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

IMPORTANT: We have implemented a new exchange application system (Mobility Online), therefore we'll not send a nomination spreadsheet as usual. Instead we have sent you an email with the link for online nomination. Furthermore you can find the link here:

For partner universities only:  Link for nomination.

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 (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, Mobility Online. 

After having been nominated by your home university you will recieve an email with a link to complete and submit your application.

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

Students with a functional impareness

Please indicate in the application if you have a functional impareness for us to be able to help you.

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

New requirements for Danish B-level in English from the September 2025 intake:

• 
  IELTS (including IELTS Online) (academic test): 6.5 overall band score with a minimum score of 6.0 in each section
• TOEFL (internet-based + Home Edition): 85 with a minimum score of 20 in each section
• C2 Proficiency (CPE): 180/ level C1
• C1 Advanced (CAE): 180/ grade C
• ECPE: Passed test including certificate
• Duolingo: 120 with a minimum score of 115 in each section

Please note that Aalborg University will verify all tests at the specific test center.

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.

At Aalborg University we wish to give all our students the best stay possible. 

If you have a documented disability we will do our very best to help and assist you. Even though exchange and guest students are not covered on the same terms as a full degree student when it comes to Special Educational Support (SPS) we are able to help you to some extend.

IMPORTANT: Please indicate in the application if you have a disability/functional impairmen. It makes it easier for us to be able to help you.

If you have any questions before you make your application, please do not hesitate to email us at internationaloffice@aau.dk. 

Wheelchair accessibility

All of AAU's buildings comply with accessibility requirements, from the construction of the building – or are updated to current requirements at the time of any significant renovation.

In the AAU Map you can see disabled entrances and disabled toilets.

You can find information about campus areas at AAU inside and outside - Aalborg University.

Advice and assistance from the university

All studens can apply for special conditions during exams. You must contact the Study Board in order to apply.

Advice and assistance outside the university

As a citizen in Denmark with a CPR no. you might be entitled to receive relevant assistance from the municipality in you have a disability/functional impairment.

We can help to connect you with a relevant entity in most situations, but we cannot offer to cover any costs.

Home care - help from the municipality

Home help is various forms of care, which your municipality can provide in your home if you need it. It can be personal care and practical assistance. Personal care is help with getting dressed, getting out of bed etc.

Practical assistance is help and support for necessary practical tasks such as, for example laundry and shopping. 

You must apply in your municipality of residence. The decision on what help you may obtain is made by the municipality on the basis of an assessment of your needs.

You can find information about national Home care. 

Important for non-EU citizens: Please be aware that it is your responsibility that you do not recieve any support under the Act on Active Social Policy. This follows from section 9 a (4) of the Aliens Act, Consolidation Act. In that case you might loose your residence permit.

Find examples of public benefits your are not allowed to receieve: New to Denmark 

Home care is not a benefit under the Act on Active Social Policy. 

Further information

• Please find further information on how Aalborg University can help students with a functional impareness at Special Education Support. 

• On Well-being and support offers - Aalborg University you can find information on how AAU and external organizations can support vulnerable students and provides student guidance to all AAU students free of charge. 

• If you have any questions before you make your application, please do not hesitate to email us at internationaloffice@aau.dk. 

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.

Apply for exchange as a freemover (paying guest)

You need to use the link below to apply as a freemover. 

APPLICATION PORTAL Mobility Online

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.

Writing master thesis at AAU

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.

We advise you to write the master thesis as part of an internship/project-oriented stay.

Further information Guest and Exchange - Aalborg University (aau.dk)

Traineeship at AAU

Please find further information at Guest and Exchange - Aalborg University (aau.dk)

Support for students with disabilities

Please find further information here.

Certificate of Arrival/attendance

Most Erasmus+ students need a “Certificate of Arrival” signed for their home university. If you are unsure about what this is, or if you need it, please contact your home university.
You can email the document to us at incoming-student@aau.dk along with tickets and boarding passes proving your arrival date. Please fill out as much of your personal information as possible beforehand. Leave dates empty, we will need to fill these in.

Great experiences, impressions and adventures

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you once again for this past semester. It was an incredibly great time for me here in Aalborg with lots of great experiences, impressions and adventures and I am very sad to be travelling home again next Friday. I will always have fond memories of you, the AAU and Aalborg in general and it will probably not be my last time here. With this in mind, I wish you all the best and would be delighted to see you again sometime in the future.

Thank you very much and see you again soon!”

Cyrus Memarzadeh, exchange student Spring 2024 at B.A. Business Administration

A thank you

"Thank you for this amazing semester.
I am really enjoying my semester here."

Antoine Ligot, exchange student Spring 2024

Help with the practicalities

"We received all necessary information well in advance. Also the "Pre-Arrival-Webinar" two weeks before the semester start was a great opportunity to have a good overview as well as to ask questions. I think there was nothing missing in information before the arrival. Thanks!

Exchange student, Spring 2024

Modern university

"I really enjoyed! The courses are nice, the people amazing and the university is new and very modern which is a big good point"

Exchange student, Spring 2024

One of the best times in my life so far

"All in all, it was just a great stay here in Aalborg and at AAU. I gained so many new experiences, met many new people (international as well as danish) and just enjoyed my whole stay. I can say it was one of the best times in my life so far and I will never forget my time here. If I could go for that semester abroad again, I would definitely do it. It was so much fun, so
interesting, amazing and instructive to be here. Thank you all for making this happen and thank you for all the offered help. I will miss it for sure. Many thanks and see you soon!"

Exchange student Spring 2024

Did you feel SOCIALLY included as a student at AAU?

"Yes, definitely. Whenever you have any question (to fellow students or the professor) there are always very helpful. Also the group work around the project and PBL (e.g. exercises and assignments with other groups) helped to connect to the other danish students. I felt myself socially included and very comfortable all the time. This applies not only for me as a student at
AAU, but also for the whole society in Aalborg or Denmark in general".

Exchange student Spring 2024

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

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

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

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. 

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.

Frequency of grades:

It is expected by the Danish Agency for Higher Education that the overall distribution of grades over a certain period of time should reflect the following distribution of grades:

Grading Distribution Frequency

The Danish Grading System

Aalborg University (AAU) provides a safe and secure environment. We have prepared instructions, policies and procedures to keep being a safe place to be.

• Fires are rare, and accidents are few at AAU. However, like anywhere else, things can suddenly go wrong, and someone might get hurt. At AAU Preparedness we have collected information about evacuation plans, assembly points etc.
• For students having experienced a crisis we are able to offer Crisis assistance - Aalborg University (aau.dk) On the webpage we have assembled relevant information and links for emergency services for students who find themselves in a crisis
• With the security policy, AAU aims to have adequate physical security for AAU’s buildings and facilities, contributing to a sense of safety for all employees, students, and others associated with AAU, as well as protecting the university’s property, knowledge, and values.

Outbound team

Trine Østergaard Vaagholt (outgoing students, Erasmus)
Phone: +45 9940 9656 / Email: outgoing-student@adm.aau.dk 

Kenneth Kiel Jensen (outgoing students, outside EA/EEA)
Phone: +45 9940 9650 / Email: outgoing-student@adm.aau.dk 

Sara Engstrøm (outgoing students)
Phone: +45  9940 2928 / Email: outgoing-student@adm.aau.dk  

Inbound team

Lotte Sølvkær (incoming students, Erasmus)
Phone: +45 9940 9295 / Email: incoming-student@aau.dk / internationaloffice@aau.dk 

Mette S. Thorvaldsen (incoming students, outside EU/EEA)
Phone: +45 9940 7512 / Email: incoming-student@aau.dk / internationaloffice@aau.dk  

Rikke R. Sørensen (Erasmus outside EU/EEA)
Phone: +45 9940 7576 /Email: incoming-student@aau.dk / internationaloffice@aau.dk  

Exchange Agreements

Gitte Nørgaard Jensen (Erasmus, within EU/EEA)
Phone: +45 9940 7501 / Email: exchange-agreements@aau.dk

Kenneth Kiel Jensen (Outside EU/EEA)
Phone: +45 9940 9650 / Email: exchange-agreements@aau.dk 

Head of team

Birgitta S. Madsen 
Phone: +45 9940 7504 / Email: internationaloffice@aau.dk / bsm@adm.aau.dk 

International Office is located at the address

Aalborg University, Study Service, International Office

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

Lotte Sølvkær (incoming exchange students)

Tlf.: 9940 9592
Mail: incoming-student@aau.dk / lso@adm.aau.dk 

Rikke R. Sørensen (incoming exchange students)

Tlf.: 9940 7576
Mail: incoming-student@aau.dk / rhs@adm.aau.dk  

Mette Sæderup Thorvaldsen (incoming exchange students)

Tlf.: 9940 7512
Mail: incoming-student@aau.dk  / mes@adm.aau.dk   

Lotte Sølvkær (Erasmus outside EU/EEA)

Tlf.: 9940 9295
Mail: incoming-student@aau.dk  / lso@adm.aau.dk 

Rikke R. Sørensen (Erasmus outside EU/EEA)

Tlf.: 9940 7576
Mail: incoming-student@aau.dk / rhs@adm.aau.dk 

International Office at Aalborg University