Exchange from abroad

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

September intake

Deadline: 1 April

february intake

Deadline: 15 October

Spring semester = 1 February - 30 June

Autumn semester = 1 September - 31 January

Studying at Aalborg University 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 Aalborg University’s PBL method below.

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 own 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 Aalborg University 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 they write a joint group report on it. It is through the semester projects each semester that the students can create their own unique academic profile, 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 no course selection as such. The semesters are pre-planned and stated in the curriculum. In the “Choosing your study programme” section below you’ll find more information on how to find the different programmes.

The illustration below shows how time is spent throughout a typical semester (with the semester start to the left). Most time in 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. 

• More information on the PBL method

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 the 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. Afterwards, hopefully, you will discover that that is when you perhaps learned the most.

Choosing your study programme

As mentioned in the section above, our study programmes are essentially set packages, which means that there is no course selection as such. Semesters are pre-planned and as stated in the curriculum. Thus, it is not possible to mix and match courses from different programmes.

AAU programmes with English taught semesters

Applicants can find the specific courses for a programme in the curriculum of the programme in question.

AAU curricula

Your application must be submitted in the Danish Application Portal. Find the login-link in the right-hand side of this page. 

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

Guide to the application portal

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

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. Find the login-link in the right-hand side of this page. 

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 from you 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 is seen
   
• List of courses you expect to follow at AAU

Programmes offered in English at Aalborg University require that your command of the English language is equivalent to level B (Danish level) in English. 

Please note!

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.

Special COVID19 measures

Due to COVID19, AAU will for the September 2022 and February 2023 intakes accept:

• TOEFL iBT® Special Home Edition. Minimum accepted score: 85.
• IELTS Indicator online test. Minimum accepted score: 6.5.

With ETS offering this TOEFL iBT® Special Home Edition and IELTS the Indicator online test, AAU considers the possibility to sign up for an official English language test restored and all applicants who don’t hold or have the opportunity to obtain an ordinary type of documentation (as described below) are required to sign up for the TOEFL iBT® Special Home Edition or the IELTS Indicator online test.

ordinary Types of documentation

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

• IELTS (academic test): 6.5
• TOEFL (internet-based): 85
• C2 Proficiency (CPE): 180
• C1 Advanced (CAE): 180
• ECPE: Passed test including certificate
   
• An English taught qualifying upper secondary school diploma, Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK or Ireland. (Minimum two years of the Bachelor or Master must have taken place in one of the mentioned countries).
   
• Applicants holding an English taught qualifying upper secondary school exam, Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK or Ireland (Minimum two years of the Bachelor or Baster must have taken place in one of the mentioned countries)
   
• A Nordic or German upper secondary school diploma, International Baccalaureate (from the IB diploma programme) or European Baccalaureate (from Schola Europaea) with an English level equivalent to a Danish B level in English with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in average (Danish grade scale).
   
• A Danish Upper secondary school diploma - 'English level B' with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in average.
   
• A Danish Upper secondary school diploma - 'English level A' with a minimum GPA of 2.0 in average.

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 programme, please apply via the Empty Place Scheme.