Roskilde University
Roskilde Universitet
Denmark's project-based, interdisciplinary university, with three English-taught bachelor's programmes.
- Tuition
- €10,000
- From · Entry September 2026 (latest published rates)
- Founded
- 1972
- QS World Ranking
- 1001-1200
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Suburban
About RUC
Roskilde University (RUC) was founded in 1972 and, in its own words, was established to challenge academic traditions and experiment with new ways of creating and acquiring knowledge. Its teaching is built on problem-oriented project work: students identify a problem, work in a group and are guided by a researcher. Every programme is interdisciplinary. It has a single campus in Trekroner on the edge of the city of Roskilde, and four departments, including Social Sciences and Business, Science and Environment, People and Technology, and Communication and Arts.
Its official bachelor's offer is small: three bachelor's programmes (Bachelor in Global Humanities, International Bachelor in Social Sciences and International Bachelor in Natural Sciences) in which you specialise in one or two of 13 bachelor subjects. All three are taught in English. Applicants need a recognised entry qualification, such as the IB, the European Baccalaureate or a foreign upper secondary qualification assessed as comparable, plus programme-specific subject levels, including English at Danish B-level.
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition. Non-EU/EEA students pay EUR 10,000 to 16,000 a year for a September 2026 start, plus a EUR 200 application fee, and deadlines are early: 15 March for bachelor's and 15 January for fee-paying master's applicants. It suits students who want to work in groups on self-chosen projects rather than sit in large lectures.
In tranquillo mors - in fluctu vita
“In silence, death; in the surge, life” — university motto
Why students choose RUC
Project-based study: students work in groups on a problem they choose, guided by a researcher, with fewer on-campus lessons.
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition or application fee at Danish universities.
English-taught bachelor's in Global Humanities, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences, plus English-taught master's in Computer Science, Environmental Science, Media and Communication and more.
Limited Danish state tuition waivers and scholarships of DKK 7,800 a month for selected master's programmes for non-EU/EEA students.
Admissions
September 2027 entry (RUC prints its deadlines without a year; fees are published only for September 2026 entry)
Selectivity
RUC publishes no overall acceptance rate on the pages checked. Admission is by quota: quota 1 and quota 2, with minimum grade requirements, and some master's programmes are open only to applicants with a legal right of admission.
Typical entry requirements
| International entry qualifications | International Baccalaureate, European Baccalaureate, Danish/French Baccalaureate, Option Internationale du Baccalauréat, Danish/German upper secondary exam, or a foreign qualification assessed by the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science as comparable to Danish upper secondary education |
|---|---|
| Subject levels for bachelor's programmes | Programme-specific subjects at Danish A, B or C level, including English at Danish B-level; natural sciences require combinations such as Physics and Chemistry at B-level |
| Master's | A bachelor's degree equivalent to a Danish bachelor's (180 ECTS) that fulfils the academic requirements of the programme |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 83 Master's applicants: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall and 6.5 in writing and speaking, or TOEFL iBT 83 with 20 in writing and speaking (for tests taken before 21 January 2026; check the page for newer rules), or Cambridge C1 Advanced. For the bachelor's, English is covered by the English at Danish B-level subject requirement, which English tests cannot fulfil. |
Deadlines
- Master's, non-EU/EEA applicants who pay tuition Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months15 January 2027, 11:59 pm CET, for September 2027 start (printed without a year)
Non-EU/EEA applicants who must pay tuition. The year is not printed on the deadlines page; 2027 is applied for September 2027 start. RUC's scholarship page says the application round for non-EU/EEA applicants opens 15 December 2026, which fits a January 2027 deadline.
- Master's, EU/EEA, Swiss and Danish citizens (and fee-exempt non-EU/EEA) Non-binding In ~5 months1 March 2027, 11:59 pm CET, for September 2027 start (printed without a year)
EU/EEA, Swiss and Danish citizens, and non-EU/EEA applicants exempt from tuition (holders of the listed Danish residence permits). The year is not printed; 2027 is applied for September 2027 start.
- Bachelor's (quota 2 / international entry qualification) Non-binding In ~5 months15 March 2027, 12 noon CET (application opens 1 February 2027); RUC prints '15 March' each year without a year
RUC says bachelor's applications are open once a year for September entry, 1 February to 15 March, 12 noon CET 'each year'. The year is not printed; 2027 is applied here for September 2027 entry. Vacant places are announced on 28 July.
RUC states its deadlines as annual dates without a year (bachelor's 1 February to 15 March, master's 15 January for fee-paying non-EU/EEA and 1 March for others). They are labelled here as 2027 dates for September 2027 entry by applying the stated yearly pattern; confirm on ruc.dk. Tuition rates and scholarship lists for September 2027 had not been published on 30 September 2026.
How to apply
Bachelor's: apply online through optagelse.dk between 1 February and 15 March (12 noon CET) for September entry, upload the documents, and non-EU/EEA applicants pay the EUR 200 application fee. Master's: apply through RUC's digital application system (DANS), which opens a month before the deadline. Non-EU/EEA students who must pay tuition pay each semester in full by the due date in the offer of admission, in EUR, or their admission is annulled.
What admissions looks for
- A qualifying upper secondary qualification that Denmark recognises as comparable, with any required supplementary courses.
- The specific subject levels for your chosen programme, evidenced in your school records.
- For master's programmes, a relevant bachelor's degree, English at the required test score, and for scholarship applicants a motivational letter and CV.
- Grades that meet the quota 1 or quota 2 minimums.
Tips for applying to RUC
- 1 Check the subject-level table for your programme early: RUC states that English tests cannot replace the English at Danish B-level requirement.
- 2 Non-EU applicants should plan for the early 15 March bachelor's deadline and the 15 January master's deadline.
- 3 If you want a tuition waiver and scholarship, upload a motivational letter and CV with your master's application; they cannot be applied for later.
- 4 Pay the EUR 200 application fee by the deadline and upload the receipt, or the application will not be processed.
- 5 If your qualification is not on RUC's list, ask the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science for an assessment or request a pre-assessment at RUC.
Costs & financial aid
Entry September 2026 (latest published rates) · figures in EUR
A limited number of Danish state tuition fee waivers and scholarships are offered on selected master's programmes for non-EU/EEA students: for September 2026 these were Media and Communication, Environmental Science, Nordic Urban Planning Studies and Computer Science. The scholarship is DKK 7,800 a month for up to 22 months and covers living expenses. RUC says an up-to-date list for September 2027 entry will appear on its scholarship page just before the non-EU/EEA application round opens on 15 December 2026.
- DKK 7,800 a month, up to 22 months, plus tuition fee waiver
- Scholarship amount
- EUR 200 (DKK 1,490), refunded only if you start studying
- Application fee (non-EU/EEA)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters starting 1 September and 1 February
Bachelor in Global Humanities
English-taught, EUR 10,000 a year for non-EU students for 2026 entry.
International Bachelor in Social Sciences
English-taught, with specialisation in one or two bachelor subjects, EUR 10,000 a year for non-EU students.
International Bachelor in Natural Sciences
English-taught, admits with combinations such as Physics and Chemistry at B-level; EUR 16,000 a year for non-EU students.
Master in Computer Science
English-taught and one of four master's offering state tuition waivers and scholarships for September 2026.
Master in Global and Development Studies / International Politics and Governance
English-taught master's programmes; for September 2026 they were open only to applicants with a legal right of admission.
Research
- RUC is part of the European Reform University Alliance with four other European universities, supported by the European Commission.
- It belongs to the Critical Edge Alliance, a framework for universities focused on student-centred and interdisciplinary learning.
- It is a member of the University of the Arctic network, according to Wikipedia.
Schools & faculties
- Department of Social Sciences and Business
- Department of Science and Environment
- Department of People and Technology
- Department of Communication and Arts
Student life
RUC has a single campus in Trekroner, and its teaching is built around group projects, so students spend less time in lectures and plan much of their own work with their project group. New bachelor's students start with a two-week intro period run by tutors, including an off-campus trip. The university describes an interdisciplinary, participation-focused culture, with student tutors, a student life unit, and a university library on campus.
- Two-week intro period for new bachelor's students, run by tutors, with an off-campus trip.
- Group-based project work with a supervising researcher each semester.
- A single campus in Trekroner with a university library.
- A student life unit that works with the departments.
- Exchange and guest student options and accommodation help for exchange students.
Housing. RUC has a housing service for students; see the university's housing page for how to apply.
Location
Roskilde is a city on Zealand, west of Copenhagen. The university is on a single campus in the Trekroner district in the east of the city. Denmark's cost of living is high, which the university itself acknowledges, so budgeting for housing and food matters.
Nearest airport: Copenhagen Airport (CPH)
Notable alumni
- JK Jeppe KofodDanish Social Democrat politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs 2019 to 2022; English Wikipedia lists Roskilde University (and Harvard) as his education
- ML Martin LidegaardDanish politician, leader of the Social Liberal Party since 2022 and Foreign Minister 2014 to 2015; alma mater Roskilde University per English Wikipedia
- TB Trine BramsenDanish Social Democrat politician, Minister of Defence 2019 to 2022; education: Roskilde University (English Wikipedia)
- KK Kuupik KleistPrime Minister of Greenland 2009 to 2013; graduated from Roskilde University in 1983 with a master's degree in social work (English Wikipedia, uncited there)
- CA Christine AntoriniFormer Danish Minister of Education (2011 to 2015); studied public administration at Roskilde University from 1989 to 1994
- RH Robert HabeckGerman Green politician and Vice-Chancellor 2021 to 2025; after his intermediate exam he attended Roskilde University in Denmark in winter semester 1992/93 (a non-degree stay; his degrees are from Freiburg and Hamburg)
Frequently asked questions
Does Roskilde University charge tuition fees?
Not for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens. Non-EU/EEA citizens pay EUR 10,000 to 16,000 a year for September 2026 entry, depending on the programme, plus a EUR 200 application fee. Rates for September 2027 had not been published on 30 September 2026.
Are there English-taught bachelor's programmes at RUC?
Yes. RUC's three bachelor's programmes are taught in English: Bachelor in Global Humanities, International Bachelor in Social Sciences and International Bachelor in Natural Sciences.
When is the application deadline for RUC?
Bachelor's: 15 March at 12 noon CET (applications open 1 February) for September entry; RUC prints no year, so for September 2027 entry this means 15 March 2027. Master's for September start: 15 January for non-EU/EEA applicants who pay tuition and 1 March for EU/EEA applicants (likewise printed without a year).
Are scholarships available at RUC?
A limited number of Danish state tuition waivers and scholarships of DKK 7,800 a month are offered on selected master's programmes for non-EU/EEA students. RUC's scholarship page covers master's programmes only.
What English level is needed for a RUC master's?
IELTS Academic 6.5 overall and in writing and speaking, or TOEFL iBT 83 with 20 in writing and speaking for tests taken before 21 January 2026, or Cambridge C1 Advanced.
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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