An exchange student is a student from one of Aalborg University's partner universities (Erasmus, Nordic or overseas) who wishes to study at Aalborg University for one or two semesters and who has been nominated for exchange at Aalborg University by the partner university.

For more information on the nomination process, please contact the international office at your home university.

September intake
Deadline: 15 March

February intake 
Deadline: 1 October

What is nomination for exchange?

• Universities that hold an exchange agreement with Aalborg University select the students that they would like to go abroad during the upcoming semester(s). For more information on this process, please contact the international office at your home university.
• The universities then let Aalborg University know which students they would like to send to Aalborg University.

Download nomination sheet and email it to internationaloffice@aau.dk 

September intake
Deadline: 1 April

February intake
Deadline: 15 October

Spring semester = 1 February - 30 June (Even semester)

Autumn semester = 1 September - 31 January (Odd semester)

Studying at Aalborg University (AAU) may be somewhat different from being a student at other Danish universities. This is due to the PBL method. To make sure everyone is on the same page, please read the short explanation of AAU's PBL method below.

What is PBL and why is it important?

Each semester has a certain theme and there is a planned learning outcome. To achieve the learning outcome there are certain mandatory theory modules. Typically, there are three theory modules (5 ECTS points each) which all are prerequisites for the semester project/project module (15 ECTS points). There is no set number of lectures for a given module. It follows our PBL setup (Problem Based Learning) where the project module is a synthesis of the theory modules used on a real-life problem. The learning outcome for the project is also found in the curriculum.

The project module has a threefold (or more) purpose

1. Project group work strengthens the students’ cooperation capabilities
2. It requires students to reflect on their learning – it must be argued how and why they used the taught theory in the project or why not if they didn’t and why they chose to use a different theory, and
3. It helps students in transferring their knowledge into “how do I use this in the real world” as most often the group project will be undertaken in cooperation with a company, where the company presents a case/the problem to be solved/or is the data.

This means that students at AAU build their academic profile via the semester project. The project is a free-topic subject (however it must fall under the theme of the semester) where the students, in groups, do research about a subject that interests them and write a joint group report on it. It is through the semester projects each semester that the students can create their unique academic profiles, as they choose what to research. The project groups only last for the semester project. The next semester the students form new groups based on interest and thus the group one is in could be entirely, or only somewhat different the next semester.

As a consequence, there is no course selection as such. The semesters are pre-planned and stated in the curriculum. In the “Chose your exchange course at AAU” section below you’ll find more information on how to find the different exchange courses.

How time is spent throughout a typical semester at AAU

Most time at the beginning of the semester is used on courses/lectures but gradually that decreases and the project work increases. The project exam is an oral group exam where the project report is defended. 

• Information about the PBL method at Aalborg University

So the project report is like a very long essay, and it is not necessarily fun all the time – most likely it will be quite frustrating as there not only will be academic troubles in learning new theories and learning how to apply them but also the aspect of finding out how to work together in a group may prove to be frustrating. Afterward, hopefully, you will discover that is when you perhaps learned the most.

Further information on the PBL method.

Choosing your exchange course at AAU

Our exchange courses are part of existing study programmes. The exchange courses consist of:

• 3-5 predetermined modules, including a project module (free-topic)
• For some of the exchange courses there is also a small selection of elective modules

Semesters are pre-planned and as stated in the curriculum. Thus, mixing and matching different courses and programmes is impossible.

You can find detailed information on a section of guest and exchange courses with only specific semesters taught in English here:

• Find your exchange courses at AAU

Project module - free topic

The semester project is a “free-topic” research project. The free topic must fall under the thematic framework of the semester to be approved, but in this way, you to a large extent have the choice to research and write about what interests you.

Applied Grading Scale - be aware

For most of the examinations at AAU, the applied grading scale is the 7-point grading scale. But for some examinations, the applied grading scale is “Passed/Not passed”. AAU can't convert from pass/no-pass to numerical grades.

Pay attention to the applied grading scale

We urge you to familiarise yourself with the curriculum §18 about whether the exam is assessed according to the 7-point scale or passed/not passed and what consequences it may have for you about conversion at the home university.

We urge our partner universities to convert a "passed" into a middle grade, e.g. 4 on the 7-point scale.

Requirement for master level courses

You must have obtained a bachelor's degree at the startdate of the exchange stay to be accepted at a master's level exchange course. It may exceptionally happen that we accept 180 ECTS in cases where a bachelor's degree is 4 years.

Further information about the modules

You can find the specific modules for exchange courses and programmes in the curriculum of the programme in question.

• AAU Curricula

Writing your master thesis as part of the exchange

It is an individual decision made by the relevant study board, whether you can write your master's thesis during your exchange stay. It is a requirement that you are examined in the project and/or modules corresponding to 30 ECTS at AAU. 

If you consider writing your master's thesis in collaboration with AAU and you do not want to get enrolled in modules corresponding to 30 ECTS and examined at AAU, you will, as per default, need to write the master's thesis as part of an internship/project-oriented stay. Thus, you need to contact the study board within your field of interest. 

Study Boards at Aalborg University - Aalborg University (aau.dk)

Your application must be submitted in the Application Portal. 

You need to create a profile in the Application Portal in order to submit your application for exchange.

Please note: You are responsible for keeping yourself updated on the status of your application by often logging into the Application Portal and by reading and responding to any new messages. 

Spring semester = 1 February - 30 June

Autumn semester = 1 September - 31 January

• Download guide to the Application Portal

Students nominated within Erasmus+ (mobility for studies only) will need to fill in and sign a Learning Agreement/Online Learning Agreement. 

To find out how to start your Learning Agreement, please contact (the International Office at) your home university.

The Learning Agreement is not part of the application process with Aalborg University (AAU) and you can only have it signed by your host department at AAU if you are fully accepted (depends on individual academic evaluation and on you providing all required documentation).

Information on the "host institution responsible person" for the Learning Agreement will be disclosed in the Letter of Enrollment for exchange. Please be aware to choose the correct Res. Person in the Online Learning Agreement.

The Learning Agreement is an academic matter and is to be handled between the student and the host department. The International Office is not involved in the signature of Learning Agreements.

The entire set of documentation must be uploaded to your application in the Application Portal. 

Please note: Aalborg University does not accept documents sent by post or email.

I am not sure about the documentation I have

Don't worry! As long as you submit your application by the deadline you will get a second chance. If the documents you have uploaded are not sufficient, we will reopen the relevant sections of your application so you can submit further documentation. We will give you a detailed explanation of the extra documentation we need and give you a deadline for uploading it to us.

Required documentation

• Certificates and academic transcripts in English
• Documentation for English language level. Please read the section below on language requirements carefully to find out how you need to document your English skills
• Copy of the section in your passport or National ID where your name, picture, and nationality are seen
• List of the course and the modules you expect to follow at AAU

Language requirements - English

We do our utmost to make your stay at AAU the best possible. To ensure that you get the most out of the teaching as well as from the group work, which is an important part of the PBL teaching method, we have some requirements for your English skills

What to upload with the application

When applying as an exchange student (including Erasmus) or paying guest you must upload one of the following:

• a passed test or other valid documentation for your English language skills as described below

or

• a receipt from the test centers confirming, you have signed up for a test. If you upload a receipt for signing up for a test please note that the deadline for submitting the test result will be as follows:
  • Fall semester: 30 June
  • Spring semester: 15 December

We do not accept IELTS and TOEFL tests that are more than 2 years old at the time of the application deadline. We do not accept the “TOEFL MyBest Scores”.

How can I meet the language requirement?

Please be sure to read the entire section before contacting AAU about how to document your English language skills. 

If your documentation is not described below, it is not considered valid English language documentation for exchange at AAU.

Types of documentation

You can prove your language proficiency by uploading one of the following:

• IELTS (academic test and IELTS Online): 6.5
• TOEFL (internet-based and Home-Edition): 85
• C2 Proficiency (CPE): 180
• C1 Advanced (CAE): 180
• ECPE: Passed test including certificate

You are exempt from uploading an English test if:

• You hold a diploma from a 100% English-taught Bachelor´s programme from an AAU partner university
• You are currently enrolled in a 100% English-taught Bachelor’s program or Master’s programme at an AAU partner university

Please be aware that you must upload documentation from your home university stating that the program or degree is/was fully taught in English.

• You are currently enrolled in a university in one of the following countries (due to equal national admission requirements for universities as in Denmark):
  • Norway
  • Sweden
  • Finland
  • Island
  • The Netherlands
• We accept some English tests from partner universities´ Language Centers proving a minimum of C1-level. You must have been tested according to the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) within reading, speaking, writing, and listening. However, we need to see the test result. The document must be stamped and contain the department’s name and signatory’s name. Please note that we do not accept self-evaluation documents or signed assessments/confirmations of English proficiency from academic staff or other individuals.
• You hold a German upper secondary school diploma (abitur), International Baccalaureate (from the IB diploma program), or European Baccalaureate (from Schola Europaea). 
• You hold an English-taught qualifying upper secondary school diploma, Bachelor’s degree, or Master’s degree from:
  • The USA
  • Canada
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • UK
  • Ireland
• You hold a Danish Upper secondary school diploma
• You hold a upper secondary school diploma from a country in the EU/EEA with English at Level B (Danish level), which is considered equivalent to level B2 referring to Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

You are still required to send documentation confirming that you fall under one of the exceptions.

Language requirements - Danish

Exchange courses offered in Danish at Aalborg University (AAU) require Danish at A-level corresponding to C1.

The requirement for Danish at A-level is met by Norwegians, Swedes, Icelanders, Finns, Faroese and Greenlanders by passing Danish, Swedish, Norwegian or Icelandic at an equivalent level. 

Furthermore you must to be able to speak, understand, read and write Danish at a sufficient level in order to join our Danish-taught courses. As per default, the exams are held in Danish.

If your home university does not have an exchange agreement with Aalborg University (or if the agreement they have doesn't cover the academic area you are interested in), you could opt to apply for a freemover/paying guest student semester of 30 ECTS at Aalborg University. Please note that fees apply.

To apply, please follow the application instructions for exchange students. Documentation requirements are the same.

If you only wish to join Aalborg University for one or two modules or if you are not currently enrolled in a higher education program, please apply via the Empty Place Scheme.

Are you a student at another Danish educational institution? Then you can apply for enrolment as a guest student on, for example, a minor subject, electives or individual courses at Aalborg University. It is a requirement that the applied course is included as a credit-granting part of your bachelor's or master's degree programme.

You must apply for a study place through Master Admission. Further information on the application process.

Living in Denmark

Want to know about the academic year, Danish culture, and the grading system in Denmark? 

We have collected information that might be of great importance and interest to you before coming to Denmark and AAU. Visit Living in Denmark.

Support for students with disabilities

Please find further information here.

First-point of contact for exchange students

International Office provides a wide range of services for international students and our partner universities.

We are the first-point-of contact for exchange students, as we guide our incoming students before and during the application process.

International Office initiates activities to welcome all new international students and International Office is responsible for all exchange agreements.

Please find our services listed here

Nomination and application information

We are always looking forward to welcoming new exchange students from our partner universities and we strive to make the exchange a life-changing experience for the students.

Above, please find links for further information on nomination and application deadlines, welcome activities, factsheets, how to apply, etc. 

Contact International Office

International Office is located at the address:

Fredrik Bajers Vej 1, 9220 Aalborg East
Email: internationaloffice@aau.dk  

Call us: Find the right employee

Promotion material - exchange at AAU

We have collected promotional materials for your students on what to expect from an exchange stay at Aalborg University. 

Please feel free to share, upload to your homepage etc.

Video (YouTube)

4 exchange students from the Spring semester 2023 have kindly participated in videos telling about how it is to be an exchange student at Aalborg University.

• "What is it like to be an international student at Aalborg University (AAU)?" https://youtu.be/1dtZXvJS9YU 

Video for SoMe (Facebook ect.)

Short videos about what many students find relevant to know about AAU and Denmark:

• Social life as an AAU-student https://youtu.be/Chd3eLEjZag 
• How AAU helps you find accommodation https://youtu.be/BKmEtgp8d1I 
• PBL – working with theory in practice together with peers https://youtu.be/ETXTfLTVyWQ 
• Informal and safe environment https://youtu.be/-C9cTfA_p0s 

Flyers

• Factsheet Exchangestudent AAU
• Choose A Different Exchange Experience_Aalborg University

Want us to make a presentation?

We would be most happy to present AAU for your students to highlight what to expect if choosing AAU for an exchange. Please send us an email  to arrange further. If you or your students have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

For most of the examinations at AAU, the applied grading scale is the 7-point grading scale. But for some examinations, the applied grading scale is “Passed/Not passed”. AAU can't convert from pass/no-pass to numerical grades.

Thus, we urge our partner universities to convert a "passed" into a middle grade, e.g. 4 on the 7-point scale.

One of the best experiences of my life to be honest. Thanks for having me!

"Being a student at AAU and being a part of the PBL method really helped me evolve as a student and I’m super grateful for the opportunity. There were some challenges, but those moments taught me a lot about myself and I’m thankful to have learned from them. Aalborg in general is a really pleasant city, with so much to see and do and I’m really going to miss it. Whenever I would come back from traveling, it always felt like home. I really encourage anybody with the opportunity to attend AAU and see where the journey takes you!"

Marcus Thompkins, Florida State University, Spring semester 2023

PBL - high learning effect

"Although having difficulties, I really liked the PBL, since I think that the learning effect is much higher than just learning things for a written exam and possibly forgetting about the things learned after the exam"

Exchange student Fall 2022

Sense of belonging

"Hospitality from AAU students and stuff. From the very beginning, I really felt adopted and like I was at my own home. Thank everyone for that! It meant a lot to me while getting used to a new place".

Exchange student Fall 2022

Helpful Buddy

"Our buddy sent us a list beforehand via email with very helpful information about Denmark and some tips. I really liked that"

Exchange student Fall 2022

Heartfelt Gratitude - Assistance and support

"I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for all the assistance and support that I have received from your team during my time as an international student at Aalborg Universitet.

From the moment I arrived in a Denmark, your team was there to provide guidance, answer my questions, and make the transition as smooth as possible.

Your dedication to creating a safe, comfortable, and inclusive environment for international students like me is truly commendable. I felt at home in the accommodation provided, which also played an important role in helping me focus on my studies and adapt to my new surroundings.

As I prepare to complete my studies , I want to extend my heartfelt thanks once again. Your unwavering support has left a positive and lasting impact on my journey as an international student. I will always remember the kindness and professionalism that your team exhibited.

Thank you once again for being an integral part of my academic journey. I wish you all continued success in providing exceptional support to future international students"

Dinar Jadhav, full-degree student Fall 2023

Lotte Sølvkær (incoming exchange students)

Tlf.: 9940 9592
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / lso@adm.aau.dk 

Rikke R. Sørensen (incoming exchange students)

Tlf.: 9940 7576
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / rhs@adm.aau.dk  

Mette Sæderup Thorvaldsen (incoming exchange students)

Tlf.: 9940 7512
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / mes@adm.aau.dk   

Lotte Sølvkær (Erasmus outside EU/EEA)

Tlf.: 9940 9295
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / lso@adm.aau.dk 

Rikke R. Sørensen (Erasmus outside EU/EEA)

Tlf.: 9940 7576
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / rhs@adm.aau.dk 

International Office at Aalborg University