Aalborg University
Aalborg Universitet
Denmark's problem-based learning university, where every semester is built around a group project on a real problem.
- Students
- 17,692
- International
- 14%
- of students
- Tuition
- DKK 55,600
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1974
About AAU
Aalborg University was inaugurated on 1 September 1974 as Aalborg University Centre, after a regional campaign for a university in North Jutland, and took its current name in 1994. It now has campuses in Aalborg, Esbjerg and Copenhagen, with 17,692 full-time students in 2025, of whom 2,528 were international, and more than 3,800 staff.
AAU is best known for the Aalborg Model of problem-based learning (PBL). In each semester students work in a group on a large written project built around a real-world problem, often with a company or public organisation, alongside lectures and exercises. The university is organised into four faculties: Social Sciences and Humanities, Engineering and Science, Medicine, and the Technical Faculty of IT and Design. Its research strengths include energy technology, power electronics, engineering and sustainability.
Most bachelor's programmes are taught in Danish. Four are taught in English: Economics and Business Administration in Aalborg, and Applied Industrial Electronics, Energy Engineering, and Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the Esbjerg campus. AAU suits students who like teamwork, informal first-name relations with teachers and applied, project-driven study, especially in engineering and business.
Why students choose AAU
The Aalborg Model means every semester centres on a group project on a real problem, often done with companies or public organisations.
AAU reports 9th place worldwide in the THE Impact Rankings for work on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Energy Engineering in Esbjerg prepares students for work on offshore wind, Power-to-X and underwater drones, with employers such as Vestas, Siemens Gamesa and Ørsted.
Tuition is free for EU/EEA and Swiss students, and non-EU fees for the English-taught Economics and Business Administration BSc are DKK 55,600 a year.
Admissions
Entry September 2027
Selectivity
Denmark does not publish an overall admit rate. Some programmes, such as Economics and Business Administration and Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, have restricted admission: quota 1 places go by grade point average, quota 2 places by grades in required subjects plus relevant work experience or education. Economics and Business Administration had 40 places and an admission quotient of 7.5 in 2026.
Typical entry requirements
| General requirement | An upper secondary exam recognised as qualifying for university study in Denmark; most applicants with non-EU/EEA exams must also document one year of further education or equivalent supplementary studies |
|---|---|
| Economics and Business Administration (BSc) | English B, Mathematics B and one of History B, History of Ideas B, Contemporary History B, Social Studies B or International Economics B (A, B and C are course levels, not grades) |
| Energy Engineering (BSc, Esbjerg) | English B, Mathematics A with an average grade of at least 4.0, and Physics B with Chemistry C (or other listed combinations) |
| Applied Industrial Electronics (BSc, Esbjerg) | English B, Mathematics A with an average grade of at least 4.0, and Physics B or Geoscience A |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 85 English-taught programmes require English at Danish B level: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each section, or TOEFL iBT 85 with at least 20 in each section (4.5 on the new scale; institution code 8892). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 180 also accepted. Tests must be under two years old. Danish-taught programmes require Danish A or the Study Test in Danish as a Second Language. |
Deadlines
- International applicants and quota 2 (optagelse.dk) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~5 months15 March 2027, 12:00 noon CET
Deadline for all applicants with international qualifications. Non-EU/EEA applicants must also pay the EUR 150 fee by then and submit documents by 1 May; EU/EEA applicants have until 5 July to document grades. Offers by 28 July, to be accepted by 5 August.
- Quota 1 (Danish upper secondary exam) Non-binding In ~9 months5 July 2027, 12:00 noon
Quota 1 deadline for applicants with a Danish or comparable exam, selected by grade point average.
AAU publishes these as standing annual dates (15 March and 5 July at 12:00) without a year; they apply to the September 2027 intake.
How to apply
Apply through optagelse.dk with one application form per programme, then email a signed Signature Page to bacheloroptag@aau.dk by the deadline and track your application in UniStart. Upload your diploma, grade sheets for the last three years, a statement of hours, subject curricula, English test and passport copy. Non-EU/EEA citizens pay a EUR 150 application fee via the AAU webshop before 15 March.
What admissions looks for
- A qualifying upper secondary exam plus the programme's specific subjects at the required A, B or C level.
- For quota 1 places, your grade point average; for quota 2, grades in the required subjects plus up to 12 months of documented relevant work experience or education.
- For non-EU/EEA qualifications, an overall assessment of grades, subject grades, supplementary courses and relevant work experience.
- Proof of English at Danish B level for English-taught programmes.
Tips for applying to AAU
- 1 Email the signed Signature Page to bacheloroptag@aau.dk before 15 March: your application is not complete without it.
- 2 If you lack a required subject level, take a supplementary course with an exam; for fee-paying applicants it only counts if finished by 1 May, and chemistry or physics courses must include lab work.
- 3 Only activities completed and documented by 15 March count for quota 2, so upload evidence of every relevant job or course.
- 4 Do not book an IELTS One Skill Retake or rely on TOEFL MyBest scores: AAU does not accept them.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in DKK
AAU does not offer tuition waivers or scholarships for bachelor's programmes; these are only available at master's level. EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition or application fee. Holders of certain Danish residence permits are exempt from fees.
- EUR 150, non-refundable
- Application fee (non-EU/EEA)
- None offered
- Bachelor's scholarships or tuition waivers
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters, each built around a group project
Economics and Business Administration (BSc, English-taught)
Three years in Aalborg mixing lectures, company collaboration and project work, with 40 places in 2026 and lower non-EU fees than AAU's engineering degrees.
Energy Engineering (BSc, English-taught, Esbjerg)
Projects on offshore wind, Power-to-X and HVAC in Denmark's energy hub, with links to Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, TotalEnergies and Ørsted.
Applied Industrial Electronics (BSc, English-taught, Esbjerg)
One of four English-taught bachelor's programmes, requiring Mathematics A and Physics B.
Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (BSc, English-taught, Esbjerg)
A restricted-admission programme with quota 1 and quota 2 places.
Medicine
AAU established its medical programme in 2010, with a faculty focus on health technology.
Research
- AAU's Professor Frede Blaabjerg is named by the university as the world's leading researcher in electronics and electrical engineering.
- AAU published 6,172 research publications in 2024 and had DKK 3,514 million in funding in 2025.
- The university holds a UNESCO Chair in problem-based learning, recognising the Aalborg Model.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
- Faculty of Engineering and Science
- Faculty of Medicine
- Technical Faculty of IT and Design
Student life
Group work shapes student life at AAU: from the first semester you share a project room and a deadline with the same small group, which makes it easy to build friendships and a network. Teachers and students use first names and students are encouraged to speak up in lectures. The main Aalborg campus is in the eastern part of the city, and AAU's International Accommodation Office rents rooms and studios to international students. With a residence permit, international students get the yellow health card and free medical treatment like Danish citizens.
- Problem-based group projects every semester, often with external partners.
- Informal first-name culture between students and professors.
- Three campuses: Aalborg, Copenhagen and Esbjerg.
- International Accommodation Office with private rooms, studios and a few couples' apartments.
Housing. AAU's International Accommodation Office offers private rooms and studios in Aalborg from DKK 3,200 to 4,700 a month (average DKK 3,950, March 2024), with rent paid three months at a time.
Location
Aalborg is the main city of North Jutland, on the Limfjord in northern Denmark. AAU's largest campus is in Aalborg East, where most of its students study. The Esbjerg campus, on Denmark's west coast, focuses on engineering and energy, and AAU Copenhagen hosts programmes in the capital. Student rooms through AAU cost around DKK 4,000 a month.
Nearest airport: Aalborg Airport (AAL)
Notable alumni
- MF Mette FrederiksenPrime Minister of Denmark; bachelor's in Administration and Social Sciences from AAU
- HF Henrik Frystyk NielsenComputer scientist known for pioneering work on the World Wide Web and HTTP; master's in telecommunications engineering
- FJ Frank JensenFormer Lord Mayor of Copenhagen and Danish minister; master's in economics (1986)
- BH Birkir Hólm GuðnasonCEO of Icelandair 2008-2017; BSc in Economics and Business Administration
- KL Karsten LauritzenFormer Danish Minister of Taxation; bachelor's in public administration
- MM Mads Mensah LarsenDanish international handball player; studied humanistic informatics
- CG Christian Geo HeltboeDanish comedian known as Geo; studied English
Frequently asked questions
Which bachelor's programmes at Aalborg University are taught in English?
Four: Economics and Business Administration, Applied Industrial Electronics, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, and Energy Engineering. All others require Danish.
What is the Aalborg University application deadline?
15 March 2027 at 12:00 noon CET via optagelse.dk for applicants with international qualifications (and for quota 2). Quota 1 for Danish exams closes on 5 July.
How much is tuition at Aalborg University for non-EU students?
For 2026, DKK 55,600 a year for Economics and Business Administration and DKK 115,700 a year for the engineering bachelor's programmes. EU/EEA and Swiss students pay nothing.
Does Aalborg University offer scholarships for bachelor's students?
No. AAU offers tuition waivers and scholarships only for master's programmes.
What IELTS score does Aalborg University require?
IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no section below 6.0, or TOEFL iBT 85 with at least 20 in each section.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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