SDU publishes no number of applications per programme, so no admit rate can be calculated. Admission numbers vary from year to year. This is because they depend on the number of applicants, the number of available study places, and how applicants perform in a given admission round.

How much the numbers move

SDU's tab for 2025 shows lower or different figures for some programmes. Economics and Business Administration - Global Business Relationships shows 8,0 with a uniTEST score of 48,33 on that tab, against 8,3 and 54 on the 2026 tab. European Studies shows 8,3 on the 2025 tab and 8,2 on the 2026 tab. BEng in Mechanical Engineering shows 4,4 on the 2025 tab and 5,4 on the 2026 tab. Those swings are the reason to treat any single year as context.

Guaranteed admission rules

SDU offers two guarantees. The first is by grades: If you have a GPA (Grade Point Average) of 8.0 or higher from your qualifying education, you are guaranteed admission to selected bachelor’s programmes at SDU, listed as 11 programmes with guaranteed admission. It applies regardless of your nationality or citizenship, but If your GPA is below 8.0 or you don't have your final GPA by 15 March, you cannot be guaranteed admission, and your application is then assessed in the regular process.

The second is by uniTEST score, on the programme's quota 2 page. SDU states a guarantee at at least 55 points for Artificial Intelligence, European Studies and BSc in Engineering (Mechatronics), and at a minimum score of 55 points for Global Business Relationships. The uniTEST chapter explains the test itself.

SDU fills each bachelor programme in two quotas: The study places are divided between two quotas, 'quota 1' and 'quota 2'. Quota 1 goes by grades, with a minimum GPA of 7.0 on most English-taught bachelor programmes, and quota 2 goes by an entrance examination, which for non-EU/EEA applicants is uniTEST. The split ranges from 80/20 on Artificial Intelligence to 60/40 on European Studies, and the three BEng programmes list no split at all. SDU prints these rules without a cycle year, apart from the one change it names for 2027.

How the two quotas work

Quota 1 is the grade route. Study places in quota 1 are allocated based on the applicants' grades. To be considered for a study place in quota 1, the grade point average of your qualifying degree must meet a minimum requirement. That minimum is a gate: fulfilling the minimum requirement is no guarantee for admission. If there are more qualified applicants than study places, the study places are given to the applicants with the highest grade point averages.

Quota 2 is the entrance examination route. After you submit your application, you will be invited to participate in an entrance examination, and the places go to the applicants with the highest test scores. An applicant who meets the quota 1 minimum may skip the test, but SDU adds that By participating in the entrance examination, you will be optimizing your chance of admission.

Minimum GPA and split per programme

The minimum is the gate, not the level of admitted students. The admission numbers chapter shows that the last admitted GPA on several programmes sits above these minimums. For the three BEng programmes, SDU prints the Danish phrase in place of a split and does not explain it further on those pages.

The change SDU names for 2027

One programme has a dated change. On Economics and Business Administration - Global Business Relationships in Sønderborg, If you are applying for the programme from 2027 onwards, please note that the grade requirement for quota 1 will change to 7,0. Until then the page states a quota 1 minimum of 6.0.

Who is assessed on grades and who takes uniTEST

The route depends on citizenship and on whether SDU can convert your grades to the Danish scale. All non-EU citizens will be invited to uniTEST because their grades cannot be converted to the Danish grading system. For EU/EEA citizens, SDU states that those whose grades can be converted are assessed on grade point average (GPA) and those whose grades cannot be converted receive an invitation to uniTEST and are assessed on the result. SDU defines the Required GPA as an admission requirement which determines if you are required to take the admission test or can be accepted for admission based on your grades only.

Danish exam or foreign exam

The deadline depends on the kind of qualification. SDU states: You must apply before 15 March, if you have an international exam. If you have a Danish exam, your chance of admission is better if you apply before 15 March, because you will be considered in both quota 1 and 2. On the 2027 quota 2 page the rule is stricter in time: With a foreign exam, you must always apply for admission no later than 15 March at 12:00 (midday). The application chapter gives the full set of dates.

SDU first checks eligibility and then ranks applicants within each quota: whether your qualifying education is recognised as equivalent to a Danish upper secondary education and whether you meet the programme's subject requirements, and both are required. Quota 1 places then go to the highest grade point averages, quota 2 places to the highest test scores, and two programmes add a motivational letter and an interview. SDU states these rules without a cycle year.

What counts in the ranking

In quota 1, If there are more qualified applicants than study places, the study places are given to the applicants with the highest grade point averages. In quota 2, The study places are offered to the applicants with the highest test scores. When two applicants have the same uniTEST score, ranking is based on results in the individual test domains. Which domain is prioritised varies between programmes.

Letter and interview on two programmes

European Studies asks for a motivational letter in quota 2, and SDU says We expect your motivational letter to reflect your: Personal qualities. The interview then follows the letter: The interview is based on your motivational letter. We will assess your professional and social skills within the three areas covered in your motivational letter.

Market and Management Anthropology also holds an interview in quota 2. SDU says We will assess your professional and social skills within the areas: Motivation You are evaluated on your ability to reflect on the motivations behind your choice of study programme. Communication. SDU's quota 2 pages for both programmes still list interview dates in June 2026, so do not treat those as 2027 dates; check the current quota 2 page.

What SDU does not use

• Language tests. Language tests (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo etc.) cannot be used to fulfil the specific subject requirement English B and are not accepted as documentation for admission to SDU’s bachelor’s programmes.
• Work experience for subjects. If you lack a required subject, Work experience cannot be used as a basis for recognition.
• Supplementary courses for GPA. Supplementary courses can help you meet subject requirements, but they cannot improve your grade point average (GPA).

SDU's pages for the English-taught bachelors list no essays, references or portfolios beyond the two motivational letters above.

Exemptions, reapplying and priorities

SDU allows exemptions for documented circumstances. If exceptional circumstances have had a negative impact on your grades or overall grade point average (GPA), you may apply for an exemption from grade-based admission requirements, using SDU's exemption form, available 1 February to 15 March at 12 noon (CET). SDU adds that it is a good idea to take the admission test (uniTEST) to enhance your chances of admission in case your application for exemption is rejected. A separate exemption exists for the deadline itself: You may be eligible for exemption from the application deadline in exceptional cases when circumstances beyond your control prevented you from applying on time.

If you do not get in, reapplying means paying again: If you apply the following year again you must pay the fee again. Within one application, You can apply for up to eight bachelor’s programmes and you must prioritise them in order of preference, and You will only be offered one study place; your highest possible priority. SDU describes a standby place (a waiting list with a promise of a place next year) only on its Danish Medicine page, so it is not an option SDU describes for the English-taught bachelors.

Every non-EU/EEA applicant to an SDU bachelor takes uniTEST: All non-EU/EEA citizens will be invited to take the uniTEST because your grades cannot be converted to the Danish grading system. SDU names the 2027 sitting as 17 and 18 April 2027 in person in Odense or 20-25 April 2027 online. The test is 95 questions, 2½ hours, scored from 0 and 100 with a pass mark of 45 points. SDU's page said it was planning uniTEST 2027 and would add more from mid-October, so check the page for the current schedule before you book.

Who takes uniTEST

uniTEST is used to assess your academic potential and it is part of most admission processes at SDU. You register for the test after you have applied for admission. For non-EU/EEA citizens it is compulsory. For EU/EEA citizens, your application for admission is assessed either based on your grades or via the uniTEST, depending on whether your qualifications can be converted to the Danish grading system. Even when the grades convert, SDU recommends that you take the uniTEST regardless, because you are then assessed on both grades and test.

The SAT and ACT play no stated role. SDU's admission pages state no SAT or ACT requirement or score.

Dates, registration and where you sit it

If you are in Denmark, You must take uniTEST in person at SDU Campus Odense, as a written paper-based examination. If you are not, You must take uniTEST online using your own computer and you are connected to a supervisor who monitors the test. SDU's terms also list receiving help during the test, including use of chatbots, as cheating. uniTEST is copyrighted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).

Format, scoring and pass mark

SDU describes uniTEST as a multiple-choice test that consists of 95 questions and lasts 2½ hours. It measures critical thinking, quantitative thinking, linguistic thinking. Scores run from 0 and 100 and To pass you need a minimum of 45 points. A pass is not a place: Admission may require a higher score depending on the number of applicants and how these perform. On Artificial Intelligence, You are guaranteed admission to the programme if you score at least 55 points; the admission numbers chapter lists the other programmes with that guarantee.

Weighting differs by programme

The weighting of the three categories depends on the programme you apply for. If you apply for more than one programme, you may therefore achieve different scores related to each of the programmes.

Letters and interviews on two programmes

European Studies and Market and Management Anthropology add steps to quota 2. For European Studies you must upload a motivational letter (in English) to optagelse.dk no later than 15 March at 12:00 (midday). participate in uniTEST. attend an interview, if you qualify based on your uniTEST results. Market and Management Anthropology uses the same three steps, with the letter due no later than March 15 (midday). SDU notes that For a small number of bachelor’s programmes, admission may also include additional activities such as an interview or a programme-specific test.

SDU's pages for both programmes still show last year's interview dates, June 2-4, 2026, although the pages are titled for the 2027 examination. Do not read those as 2027 dates. For Market and Management Anthropology SDU states: Just now, we are planning next year's entrance examinations.

Scholarship candidates on the Vejle programmes have a separate interview: a few mathematical questions and a brief talk about your motivation for studying at SDU. SDU says Interviews typically take place in early June. Invitations are sent by email in late May.

You apply to SDU on optagelse.dk, the Danish national application system, between 1 February to 15 March at 12 noon (CET), and SDU's decision follows on 28 July. SDU prints every one of these dates without a year, so read them as the standing annual calendar; none of them carries a 2027 label. The only dates SDU ties to 2027 are the uniTEST sittings, 17 and 18 April 2027 in Odense and 20-25 April 2027 online.

The calendar from pre-assessment to the first semester

The window to apply is long, but the practical limit is the 15 March at 12 noon (CET). On the Artificial Intelligence page SDU repeats it for foreign qualifications: If you have a foreign exam, you must apply for admission no later than 15 March at 12:00 noon. SDU states the time in Central European Time (CET).

Documents you upload

• In general terms we always need documentation of your secondary school, grade transcripts of the last 3/4 years, further academic education and a Statement of hours.
• Documents must come in its original language and an official English translation.
• Proof of citizenship: a passport or a national ID card.
• If you are still studying: You must apply by 15 March even if you graduate from your upper secondary education or supplementary courses during the summer, then upload your final diploma or course certificates by 5 July at 12 noon (CET).

If your diploma comes later, SDU states: If you graduate after 5 July or if the documentation is not ready before 5 July, the offer of admission to SDU will be conditional, and you must upload the final documentation to sdu.dk/admission no later than 31 August. For IB students, SDU asks you to give its institution code, 000157, to your IB coordinator. Applicants with a German upper-secondary qualification who apply to International Business Administration, Language and Culture are told to apply for admission to Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF).

The application fee

Non-EU/EEA citizens pay a fee before the deadline. As of the September 2026 intake, applicants who are non-EU/EEA citizens must pay an application fee of EUR 200. SDU's page states this for the 2026 intake and prints no 2027 amount. You only pay the application fee once, regardless of how many programmes you apply for at SDU per enrollment, but if you apply again the following year, you pay again.

Payment is 200 EUR (credit card payments only), and you upload the receipt to your application on optagelse.dk no later than 15 March at 12 noon (CET). If you do not pay the application fee or document exemption, your application will be rejected. If you are admitted, the application fee will be deducted from your first tuition fee payment.

You may be exempt if you hold a permanent Danish residence permit, or a residence permit that exempts you from application and/or tuition fees a Danish qualifying exam. IB Diploma or IB Certificate completed in Denmark does not count as a qualifying exam for this exemption.

Signing without MitID and choosing priorities

MitID is the Danish digital ID. If you do not have a Danish MitID, you must sign your application manually, and The signed pages must be received before the application deadline of 15 March at 12 noon (CET), otherwise your application cannot be processed.

You can apply for up to eight programmes and prioritise them in order. You can change the order of your priorities until 5 July at 12 noon (CET). You will only be offered one study place; your highest possible priority.

SDU does not accept IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo: Language tests (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo etc.) cannot be used to fulfil the specific subject requirement English B and are not accepted as documentation for admission to SDU’s bachelor’s programmes. The route is English B, the Danish upper-secondary level, shown through your school results, and SDU sets the language documentation deadline at 5 July at 12 noon (CET). SDU states these rules without a cycle year.

What the requirement is

All bachelor’s programmes at SDU have a specific subject requirement of English at Danish level B. Some programmes have a specific requirement for English at Danish level A, though the English-taught programmes, such as English level B for Artificial Intelligence, list level B. If you hold a foreign qualification, You must document your language skills when you have a foreign educational background, regardless of you nationality. The English requirement must be fulfilled through your upper secondary examination or supplementary courses.

How you meet it, by background

For the EU/EEA and non-EU row, the proof is the Statement of Hours form. State the number of hours only of those courses listed as entry requirements of the applied programme(s) during the final 3 years of your upper secondary school. Your school fills in the form, signs it and stamps it.

The Cambridge C1 Advanced route

Cambridge C1 Advanced is the one language exam SDU accepts, and only as a repair: We do not accept the Cambridge C1 Advanced exam unless you have already completed the subject English as part of your upper secondary education. If you never studied English at school, the exam does not substitute for it. As a second repair, SDU lists approved supplementary courses for English B, including AP English Language and Composition + AP English Literature and Composition. Supplementary courses can help you meet subject requirements, but they cannot improve your grade point average (GPA).

IB English and the deadline

SDU maps IB subjects to its levels. The table below shows how the required courses and levels in Danish, English and Mathematics correspond to IB subjects.

All proof of language must reach SDU on time: All documentation of language proficiency must be received by SDU no later than 5 July at 12 noon (CET). Because SDU gives no year for this date, check it on the language requirements page before you plan around it.

The Danish language requirement applies only to Danish-taught bachelor programmes, and it applies to everyone, Danish citizens included, if the qualification is foreign: If you wish to apply for a Danish-taught bachelor’s programme, you must document Danish language proficiency. This also applies if you are a Danish citizen if your qualifications are not from a Danish educational institution. The English-taught bachelors in this report do not need it, except International Business Administration, Language and Culture, which lists Danish level A. SDU states these rules without a cycle year.

Ways to meet the Danish requirement

For Medicine and Clinical Biomechanics the Studieprøven bar is higher: If you wish to apply for the bachelor's programmes Medicine or Clinical Biomechanics, a minimum grade of 7 is required.

Which programmes need Danish

SDU says that SDU offers over 200 university education programmes in five cities, while its English-language bachelor list holds 16 programmes. SDU describes the English offer only as a range of programmes in English, and its pages do not state outright that every other bachelor is Danish-taught. Treat a programme as Danish-taught unless its page says it is taught in English.

One English-list programme is an exception worth knowing about. International Business Administration, Language and Culture lists, in addition to the general subjects, Danish level A English level B Mathematics level B. If you have no Danish A, this programme is out of reach even though it appears in English.

Medicine as an example of a Danish-taught programme

Medicine in Odense is Danish-taught, and SDU's English admission page for it redirects to a page saying it is not translated, so the details here come from the Danish page. In Danish it requires Dansk A (Danish A), Engelsk B (English B) and Matematik A (mathematics A) plus a science combination such as Fysik B og Kemi B (physics B and chemistry B). The Danish page gives a quota 1 grade requirement of 7,0. For quota 2, Du kan søge i kvote 2 og deltage i uddannelsens optagelsesprøve, hvis dit karaktergennemsnit er på mindst 4,0 (you can apply in quota 2 and take the programme's entrance test if your GPA is at least 4,0), and SDU's English exemptions page repeats that there is a GPA requirement of 4,0.

The Danish page lists a quota 2 deadline of 15. marts, 12.00 and, for quota 1, 5. juli, 12.00. If your qualification is foreign, check the application chapter and the programme page before relying on the later date. SDU also states that If you wish to apply for one of these bachelor's programmes, you can only supplement one level in a single subject after 5 July for Medicine, Clinical Biomechanics and Psychology. The Danish Medicine page requires en ren børneattest og en ren straffeattest (a clean child-protection and criminal record) to complete the programme.

SDU does not publish a minimum score per diploma: it accepts a foreign school-leaving qualification only if it is recognised as equivalent to a Danish upper secondary education and the programme's subject requirements are also met, and it then converts your grades to the Danish scale. What the diploma changes is the route: grades only, or the uniTEST as well. SDU states these rules without a cycle year, and its non-EU list is dated 12-03-2026.

How SDU recognises foreign diplomas

SDU runs two checks and requires both: whether your qualifying education is recognised as equivalent to a Danish upper secondary education. whether you meet the programme-specific subject requirements. Both are required for admission. The recognition depends on the country and the type of education. SDU assesses international educations based on national Danish guidelines. For EU/EEA countries, SDU keeps a page per country: For each country, you can see which upper secondary exams are considered qualifying. Applicants from outside the EU/EEA are covered by a PDF list of school-leaving examinations.

Matura, Abitur, baccalauréat and vitnemål

"Grades only" does not mean the test is useless. SDU states: SDU always recommends that you take the admission test (uniTEST). The grade point average (GPA) thresholds may change from year to year, and taking the test may increase your chances of admission. For a Polish applicant the documents SDU lists are Swiadectwo Dojrzalosci, Swiadectwo Ukonczenia, Statement of hours.

International Baccalaureate

In general, you are qualified for admission to a bachelor's programme at SDU if you hold International Baccalaureate (IB) qualifications. If you apply with Course Results or an IB Certificate instead of the full Diploma, the bachelor's programmes need all six subjects with a minimum grade of 3, at least three subjects at Higher Level (HL), and at least two individual subjects (minimum one at A-level subject and one at B-level subject). For Bachelor of Engineering programmes the individual subjects are not part of the rule: passed all six subjects with a minimum grade of 3, you have at least three subjects at Higher Level (HL). Give SDU's institution code, 000157, to your IB coordinator so your results reach SDU.

A-levels and the US high school diploma

Applicants from outside the EU/EEA all take the uniTEST. The PDF list has columns for Quota 2 (uniTEST mandatory) | 3 year Bachelor of Sciences | 3.5 year Bachelor of Engineering. For England, Wales and Northern Ireland it marks all three columns for GCSE + GCE (A-level) - 9 courses in total, 6 different courses and 3 on GCE A level. For a different background than GCSE it asks for 5 different courses on GCE AS/A level thereof at least 3 on GCE A level and 2 on GCE AS level. BTEC - is not regarded as qualifying.

For the USA, reading the table columns from the PDF layout, the High School Graduation Diploma or GED (the high school equivalence diploma) is marked for quota 2 and the 3.5 year Bachelor of Engineering. For the 3 year Bachelor of Sciences the list adds + one year of further academic education or 3 passed and acknowledged AP tests. The AP alternative is shown as OR: Statement of hours 3 passed and acknowledged Advanced Placement Tests. The list carries a warning: THE LIST CAN BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. SDU publishes no SAT or ACT score requirement.

Pre-assessment of your qualifications

If you are unsure whether your diploma qualifies, SDU offers a pre-assessment for those who apply with a foreign or international qualifying examination. You can request a pre-assessment once a year during the application period: 1 October to 15 November Deadline for submitting additional documentation: 30 November If your request contains all required documentation, SDU aims to complete the pre-assessment by 1 December. SDU does not give a year for these dates; mid-October 2026 falls inside the window.

A pre-assessment does not replace the final admission assessment. Upload documents in the original language and an official translation (English, German or a Scandinavian language).

Every English-taught SDU bachelor lists English level B plus a mathematics level, and the engineering and IT programmes require Mathematics level A: Course levels refer to the Danish high school system: A is advanced, B is intermediate, and C is beginner level. SDU lists the exact subjects on each programme page, without a cycle year, and one programme, Economics and Business Administration in Sønderborg, announces a grade change for 2027.

What the levels mean and how IB maps to them

Required subjects and levels (A, B or C) are based on the Danish upper secondary school system and are listed on each bachelor's programme page. If you study the IB, SDU maps its subjects to the Danish levels as follows.

Required subjects per programme

BEng in Mechatronics uses the same list as BEng in Electronics (English level B Mathematics level A Physics level B or Geoscience level A). The International Business Administration, Language and Culture programme also asks for a German level by language line: German level A (primer language) or level B (advanced language) for the study programme German/English German level A for the study programme Danish/English. Economics and Business Administration in Sønderborg changes its quota 1 grade requirement: If you are applying for the programme from 2027 onwards, please note that the grade requirement for quota 1 will change to 7,0.

Supplementary courses

A missing subject can sometimes be added by a course, but the scope is narrow: Supplementary courses can only be used to meet the programme-specific subject requirements. They cannot compensate for language documentation or educational qualifications. The deadline depends on where you are from.

• Outside the EU/EEA: you must have finished your supplementary courses before 5 July and upload your certificate to optagelse.dk by 5 July at 12 noon (CET).
• EU/EEA: If you have not finished the course or uploaded the certificate by 5 July, any offer of admission to SDU will be conditional on you passing the supplementary course(s) by 31 August.
• Stricter programmes: for Medicine, Clinical Biomechanics and Psychology, you can only supplement one level in a single subject after 5 July.

SDU lists approved courses per subject. For Mathematics A the examples on the page include National Extension College - NEC: Mathematics A level University of Amsterdam: Mathematics Course B LearnNow Distance Learning College International: Mathematics AS + A level Boswell-Beta: VWO Mathematics B CloudLearn: Mathematics A level. SDU adds: We reserve the right to change and update courses up to each intake.

When a subject is missing but you have similar qualifications

If you do not meet the specific requirements for subjects or levels for the bachelor's programme you wish to apply for, but you have similar qualifications, you can apply for recognition of equivalent academic qualifications. The request goes through SDU's exemption form, open 1 February to 15 March at 12 noon (CET). Work experience cannot be used as a basis for recognition.

SDU's English-language bachelor list holds 16 programmes across Vejle, Sønderborg and Odense, from Artificial Intelligence to engineering and business. SDU states the degree lengths on its non-EU school-leaving list: a 3 year Bachelor of Sciences and a 3.5 year Bachelor of Engineering. Study start September is the start SDU lists for Artificial Intelligence, and SDU prints the numbers of expected study places per programme, which this chapter lists.

Engineering students building a race car

How bachelor study is organised

SDU says it has 6 faculties and offers over 200 university education programmes in five cities. The English-taught bachelors sit in three of those cities. Here, we focus on IT and STEM programmes, and all programmes are taught in English is how SDU describes Vejle. For Sønderborg it says you can choose from a wide range of engineering programmes as well as business programmes and European studies. Odense hosts Market and Management Anthropology on the English list.

The 16 English-taught bachelors

Interactive Technology Engineering is new: SDU's page labels it New programme in Vejle starting in 2026. Vejle itself is growing: The number of students will increase over the years and by 2032, we will host over 1,200 Danish and international students.

What a few programmes teach

Computer Science graduates are entitled to use the academic title Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Computer Science, and Prior programming experience is not required when starting the programme. European Studies analyses regional, national, and transnational structures and developments, introducing approaches from political science, cultural studies, history, and economics.

SDU reports how international two cohorts are. On Economics and Business Administration in Sønderborg, International students: 77 %. On Market and Management Anthropology, International students: 45 %. These percentages come from the programme admission pages, and SDU does not name the year or cohort behind them.

The Flensburg programme and exchange partners

International Business Administration, Language and Culture runs with a German partner: The programme is offered in coorporation with EUF. At EUF the programme is named BSc in International Management. EUF is Europa-Universität Flensburg. The tuition languages are English, German and Danish, which is why the Danish and German subject levels appear in its requirements.

For exchange, SDU says We have over 500 international partners, which gives you access to a wealth of opportunities, both in terms of exchange stays and international research.

SDU publishes no graduate employment rate or salary figure, so none is given here. What SDU does describe is career support during the degree, a job-seeking permit after it, and, in Sønderborg engineering, a First Job Guarantee. The only labour-market number on SDU's career page is national: an unemployment rate of around 3% for Denmark, which says nothing about SDU graduates specifically.

What SDU publishes about graduate outcomes

SDU's programme text is qualitative. For Computer Science it says Some graduates secure jobs immediately after completing their Bachelor’s degree, while many others choose to specialise further through a Master’s programme. It gives no share, survey year or sample for either group, so do not read it as a statistic.

Career services during your studies

• SDU Jobbank. Here you can find student jobs, internships and full-time positions from companies across different industries.
• Counselling. International students have access to Free 1:1 career counselling.
• Events. Networking events and career fairs , such as Business Lunch and Student Collaboration Day.

The First Job Guarantee in Sønderborg

The Sønderborg campus offers a guarantee for engineers: The University of Southern Denmark in Sønderborg has introduced a distinctive First Job Guarantee for all engineering graduates of Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Science. It has conditions. For both BEng and MSc students: Graduate on time Achieve Danish language proficiency at the B1 level (free language classes are available on campus) Participate in career-related activities during your studies. BEng students must also Complete your internship or final project with a Danish company. The guarantee is described on the Mechatronics career page, and SDU does not say what the guaranteed job is.

Staying in Denmark after you graduate

After completing your degree, you may be eligible for a job-seeking permit, allowing you to stay in Denmark and look for full-time employment. Eligibility is not automatic: If you plan to stay in Denmark after graduation, make sure you know which residence and work permit rules apply to you before starting your job search. The rules depend on your citizenship. SDU's graduation page also says that to qualify for unemployment benefit you must join an unemployment insurance fund no later than two weeks after your graduation.

Danish helps: Speaking Danish will further strengthen your opportunities. Free Danish classes are available in most student cities.

Non-EU/EEA bachelor students pay EUR 15,000 or EUR 17,300 per year at SDU, depending on the faculty, on SDU's rates for the September 2026 intake, and EU/EEA and Swiss full-degree students pay no tuition. SDU names no September 2027 rate, so treat the 2026 rates as the latest available. As of September 2026 intake, all students will be required to pay for the entire first year of the programme.

Tuition rates per faculty and programme

As of the September 2026 intake, SDU will introduce new tuition fee rates for all programmes for incoming students. The rates below are those, per year, for non-EU/EEA full-degree students.

The programme pages repeat the rate for each English-taught bachelor, each with the line you must pay a full year ahead.

Who pays and who does not

SDU answers who pays with Non EU/EEA students in full degree programmes. If you are a full-degree student from an EU/EEA country or from Switzerland, you do not pay tuition fees. For others, SDU says If you are citizen from a country outside of the EU/EEA and accepted to a full-degree bachelor’s programme, you are required to pay tuition fees, unless a Danish residence permit grants exemption: a permanent residence permit a residence permit based on family reunification (with a permanent resident in Denmark) are examples. The fee covers courses and teaching academic supervision exams and assessment issuing of diplomas, but not living expenses, books or equipment.

Payment rules

• Students commencing their first semester in September 2026 or after will have to pay a full year ahead. It is not possible to split the payment and pay per semester.
• Invoices sent by 30 April: payment due 1 month after issuance. Invoices sent from 1 May: payment due 14 days after issuance.
• Payment is accepted in DKK or EUR and you can pay by credit card or bank transfer. Your payment may take up to 21 days to be registered.
• If you don’t pay you tuition fee by the deadline, your admission will be cancelled. Fees related to residence permit applications are not paid to SDU.

The application fee is separate: As of the September 2026 intake, applicants who are non-EU/EEA citizens must pay an application fee of EUR 200. The application chapter explains how it is paid and deducted.

Living costs: SDU publishes student examples

SDU does not publish an official cost-of-living estimate. It publishes monthly budgets of individual students, and says The student budgets above are personal examples. In Odense one student lists rent of DKK 3,800 and food of 1,400 to 1,800 DKK. In Sønderborg the example rent is DKK 2,500, with a deposit of DKK 5,000 and about DKK 4,000 for furniture. In Esbjerg the example rent is 3,500 DKK and food 1,300 DKK.

SDU offers a very limited number of scholarships for highly qualified applicants from countries outside of the EU/EEA/Switzerland to selected bachelor’s programmes, and SDU lists them on four Vejle programmes without naming the intake year. SDU's two pages disagree on the size: one says a full or partial tuition fee waiver, the other a full tuition fee waiver. Everyone else should plan to pay: As an international student at SDU, you are generally expected to finance your studies yourself.

Tuition-fee waivers for non-EU/EEA applicants

For the current intake, scholarships are offered for the following bachelor’s programmes at SDU Vejle: BSc in Artificial Intelligence BSc in Computer Science BSc in Interactive Technology Engineering BSc in Software Engineering. SDU's page does not name the year behind "current intake". Scholarships are programme- and campus-specific and may change from year to year, so check the page before you apply.

The funding comes through the national scheme: The Danish government offers a limited number of scholarships through the Danish Government Scholarship programme. The eligibility rule is you must be a non-EU/EEA citizen enrolling in one of the following master programmes at our campus in Sønderborg or bachelor programmes at our campus in Vejle. It excludes some applicants: If you are eligible to receive the Danish State Grant, you cannot be considered for the scholarship.

The waiver covers tuition only. It does not cover living costs, which the cost chapter lists.

How scholarship holders are chosen and keep it

There is no separate scholarship application. If you are a non-EU/non-EEA applicant for a bachelor’s programme that offers scholarships, you are automatically considered. The scholarships are awarded to the best-qualified candidates based on the results in the online admission test (uniTEST) and an online interview with key people from the study programme. SDU's scholarship page says interviews typically take place in early June, with invitations by email in late May, and the scholarships page asks you to submit your application for admission no later than March 15.

To keep it, you must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress each semester. As a guideline, this means completing at least 30 ECTS per semester.

The Danish state grant (SU) for EU/EEA citizens

SU is a Danish state grant that helps cover living costs, not tuition fees. As a general rule, SU is only available to Danish citizens. However, EU/EEA citizens may be eligible for SU if you are granted equal status with Danish citizens under EU rules. Whether you can apply for SU is assessed by Danish authorities, not by SDU. EU/EEA citizens already pay no tuition, so SU matters for living costs only.

SDU guarantees full-degree international students one housing offer in Odense, Esbjerg and Kolding, and on two pages also in Vejle, if you apply before 1 May (23:59 CET) for study start in September. It does not guarantee housing to full-degree students in Sønderborg, where most of the English-taught engineering and business bachelors are taught. SDU states the dates without a year.

The guarantee, city by city

The pages disagree on Vejle. The admission page lists three cities and leaves Vejle out, while the other two pages name it, so confirm Vejle with SDU before you rely on it. For Sønderborg, SDU does not provide housing for full-degree students in Sønderborg, and accommodation is therefore not guaranteed. The programme pages repeat the split: Guaranteed student housing for all internationals on the Vejle programmes such as Artificial Intelligence and Guaranteed student housing for exchange students on Sønderborg programmes such as European Studies.

How allocation works

• The guarantee means you will receive one housing offer if you apply by the deadline. Your choice of accommodation may be limited, and you cannot expect to receive your first choice.
• Full-degree students: you can apply 3 days after submitting your application for admission.
• You will receive a housing offer after 1 June for admission in September.
• Once you receive the offer, you have 6 days to accept it.
• After you have accepted the housing offer, you have 14 days (the cooling-off period) where you can change your mind and withdraw your acceptance.

Most student rooms are furnished with basic items such as a bed, desk, chair and wardrobe. Kitchens are usually shared and equipped with essential appliances. Student housing is designed for individual students. If you plan to bring your spouse or children, you will need to look for family housing on the private market. Pets are not allowed in student housing.

Options and rents SDU lists

SDU lists no rent table. In Odense it points to named providers, for example HousingOdense's approx. 116 student housing options spread across Odense. In Vejle, Before arrival, you must pay a deposit, usually equivalent to 2 to 3 months' rent. For Sønderborg, SDU's student budget example lists My deposit was DKK 5,000, and I spent around DKK 4,000 on furniture and essentials when I moved in. The cost chapter has the monthly rents of the three student budgets SDU publishes.

SDU has campuses in five cities, Odense, Esbjerg, Kolding, Sønderborg and Vejle, and the English-taught bachelors sit in three of them: Vejle, Sønderborg and Odense. SDU's size claims differ sharply, from Odense with approx. 21,000 students from more than 90 countries to Sønderborg with over 1,000 students. All descriptions below are SDU's own.

The campus cities as SDU describes them

On size, SDU says its campuses run from the smaller campuses with 500 to 2500 students, up to the Odense campus at over 250,000 m2.

Associations, events and academic culture

With more than 100 student associations across our five campuses, SDU offers a wide range of activities alongside your studies. Throughout the year, SDU’s campuses come alive with events and traditions, from semester start celebrations and the Annual University Celebration to Student Unity Day, which connects students across the campuses.

On teaching style, SDU says Danish academic culture is characterised by an informal relationship between students and lecturers, and many courses are taught in small classes.

Working while you study

It’s common for students in Denmark to have a part-time job alongside their studies and employers are used to welcoming students into their teams. For international students the limits matter: Work regulations depend on your citizenship and residence status, so make sure to check the rules that apply to you. SDU states no weekly hour limit, so check the Danish immigration authority for the rule that applies to your permit. You will need a Danish bank account for your salary, and you should familiarise yourself with the Danish tax rules before you start working in Denmark.

Most non-EU/EEA citizens will need a student residence permit, and SDU starts the process only after you are admitted and have paid your tuition: Bachelor students: Once you have paid the tuition fee, SDU will initiate the application and keep you informed. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens register after arrival, and Nordic citizens need no permit. SDU states no processing time or permit fee amount.

The residence permit for non-EU/EEA students

Once you are admitted to your study programme and you have paid the first tuition fee rate (if applicable), SDU will help start the application process for your residence permit. The application is processed by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI), you will need to pay a fee to SIRI, which is separate from any SDU fees. SDU does not state the amount; check the SIRI website.

You may also be required to pay fees to a Danish consulate or a VFS Global centre if you are applying from outside of Denmark. The order of payments matters: a bank transfer may take up to 21 days to be registered. This affects the processing of your residence permit, as SDU cannot initiate the process before payment is registered. The cost chapter lists the payment methods.

Keeping the permit depends on your enrolment. If your enrolment remains cancelled, we are obliged to notify the Immigration Service about this, and you will lose your residence permit. Separately, SDU is obligated to notify Immigration Services if you are delayed with more than 60 ECTS in your studies.

EU/EEA, Swiss and Nordic citizens

If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, you will complete your registrations with the Danish authorities after arriving in Denmark. SDU sends information in your SDU mailbox in mid August (for study start in September). For Nordic citizens, You do not need a residence permit.

Arrival, introduction days and insurance

SDU says the semester starts on 1 September and 1 February, and We also strongly recommend arriving in time for the introduction days, which will help you settle in smoothly. The introduction days are often placed prior to semester start.

It is recommended that you obtain travel insurance with health coverage for the first three months of your stay in Denmark until you receive your Danish civil registration number (CPR). Once you have a CPR number, you are covered by the Danish health insurance system.

SDU suits applicants who want an English-taught IT, engineering or business bachelor in Denmark and can meet English B, and it fits EU/EEA citizens best because If you are a full-degree student from an EU/EEA country or from Switzerland, you do not pay tuition fees. It is harder for non-EU/EEA applicants, who pay tuition, take the uniTEST and get no housing guarantee in Sønderborg. This chapter makes no comparison with other universities.

Who SDU suits and who it does not

• EU/EEA and Swiss applicants. No tuition, as above. Grades are assessed on GPA where they convert.
• Engineering and IT applicants. On the Mechatronics BSc, SDU's programme page for the round it labels 2026 reads Required GPA in 2026: All qualified applicants accepted. That is a past round, not a promise for 2027. Sønderborg engineers also get a distinctive First Job Guarantee for all engineering graduates of Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Science, with conditions listed in the careers chapter.
• High-GPA applicants. If you have a GPA (Grade Point Average) of 8.0 or higher from your qualifying education, you are guaranteed admission to selected bachelor’s programmes at SDU.
• Applicants who need guaranteed housing in Sønderborg. SDU states: Exchange students are guaranteed housing. Full-degree students are not guaranteed housing and should apply for housing as early as possible.
• Applicants who plan to prove English with IELTS or TOEFL. SDU does not accept them; the English chapter explains the English B route.

This chapter does not rank SDU against alternatives. The rankings chapter lists the positions SDU claims for itself.

Next steps and dates

Start with the pre-assessment if your diploma is not an obvious match, then check the programme page for the subjects you need. Confirm every date on SDU's admission page before you plan around it, since SDU prints most of them without a year.

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

Find your bachelor’s programme at SDU · About SDU – Research, Education, and Collaboration · Study at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense · Submit your application · Admission test (uniTEST) · Tuition fees at SDU · Application fee · Admission on the bachelor’s programme in Artificial Intelligence · Tuition fees · How to apply · Language requirements | University of Southern Denmark · Study at the University of Southern Denmark in Vejle · Study at the University of Southern Denmark in Sønderborg · Entry requirements and admission - Market and Management Anthropology · Entry requirements and admission for BSc in Engineering (Mechatronics) · Ranking and accreditation at SDU · SDU in the top 200 in the NTU Ranking 2026 · Why choose the University of Southern Denmark? · Admission numbers · BSc in Computer Science · Entry requirements and admission - Economics and Business Administration - Global Business Relationships · Entry requirements and admission - European Studies · Entry requirements and admission for BSc in Engineering (Electronics) · Entry requirements and admission for BSc in Engineering (Engineering, Innovation and Business) · Entry requirements and admission for BSc in Engineering (Interactive Technology Engineering) · Admission requirements for the Bachelor’s programme in International Business Administration, Language and Culture | SDU · Entry requirements and admission for BSc in Engineering (Mechanical) · Entry requirements and admission for BSc in Engineering (Software Engineering) · Entry requirements and admission for BSc in Engineering (Software Engineering) · Entry requirements and admission for BEng in Electronics · Entry requirements and admission for BEng in Mechanical Engineering · Entry requirements and admission for BEng in Mechatronics · Guaranteed admission | University of Southern Denmark · Apply before 15 March for Artificial Intelligence · Apply before 15 March for Global Business Relationships · Admission on the Bachelor’s programme in Computer Science · Admission requirements | University of Southern Denmark · Understand the admission terminology · Educational background · Apply before 15 March for European Studies · Apply before 15 March for Market and Management Anthropology · Exemptions and admission requirements · Supplementary courses | University of Southern Denmark · Exemption from application deadline | SDU · Terms and conditions · Apply before 15 March for BSc in Engineering (Mechatronics) · Apply before 15 March for BEng in Mechatronics · Scholarships and grants| University of Southern Denmark · Documentation requirements | University of Southern Denmark · Prepare your stay in Denmark · Non-EU International School Leaving examinations · Admission with an International Baccalaureate (IB) · Statement of Hours · Medicin adgangskrav - Bacheloruddannelse - Læs om kravene her! · EU/EEA: qualifying upper secondary exams · Poland · Germany · France · Norway · Pre-assessment of qualifications · European Studies · Job and career in Denmark · First-job guarantee for engineering student at SDU Sønderborg · When graduating · Living costs · Scholarships · Student housing | University of Southern Denmark · Student Housing in Sønderborg · Student Housing in Odense · Student Housing in Vejle · Study in Denmark - University Campuses in Odense, Vejle, Kolding, Sønderborg and Esbjerg · Student life at the University of Southern Denmark · While in Denmark

Photos: University of Southern Denmark engineering building in Odense: photo Det Tekniske Fakultet, Syddansk Universitet (Krull), CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons · SDU Sonderborg campus at Alsion: photo Hjart, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · Engineering students building a race car: photo Mette fra Det Tekniske Fakultet, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons