University of Southern Denmark
Syddansk Universitet
A multi-campus Danish university that admits international bachelor's students through its own uniTEST aptitude test.
- Students
- 20,222
- International
- 20%
- of students
- Tuition
- €15,000
- From · 2027-28
- Founded
- 1998
About SDU
The University of Southern Denmark was formed in 1998 by merging Odense University (founded 1966) with the Southern Denmark School of Business and Engineering and the South Jutland University Centre. It later absorbed Odense's engineering college, the National Institute of Public Health in Copenhagen and a business school centre in Slagelse, and opened a new computer science campus in Vejle, which took its first students in 2026. According to its 2025 annual report, SDU had 20,222 students on degree programmes (23,795 including continuing education, 1 October 2025), 20% of them non-Danish citizens, and 4,337 full-time-equivalent staff; it has six faculties and 24 departments.
Its six faculties are Humanities, Science, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Engineering and the AACSB-accredited SDU Business School. The main campus is in Odense, with others in Esbjerg, Kolding, Sønderborg on the German border, Slagelse and Vejle. SDU is particularly strong in sport science, where ARWU ranks it 2nd in the world, and in environmental research.
For international students, SDU offers 16 English-taught bachelor's programmes, spread across Vejle (computer science, AI, software), Sønderborg (engineering, business, European studies) and Odense (market and management anthropology). Admission is unusual: applicants whose grades cannot be converted to the Danish scale, including all non-EU/EEA applicants, are ranked on SDU's own aptitude test, uniTEST. It suits applicants who want an English-taught degree with strong industry links, often in a smaller Danish city rather than a capital.
Why students choose SDU
Sixteen English-taught bachelor's programmes, several of which admitted all qualified applicants in the latest intake.
SDU Vejle, Denmark's newest IT campus, offers English-taught AI, Computer Science and Software Engineering degrees close to large employers of IT specialists.
Non-EU/EEA applicants to the Vejle IT programmes are automatically considered for full or partial tuition fee waivers based on uniTEST and an interview.
International full-degree bachelor's students are guaranteed housing in Odense, Esbjerg and Kolding if they apply by 1 May.
Admissions
September 2027 intake
Selectivity
SDU does not publish an overall admission rate, but it publishes the threshold for each programme. In the 2026 intake, many English-taught engineering programmes admitted all qualified applicants, while others were selective: Market and Management Anthropology required a GPA of 8.7; Economics and Business Administration (Sønderborg) 8.3 or a uniTEST score of 54; European Studies 8.2; Computer Science 7.8 or uniTEST 51.33; Artificial Intelligence 7.6 or uniTEST 52.67 (Danish 7-point grading scale).
Typical entry requirements
| General | An upper secondary qualification recognised as equivalent to a Danish upper secondary exam, plus each programme's specific subject requirements |
|---|---|
| English | English at Danish level B for all programmes (level A for some), documented through upper secondary school with a grade equivalent to at least 2.0 on the Danish scale |
| Danish-taught programmes | Documented Danish language proficiency in addition to English |
| English language | SDU does not accept IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo or similar tests for bachelor's admission. English must be documented as a school subject at Danish level B (A for some programmes). Cambridge C1 Advanced with at least 180 can meet English B only if you already studied English at upper secondary level. |
Deadlines
- Quota 2 / international applicants (optagelse.dk) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~5 months15 March 2027, 12:00 CET
Deadline for all applicants with a foreign exam. Portal opens 1 February 2027; uniTEST registration by 20 March, test in April; decisions on 28 July 2027.
- Quota 1 (grade-based) Non-binding In ~9 months5 July 2027, 12:00 CET
For applicants assessed on a Danish or convertible GPA only; SDU recommends applying in quota 2 and taking its admission test.
SDU lists its application dates as recurring each year: pre-assessment 1 October to 15 November, application 1 February to 15 March at 12 noon (CET), and the quota 1 deadline of 5 July at 12 noon. uniTEST 2027 dates are published on SDU's admission test page.
How to apply
Apply through the Danish national portal optagelse.dk between 1 February and 15 March, ranking up to eight programmes, and upload transcripts, English documentation and ID. Non-EU/EEA applicants pay a EUR 200 application deposit fee first and sign signature pages if they have no MitID. After applying, register for uniTEST by 20 March via sdu.dk/admission.
What admissions looks for
- An upper secondary exam recognised as equivalent to the Danish one, with the programme's required subjects.
- English at Danish level B (or A), documented through your school record rather than a language test.
- For applicants ranked on grades, a GPA above the programme's threshold; 8.0 or higher guarantees a place on selected programmes.
- For uniTEST applicants, strong critical, quantitative and reading skills; the test does not check subject knowledge.
Tips for applying to SDU
- 1 If you are an EU/EEA applicant with convertible grades, take uniTEST anyway: SDU says being assessed on both grades and test improves your chances.
- 2 Request a pre-assessment between 1 October and 15 November 2026 if you are unsure your school qualification is accepted.
- 3 Don't book an IELTS for SDU: language tests are not accepted, so check that your school transcript documents English at the required level.
- 4 Apply for housing three days after submitting your application; the Odense, Esbjerg and Kolding guarantee requires applying by 1 May.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in EUR
SDU offers a very limited number of full or partial tuition fee waivers for non-EU/EEA applicants to the Vejle programmes in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Interactive Technology Engineering and Software Engineering; there is no separate application, and awards are based on uniTEST results and an online interview in early June. EU/EEA citizens may qualify for the Danish state grant SU towards living costs if they gain equal status under EU rules.
- EUR 200, paid once per year
- Application deposit fee (non-EU/EEA)
- Full or partial, for selected Vejle IT programmes
- Tuition fee waivers
- GPA of 8.0 or higher on selected programmes
- Guaranteed admission
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (study start in September)
Artificial Intelligence (BSc), Vejle
Covers machine learning, optimisation, logic and ethics with company projects; 2026 threshold GPA 7.6 or uniTEST 52.67, with tuition waivers available.
Computer Science (BSc), Vejle
Security, software and data systems at Denmark's newest IT campus; 88 students admitted in 2026.
Economics and Business Administration (Sønderborg)
A business degree on the Danish-German border with 103 students admitted and a 2026 threshold of GPA 8.3 or uniTEST 54.
Market and Management Anthropology (Odense)
The most selective English-taught bachelor's in 2026, with a GPA threshold of 8.7.
Mechatronics (BSc in Engineering), Sønderborg
An English-taught engineering degree that admitted all qualified applicants in 2026, with 98 students admitted.
European Studies (BSc), Sønderborg
Analyses regional, national and transnational developments; 2026 GPA threshold of 8.2.
Research
- ARWU ranks SDU's sport science 2nd in the world.
- SDU reports the highest research impact in Denmark, with a field-weighted citation impact of 2.01.
- The National Institute of Public Health in Copenhagen has been part of SDU since 2007.
- SDU has produced more than 25,000 publications and 9,071 policy papers and patents.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Engineering
- SDU Business School
Student life
SDU has more than 100 student associations across its campuses, from sports teams and cultural groups to volunteering and professional networks. The year is marked by semester-start celebrations, the Annual University Celebration and Student Unity Day, which links students across campuses, while Friday bars and study groups are everyday parts of life. International students say Danes can seem reserved at first, so joining associations or clubs is the usual way to build friendships. Each campus city is different in size, from the university city of Odense to smaller Sønderborg and Vejle.
- More than 100 student associations across SDU's campuses.
- Student Unity Day connects students from all campuses.
- Friday bars and the Annual University Celebration are fixed points in the year.
- Housing is guaranteed for international full-degree bachelor's students in Odense, Esbjerg and Kolding who apply by 1 May.
Housing. International full-degree bachelor's students are guaranteed housing in Odense, Esbjerg and Kolding if they apply by 1 May for a September start, and can apply three days after submitting their study application.
Location
SDU's main campus is in Odense, Denmark's third-largest city, on the island of Funen. Other campuses sit in Esbjerg on the west coast, Kolding and Vejle in eastern Jutland, Sønderborg on the German border and Slagelse on Zealand, so your experience depends heavily on which programme and city you choose.
Nearest airport: Billund Airport (BLL)
Notable alumni
- NU Nils UšakovsLatvian politician and former mayor of Riga; economics degree (cand.oecon.) from SDU
- HS Henrik StiesdalWind turbine pioneer; studied medicine, physics and biology in Odense
- CS Christel SchaldemoseMember of the European Parliament since 2006; master's in history
- MM Mai MercadoDanish Minister for Children and Social Affairs 2016-2019; MSc from SDU
- JN Jens NordvigEconomist specialising in foreign exchange markets; PhD in economics from SDU
- NK Nagieb KhajaWar correspondent and documentary filmmaker; journalism degree
- HD Heinrich DeteringGerman poet and literary scholar; studied Scandinavian studies at Odense University
Frequently asked questions
Is the University of Southern Denmark free for international students?
It is free for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens. Non-EU/EEA students pay EUR 15,000 or 17,300 per year depending on the programme, paid a full year in advance, plus a EUR 200 application deposit fee.
What is uniTEST at SDU?
SDU's own admission test of critical thinking, quantitative reasoning and reading comprehension, with no subject content. All non-EU/EEA applicants take it; in 2027 it runs on 17-18 April in Odense or online on 20-25 April.
Does SDU accept IELTS or TOEFL?
No, not for bachelor's admission. English must be documented at Danish level B (or A) through your upper secondary school record; Cambridge C1 Advanced can help only if you already studied English at school.
When is the SDU application deadline for 2027?
15 March 2027 at 12:00 CET on optagelse.dk for anyone with a foreign exam. The quota 1 deadline of 5 July applies only to applicants assessed on grades alone.
How hard is it to get into SDU?
It varies by programme. In 2026 many English-taught engineering programmes admitted all qualified applicants, while Market and Management Anthropology needed a GPA of 8.7 and Economics and Business Administration in Sønderborg 8.3 or a uniTEST score of 54.
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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