Previous programme specification for General Engineering - only applies for students admitted prior to September 2023

This programme specification applies for students admitted prior to 2023.

If you are admitted in 2023 or later, please refer to the programme specification before 2023 (find it in the left menu) or go to My programme specification.

BSc in General Engineering admission before September 23

Officiel title

Bachelor of Science in Engineering (General Engineering)

About the curriculum - admission prior to September 2023

This programme specification revised by 1 September 2024 applies to all students enrolled in the programme prior to September 2023. 

Students enrolled from 1 September 2022 will find their curriculum in the paragraph "Curriculum".
Students enrolled prior to 1 September 2022 may find additional information to the curriculum in the paragraph "Curriculum, previous admission years.

The programme specification also includes the course descriptions in DTU's course database, which lay down rules for the courses, compulsory and optional, which according to the study programme are part of the degree, as well as DTU's study rules which contain the most important rules that apply to all DTU's programmes.

Students are obliged to keep themselves informed about the rules, requirements and deadlines that apply to their education and, in addition, to keep up-to-date via study announcements on DTU Inside.

The curriculum comprises the following parts:

The programme specifications are laid down by DTU in accordance with Ministerial Order on Full-Time University Programmes No. 20 of 9 January 2020, Ministerial Order on the International Education Activities of Universities No. 247 of 13 March 2015 and Ministerial Order on the Grading Scale and Other Forms of Assessment of Study Programmes Offered under the Ministry of Higher Education and Science (the Grading Scale Order) No. 548 of 29 April 2022. In accordance with DTU’s regulations section 11 (8), the curricula have been approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies, and authorized by the President.

Duration

The BSc in Engineering programme is a three-year, full-time programme corresponding to 180 ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer System).

Admission requirements

English B level
Math A level

One set of:
Physics B and Chemistry B or
Physics B and Biotechnology A or
Geoscience A and Chemistry B

Admission requirements for the BSc in Engineering

Applicants are admitted to a BSc programme which constitutes a separate admission area and provides access to one or several MSc programmes at DTU.

Based on the Admissions Order, the Danish Agency for Higher Education determines which high school exams qualify the holder for admission.

A foreign exam which, according to DTU’s assessment, corresponds to a Danish qualifying exam together with the Study Test in Danish as a Second Language also qualifies the holder for admission (however, there is no requirement for proficiency in Danish for people from other Nordic countries.)

DTU may admit applicants case-by-case, provided the applicant has the academic qualifications equivalent to those documented by a qualifying exam.

Competence profile - admission prior to September 2023

The BSc in Engineering programme is a research-based basic engineering programme qualifying the student for an MSc programme. The BSc graduate must have a solid basic academic foundation in the fields of technical science, IT, and natural science and be able to understand and apply mathematical and physical principles and methods.

The BSc graduate must have an understanding of the theoretical basis, concepts, and models of a specific technological area and be able to work with abstract formulations and problems as well as view a complex context from different angles. The BSc graduate must have a thorough knowledge of basic standard methods to solve idealized problems within mathematics and natural sciences and be able to use this to solve subproblems in an engineering context.

The BSc graduate must be able to combine research-based and practical knowledge to find suitable technological solutions, propose ways of implementing them, and make an overall assessment of their usability with due consideration for ethical, economic, social, and environmental conditions. The BSc graduate must have insight into the types of knowledge and competencies on which the engineering subjects are based and be able to view technological solutions in a broad social perspective.

The programme also helps develop social and communicative competencies so that the graduate can use the professional knowledge in collaboration with others.

The primary aim of the BSc programme is to qualify the student to complete an MSc programme either at DTU or at another Danish or international university.

Goals for learning outcome of the BSc Eng programme

The goals for the learning outcome of the BSc Eng programme comprise the shared academic goals for the learning outcome of the entire BSc Eng programme at DTU and the programme-specific goals for the learning outcome of each BSc Eng programme.

Shared academic goals for learning outcome

A Bachelor of Science in Engineering from DTU

  • can combine research-based and practical knowledge to find suitable technological solutions and see these in a societal context
  • has a thorough knowledge of basic mathematical and scientific methods which can be used to assess and solve idealized technical issues
  • possesses general knowledge of the role of technology in relation to sustainability and its importance for future engineering solutions
  • has knowledge of basic concepts of programming languages and can solve and document minor programming tasks
  • has a basic understanding of engineering science theory and identifies issues of modern engineering
  • has knowledge of the information structures of the subject and information sources relevant to the field of study, and can carry out relevant and critical information searches
  • is able to communicate technical information, theories, and results both graphically, in writing, and orally, and is able to present this to different groups of stakeholders
  • is able to independently acquire new knowledge and adopt a critical approach to the acquired knowledge
  • masters technical engineering terminology in Danish and English, and is able to apply this when communicating in both languages
  • can—based of an independent professional approach—contribute to technical problem-solving through project work, independently as well as in collaboration with others

Programme specific goals for learning outcome

A bachelor in General Engineering educated at DTU has acquired the basic research-based engineering education that qualifies for further studies at master level (MSc):

  1. can combine research-based and practical knowledge to find suitable technological solutions, and see these in a societal context
  2. has a thorough knowledge of basic mathematical and scientific methods which can be used to assess and solve idealized technical issues
  3. possesses general knowledge of the role of technology in relation to sustainability and its importance for future engineering solutions
  4. has knowledge of basic concepts of programming languages and can solve and document minor programming tasks
  5. has a basic understanding of engineering science theory and identifies issues of modern engineering
  6. has knowledge of the information structures of the subject and information sources relevant to the field of study, and can carry out relevant and critical information searches
  7. is able to communicate technical information, theories, and results both graphically, in writing, and orally, and is able to present this to different groups of stakeholders
  8. is able to independently acquire new knowledge and adopt a critical approach to the acquired knowledge
  9. can—on the basis of an independent professional approach—contribute to technical problem-solving through project work, independently as well as in collaboration with others.

The student choosing a specialization within Living Systems should be able to

  • describe basic principles in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, and ecology
  • use knowledge of cell and microbiology and organisms as applied to fermentation technology, microbial communities or species interactions
  • apply basic laboratory techniques in either molecular biology or process chemistry or ecology
  • apply computer-based tools to manage, analyze and evaluate biological or chemical data
  • demonstrate a fundamental understanding of living systems to solve engineering problems
  • evaluate living systems in the context of the environment and its resources and engineered systems.

The student choosing a specialization within Cyber Systems should be able to

  • examine, select and apply algorithms and data structures in a general engineering context
  • select methods for analysis of large amounts and diverse types of data
  • implement and apply algorithms to classify and retrieve patterns in data
  • apply techniques from discrete mathematics in computer science and engineering
  • analyze and validate computer science models based on discrete mathematics, automatons and semantics
  • specify and select the appropriate programming paradigm concept to solve a specific engineering problem
  • demonstrate the fundamental organization of a computer system applied in a cyber-physical context
  • design and construct small and medium sized programs.

The student choosing a specialization within Advanced Materials should be able to

  • explain the fundamental concepts of materials science and technology
  • select complementary characterization methods for materials properties and internal structure
  • predict materials properties and performance
  • apply and explain fundamental materials modelling and materials visualization
  • select materials and engineer them for technical applications
  • select a set of methods and models for engineering materials’ performance
  • assess the criticality of material resources for society and/or specific technological systems and discuss life-cycle analysis including recycling and upcycling of materials

The student choosing a specialization within Future Energy should be able to

  • explain the fundamentals of renewable and sustainable energy resources (e.g. wind energy, solar, fuel/electrolyzer cells, batteries)
  • explain the fundamentals of energy conversion and storage
  • examine the properties of a component for a range of renewable and sustainable energy technologies
  • analyze simple engineering problems in relation to various renewable and sustainable energy resources and technologies
  • select a design of a sustainable energy system to solve a simple engineering problem
  • discuss fundamental challenges of implementing sustainable energy solutions into today’s society and future approaches
  • compare efficiency of current and future energy technologies.

Structure - admission prior to September 2023

A BSc in Engineering programme consists of four blocks. Each of the four blocks constitutes an equal share of the programme’s 180 ECTS credits. If the student chooses more than the required credits in the groups with mandatory courses, the credits count as elective courses.

The order and scheduling of the mandatory courses, academic content, teaching and working methods, as well as any programme prerequisites are described in a study plan for each BSc programme. See curriculum below. Teaching and working methods as well as any prerequisites for the individual courses are set out in course descriptions available on DTU’s website.

Basic natural science courses
Through courses in mathematics, physics, and chemistry as well as similar courses, this block provides a natural science basis for working with technology. The basic natural science subjects comprise three mandatory courses in mathematics, physics, and chemistry, and other basic subjects which vary from programme to programme.

Technology core courses
The technology core courses constitute the engineering foundation for the individual BSc programmes, providing the basis for admission to an MSc programme. In this block, the student chooses a specified number of courses from a range on offer. 

Projects and general subjects, including BSc project
This block contains general ancillary courses in the field of work of engineers. The block includes a course in Philosophy of Science, and two projects in which the student is trained in preparing a project and participating in teamwork. The block also contains the Engineering course on which students from the first semester acquire insight into the work tasks of engineers. The elements in this block are mandatory, but the programme content varies.

Electives
In this block, you can choose freely among the engineering courses on offer at DTU and similar courses at other universities in case these courses have been pre-approved. You may choose as much as 10 ECTS credits among courses at BEng level (valid from 1 September 2020). Students can choose to take the courses that fall within the scope of the recommended courses of study on the individual BSc programmes. Students can also choose to follow courses in advanced mathematics, physics, and chemistry, or choose more general courses in, for example, management and finance. Finally, students can use the electives to change educational focus, so that they qualify for MSc programmes for which the selected BSc programme does not immediately provide access.

Curriculum

Basic Natural Science Courses

The mandatory Basic Natural Sciences Courses are:

01006 Advanced Engineering Mathematics 1 20 point Autumn and Spring
or
01003 + 1004 (both) 10+10
01034 Advanced Engineering Mathematics 2 5 point Autumn E1A (Mon 8-12)
10018 Physics 1 10 point Autumn E4A (Tues 13-17) and Spring F4A (Tues 13-17)
26020 Chemistry (Polytechnical Foundation) 5 point Autumn E1A (Mon 8-12)
27020 Bioengineering (Polytechnical Foundation) 5 point Autumn E2A (Mon 13-17) and Spring F2A (Mon 13-17)

01006 has been terminated and replaced by 01003 and 01004.

10018 has been terminated and replaced by 10063.

The course 26030 has been replaced by 26020.

Technological Specialization Courses

It is mandatory to choose two of the four following courses:

02135 Introduction to Cyber Systems 5 point Spring F2A (Mon 13-17)
12701 Introduction to Living systems 5 point Autumn E1B (Thurs 13-17)
41680 Introduction to advanced materials 5 point Spring F2B (Thurs 8-12)
47202 Introduction to future energy 5 point Autumn E4A (Tues 13-17)

The Bachelor programme splits into four specializations: Living Systems, Cyber Systems, Advanced Materials and Future Energy. In order to ease the access to MSc-programmes it is strongly recommended that the student chooses a specialization. Care must still be taken to combine a study plan with the right prerequistites for a specific MSc-programme.

Living Systems - Technological Specialization Courses

Mandatory:

02402 Statistics (Polytechnical Foundation) 5 point Autumn E3A (Tues 8-12), Spring F4A (Tues 13-17)
25106 Introduction to genetic methods in engineering 5 point Autumn E5B (Wed 13-17)
27022 Biochemistry 5 point Spring F4B (Fri 8-12)
27027 Experimental molecular microbiology 5 point Autumn E1B (Thurs 13-17) and Autumn E3B (Fri 13-17)

The course 27024 has been replaced by 27027.

Choose 15 ECTS among the courses below (pay attention to which courses you need for qualifying for a specific MSc-program): 

22111 Introduction to Bioinformatics 5 point Autumn E4A (Tues 13-17)
25105 Ecology 5 point Spring F3A (Tues 8-12)
25107 Fisheries and aquaculture 5 point Spring F5B (Wed 13-17)
25108 Applied molecular techniques 5 point Autumn E2A (Mon 13-17)
26211 Biophysics and biophysical chemistry 5 point Spring F4B (Fri 8-12)
27026 Molecular biology 5 point Autumn E2A (Mon 13-17)
27034 Fermentation technology 5 point Spring F5A (Wed 8-12)
28025 Bio Process Technology 5 point Spring F3A (Tues 8-12)

For qualifying for a particular DTU MSc programme, please, consult the Head of Studies of that MSc-programme.

Cyber Systems - Technological Specialization Courses

Mandatory:

01019 Discrete Mathematics 5 point Autumn E2B (Thurs 8-12)
02105 Algorithms and Data Structures 1 5 point Spring F2B (Thurs 8-12)
02141 Computer Science Modelling 10 point Spring F3A (Tues 8-12) and Spring F4B (Fri 8-12)
02157 Functional Programming 5 point Autumn E4B (Fri 8-12)
02160 Agile Object-oriented Software Development 10 point Spring F5 (Wed 8-17)

Advanced Materials - Technological Specialization Courses

Mandatory:

02601 Introduction to Numerical Algorithms 5 point Spring F1B (Thurs 13-17), Autumn E4B (Fri 8-12)
10041 Physics 2 - General Engineering 5 point Autumn E5B (Wed 13-17)
or
10080 Physics for materials and energy 5 point Spring F3B (Fri 13-17)
12139 Resource Engineering 5 point Autumn E2B (Thurs 8-12)
41684 Materials technology 5 point Spring F2B (Thurs 8-12)
41685 Materials characterization and testing 5 point Spring F1B (Thurs 13-17)

10041 Physics 2 - General Engineering has been offered for the last time Autumn 2023. Students who have not passed this course must take 10080 Physiscs for materials and energy instead

Please, note that in the autumn 2023, 12139 is cancelled, and the course 62202 Life Cycle Assessment will be was the replacement course for autumn 2023 only.

Choose 10 ECTS among those courses:

02526 Mathematical Modeling 5 point Spring F3A (Tues 8-12)
02580 Geometric Data Analysis and Processing 5 point Spring F5B (Wed 13-17)
41789 Introduction to 3D printing: processes and theory 5 point Spring F5A (Wed 8-12)
47212 Computer simulation of materials 5 point Autumn E1B (Thurs 13-17)

For qualifying for a particular DTU MSc programme, please, consult the Head of Studies of that MSc-programme.

Future Energy - Technological Specialization Courses

Mandatory:

02601 Introduction to Numerical Algorithms 5 point Spring F1B (Thurs 13-17), Autumn E4B (Fri 8-12)
10041 Physics 2 - General Engineering 5 point Autumn E5B (Wed 13-17)
or
10080 Physics for materials and energy 5 point Spring F3B (Fri 13-17)
46055 General electrical engineering 5 point Spring F1B (Thurs 13-17)
47201 Engineering thermodynamics 5 point Spring F4B (Fri 8-12)

10041 Physics 2 - General Engineering has been offered for the last time Autumn 2023. Students who have not passed this course must take 10080 Physiscs for materials and energy instead

Choose 15 ECTS among those courses:

10260 Physics of solar energy and energy storage 5 point Spring F2B (Thurs 8-12)
12205 Climate change – impacts, mitigation and adaptation 5 point Spring F4A (Tues 13-17)
46000 Introduction to Wind Energy 5 point Spring F3A (Tues 8-12)
46040 Introduction to energy analytics 5 point Spring F5B (Wed 13-17)
47205 Electrochemical energy technologies 5 point Spring F5A (Wed 8-12)
47211 Electrochemical energy storage and Power2X 5 point Autumn E2B (Thurs 8-12)

For qualifying for a particular DTU MSc programme, please, consult the Head of Studies of that MSc-programme.

Projects and general subjects

All the courses in this course block are mandatory, and the course block includes the general engineering subjects as well as the study programme’s Design-Build courses. The Head of Studies suggests that students complete the programme with the BSc project in the sixth semester. The BSc project can be 15, 17.5 or 20 points.

02003 Computer Programming (Polytechnical Foundation) 5 point Autumn E4B (Fri 8-12)
10240 Design-Build 2: Rational catalyst design for General Engineering 5 point June
22400 Design-build 4: Autonomous devices for controlling and studying living systems 5 point June
27016 Design-Build 1: Devices for measuring cell growth 5 point January
42620 Science, Technology and Society (Polytechnical Foundation) 5 point January, June
47203 Design-Build 3: solar cooker 5 point January
- Bachelor project 15-20 point

42610 and 42611 have been replaced by 42620 or 42622 .

02631/02632/02633 have been replaced by 02003.

Electives

In this course block, students must choose 45 ECTS points from available BSc  level courses (including maximum 10 ECTS BEng courses), provided by DTU. Students can choose to take the courses that fall within the scope of the recommended courses of study. Furthermore students are also free to follow courses in advanced mathematics, physics, and chemistry or they can choose more general courses in, for example, management and finance. Finally, students can use the electives to change educational focus, so that they qualify for MSc programmes for which the original BSc programme does not immediately provide access.

Bachelor's students may have up to 10 ECTS credits at the diploma engineering (BEng) level as part of the optional courses in their bachelor's program.

Depending on what MSc programme you are aiming at there are lists of recommended elective courses. Please, consult with either your Head of Studies or the Head of Studies for the relevant MSc programme.

It is highly recommended to choose the following course as elective:

 

02402 Statistics (Polytechnical Foundation) 5 point Autumn E3A (Tues 8-12), Spring F4A (Tues 13-17)

For the specialization Living Systems, the following course is recommended:

25208 Sustainability Solutions 5 point June

For the specialization Advanced Materials, the following courses are recommended:

10104 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics 5 point Spring F1A (Mon 8-12)
10317 Condensed Matter Physics 5 point Autumn E4A (Tues 13-17), Spring F4A (Tues 13-17)
34020 Optics and photonics 5 point Spring F1B (Thurs 13-17)

For the specialization Future Energy, the following courses are recommended:

10317 Condensed Matter Physics 5 point Autumn E4A (Tues 13-17), Spring F4A (Tues 13-17)
34020 Optics and photonics 5 point Spring F1B (Thurs 13-17)

Curricullum, previous admission years

Bachelor Project

The BSc project is the final project in the BSc programme. The purpose of the BSc project is for the student to be able to competently formulate, analyse, and process issues within a defined academic subject area that reflects the main emphasis of the study programme.

Prerequisites for starting the BSc project
Students can only start the BSc project when they have achieved 120 ECTS credits on the programme and have passed the course project. For students enrolled before September 2023, the basic natural science courses and technology core courses are recommended academic prerequisites for starting the BSc project. For students enrolled from September 2023, the polytechnic foundation and programme-specific courses are recommended academic prerequisites.

For BSc Eng in General Engineering, the course project equals the 4 design-build projects.

Students can apply for an exemption to the Exemption Committee if they have passed 120 ECTS credits and wish to begin their bachelor project but have not yet passed the scientific project. The application must include a statement with academic justification from the main supervisor. For more information on submitting an application, please refer to DTU Inside under 'Study Rules'/'Exemption'.

If a student begins their project without meeting all prerequisites and without having received an exemption, the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs will cancel the student's project registration.

Content and learning objectives of the BSc project
The content of the BSc project must be agreed upon with the supervisor. The project can include a combination of experimental work, fieldwork, theoretical studies, synthesis, modelling, and analysis.

The BSc graduate from DTU

  • can work independently and is able to structure a major project, including meeting deadlines and organizing and planning the project work
  • can summarize and interpret technical information and is fully familiar with technical problem solving through project work
  • is able to work with all project phases, including the preparation of proposals, solutions, and documentation
  • is able to independently acquire new knowledge and adopt a critical approach to the acquired knowledge and carry out relevant and critical information searches, and on this basis find the right methods to shed light on the problem in question
  • is able to communicate technical information, theory, and results in written, visual/graphic, and oral form

The BSc project must demonstrate the student’s ability to solve a relevant engineering task in which the acquired knowledge and competencies are applied in an independent way in a major project. The student must demonstrate, at the appropriate level, the ability to assess options, and results, and argue for the results obtained in a logical and coherent manner.

Supervisor
The student must enter into an agreement with a supervisor regarding the BSc project. The main supervisor for a BSc project must

  • be an employee at DTU as a VIP with research obligations and one of the following job categories: assistant professor, associate professor, researcher, senior researcher, senior adviser, or professor,
  • hold a permanent position (with the exception of assistant professors and researchers)
  • have completed DTU's course 'Supervision of larger projects at DTU' or similar pedagogical competence development at the university level e.g. a course in PhD supervision; for assistant professors, however, it is sufficient that one is in the process of UDTU, and
  • have in-depth knowledge of the study conditions at DTU.

For assistant professors and researchers, however, there is an additional requirement that an associate professor, senior researcher, senior adviser, or a professor (docent, ingeniørdocent or professor) must be connected to the project as co-supervisor, so that the assistant professor/researcher does not have sole responsibility for the project.

The head of department can approve that a VIP who for a number of years has gained extensive experience in supervising final projects, can be the main supervisor without having completed the course 'Supervision of major projects at DTU' or equivalent.

The supervisor is required to confirm that the student has the requisite academic qualifications for undertaking the BSc project. The student is required to document his/her qualifications and level in the form of a list of courses he/she has completed.

Project size and project agreement
The scope of the BSc project can be either 15, 17½, or 20 ECTS credits.

The student normally carries out the project in a department relevant to his or her BSc programme. Where it is academically relevant, the project can be carried out at another department in agreement with the head of studies.

The student can do the BSc project in collaboration with a company or another university. Read more about projects in collaboration with companies at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Project courses'.

The BSc project may be conducted abroad if the general requirements are met. The supervisor, also being the examiner of the project, still has to be an employee at DTU. 

The BSc project may be prepared individually or as a group project. There can be a maximum of four students in a group. Read more below under the section 'Assessment and examination' on how to conduct the oral examination.

The bachelor project must be written in Danish in the Danish BSc programmes and English in the English BSc programmes; The BSc project must include a summary. The summary must be in English - unless another foreign language has been agreed with the supervisor - and is included in the overall assessment. If the BSc project is written in a foreign language by agreement with the supervisor, the summary may be written in the same foreign language.

Formalities regarding report length, content, structure, and duration of the oral defense, etc., are agreed upon between the student and the main supervisor. In the event of disagreement, the study board at the department where the main supervisor is employed may be involved.

The student's agreement with the supervisor must be reported in the Project Reporting System well in advance of the start of the project. The supervisor makes the report. Upon notification, the Head of Studies is automatically informed and can, within 14 days, reject the project if this does not fall within the focus area of the programme. The student will be contacted if the project cannot be approved. Notwithstanding the academic approval, however, the project work must not start until the student receives an e-mail with the approved project agreement from the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs. This also applies if the bachelor project is completed in whole or in part outside DTU.

Project period
Before the start of the project

The BSc project agreement is binding and counts as an exam attempt from the moment the BSc project is initiated as agreed. Up until the start date of the bachelor's project, the agreement can be cancelled without it counting as an exam attempt.

The duration of a BSc project is 9 weeks of full-time study (including annual leave and public holidays) for a project corresponding to 15 ECTS credits. If the student simultaneously takes courses, the project period can be extended by 3 weeks for every 5 ECTS credits. If the project is carried out as a group project, any extension of the project period will apply to all members of the group. It is the main project supervisor who allocates the extra time when the project is reported in the Project Reporting System.

The main supervisor can extend the student's project period by one week for each course the student plans to complete as a re-exam during the project period. The student must present their study plan to the supervisor and possibly documentation for the final exam registration.

When determining the start date of the project, the supervisor's consecutive 3-week summer vacation in June, July, or August must be taken into account in order to avoid conflicting with the 10-day deadline for holding the oral defense, cf. below under ‘Assessment and examination’. The project plan should also reflect this.

Prior to the project start, the project period may also be extended by up to 3 weeks if the student can document an impairment. If the project is carried out as a group project, this extension will be awarded to all members of the group. Read more about this on DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Special Exam Conditions'.

After the start of the project
The agreed project period must be observed. Failure to keep within the deadline means that the student will have used one examination attempt. The student and the supervisor must then make a new project agreement for the project, including making a decision on whether a completely new project period is to be agreed upon, or whether the student should continue working on the previous project. If the student wishes to reuse already handed-in elements or larger parts of the project that were handed in but not passed, this must be clearly stated in the new project, as otherwise there will be self-plagiarism and thus a violation of the rules of the exam. Read more at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Cheating at exams and other forms of assessment'.

During the first month, the student is required to submit a project plan outlining the objective of the BSc project to the supervisor. The student automatically receives an email with information about the submission deadline for the project plan. Submission takes place via the group that has been created for the bachelor project. In the project plan, the student must also take into account the learning outcomes of the bachelor's project. When submitting the BSc project, the student must enclose a separate document presenting the original project plan and a revision of the same, where appropriate. In addition, the document has to include a brief self-evaluation of the project process.

During the project period the main supervisor may extend the project by 1 week for every course, the student plans to complete as a re-exam during the project period. The student must present their study plan to the supervisor and possibly documentation for final exam registration. However, the total project period must not exceed 18 weeks, unless the student is assigned special exam conditions. The student must present their study plan to the supervisor and possibly documentation for the final exam registration. The supervisor must enter the new submission deadline in the project reporting system.

An extension of the submission deadline for the project must be noted in the final version of the project plan. This applies to all types of extensions of the submission deadline.

Extension of the project period via the Board of Studies - up to six weeks
If there are extraordinary, unforeseen circumstances in relation to the project (eg in relation to collaboration with a company, change of supervisor, extraordinary technical problems) or in relation to the student's situation (eg illness, death in close family, maternity leave), the department board of studies has the opportunity to grant up to six weeks extension of the project period. Project extension must always be supported in writing by the main supervisor. 

The student must submit an application to the department board of studies where the main supervisor is employed. The application must be accompanied by documentation of the special circumstances (eg a medical certificate) as well as a revised project plan stating when the extraordinary circumstances occurred. An overview of the chairmen of the department board of studies can be found at DTU Inside under 'Academic offers and guidance'/'Board of Study, chairmen'.

The application must be submitted no later than one month before the applicable submission deadline for the project unless special circumstances have arisen after this time. The application deadline is important in view of the Board of Studies' ability to process the application before the applicable submission deadline.  

If the student's application is approved, it is the responsibility of the Board of Studies/main supervisor to change the submission deadline for the project in the Project Reporting System. If the project extension extends beyond the student's maximum duration of the study programme, the project extension takes precedence. If the application is not accepted, the student has the opportunity to submit an application to the Board of Exemptions according to the procedure below.

Extension of the project period via the Board of Exemptions - more than six weeks
An application for an extension of the project period beyond six weeks will in principle not be granted, and the student is referred to use an exam attempt.

If the student wishes to extend the project period beyond six weeks and this is supported in writing by the main supervisor, the student can submit an exemption application for unusual circumstances to the Board of Exemptions (CMDU). 

Exemption is applied for at www.dispensation.dtu.dk. The application for an exemption must be submitted at least one month before the project submission deadline to ensure that the student receives a response before the deadline.

In the case of sudden emergencies, the student may submit an application for an exemption after the deadline. The rules for submitting an exemption application are described in more detail at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exemption'.

Illness during the project period
A student who becomes ill during the project period but before the submission deadline for his/her final project can apply for an extension of the project period via the above options with the department study board or the Board of Exemptions.

The student can also apply for a leave of absence during the project period. Read more at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Leave of absence'.

Submission of the project
The BSc project must be submitted electronically. The student receives an autogenerated email with information about the submission deadline for the project, just as there is a link to an overview of all the student's submissions at DTU Inside ('My assignments'). Submission takes place via the group that has been created for the bachelor project.

Illness after the submission but before the oral defence
A student who becomes ill in the period from the submission of the project to the oral defence or on the day of the defence must inform the supervisor about this as soon as possible. If the student sends documentation of the illness to his/her main supervisor within 14 days from the original scheduled date of the oral defence, a new date for the oral defence can be agreed upon, without this counting as a new exam attempt.

Assessment and examination
The BSc project is assessed according to the 7-point grading scale by an external examiner on the basis of the report and an oral defence with the participation of the supervisor, any co-supervisors, and an external examiner appointed by the Civil Engineering Corps of External Examiners. This also applies to projects fully or partially completed abroad.

After consultation with the student, the supervisor determines the time and date of the oral defence. The defence must take place no later than 10 working days after the scheduled submission deadline of the project. In exceptional circumstances, the Head of Department can approve a later exam date. If the project period has been extended after the start of the project as a result of the Board of Studies’ or the exemption committee's decision, the 10-day deadline must, as far as possible, continue to be complied with. A later exam date due to the changed conditions, e.g. due to the supervisor's 3-week holiday in June, July, or August, can be determined without approval from the head of the department. Find more information on DTU Inside under 'Study rules/Exam/Deadlines for grading'. 

The evaluation of the report and the oral defence are based on an overall assessment. A submitted report without an oral defense is assessed with 'Not met' (EM).

When assessing a BSc project, the main focus is on the academic content. The student's formulation and spelling ability count for a small, but nonetheless significant weight of the assessment. DTU can grant exemptions for students who document a relevant disability.

If the project is produced by more than one student, each student must be examined individually. The assessment of group projects, however, may also include a group exam with the participation of the entire group. In that case, the individual oral exam must take place afterward. In addition to the examinee himself/herself, only those group members who have already been examined themselves may be present. A student in a group project always has the right to deselect a group exam. In that case, the duration of the individual exam must be adjusted accordingly.

The oral defence of projects carried out in a company may, due to company secrets referred to in the project, be held behind closed doors by agreement with the supervisor. Read more at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Forms of examination' under 'Oral exam'.

Exam certificate
When the student has completed the education at DTU, DTU issues a diploma/exam certificate. Information about how and when the diploma is received is available on DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Examination'/'Exam certificate'.

Head of study

Bhaskar Reddy Sudireddy
Building:301 Room:118
Phone:46 77 56 40

Study activity requirements and programme deadlines

Programme deadlines
Students must meet the study activity requirements and deadlines set out below. If students do not meet the requirements, the student can only continue the study programme if they apply for and are granted an exemption.

Commencement of Studies Exam
BSc Eng students must pass a commencement of studies exam in order to continue on the programme. The purpose of the commencement of studies exam is to ascertain whether students have actually commenced their studies and to teach the student how to plan their studies and learn about DTU's code of honour. The exam is assessed by internal examiners and is assessed as ‘Approved’ or ‘Not approved’. Students have two attempts to pass the commencement of studies exam.

The commencement of studies exam consists of four parts:

  1. The student must complete an evaluation of their study start experience.
  2. The student must watch a short video and do a quiz on exam cheating and plagiarizing.
  3. The student must actively, via MitID, accept DTU's Code of Honour for students. The code summarizes the principles of good scientific and ethical conduct/practice at DTU. Find more information at DTU Inside under 'DTU's Code of Honour' under 'Structure and rules'.
  4. The student must complete and submit an individual study plan which meets the criteria in the curriculum.

Information about the commencement of studies exam is sent to the students’ student email address two weeks after study start and must be confirmed no later than five weeks after the commencement of studies. The second exam attempt takes place immediately thereafter. Failure to observe the commencement of studies exam within the deadline will result in the student being withdrawn from the study programme.

First-year Exam
Before the end of the first year of study after study start, students must have obtained a minimum of 30 ECTS credits in order to retain the right to continue their study programme (first-year exam). The first-year exam is passed when students have obtained 30 ECTS credits within the mandatory course blocks; elective courses do not count toward the first-year exam. It is of no importance in this context how many exam attempts the student has used in the courses taken during the first year of study

If the student has received credit transfer courses that are included in the first-year exam, the student must only pass the remaining ECTS credits that are missing in order to have passed the first-year exam.

Study Activity Requirement of 5 ECTS Credit 
Students must have passed at least 5 ECTS credits in a continuous period of one year, calculated in two full semesters, to comply with DTU's 5-point study activity requirement. It is of no importance in this context how many exam attempts the student has used.

Maximum Duration of Study
The BSc in Engineering programme is a three-year programme. The entire BSc course of study must be completed no later than 5 years after admission.

The maximum period of study is written down by one semester for every 30 ECTS credits the student receives as a pre-commencement credit transfer.

Requirements for completing the BSc programme - enrolled before September 2023
Students must meet the following requirements in order to complete the programme:

  • Students must pass courses corresponding to 45 ECTS credits within the basic natural science courses.
  • Students must pass courses corresponding to 45 ECTS credits within the technology core courses.
  • Students must pass courses and projects corresponding to 45 ECTS credits within projects and professional skills courses, including a BSc project of 15, 17.5, or 20 ECTS credits.
  • Students must also pass additional courses and/or projects to obtain a total of 180 ECTS credits.

Requirements for completing the BSc programme - enrolled after September 2023

  • Students must pass courses equivalent to 55 ECTS credits within the polytechnic foundation.
  • Students must pass courses equivalent to 55 ECTS credits within the programme-specific courses.
  • Students must pass 25 ECTS credits within the course group "projects", including a bachelor's project of 15, 17.5, or 20 ECTS credits.
  • The student must also pass additional courses and/or projects to obtain a total of 180 ECTS credits.

Completion Guidelines for Late Students
If students exceed the prescribed period of study by 6-12 months, they will be offered special guidance in the form of an information meeting. If students are more than 12 months late, they will be offered a personal guidance interview with a study counsellor.

SU  (State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme)
Students must be aware that the above requirements and deadlines are DTU's study rules. Other requirements and deadlines apply to SU. Read more at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'SU'. Questions regarding SU must always be directed to the SU office.

Study Programme Rules

 

The study programmes at DTU consist of courses that include lectures, seminars, classes, practical exercises, projects, etc. A course can last more than one teaching period.

It is allowed to use online elements in teaching where they support quality. Pure online courses are not allowed unless they are part of an international collaboration to offer online courses or are offered as part of Digital Twin University (D.T.U.).

Language of teaching
BEng and BSc courses are usually taught in Danish. A limited number of courses can be offered in English on other BSc and BEng programmes. Courses on the English-language BSc programme in General Engineering are offered in English.

All MSc courses are taught in English.

The academic year
The academic year is divided into six teaching periods:

  • Two 13-week periods in the autumn and spring semesters.
  • Four 3-week periods followed by exams in January, June, July, and August.

In addition, there are

  • Three exam periods (May, August, and December).

The order and scheduling of mandatory courses, academic content, teaching and working methods, and any prerequisites are specified in the programme specifications for each study programme and the individual course descriptions. Mandatory study elements can generally not be taught in July/August exclusively.

Public lectures
Lectures at DTU are generally open to the public. However, a lecturer can deny access to the public due to considerations of space or order and can hence reject listeners who are not registered for the course. Only students registered for the course may participate actively in the class.

Recording of teaching
If a student wishes to do a sound or video recording of teaching sessions at DTU, the lecturer must approve this in writing before the recording. Recordings are only for personal use unless the lecturer has allowed publication of the recording, including what kind of publication. Only the teaching itself must be admitted, not fellow students' comments during instruction unless they have also consented to the admission.

As for the possibilities for the lecture to record/stream the teaching, information can be found at panopto.dtu.dk and at DTU Inside.

Regarding course descriptions

Course descriptions contain the following information:

  • Language
  • ECTS credits (workload)
  • Course type (BEng, BSc, MSc, Ph.D., part-time diploma, or part-time MSc)
  • Scheduling, location, and duration of the course
  • General course and learning objectives
  • Teaching and learning methods
  • Attendance requirements, if any, e.g. laboratory exercises, presentations, or opposing to other students' work
  • Mandatory or recommended academic prerequisites for attendance, if any
  • Evaluation (the use of internal or external examiner and the use of the 7-point grading scale or pass/fail)
  • Type of assessment
  • Exam requirements, if any, for example, submission of mandatory written assignments as a prerequisite for exam participation
  • The weighting of part-exams assessed by using part grades, or information that part-exams are assessed as a whole
  • Courses with which the course is not applicable, if any*
  • Scheduling of exam
  • If the course is not suitable to be offered for re-exam (see DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Re-exams'.)
  • Limits to admission, if any

*Two courses can have such a large academic overlap that they will block each other regarding ECTS credits. This means that a student cannot be allowed to register for courses that in the course database are registered as not applicable to courses that the student has already passed or is bound by, and these courses block each other. Not applicable courses do not mean, per definition, that the courses are identical. The Study Administration can inform whether non-applicable courses are identical.

If the student cannot find the above information in the course description, the course coordinator and/or the relevant chairman of the department board of studies can be contacted. An overview of the chairmen of the board of studies at the individual departments can be found at DTU Inside under 'Academic offers and guidance'/'Board of Study, chairmen'.

Changes to course descriptions
Significant changes to the course descriptions must be available no later than:

  • 25 June for the 13-week period in autumn
  • 1 November for the 3-week period in January
  • 25 November for the 13-week period in spring
  • 15 April for the 3-week periods in June, July, and August.

In exceptional cases, significant changes can be made after the abovementioned deadlines during the teaching period. This has to be approved by the course coordinator, the department board of studies, and the students.

The following procedure applies in case of significant changes to the course description after the above deadlines:

  1. Proposed changes must be formulated in writing and sent to the department board of studies for approval.
  2. If approved, the proposal is sent as a bulletin via DTU Learn to all registered students. The bulletin must clearly state that the change is a proposal that will be implemented unless one or more students raise objections. Students are given at least 14 days to object to the change.
  3. If no objections are received, the course coordinator posts a new bulletin announcing that no objections have been raised against the change, and the change will hereby be adopted.

The course coordinator/the board of studies updates approved changes in the course descriptions on DTU’s website, www.kurser.dtu.dk.

Course registration

Registration for and withdrawal from courses are made via the Study Planner. No lecturer or professor can register/enroll a student for a course.

Students must be registered for a course to attend classes—including laboratory exercises—participate in group work, and obtain course information and teaching material (notes, etc.) via DTU Learn. Students not registered for the course can contact the lecturer to access the course group. Still, access to this group does not entitle the student to hand in assignments or participate in the exam.

Course registration in the first semester
BEng and BSc students are automatically registered for courses in the first teaching period (13-week period) in the first semester of their study programme. Students must register for all other courses through the Study Planner.

MSc students and visiting students must register for courses through the Study Planner.

New MSc students and visiting students must confirm that they accept DTU’s code of honour to be able to register for courses via the Study Planner. See also at DTU Inside under ‘Study rules’ /’DTU’s code of honour’.

Course registration in other semesters
Students are responsible for ensuring that their course registrations have been registered correctly in their study plan and that registration for the courses has been made within the applicable registration and withdrawal deadlines.

Registration and withdrawal deadlines for courses can be found at DTU Inside under Study rules/Registration deadlines for courses and examinations.

In the supplementary course registration period, a decision on limited admission to a course can be made on the grounds of the capacity of facilities or academic reasons. See DTU Inside under ‘Participation in limited admission courses’ under ‘Teaching’. Therefore, students must be aware that participation in a course may not be possible if the student registers for the course in the supplementary course registration period, even if limited admission is not noted in the course description.

Registration for final projects, internships, and special courses
Students cannot register for final projects, internships, or special courses themselves. Registration takes place via the Project Reporting System, and the supervisor of the final project and special courses and the internship supervisor can register students via this system. Once the supervisor has registered the activity in the project reporting system, the student will receive an email in their study email when it is approved.

Once a project is finally approved, it will appear in the Study Planner as an exam registration during the exam period and not as a course registration during the teaching period.

Registration for courses under the transitional procedure for the master's programme
Information on how to register for courses under the transitional procedure can be found at DTU Inside under Study rules/Transferring to an MSc programme.

Rules for choice of courses
Students cannot register for a course they have already passed. A course has been passed if the grade 02 or the assessment ‘Pass’ has been awarded. Reregistrations for passed courses will be rejected.

Students can register for courses that form part of their curriculum. All other courses must be pre-approved by the Head of Study before registration. The Head of Study shall send this approval to the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs via email: studadm@adm.dtu.dk

BSc students may have as many as 10 ECTS credits at the BEng level as part of the Elective Courses in their bachelor's programme.

MSc students may have as many as 10 ECTS credits at the BSc level.
MSc students are not allowed to register for BEng courses. Neither the Head of Studies nor the Board of Exemptions can exempt from this.

Some courses are only provided for students in selected study programmes. That will be stated in the course description. Students who do not attend these study programmes will not be granted access to the course.

Students are not allowed to register for courses beyond the number of ECTS credits required by the programme and must plan their studies according to the prescribed number of ECTS credits for the programme.

Student may register for courses as single subjects, but not for courses that are part of their programme specification or have been approved by the head of studies as part of the programme. Student may register for courses as single subjects if there is no room for the course within the current programme framework.

Student should also be aware that courses taken as single subjects while enrolled in a full-time programme at DTU cannot be credited towards this full-time programme at a later time.

Also, see DTU Inside under ‘Study rules’/‘Credit transfer’/‘Credit transfer during the study programme’.

Elective courses
BEng students
In the BEng programme, lists of optional courses that the student can freely choose from are available in the individual curricula, and all the courses have already been pre-approved by the head of studies. If a student wants to take a BEng or BSc course that is not on the list, it must be approved in advance by the head of studies. Documentation for the head of study's approval must be sent to the Study Administration. MSc courses may not be taken. Exceptions are MSc courses pre-approved for inclusion at the bachelor's level in the individual BEng programme. These courses will appear in the curriculum.

BSc students enrolled in study programmes/curricula valid before September 2023
In the BSc programme, the student can choose freely from all courses at DTU at the bachelor's and master's levels. It is also possible to choose from all BEng courses, but these may not exceed 10 ECTS credits in total. Courses cannot be taken at PhD level.

Both BEng and BSc students enrolled in study programmes valid before September 2023 who are bound by a master's course they have not passed can request to be released from the course by writing to studiedispensation@adm.dtu.dk via their student email with a reason and stating which other course they wish to take instead. The student must register for the new course. Read about the general rules on binding courses at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Binding courses'.

BSc students enrolled in study programmes/curricula valid from September 2023
In the BSc programme, the student can choose freely from all courses at DTU at bachelor's level. It is also possible to choose from all BEng courses, but these may not exceed 10 ECTS credits in total. MSc courses may not be taken. Exceptions are master's courses that by the Head of Studies are pre-approved for inclusion at the bachelor's level in the individual BSc programme. These courses will appear in the curriculum.

MSc students
In the MSc programme, all courses at the master's and PhD levels at DTU are pre-approved. All bachelor's courses at DTU will also be pre-approved but may not exceed 10 ECTS credits in total. MSc students are not allowed to take courses at the BEng level. Neither the Head of Studies nor the Board of Exemptions can exempt from this.

Courses outside DTU: The rules for this are specified at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Credit transfer/'Credit transfer during the study programme'.

Students who have completed MSc courses on their Beng or BSc programme
MSc students who, as part of their qualifying BEng or BSc education, have passed a course corresponding to courses in either the general competence group or the technological specialization group for the MSc programme must take a different course that contributes to the overall learning outcomes of the programme in question. That also applies if the student otherwise has acquired academic knowledge and competencies.

DTU courses
If the course belongs to the general competence group, students must choose a different course from the general competence group (GC) or the technological specialization group (TS). In the latter case, students must contact the Study Administration via studadm@adm.dtu.dk. An approval from the head of studies must be attached, after which the student can take a TS course instead of the GR course, which the student has passed on his/her BEng or BSc programme.

If the course belongs to the technological specialization group or are programme specific courses, students must choose a different course in that group.

Non-DTU courses
If it is not possible to choose a different course in line with the above rules or if the course is not from DTU, students must obtain approval from the head of studies to take another course that supports the academic profile of the study programme. The head of studies contacts the Study Administration. When in doubt about the programme level of the course or the conversion of the credits from abroad to ECTS credits, the head of studies or the student is welcome to contact merit@adm.dtu.dk.  

Cancellation of courses
A non-mandatory course may be cancelled if fewer than ten students have registered. Other rules for minimum participation must be specified in the course description.

Mandatory courses and courses from the mandatory groups cannot be cancelled. With only a few registered, the course coordinator can, with the approval of the Department Board of Studies, decide that the course is run in an alternative way, e.g. as a study group. Questions about this should be directed to the course coordinator.

A student bound to a course can be released from the binding if the course is cancelled during the teaching period in which the student had planned to take the course or the student has lost a draw. Requests to be released from the course must be made via e-mail to studadm@adm.dtu.dk and must be submitted in the same semester as the course has been cancelled. However, the student must still observe the curriculum of the study programme. Find more information on binding courses at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Binding courses'.

Binding courses

If the student does not withdraw from their first exam attempt in a course before the deadline, it will count as a used exam attempt. That means the course is binding and becomes part of the student’s programme specification, cf. the rules for registration and withdrawal from exams on DTU Inside under Study rules/Exam'/'Registration and withdrawal. The student must pass the course to complete their programme.

In the case of documented illness at the first examination attempt in the course and the subsequent registration 'ill', the student is no longer bound by the course. However, students must still ensure they follow the study plan outlined in their curriculum.

On DTU Inside, under 'Study rules'/'Exemption', you can read about the possibility of applying for cancellation of an exam registration if the student has not participated in the exam and about the rules of applying for an exemption to be released from a binding course.

Students can find the exam registration and deregistration deadlines on DTU Inside under Study rules/Exam’/‘Registration deadlines for courses and examinations.

The rules regarding when an exam attempt has been used can be found on DTU Inside under Study rules/Exam/Assessment form and Gradings

Special rules apply to project courses. More information is available at DTU Inside under Study rules/Teaching/Project courses.

Students cannot take pre-approved or credit-transferred courses to replace one or more courses they are bound by. The head of studies cannot grant the student an exemption from this rule.

Both BEng and BSc students enrolled in study programmes valid before September 2023 who are bound by a master's course they have not passed can request to be released from the course by writing to studiedispensation@adm.dtu.dk via their student email with a reason and stating which other course they wish to take instead. The student must register for the new course.

Courses no longer offered
If a course is no longer offered, a student who has exam attempts in the course but has not passed the course will be released from the course by contacting the Study Administration via student email to studadm@adm.dtu.dk. That applies regardless of how many examination attempts the student has used in the course and whether a re-exam is still offered in the course. Used exam attempts are not transferred to a new course unless the terminated course is identical to a new course the student registers for. Read about 'blocked courses' at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Regarding course descriptions'.  

However, the student must still observe the curriculum of the study programme. If the terminated course is compulsory in the curriculum, the student will be bound by the course that replaces it, and the exam attempts are transferred if the two courses are identical (cf. above). If it is not stated in the curriculum which course the student must take as a replacement for a discontinued compulsory course, the Head of Study must be contacted.

The above also includes courses that get a new course number but are actually offered again, merely with a new course number. 

Read about the option for being released from a binding course if the course is cancelled at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Course registration'.

Academic prerequisites for course participation

 

Prerequisites and rules for course participation are specified in the course description. 

Lecturers are responsible for ensuring that exercises and other laboratory and workshop activities take place under safe conditions. They must, therefore, provide thorough instructions. If a student fails to understand the safety instructions and/or does not follow the lecturer's instructions, the lecturer may dismiss the student from the class. Read more about disciplinary actions for students on DTU Inside under ‘Study rules’/'Disciplinary measures towards students'.

Mandatory prerequisites
Mandatory prerequisite courses are only used if a course must be passed for security reasons or similar weighty reasons before participation in a subsequent course. Students may only register for the course and, if relevant, take part in a drawing of lots if they have passed or registered for the exam in the mandatory course.

Academic prerequisites
Recommended academic prerequisite courses form the basis for the teaching, and students are expected to know about the topics covered by the courses. Students may enroll in courses with academic prerequisites that they have not yet passed, but if the student does not meet the necessary prerequisites, they are not entitled to special academic counselling and may be dismissed from the student's presence is inconvenient to the general teaching.

Participation in limited admission courses

 

Some courses at DTU have participant restrictions due to laboratory or workshop exercises or similar. It is stated in the course description if there is a participant restriction in a course. During the post-enrollment period for courses, participants may be restricted to a course based on room capacity or academic conditions. 

Guidelines for fully booked courses
If a course is fully booked, the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs will draw lots among the registered students to determine who gets to participate. No later than one month before the start of the teaching period, a study announcement will be sent out with information about the procedure for drawing lots in the event of fully booked courses.

All students who have registered for a course for which participation will be determined by drawing lots will receive an email after the draw with status information. There are three status types:

  • Place on the course guaranteed
  • On the waiting list
  • Lost draw

You can lose your place in a course with limited admission 
Students who have been granted a place in the course but who do not attend classes when the course starts and fail to notify and get approval from the lecturer of subsequent attendance will not be permitted to keep their place in an overbooked course after the dates stated below:

13-week period: after the end of class on the first day of teaching in the course
3-week period: four hours after course commencement

The place will be given to the next student present with the lowest number on the waiting list. 

Priority in case of drawing lots
The course description may state that students enrolled in specific study programmes have priority in a lot drawing. Students registered for a course within the deadline will be assigned a place or participate in drawing lots according to this priority. If nothing is stated in the course description, all full-time students registered within the deadline will participate equally in the draw.

  • In any drawing of lots, full-time students who have registered within the deadline and students on the flexible master’s programme (part-time programme) have priority over guest students and students on continuing education.
  • Students for whom the course is mandatory or forms part of one of the mandatory groups have priority over students for whom the course is not mandatory. If a student for whom a course forms a mandatory part of the programme loses a draw, the student in question will be guaranteed a place if he/she registers for the course the next time it is offered.
  • Guest students studying at DTU under one of DTU's international joint programmes and for whom the course constitutes a mandatory programme element or part of the mandatory group take precedence over full-time students for whom the course is not mandatory, as well as other guest students and part-time students.
  • Students enrolled on part-time programmes for whom a course constitutes a mandatory programme element take precedence over students in part-time programmes for whom the course is not mandatory. 
  • Guest students and students in part-time programmes who register within the deadline will be assigned a place in overbooked courses and will have priority over full-time students who register after the deadline.

Non-priority in case of drawing lots
The following situation is not a priority in the case of drawing lots:

  • Students bound to a course, cf. the rules on binding courses, do not have priority in the case of drawing lots. That is also the case even if a student is about to exceed their maximum study duration.

Mandatory participation in class and exam prerequisites

 

Mandatory participation in class
Attending classes is generally not mandatory. However, some courses (such as practical and laboratory courses) require active participation to pass the course. In courses with projects, giving presentations and acting as a critic regarding presentations given by other students may be mandatory. If class participation is mandatory, it must be specified in the course description. 

Mandatory exam prerequisite assignments etc.
A course coordinator may decide that the submission and approval of written assignments, oral presentations, etc., during the course are prerequisites for students to be allowed to take the course exam. This kind of assignment, etc., is called exam prerequisites. If a course has exam prerequisites, it must be stated in the course description.

An exam prerequisite must meet the course learning objectives in terms of form and content, and the course coordinator is expected to provide the students with some feedback. The individual course coordinators decide on the criteria for approval of the exam prerequisite and inform the students. Exam prerequisites are not included in the course assessment.

It counts as an exam attempt if the student does not meet any exam prerequisites and the deadline for registering for the exam has been exceeded. The student will then receive the registration IG (not approved). Read more about IG at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Assessment forms and grading'.

Mandatory prerequisite assignments for re-exams are described in further detail at DTU Inside under ‘Study rules'/'Exam'/‘Re-exams’.

Illness or other legitimate reasons for absence from mandatory activities
Students prevented from participating in mandatory teaching modules or completing laboratory or workshop activities due to illness or other legitimate reasons must notify the lecturer responsible as soon as possible.

The student can agree with the lecturer to retake the mandatory activity or replace it with a similar one. If the lecturer requests, the student must be able to document the reason for being absent. If retaking the mandatory activity in the current semester is impossible, the student is entitled to take the activity again the next time the course is offered. If the student can document illness, they have the right only to retake the missing activities the next time teaching in the course is offered.

If the student cannot participate in the exam in the course due to a legitimate absence, the student must submit documentation for the reason for the absence. If the student does not submit documentation, the exam will count as an exam attempt. See DTU Inside under ‘Study rules’/‘Exam‘/‘Illness in connection with exams’.

Deadlines for publication of teaching material and syllabus

Information about the course material for the first teaching session and the framework of the course (e.g. working method, expected meeting times, preparation for the first sessions, submission deadlines) must be available to the students on the course no later than one week before the start of the course.

Information about material forming part of the exam syllabus must be available on DTU Learn/DTU Inside no later than three weeks before the end of the teaching period, together with a description of the syllabus or other reading guidelines.

Project courses

The content of a project course is agreed upon between the student(s) and a DTU supervisor. The DTU supervisor registers the project course in the project registration system (Projektindberetningssystemet).

The supervisor for B Eng students must be an employee holding a permanent position at DTU; assistant professors are exempt from this.

As for BSc and MSc students, the supervisor must be a member of the scientific staff with research obligations and hold a permanent position at DTU (assistant professors exempted). An exemption from the requirement for research obligation may be granted by the relevant BSc or MSc Head of Studies.  

The ECTS credit for a project course ranges from 5 to 30 ECTS credits with intervals of 2.5 credits. 5 ECTS credits correspond to around three weeks of full-time study. In exceptional cases, it is possible to take a project course corresponding to 2.5 ECTS credits, for example, if the course constitutes the final element of the programme. In such a case, the lecturer must contact the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs to register for the course.

The student must always be aware of whether there are restrictions in the curriculum for the student's field of study on how many ECTS credits can be used for project courses.

The project period for a project course cannot extend six months. The agreement regarding a project course is binding on both parties. Still, it can be changed according to an agreement between the parties. The project course must be documented in a report or similar.

If a student does not pass a project course, a re-exam of the course can be offered. That is agreed upon between the supervisor and the student. In the event of a disagreement on whether a re-exam is to be held, the department board of studies must decide the case after an inquiry from the student or supervisor. The student can always plead for the right to three examination attempts in the course.

Projects in cooperation with a company (project-based exams)
A project course can be carried out entirely or partially with a company in Denmark or abroad (called a project-based exam). The academic content, learning objectives, and the form of assessment and grading must be agreed upon with a DTU supervisor. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring the project has a sufficient academic/theoretical level. The ECTS credit total is based only on the expected project workload, which means that the duration of a possible internship with the company is not credit awarding.

The students are responsible for finding a company, but many departments have contact with several companies. Students can visit DTU Career Hub, a matchmaking site that makes it easier for businesses, students, and DTU employees to get in touch with each other.

In connection with an unpaid project-based course, BSc and MSc students may receive recognition from appreciation from the company of a maximum of DKK 3,286 a month (2022-level). It is voluntary for the company to give an acknowledgment. The acknowledgement is not granted as a predetermined income, which the student can expect to receive in the same way as a salary. The student must not be included as a labourer during his/her stay in the company. 

Project proposals
For student projects made in collaboration with a company, students are recommended to prepare a project proposal signed by the student, DTU supervisor, and the company, as all three parties must agree on the project.

The project proposal should describe the most important aspects of the project: project title, specific project tasks, expected work effort and meeting time, duration of the stay in the company, whether the student gets office space, what equipment is provided, etc.

No specific agreement must be made between DTU and the company regulating confidentiality and other aspects of the student project in connection with a student's project with a company. That is only relevant if students are part of DTU's research collaboration. See below.

Information about G-declaration in connection with DTU's research collaboration with a company
If students are part of DTU's research collaboration with a company, the department must ensure that the student signs a declaration ("G-declaration") on confidentiality and rights transfer to DTU.

The declaration ensures that DTU can involve the student in the research project and still fulfil its duties towards DTU's partners.

All project partners must consent to DTU using the student to participate in the project work.

Each department has a person responsible for contracts whom the DTU supervisor can contact to get a template for a G-declaration. The project supervisor can see an overview of persons responsible for contracts at each department on the employee pages at DTU Inside here: https://www.inside.dtu.dk/en/medarbejder/forskning-innovation-og-raadgivning/forskningssamarbejde-jura-og-kontraktforhold/for-forskere  

Evaluation of teaching

At the end of the semester, the teaching in all courses is evaluated via DTU Inside. The students complete the evaluation forms anonymously. Evaluations are processed by the board of studies at the department.

The evaluation of a course comprises two forms:

Form A: Evaluation of the course in general, including free-text proposals (text fields where students can give feedback in their own words) 
Form B: Evaluation of the course coordinator/lecturers

Form A is available to everyone regarding the answers to the questions. A summary of the course evaluations is published on DTU's homepage.

Form B and the free-text proposals from Form A are confidential as they may contain sensitive personal information. The evaluations may, however, be accessed by the following persons:

  • The relevant head of department and managers with direct HR responsibility

  • All members of the relevant board of studies, including substitutes in the event of permanent members' absence

  • The course coordinator

  • When the course comprises a mandatory programme element, the relevant head of studies.

Complaints regarding teaching and supervision

Students dissatisfied with the teaching in a given course or with the supervision received in connection with a project must contact the lecturer/supervisor concerned immediately to try to find a solution to the problem. If this does not solve the problem, the following rules for student complaints regarding teaching/supervision have been established:

  • The complaint should be submitted as soon as possible after a possible prior dialogue with the lecturer/supervisor and, as a general rule before the course is offered again.
     
  • Complaints must be justified in writing and submitted to the board of studies at the department offering the course. A list of study board chairpersons at the individual departments can be found on DTU Inside under ‘Academic offers and guidance'/'Board of Studies, chairmen’.
     
  • The department Board of Studies informs the Head of Department/closest manager about the complaint if the complaint concerns personnel issues. All or parts of the complaint will be processed by the Head of Department /closest manager who will decide on any official measures in relation to the teacher/supervisor if the complaint gives rise to it. The student must not be informed of anything other than that the case/parts of the case have been handed over to the Head of Department.
     
  • If the complaint does not relate to personnel matters, the department Board of Studies involves the lecturer/supervisor in the case. If the lecturer is not responsible for the course, the course coordinator must always be involved in the case. The Board of Studies is encouraged to anonymize the complainant's identity if it is not important for the processing of the case to know who the complainant is. In cases of a more personal nature, the student cannot remain anonymous to the lecturer/supervisor.
     
  • When the Board of Studies has dealt with the complaint, a reply must be sent to the student(s) about how the board has handled the complaint. If the complaint has had a concrete outcome in relation to the course etc., this must also be informed, unless it is a matter of personal issues, cf. above., The Board of Studies sends a copy of the answer to the Head of Department if this is deemed relevant. 
     
  • The reply to a teaching/supervision complaint is not considered a decision in legal terms and, therefore, cannot be appealed.

Exam rules

All courses and projects contain one exam or multiple exams, called part exams. The exam may, for example, be a written exam (on campus), an oral exam, a written home assignment/report, or a practical exam. See examples of different exam forms at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Forms of examination'.

The exam's objective is to assess the extent to which the student meets the learning objectives defined for the course or project. The exam must reflect the overall course objectives, learning objectives, and content. 

Students are entitled to three exam attempts in each course or project. Students can apply for an exemption for further examination attempts. Find more information at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exemption'.

The assessment form type, examination date, the learning objectives, etc., can be found in the course descriptions at DTU Course Base.

Registration and withdrawal from exam

All activities that form part of the programme must be assessed. To obtain an assessment, students must be registered for the exam in the activity. Students may not participate in an exam or have, for example, a substitution paper assessed if they are not registered for the exam in the course.

Students cannot register for exams in courses that have already been passed (grade 02 or higher or ‘Pass’).

How to register and deregister for exams
All course registrations are automatically transferred to exam registrations. The transfer takes place before the registration period for the exam begins. Students are responsible for all other exam registrations.

The student must ensure that all exam registrations are correct, whether automatically transferred or not.

The student must be aware that registration and deregistration for the exam occur via www.tilmelding.dtu.dk. Course registration takes place via the Study Planner. Therefore, the student's check of whether the exam registrations are correct takes place at www.tilmelding.dtu.dk. That is also where the student can unsubscribe and register for exams in courses other than those that have been transferred from the course registrations, e.g. a re-exam.

Students can find the deadlines for exam registrations, etc., at DTU Inside under Study rules'/'Exam'/‘Registration deadlines for courses and examinations’.

Registration for the exam after the deadline
Post-registration for the exam/re-exam can, as a rule, only take place for students who, due to special circumstances, have not been able to register for the exam during the ordinary registration period. Special conditions can be:

  • The student has been awaiting a decision from the Board of Exemptions regarding an additional examination attempt or a decision regarding exam cheating. 
  • Own illness or illness/death in the immediate family.
  • Special permits from a course coordinator, e.g. in connection with exam prerequisites approved after the registration deadline.
  • If the registration results in the student being able to complete the education immediately after the exam period.

After the exam registration deadline has expired, an electronic application form can be found at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Registration and deregistration deadlines'. The application must be accompanied by documentation regarding the special circumstances.

When does a course become binding?
If the student does not withdraw from his/her first exam attempt in a course before the deadline for exam withdrawal, the course registration is binding, and the course becomes part of the student’s programme specification. Thus, the student must pass the course to complete the programme, cf. DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Binding courses'.

A student may apply for cancellation of an exam registration in a course, but the application may only be met if the student does not plan to participate in the exam or, if the exam has been held, has not participated in the exam. Find more information on this type of exemption at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exemption'.

Registration for the second and third exam attempt
Students must register for and withdraw from any subsequent second or third exam attempt within the current deadlines. Find more information under 'Exam attempts' below. Similarly, students who have withdrawn from their first exam attempt in a course must register for a new exam in the course unless they register for the course once more.

Overlap of exams in time
If, after the publication of the dates for written exams, it transpires that a student has registered for two exams that overlap, the student is entitled to withdraw from one of the written exams and instead take the exam in question in the next (re-)exam period for the course. The same applies to oral exams if the student cannot arrange a different examination time for the oral exam with the examiner. The student must contact the Study Administration via student email at studadm@adm.dtu.dk before the exam is held.

Exam in final projects, project courses, and internship
BEng projects, BSc projects, and MSc theses also conclude with an exam (an oral defence), but registration is made by the main supervisor for the final project via the project reporting system. The same applies to project courses and internships.

Special rules apply for exam registration for guest students and students in part-time programmes. These rules are accessible on DTU's webpage.

Exam attempts
Students are entitled to three exam attempts in each course or project.

Even though several versions of the same course with different course numbers may be available, students only have three exam attempts. That also includes one or more exam attempts used under the vacant place scheme (vacant place on DTU’s courses offered to students as a part-time programme). Several versions of the same course both cover courses with different course numbers and/or titles and courses that are not applicable to other courses.

It counts as an exam attempt if a student does not participate in an exam and gets the grade EM (Not met). Read more at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Assessment forms and grading'. The only exception is where the student can present documentation of illness. Read more about the rules at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Illness in connection with exams'.

It also counts as an exam attempt if the student does not meet any exam prerequisites, e.g. compulsory assignments, and the deadline for registering for the exam has been exceeded. The student will then receive the registration IG (Not approved). Read more at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Assessment forms and grading'.

Courses with part-exams
Even if a student has passed one or more part-exams in a course, this does not count as an exam attempt if the student withdraws from the exam within the current deadlines. At the first (re)exam, already approved exam prerequisites or/and passed part-exams will remain valid. In addition, the general rules apply that:

  • the student can only participate in an offered re-exam without having participated in the previous ordinary exam in a course, provided that the student meets the prerequisites for participation in the ordinary exam and
  • in a course with part exams, the re-exam is merely a repetition of the final part exam in the course. 

If the student wishes to register for the course again, exam prerequisites/part-exams may be re-taken. The re-exam rules can be found at DTU Inside under ‘Study rules'/'Exam'/'Re-exams’

Used up exam attempts
Students have three attempts to pass a course/project. If the student has used three attempts without passing, they will be expelled from the university unless they apply for an exemption and are granted an additional exam attempt. The student must apply for an exemption no later than one of the biannual regulation checks conducted by the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs. Rules on exemption can be found on DTU Inside under Study rules'/'Exemption'

Assessment forms

Students must be assessed individually. In connection with individual exams, group exams, and group assignments, each student's performance must be assessed, and individual grades must be awarded. For group projects/exams, each student must be given their own grade or assessment; it is thus impossible to give a grade for the group as a whole.

Grades and other assessments are confidential information that must not be communicated to anyone other than the student him-/herself unless the student has previously agreed to it. That also applies to group projects/exams unless otherwise agreed between the examiner and the students in the group.

In connection with their assessment, the external and primary examiner must take notes about the candidate’s performance and the grading for use in case of a future appeal. The notes must be kept for at least a year and until the conclusion of any subsequent appeal.

The assessment consists of a grade based on the 7-point grading scale or the assessment ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’. Find a description of the scale in ministerial order no. 1125 of 04/07/2022 on the Grading Scale of Study Programmes Offered under the Ministry of Higher Education and Science (the Grading Scale Order - only in Danish).

The assessment ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’ can only be used for tests/exams accounting for up to one-third of the study programme’s ECTS credits. That does not apply to exams for which credits have been transferred from other universities. It is DTU's responsibility to comply with this requirement.

At least 1/3 of the total ECTS credits on the study programme must have been completed with external co-examination. That does not apply to exams for which credits have been transferred from other universities. It is DTU's responsibility to comply with this requirement.

In cases where an assessment cannot be made in accordance with the Danish 7-point grading scale or ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’, the following registration may occur in DTU's student system:

  • SYG - ‘Ill’
    The registration is used if the student has been registered for the exam without participating - or has had to leave the exam due to illness without submitting an exam paper - and the student can present documentation of this. The documentation must be sent to the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs at studadm@adm.dtu.dk. Only the Office for Study Programmes and Students Affairs can make the registration *Ill'. See DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/Exam'/Illness in connection with exams
     
  • EM - ‘Not met'
    The registration is used if the student has been registered for the exam without taking the exam. It is registered that the student has used an exam attempt.
     
  • IG - ‘Not approved’
    The registration is used when the student fails to meet exam prerequisites. It is registered that the student has used an exam attempt unless the student withdraws from the exam in the course. See DTU Inside under ‘Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Class participation and exam prerequisites’. 
     
  • AB - 'Awaiting decision Passed'
    The registration is used when the student has been reported for suspected exam cheating, and a decision has not yet been made. The registration is equated with a passed grade/assessment in the study administration system but without the actual assessment appearing. The student will see the registration 'AFV B' in their transcript. It is registered that the student has used an exam attempt. Once a decision has been made in the cheating case, the registration will be changed to either 'SN' or the grade/assessment the student has received. Read more at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Examination'/'Cheating at exams and other forms of assessment'.
     
  • AI - 'Awaiting decision Not passed'
    The registration is used when the student has been reported for suspected exam cheating, and a decision has not yet been made. The registration is equated with a failed grade/assessment in the study administration system but without the actual assessment appearing. The student will see the registration 'AFV IB' in their transcript. It is registered that the student has used an exam attempt. Once a decision has been made in the cheating case, the registration will be changed to either 'SN' or the grade/assessment the student has received. Read more at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Examination'/'Cheating at exams and other forms of assessment'.
     
  • SN - 'Cheating' (Snyd)
    The registration is used if the student has had an exam performance/result for an entire course cancelled because of a violation of the exam rules (exam cheating). It is registered that the student has used an exam attempt.

Requirements for passing exams and part-exams

A course has been passed if the student has been awarded the grade of 02 or higher or the assessment ‘Pass’. Part exams cannot be retaken if the course has been passed.

All part-exams on a course must be offered in the same course module unless otherwise stated in the course description. Find more information on part exams in connection with re-exams at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Re-exams'.

Regardless of whether a student has completed one or more part-exams in a course, the student has the right to cancel the course and exam within the applicable deadlines and has thus not used an exam attempt in either the part-exams or the final exam.

In a course with part-exams, any re-exam is only a repetition of the final part-exam on the course. Part-exams scheduled in the teaching period will thus not be offered as a re-exam or will not be assessed in the period between the ordinary exam and the re-exam in the course. For more information, visit DTU Inside under ‘Study rules'/'Exam'/'Re-exams’.

A course with several part-exams can be assessed

  • either by using partial grades in the assessment of the part-exams
  • or based on an overall assessment of the different part-exams

It must be stated in the course description under 'Type of assessment' whether part-exams are assessed using partial grades or an overall assessment.

Part-exams assessed with partial grades
If official partial grades are used for the individual part-exams in a course, the students are informed about the partial grades after each part-exam, and the total final grade is the weighted average of the partial grades, rounded to the nearest grade in accordance with the Danish 7-point grading scale. The final grade is rounded up if the average is halfway between two grades.

However, a special pass requirement applies at DTU for courses with part exams for which partial grades are used. The pass requirement is:

1) that the average grade of the part-exams must be at least 02 without rounding up, and
2) that no partial grade must be below 00.

For some courses, deviating from the above rule or establishing additional requirements for partial grades may be relevant. Such deviations must be approved by the Department Board of Studies and the Dean. The deviations must be stated in the course description.

If the student does not participate in a part-exam with a partial grade, the course cannot be passed, and the student must then be graded 'Not passed’, regardless of whether the course is graded according to the 7-step grading scale. This is to signal that no academic assessment has taken place. This also applies if other part-exams are passed. 

A student who has not participated in any of the part-exams and who has not deregistered for the exam must be registered with EM (Not met). 

Part-exams based on an overall assessment
When using overall assessment, no partial grades are given, and any indication of the weighting of the individual part exams is only indicative. Students may only be informed of and receive one final grade for the course.

The course coordinator can decide that one or more part exams must be completed/approved as a condition for receiving a grade or other assessment for the entire course based on an overall assessment. This means the part exam is mandatory and must be completed/approved to pass the course. In such a case, this must be stated in the course description. If it is not stated in the course description that one or more part exams must be completed/approved to pass the course, an overall assessment must be made of the remaining part exams the student has completed. The student can thus pass the course based on the remaining part exams. However, non-completed/approved part exams are included in the overall assessment.

A student who does not participate in/hand in any of the part-exams in a course and who has not registered for the exam must be given the assessment 'Not met'.

Forms of examination

The exam in a course may be written, practical, oral, or a combination thereof, for example, a series of part exams during the course.

After the course descriptions are approved, the Department Board of Studies decides on the form of examination, including the type of part exams, to be used for the course.

Different rules governing the primary forms of examination are described below. The relevant Department Board of Studies can approve other forms of examination.

Change of the form of examination due to special circumstances
Students may contact the Study Administration via student email to studadm@adm.dtu.dk to apply for a change in the form of examination in a course (e.g. from written to oral exam) based on special circumstances, for example, special conditions in relation to a documented permanent functional impairment. If the student informs to have a functional impairment, the Special Educational Support (SPS) team in the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs and Students will always be involved. The Study Administration will contact the course coordinator to assess whether, based on the course's learning objectives, it is academically sound and whether it is practically possible to change the examination form. If required, the SPS team (aus-sps@adm.dtu.dk) in the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs can assist in this assessment.

A precondition for allowing a change of the examination form is that the exam's academic level is not lowered. Find more information at DTU Inside on 'Study rules'/Exam'/'Special Exam Arrangements'.

Practical exams as part of the teaching or as a final test
Courses comprising exercises (laboratory courses, workshop courses, etc.) may be subject to continuous assessment or include a practical exam at the end of the course. The students must be informed of the criteria for the assessment at the beginning of the course if the exams are subject to continuous assessment. Each student’s contribution must be clearly stated to be assessed individually.

Oral exams
The student must bring his/her student card as identification to the oral exam.

Generally, all oral exams are open to the public but can be held behind closed doors under special circumstances justified, for instance, on the grounds of student needs. Projects which, entirely or partially, are carried out with private companies may, taking into account any information about trade secrets, know-how, etc., in the report, be treated as confidential and be held behind closed doors, too.

Oral exams may extend over several days. Any dates besides the specified exam dates must be agreed upon with the students. Students who are unable to attend an examination on these additional days are entitled to participate in the exam on the exam date in accordance with the timetable or on another day, subject to agreement with the lecturer.

Oral exams must be taken before the end of the exam period unless otherwise agreed between the course coordinator and the students.

Due to legal rights, all oral exams must be conducted by two assessors. This also applies where the form of examination includes an oral element. The second assessor may be either an external examiner or a co-examiner/assessor from DTU.

Oral online exam
Oral exams, including oral defence of the final project, cannot generally be held as online exams, and both assessors and students must participate in the exam with physical attendance. Online courses and courses offered as part of digital programmes (D.T.U.) are exempt from this rule.

However, an oral examination can exceptionally be held as a partial  online examination due to unusual circumstances. For example, due to an acute obstacle in the presence of one of the assessors, one assessor participates via an online connection. Individual online exams may also be relevant for guest students who need to take a re-exam after travelling back to their home university. The decision to conduct an oral online examination for individual students or assessors is made by the course coordinator/supervisor.

The Board of Studies must approve the decision to conduct an oral online examination for an entire course for all students based on completely extraordinary circumstances.

Guides have been prepared for holding an online oral exam; one for students at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Exam guides', and for lectures at DTU Inside under 'Educational administration'/'Guidance'/'Exam guides'.

Oral group exams
An oral exam can take place as a group exam. Group exams are typically held in connection with written assignments prepared by two or more students (group projects).

In an oral group exam, each student must be examined in such a way as to ensure that an individual assessment of each student's performance is made and individual grades or other assessments are given; thus, one grade cannot be given to the group as a whole. It is important that each assessor notes the level and quality of participation of the individual students. The assessors must also ensure that all students participate in the exam to allow individual assessments to be made.

When organizing an oral group exam, the course coordinator must ensure that the time allocated for the exam is adapted to the number of students participating in the exam. All members of the project group must be present during the entire exam.

The student must have his/her grade stated in private unless otherwise agreed between the examiner and the students in the group.

If an individual oral exam is held as a follow-up to a group project and as a follow-up to an oral group exam, if relevant, the other students in the group may not be present in the exam room before their own individual oral exam.

The possibility of choosing an individual exam instead of a group exam is only available to students with documented special educational needs. See above under ‘Change of form of examination due to special circumstances.

Special rules on oral group exams apply to final projects. Read more at DTU Inside under ‘Study rules'/'Final projects’ or in the study programme curriculum.

Written assignments
Submission of assignments, reports, posters, etc., may be

Written assignments can be prepared individually or as group assignments/projects. The course coordinator must inform the students if the project is expected to be individualized or not when prepared as a group project. If the project is not subjected to individualization, an oral examination must be held afterwards. This can either be conducted as a group exam or an individual exam. Find more information on group exams above under 'Oral group exams' and on group projects underneath. 

Students can only expect to have take-home assignments corrected/assessed that have been submitted on time.

Assignments must be prepared in the language of instruction. The students' exam papers must be prepared in the language of instruction. For assignments in Danish, students can also answer in Swedish and Norwegian. The assessors may allow exam papers to be submitted in other languages. Special rules apply to final projects. See DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Final projects'.

Group projects
The number of students on group projects should not exceed six people. If this aligns with the course's learning objectives, the course coordinator may decide on a lower or higher maximum number than six.

Special rules apply to group size for BEng projects, BSc projects, and MSc theses. See DTU Inside under ‘Study rules'/'Final projects’.

For group projects/assignments, an independent grade or other assessment can only be awarded if the individual student’s contribution to the project can be ascertained (individualization). Thus, whether the project is individualized or not is of great importance to the exam form (see below). 

Before the students commence a group project, the course coordinator must inform them whether they are required to individualize the project or not. If a group project does not comply with the requirements for individualization or other formal requirements, the paper may be rejected by the course responsible, and no assessment will be given.

For group projects, each student must have their own grade/other assessment; thus, one grade cannot be given to the group as a whole.

If the student has documented special educational needs, an individual exam instead of a group exam may be possible. See above under 'Change of assessment form due to special circumstances'.

Group projects without individualization
A group project for which the students’ individual contributions are not specified must, according to the Examination Order, always be followed by an oral exam, as it is not possible to make an individual assessment based on the group project alone. Only one grade will be given as an overall assessment based on the project and the subsequent oral exam. The oral exam can be either an individual exam (i.e. one student at a time) or an oral group exam; see the above.

Group projects with individualization
For group projects/group assignments where individualization is required, students’ individual contributions must be clearly distinguishable regarding the chapters and sections in the assignment. For larger group projects, it is accepted that general descriptive sections such as the introduction, problem statement, scope, conclusion, and the like are prepared jointly. Several students may well have the (main) responsibility for the same chapters/sections.

If the project states that the assignment overall has been prepared jointly, this will not fulfil the requirement for individualization.

For individualized group assignments/group projects, there is no requirement for a subsequent oral exam, and the assessment can be done based on the assignment/project alone.

Written exams (written on-site exams)
Written exams are always individual. The duration of the exam must be stated in the course description. 

If less than ten students register for a written exam, the lecturer can change the assessment form to an oral exam until one week after the exam registration deadline. This must be done with due regard to the fact that the students were expecting a written exam. The lecturer is responsible for notifying the students in case of a change in the assessment form. Another approved assessment form can be applied if the lecturer and all registered students agree. If, based on a change in the form of examination announced after the cancellation deadline, the student wishes to be deregistered from the exam, this must be notified to the Study Administration via studadm@adm.dtu.dk no later than 14 days after notification from the course coordinator.

Regarding which language the exam assignment must be in, please see the section 'Written assignments' above.

The actual exam-holding
Students should arrive at a written exam 15 minutes before the exam begins to prepare themselves for the exam to start. Students who show up after the exam has started will not be allowed to participate in the exam. They will then receive an assessment of ‘Not met’ (‘Ej Mødt’).

Music players, ear protectors, electronic earplugs, or the like must not be brought to the exam. Ordinary earplugs are allowed. Using earplugs is at the student's risk; for example, announcements during exams can be difficult to hear. 

Mobile phones and smartwatches should be turned off and placed face-up on the corner of the student's exam desk. The student must be aware that it can lead to suspicion of exam cheating if the phone/smartwatch is not turned off or is not lying on the corner of the table with the front facing up.

Find information on aids for written exams at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Use of aids and materials at written exams'.

Digital exam
Written on-site exams where all aids are allowed (and therefore also computers allowed) are, in principle, digital, i.e. the assignment is set and submitted digitally, and it is impossible to submit on paper.  As a rule, there is no access to the internet. Access to the internet is only permitted if the lecturer has reported this via the exam reporting form to the exam office and, in writing, has informed the students of this before the exam. Find more information on aids and materials for written exams at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/Exam'/'Use of aids and materials at written exams'.

It is a basic condition for grading an exam paper that the student has uploaded it correctly and in the correct format and that it is available to the lecturer in the exam platform (Digital Eksamen) that has been chosen for the particular exam. 

Find more information on written exams at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/FAQ about written examinations'.
Find information on special exam conditions for written exams at DTU at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/Special exam conditions'

Written online home exam
It is not permitted to hold a written exam as an online home exam. This was only temporarily allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exams conducted abroad
Exams may be conducted abroad with physical presence, provided the reason for doing so is that the student is unable to participate in the university's examinations in Denmark for practical or financial reasons. DTU approves the exam place and persons to organize the practical aspects of conducting the examination abroad. 

The student is responsible for covering the expenses associated with examinations abroad.

The Ministerial Order on Payment for the Services of Civil Servants Serving Abroad (Bekendtgørelse om betaling for tjenestehandlinger i udenrigstjenesten) applies to conduct examinations at Danish representations abroad. 

Rescheduled exam for a cancelled written exam (on-site exam)
In each exam period, a permanent scheme has been established for extraordinary days to hold rescheduled exams. A rescheduled exam is only to be used as an absolute emergency procedure if, in exceptional cases, a written exam (on-site exam) for a course cannot be held as planned after all options for holding the exam as planned have been exhausted.

A rescheduled exam is an offer to the students, which lapses if they decide not to take advantage of it. Students who do not take advantage of an offer of a rescheduled exam will not have used an exam attempt. Students can only participate in a new exam at the earliest the next time a (re)exam is offered.

At DTU Inside, under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Dates of exam’, there is an overview of the scheduling of rescheduled exams.

Use of aids and materials at written exams

When formulating exam assignments, emphasis must be placed on testing the students’ academic knowledge at the time of the exam.

Aids and materials permitted at exams are specified in the course description. There are three options:

  1. No aids and materials permitted (except standard dictionaries and non-programmable calculators).
  2. Written materials permitted, i.e. books, notes, old take-home assignments, etc. but not technical aids, for instance, a laptop.
  3. All aids and materials permitted - without internet access, meaning that in addition to written aids, it is also permitted to bring a laptop, tablet, and similar devices. The use of generative AI is not allowed.
  4. All aids and materials permitted - with internet access. The use of generative AI is allowed.

Laptops, tablets, calculators, and other electronic aids must not be set up in a way that enables communication with others inside or outside the exam room.

Students are always allowed to bring standard dictionaries, such as spelling dictionaries, contemporary language dictionaries, and other language dictionaries, but not, for example, technical or medical dictionaries. This does not include language exams where dictionaries are not permitted.

Students are always allowed to bring a calculator unless the department forbids using calculators or makes one available for the exam. The department can make computers available for the exam, in which case students are not allowed to bring their own computer.

Students may use earplugs during the exam but must apply for an exemption if they need additional noise-reducing aids, such as earmuffs. The application must be sent to specialexamconditions@adm.dtu.dk

Students are not allowed to use their own printer for the exam, and it is not allowed to listen to music during an exam.

Read about written exams (written on-site exams) at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Forms of examination'.

A FAQ on written exams is available at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/FAQ about written examinations'.

Written exam, with all aids permitted, is conducted digitally
For a written exam on campus with all aids allowed, you must bring a PC, as the exam task will be set digitally, and the exam answer must be submitted digitally. If the exam is not suitable for digital delivery, this will be announced by the course supervisor before the exam. In these cases, however, it is still mandatory to bring a PC, as the exam task will most often be set digitally. 

When submitting digitally, it is important to be able to insert drawings and formulas in the right places in the answer. There are a number of options for doing this: a small scanner, a digital pen/drawing board, or an independent camera or the PC's camera. It is not allowed to use mobile phones during the exam.

A written digital exam can never be conducted as an online home exam, as this form of exam has been abolished. See DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Examination'/'Examination forms'.

Violation of the rules on the use of aids
Violating the rules of using aids and materials for written exams will lead to disciplinary measures towards students according to the rules regarding cheating at exams. Find more information on this at DTU Inside under Study rules'/‘Exam’/'Cheating at exams and other forms of assessment'.

Students must not gain unauthorized access to information during the exam, including online, when this is prohibited or by communicating with others. The exam paper submitted must be prepared during the exam by the student himself. If material prepared by others or jointly with others is used at the exam, reference must be made to this. 

Responsibility for own aids and devices
Students are responsible for any aids and materials they bring to the exam, and DTU generally does not make facilities available for the use of aids. Students are not granted extra time for the exam if the aids they have brought to the exam have a malfunction, are out of power, etc.

Special exam conditions for written exams
It is possible to apply for special conditions for a written exam and obtain permission to use compensating aids (e.g. assistive aids for dyslexics) for written exams, where aids are otherwise not permitted. See DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/‘Special exam arrangements’.

Cheating at exams and other forms of assessment

Pursuant to section 14 of the University Act, subsection 9, cf. section 20a of the examination order (BEK 849 of 16/06/2023), DTU has laid down rules on disciplinary measures in cases of exam cheating and disruptive behaviour during examinations and tests. For diploma students, however, the rules are laid down based on § 34 of the examination order for vocational higher education (BEK 863 of 14/06/2022).

Violation of the exam rules will result in disciplinary sanctions against the student. See DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Disciplinary measures towards students'. Read more about the disciplinary sanctions used for violating the exam rules below under the section 'Sanctions'.

DTU has ratified the Danish code of conduct for research integrity and, based on this, has formulated DTU's own code of good scientific and ethical practice/conduct (DTU Code of Integrity in Research). This code, which includes everyone at DTU, implies that students, including PhD students, must demonstrate, via their projects and conduct during courses and participation in extracurricular activities and student competitions, that they have understood the principles of good scientific practice. Violation of the code will be dealt with according to DTU's rules on cheating at exams and other assessment forms. DTU’s principles for good scientific conduct can be found at DTU Inside under ‘Research’ and ‘Principles for good scientific conduct’.

At the beginning of their studies, students must actively express their acceptance of the code of honour to continue their studies at DTU. By signing, the student commits to demonstrating independence and integrity in their work and exams, and to not violating the rules on exam cheating. Acceptance of the Honour Code is a part of the commencement of studies exam for newly admitted BEng and BSc students. Admitted MSc students and international guest students must express their acceptance of the code in connection with registration for courses in the 1st semester. More information on DTU's code of honour can be found at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'.

What is exam cheating?
DTU requires that students at DTU demonstrate independence in their work and that the exam always reflects their own independent performance. This is important as all assessments are individual, and the lecturer must be able to assess what the individual student has learned and can.

The rules below also include exam cheating in connection with exam prerequisites. Read more about these at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Class participation and exam prerequisites'.

DTU considers it exam cheating, among other things, in the following cases:

  1. Plagiarism
    Plagiarizing means using someone else's text, results, ideas, images, figures, slides (also from teaching), notes, data, etc., as your own without indicating the precise source. Using AI, such as ChatGPT and similar forms of artificial intelligence, where it is not you but the program/robot that writes, solves a task, etc., is also plagiarism if you do not cite the source. Refining an assignment's content using grammar or spelling checks is widely accepted and does not require citation. It must be clear from an assignment answer, etc., which parts result from one's own thoughts and which are based on direct copying or processing of other people's knowledge, including from a program/robot. When using texts, images, graphs, etc., which are not your own, whether as a quote, paraphrase, report, translation, or assessment, a reference to the source must be made. A paraphrase is a reformulation of a text. Read more about plagiarism and correct citations and references at www.stopplagiat.nu, a web tutorial for students about plagiarism.

    If you, in an individual assignment, use copies of notes, formula collections, assignment answers, etc., which have been prepared by others or in collaboration with others, this is also plagiarism unless you clearly refer to this and indicate the source. This is because the common notes, etc., are not your independent exam performance. You thereby conceal or mislead about your own efforts or results.

    Purchase of a completed assignment answer from an assignment bank, e.g. on the internet, is also plagiarism/exam cheating.
     
  2. Self-plagiarism
    This means reusing your own text that has previously been graded without quotation marks and source references. A written work can only form the basis for assessment once. A written work that has previously been graded at DTU or another educational institution cannot be included in a renewed assessment regardless of the grade obtained and even though it is the student's own previous written work. 
     
  3. Academic dishonesty by, e.g. manipulating or falsifying data. 
     
  4. Concealment or misleading of own efforts or results.
     
  5. Engages in unauthorized collaboration, e.g. in connection with an individual homework assignment, or gains unauthorized access to information during an individual exam via fellow students or others or digitally by receiving or attempting to receive assistance.
     
  6. Using unauthorized aids (read more at DTU Inside here).
     
  7. Wrongfully acquisition of prior knowledge of the exam paper. 
     
  8. Providing incorrect attendance information where attendance is required.
     
  9. Knowingly helps another student to violate the exam rules.
     
  10. Participation online in a written exam that takes place on campus (on-site test) where you sit somewhere other than in the exam room.

On DTU Inside, under ''Study rules'/'DTU's code of honour' under 'Do's and don'ts', examples of everyday situations from the study where you can involuntarily come into conflict with the rules for exam cheating are described. Here is also a link to a web tutorial for students describing plagiarism and how to avoid plagiarism by knowing the basic rules for citation and source reference in written assignment answers.

Notification of exam cheating
If there is a reasoned suspicion of violation of the exam rules, the lecturer must notify the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs via eksamenssnyd.dtu.dk. 

Reporting can occur during a teaching period, e.g. in connection with an exam prerequisite assignment or other written submission, or after the final exam.

The lecturer can find further guidance on reporting students for exam cheating and other things related to exam cheating at DTU Inside under 'Educational administration'/'Guidance'/'Exam cheating'.

What should a notification report contain?
A notifying report should contain the following information:

Background specification: A brief description covering how the student's behaviour during the exam or assignment differs from the expected and gives rise to suspicion of cheating. The background specification should clearly mark what is not considered to reflect the student’s independent performance. Within the context of plagiarism, it should be stated how the student could have quoted correctly.  

Flag exam cheating: In the student’s exam paper or an independent document developed by the lecturer, the plagiarised parts of the assignment should be marked clearly: Text, graphs, equations, document creation, etc. The plagiarised parts should be marked clearly, e.g. by yellow highlighting. When the system identifies plagiarism, the report from the antiplagiarism software program should always be enclosed, together with the original text plagiarized from, if possible.

Evaluation form: What type of evaluation does the course have, and how much does the part that contains supposed plagiarism/exam cheating weigh?

The lecturer must be aware that the report is transmitted in original form to the student(s) in question in connection with the student(s) 's hearing.

How must the lecturer assess the student who is reported?
When the lecturer reports grades or Passed/Failed for the entire course, this must also be done for the student(s) the lecturer has reported or will report for the presumption of exam cheating.

The lecturer must make their assessment of the reported student(s) without including the suspicion of exam cheating. Depending on whether the student has passed or not passed the course as a whole, the lecturer in the Grade Reporting System must enter the following for the affected students: 

AI = Awaiting decision Failed, or
AB= Awaiting decision Passed

In the study administration system, AB appears as passed, and AI appears as failed. You can find more information on these registrations at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Assessment forms and grading'.

The lecturer must then inform the student(s) that they will be or have been reported for suspicion of exam cheating. Read below under 'Information to the reported student(s) from the lecturer'.

After a decision has been made, the registration AB or AI will be changed to SN (Cheating) if the student is found guilty of exam cheating. 

If the student is not found guilty of exam cheating, or the student only receives a reprimand or warning, the Office for Student Programmes and Student Affairs will write in the decision and ask the lecturer to release the grade/assessment for the student(s). The lecturer does this by emailing the assessment to studadm@adm.dtu.dk after which AB or AI will be changed to the assessment given.

Information to the reported student(s) from the lecturer
In connection with reporting a student, the lecturer must inform the student that they have been reported. It just needs to be an informational email; the student will, in connection with the hearing conducted by the Office for Student Programmes and Student Affairs, get access to all material in the case. At DTU Inside, under 'Educational administration'/'Guidance'/'Exam cheating', the lecturer can find a template for an information e-mail.

What is the student's position during the cheating case?
As long as a case concerning exam cheating is being processed, the reported student has the right to participate in teaching and exams in the course. However, there may be exceptions depending on the extent of the alleged exam cheating, e.g. exam cheating in connection with the final project.

If the student plans to participate in the re-exam in the course in which he or she has been reported, and a decision has not yet been made regarding the cheating case, the following applies:

  • If a decision is made that the student has not cheated, the result of any re-exam will be cancelled, and the initial assessment from the first exam will be valid. However, this does not apply if the student did not pass the course/project at the initial assessment but has passed the course/project at a subsequent re-exam. In this case, the passed result from the re-exam will be valid.
  • If a decision is made that the student has cheated, the result of this exam will be cancelled, an exam attempt has been used and the exam result from the re-exam will take its place.
  • If the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs decides in the case before the re-exam of the course but after the registration and deregistration deadline for the exam, the student must contact the Office if they wish to be re-registered or deregistered for the exam. Read more at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Registration and withdrawal from exam'.

Sanctions
After hearing of the reported student(s), the Office decides on the case according to DTU's rules on cheating in exams and other assessments (these rules) and DTU's disciplinary rules towards students. 

DTU has the following reactions and sanction options for violation of examination rules, cf. DTU's disciplinary measures towards students:

  1. Written reprimand
  2. Written warning against repeated violation of the rules
  3. Expulsion from the exam, i.e. non-assessment or cancellation of the exam performance. This sanction implies that an exam attempt has been used and that the student must register for a re-exam.
  4. Expulsion from the university for a limited period or permanently. Temporary expulsion can be months, a semester, or several semesters. In the event of temporary expulsion during a project period for a final project, the project period will be cancelled, an exam attempt will be used, and the student must start a new project period after the expulsion period.

If the presumption of exam cheating is confirmed, the sanction in cases of a milder nature will most often be a written warning in combination with a cancellation of the exam result. In more serious cases of exam cheating or cases of repeated violation of the rules on exam cheating, the student will also be expelled temporarily or permanently.

For a further description of the above forms of sanction, please refer to DTU's disciplinary measures against students.

The case processing time for exam fraud varies and is, at the moment, approximately 3-4 months. The month of July is not included in the calculation.

Complaint guidance
The student can appeal the decision to The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science if the appeal concerns legal issues. Legal issues can be e.g. non-compliance with the educational rules that apply to the education and whether other legislation (e.g. the Public Administration Act) and the general principles of administrative law have been complied with. The Agency thus does not deal with academic issues, as the universities have academic self-governance. The deadline for submission of an appeal is two weeks from the day the decision is announced to the student. The appeal should be submitted to DTU, the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs via eksamenssnyd.dtu.dk. 

When DTU receives an appeal about a decision, a reassessment of the decision is made based on the information the student has provided in the appeal. In this connection, DTU may decide to reopen the case if the appeal contains information of significant importance to the case or if significant case-handling errors have occurred in the original processing of the case.

If DTU chooses to maintain the original decision, DTU will prepare a statement about the decision and the appeal. The statement will be sent to the student, who can comment on it. Finally, the entire case will be sent to the Agency for their consideration. The processing time at the Agency is currently approx. six months from the time DTU sends the appeal to the agency.

An appeal to the Agency usually does not have a suspensive effect on the sanction the student has received. Cancellation of the exam and a possible expulsion will, therefore, continue to apply.

The lecturer can give oral reprimands for minor offences
If the lecturer assesses that the student's violation of the rules for the exam must be considered a minor offence and below the trifling limit (e.g. failure to comply with the rules for correct reference to sources in a part exam that is included with very little weight (approx. 5%) in the overall assessment of the course), the lecturer has the option of giving the student an oral reprimand instead of making a report to the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs. The lecturer can always contact the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs to discuss the matter.

The reprimand is not to be considered as a sanction but as a pedagogical recommendation to comply with the rules and with information on how the student has violated the rules of the exam and how the student can avoid cheating in the future. The reprimand is primarily intended for newer students who need clarification of how to quote/refer correctly, collaborate with other students without violating the exam rules, or use common notes in an individual, written answer.

The part exam/part assignment that is the subject of the violation of the rules for the exam, or parts thereof, must be excluded from the assessment basis.

The Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs must not be notified that an oral reprimand has been given unless the lecturer notices that the student continues to violate the examination rules. In these cases, a report must be made (see above), and the lecturer should refer to the fact that a charge was previously given.

Read about the sanction reprimand at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Disciplinary measures towards students'.

Special examination conditions

Special examination conditions granted by AUS

Special conditions for written exams
The Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs (AUS) may allow special examination conditions based on the following circumstances:

  1. Students with physical or mental impairment (e.g. physical disability, dyslexia, etc.).
    The impairment must significantly impact the student’s potential exam performance.
  2. Students whose native language and qualifying exam are not Danish may - provided that the exam is only in Danish - be granted extra time for a written exam during their first two semesters in Denmark. In this context, a Greenlandic or Faroese qualifying exam can be equated with a foreign qualifying exam.
  3. Students with similar difficulties, for instance, students who are in the last month of pregnancy or who are breastfeeding an infant.

It must be possible to document the circumstances on which the grant of special conditions is based. For more information about valid documentation, please visit DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam/Special Exam Conditions'/'I want to apply for special exam conditions. Exam anxiety, for example, is not a valid reason for special exam conditions.

The granting of special conditions presupposes that AUS assesses that equating the student with others in the same examination situation is necessary. It is a prerequisite that the grant of special conditions does not lower the academic level of the exam.

Depending on the student's application, situation, diagnosis, documentation, etc., AUS may grant the student special exam conditions that apply to anything between a semester and the remainder of the study period. The decision to the application will state how long the student has been granted special exam conditions, and the next deadline for a new application will be stated if the student should apply again.

The following special conditions may be granted for written exams. 

  • Extra time: Usually, 25% extra time is granted.
  • Use of own computer, possibly with support programs: Also for exams where aids are otherwise not allowed. A solemn declaration must be signed. Typically applied for by dyslexic, visually impaired as well as physically challenged students.
  • Special physical setting: This is typically if the student is physically challenged and needs a height-adjustable table, or if the student is very sensitive to sound or suffers from social anxiety.
  • Other: For example, noise-cancelling headphones, a table lamp with a special light, etc. Diabetics can also get permission to use their mobile phones for diabetes monitoring. A declaration of faith and law must be signed.

The decision to grant students special conditions for written exams is valid for the following written exams and is granted based on the following practice:

  • A written exam held during the ordinary exam period. The student usually receives extra time through an automatic assignment.
  • A minor written exam held on campus (on-site exams), that is either an exam prerequisite or that is included with a minimum of 20% in the final assessment. The exam is typically held during the teaching period and handled by the department, not AUS. The student must inform the lecturer that he/she has been granted special conditions for a written exam by AUS. The student must contact the lecturer by mail as quickly as possible and attach the decision to the application as documentation of the special conditions the student has been granted. The lecturer may contact the SPS unit via specialexamconditions@adm.dtu.dk in case of questions.

Application deadlines and submission of the application

Applications received:

  • 1 November - will be processed before the month of December
  • 15 April - will be processed before the month of May
  • 1 July - will be processed before the month of August

Applications are processed continuously, so please send your application as soon as possible.

Special conditions for written exams will often be granted for several semesters or the rest of the study period. The time period is stated in the decision letter.

The student must send applications for special conditions at written exams from the student's email to specialexamconditions@adm.dtu.dk. The application form can be found at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Special exam conditions'. Here, you can also read more about filling out the application form. In the case of emergencies (e.g. a broken arm), students can apply after the deadline by writing to studadm@adm.dtu.dk.

The application is processed in AUS. The caseworkers are subject to a duty of confidentiality, and personal information, as well as the outcome of the application, will, therefore, be treated as confidential. AUS makes a decision based on the application and the enclosed documentation. The decision to the application is sent to the applicant's student email 3-4 weeks after the application deadline. The letter is exclusively digital and must be presented via mobile phone or computer to the examination guards when attending the exam. Students who hold the previous laminated cards as proof can continue to use them. Both the digital letter and the laminated cards are valid.

Exam paper handed out on USB key for written exam
Students who have been allowed to use their own computers can order a non-digital exam assignment to be handed out on a USB key. The relevant application form can be found at DTU Inside. If the student wishes to hand in the exam answer on a USB key, the student must inform the lecturer beforehand.

The deadlines for having the exam assignment handed out on a USB key are as follow:

  • Ordinary winter exam after the autumn 13-week period: 1 November
  • Exam after the 3-week period in January: the last day of the supplementary registration period
  • Ordinary summer exam after the spring 13-week period: 15 April
  • Exam after the 3-week period in June: the last day of the supplementary registration period
  • Exam after the 3-week period in July: the last day of the supplementary registration period
  • Reexam and exam after the 3-week period in August: the last day of the supplementary registration period

Special conditions for final projects
If the period for which the student has been granted special conditions for written exams also includes the period for a final written project (BEng project, BSc project, or MSc thesis), the student may receive up to three weeks extra time to prepare the project before the start of the project. It is up to the student to decide whether he or she wants one, two, or three weeks.
Should the student prepare his/her project in collaboration with students who have not been granted extra time, the entire project group will be granted extra time.
The decision to the application must be presented as documentation to the project supervisor. The supervisor must register the extension of the project period in the Project Registration System (Projektindberetningssystemet) before the project's start date.
For any questions, the SPS Unit can be contacted at specialexamconditions@adm.dtu.dk
The student must be aware that DTU's rules and the rules of SU (state educational grant and loan scheme) do not coincide on this point.

If the student wishes to apply for an extension of the project period during the project due to unforeseen circumstances, please refer to the possibilities for applying for an extension of the submission deadline via the relevant department board of studies or the exemption board. Find more information at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Final projects'.

Special examination conditions granted by the department

The following is a description of the special arrangements that a lecturer may provide in other exam situations. In these cases, it is not a question of the student being entitled to special arrangements, but the examiner/lecturer must consider the student's special challenge, if relevant and possible. The SPS Unit can assist the lecturer with guidance, if desired, via specialexamconditions@adm.dtu.dk

The granting of special conditions presupposes that the department/the lecturer assesses that it is necessary to equate the student with others in the same examination situation. It is a prerequisite that the grant of special conditions does not lower the academic level of the exam.

If the student wishes to request special conditions, he/she must contact the course coordinator/examiner as quickly as possible and provide documentation of the request's basis. However, if the cause is speech challenges with the student, the circumstance is assumed to be assessable to the lecturer during a regular conversation.

Special conditions for an oral exam
If the student has been granted special conditions for a written exam, these special conditions also apply to an oral exam, provided the student has a need for them. Typically, 25% extra time is granted for written exams, but the amount of extra time required for oral exams may vary. The necessary time is generally agreed upon between the student and the course coordinator. The student must contact the course coordinator no later than one month before the oral exam.

The SPS Unit (specialexamconditions@adm.dtu.dk) can assist the course coordinator in this assessment. 

Read more at DTU Inside under ‘Study rules'/'Exam'/'Special exam conditions'/'I want to apply for special exam conditions'.

If the student is to take part in an oral group exam but is part of a group where the other students have not been granted extra time, the lecturer/examiner may assign the whole group extra time.
The allocated extra time only applies to the individual exam and is assessed individually each time. Thus, the assessment does not set a precedent for oral exams in other courses.

Special conditions for projects in courses
For longer-term projects/assignments in courses or the internship report for BEng students, the student can request the course coordinator to extend the project period. It is the lecturer's decision based on a practical assessment, including, e.g. with regard to the assessment of and feedback to the other students on the course, and assessment of the risk of exam cheating, whether it is possible to allocate extra time. In the latter case, the type of project/task will be of significant importance. 
If the student is part of a group and can apply for extra time for his/her project work while the other group members cannot apply for extra time, the lecturer/course coordinator can grant extra time to the whole group.

Exams at universities other than DTU

Grants of special exam conditions are only valid at DTU. If a student takes courses at other universities, the student must familiarize himself/herself with the university's rules and procedures for applying for special exam conditions. This also applies to students enrolled in a joint programme in Denmark or abroad or if the student is studying abroad or is going to study abroad.

lllness in connection with exams

Illness before the exam (unable to participate in the exam)
Students who cannot participate in an exam due to illness must send documentation of the illness through their student mail to the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs at studadm@adm.dtu.dk no later than two weeks following the exam date. The student will get the registration 'Ill' (SYG). The registration 'Ill' does not count as an exam attempt.

The student must bear the expenses for the medical certificate.

Illness during the exam
Students who become ill during the exam must notify an invigilator or examiner before leaving the exam. Students must contact the doctor on the exam day or the proximate weekday at the latest. The process hereafter is described above under 'Illness before the exam'.

If the student, despite illness, chooses to complete an exam, i.e. submits their exam answer, it counts as an exam attempt, and the attempt cannot be cancelled.

The students must register for a new exam in the same course in a later examination term.

Illness of a close family member
If a student is unable to participate in an exam due to a severe illness of a family member or friend, or in case of a serious event that may affect the student’s performance at the exam, the student can apply to have the exam registration (the exam attempt) changed to the registration 'Ill' by submitting relevant documentation to the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs via the Study Administration's contact form or if you are an external party by writing to studadm@adm.dtu.dk This must be done no later than two weeks after the exam date. If the student has already completed the exam, it will count as an exam attempt, and the exam cannot be cancelled.

Illness during the project period under the final project
If a student falls ill while completing the final project, the student's programme specification rules apply. Find the rules at DTU Inside under ‘Study rules’/‘Final projects’.

External examiners and confidentiality

The course description specifies whether a course is assessed by an external examiner or as an internal examination. An external examiner always assesses final projects.

All external examiners used at DTU must be members of the nationwide engineering examiner corps (www.censornet.dk).

The Public Administration Act covers the external examiners' activities, including the provisions on disqualification and secrecy.

Lecturers can find much relevant information on using external examiners at DTU Inside under 'Educational administration'/'Procedures'/'External examination'.

Projects which, entirely or partially, are carried out with private companies may, taking into account any information about trade secrets, know-how, etc., be treated as confidential, which means that the oral presentation will not be open to the public. Find more information on oral exams at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Forms of examination'. It may be agreed upon that the report must not be publicly available.

Deadlines for grading

Exams in 13-week courses and project courses
No later than 20 workdays after the day of the exam.

3-week courses
No later than 20 workdays after the last day of the 3-week period.

Engineering internship
No later than 20 workdays after the submission date of the report.

BEng project/BSc project/MSc thesis
The grade is awarded in connection with the oral exam/defence. The oral exam must be held no later than ten workdays after the scheduled submission date of the written report. In exceptional circumstances, the head of the department can approve a later exam date for the oral exam. If the project period has been extended after the start of the project as a result of the Board of Studies’ or the exemption committee's decision, the 10-day deadline must, as far as possible, continue to be complied with. A later exam date due to the changed conditions, e.g. due to the supervisor's 3-week holiday in June, July, or August, can be determined without approval from the head of the department.

It appears from the programme specification for final projects that in determining the start date of the project, the supervisor's 3-week consecutive summer vacation in June, July, or August must be taken into account in order not to come into conflict with the 10-day deadline of the oral defence, cf. below under ‘Assessment’. The project plan should also reflect this matter.

Re-exams

Students may participate in an offered re-exam without having participated in the previous ordinary exam on a course if they meet the requirements for participation in the ordinary exam. See below under ‘Courses with exam prerequisites’.

In courses with part exams, students must be aware that a re-exam is solely a repetition of the final part exam on the course. See below under ‘Courses with part exams’.

Students who have not passed a course at the first exam attempt must register for the subsequent exam attempt in the course via www.tilmelding.dtu.dk, unless the student chooses to follow the teaching again. In this case, course registration must take place via the Study Planner.

All courses are offered for re-exam. The time of the re-exam will depend on when the course in question is offered:

  • For courses offered in the 13-week autumn period with ordinary exams in December, the re-exam period is in May
  • For courses offered in the 13-week spring period with ordinary exams in May, the re-exam period is in August
  • For courses offered in the 3-week period in January with ordinary exams in January, the re-exam period is in May
  • For courses offered in the 3-week periods June/July with ordinary exams in June/July, the re-exam period is in August
  • For courses offered in the 3-week period in August with ordinary exams in August, the re-exam period is in December.

Courses offered in several of the above teaching periods have corresponding re-exam periods.

If a course is no longer provided, two additional re-exams will be offered in the course. The location of the re-exam dates will follow the rules mentioned above.

If in exceptional cases, a course is not suitable for a re-exam based on a security or academic assessment, students who have not passed the course must attend the course again. It is not sufficient only to register for the course exam. The relevant Department Board of Studies must approve that the course is not suitable for being offered for a re-exam, and it must also be stated in the course description under ‘Type of assessment.

An overview of exam dates can be found at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Dates of exams'.

Registration for and withdrawal from re-exams must be made within the applicable deadlines. See DTU Inside under ‘Study rules'/'Exam'/'Registration deadlines for courses and examinations’.

In consultation with the department's Board of Studies, the course manager can decide that there should be no external examiner at a re-exam. However, this requires that it is only a matter of re-exam for very few students and/or that the exam takes place outside the exam period with only very few examinees.

For rules on re-exams on project courses, see ‘Study rules'/'Teaching'/Project courses’.

Changed form of examination
The course manager may decide that the examination form at the re-exam may differ from that at the ordinary exam.

The course manager must communicate the form of examination for re-exams in December and May to the students no later than one week after the registration deadline for the exam period in question has expired. The students then have 14 days to unregister from the re-exam if they do not wish to participate.

The course manager must communicate the form of examination for the re-exam in August to the students no later than one week after the end of the exam registration deadline. If, based on a change in the form of examination announced after the cancellation deadline, the student wishes to be deregistered from the exam, this must be notified to the Study Administration via studadm@adm.dtu.dk no later than 14 days after notification from the course coordinator.

Courses with exam prerequisites
A student who has not fulfilled the exam prerequisites in a course in connection with the ordinary exam cannot participate in the re-exam unless the course manager has given the student a new opportunity to meet the prerequisites before the re-exam. The student is responsible for contacting the course manager to clarify this matter before registering for the exam. Students who, due to a decision from the course manager, cannot meet the exam prerequisites will have to attend the course again.

Students who met the exam prerequisites but did not pass the exam can take the re-exam on the course in the next re-exam period without having to fulfil the exam prerequisites again.

If a student chooses to postpone their re-exam - or if they do not pass their re-exam in accordance with the above - they are not entitled to be allowed to take (another) re-exam based on previously approved exam prerequisites. Thus, the student must fulfil the prerequisites again. That also applies if the student does not attend the exam due to a documented illness. Based on an academic assessment, the course manager may, however, approve that the student can register for a re-exam again without having to fulfil the prerequisites again.

Read more at DTU Inside under ‘Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Class participation and exam prerequisites’.

Courses with part exams
In a course with part exams, any re-exam is only a repetition of the final part exam. Part exams scheduled in the teaching period will thus not be offered as a re-exam or be assessed in the period between the ordinary exam and re-exam on the course. The course manager may deviate from this.

Generally, approved part exams will only be included in the next re-exam period. In connection with a re-exam, students are thus not entitled to retake an approved part exam. However, under special circumstances, students may have to retake a passed part exam in connection with a re-exam. The course manager makes such a decision based on an academic assessment. In the case of disagreement between a student and a course manager regarding whether or not a part exam must be retaken in connection with a re-exam, the Department Board of Studies will decide.

The course manager may approve that passed/approved part exams be included in subsequent (re)exams; this must be upon a student's request.

Some courses may have general rules for whether part exams will be included in the course's next (re)-exam. Please check the course description.

Read more about part exams at DTU Inside under Study rules'/'Exam'/'Requirements for passing exams and part exams.

Special circumstances regarding exams in courses that will finish the entire study programme   
If a student has been ill at the (re)exam during the exam period, in which the student should have completed his/her education, the student has the right to sit the re-exam in the same exam period or immediately after the re-exam period. This also applies to a student who does not pass (-3 or 00, or not passed) an exam or re-exam in a single course in the exam period in which the student should have completed his / her education. Students who have been absent from the exam (non-attendance) or received the registration 'SN' (Cheating) are not entitled to a quick re-exam. 

The above rules also apply to students who must hand in their final project immediately after the exam term in which they have not passed their last course.

Students wishing to take a quick re-exam according to the above rules should contact the Study Administration via student email to studadm@adm.dtu.dk no later than 14 days after the grade is published. If the student meets the requirements for a quick (re)exam, the Study Administration will inform the student. In consultation with the student, the lecturer determines the time and date of the (re)exam. 

The rules above do not apply in connection with final projects. 

Exam complaints

Deadline for complaints
If a student wishes to complain about how the exam has progressed or the assessment itself, they can file an exam complaint. Exam complaints must be submitted within two weeks of the announcement of the grade on DTU Inside. The deadline for oral examinations is two weeks after the examination is held. However, the days from 24 December to 1 January are not included in the calculation of the complaint deadline.

Prior dialogue with the assessor
It is recommended that the student discusses his/her exam answer/performance with the assessor before the student submits an exam complaint. The student must be aware that contact or attempts to contact the lecturer do not have a suspensive effect on the appeal deadline, i.e. it does not extend the two-week time limit for appeal, which must, therefore, continue to be complied with. In the complaint, the student can e.g. state that he/she will send a detailed complaint or withdraw the complaint after he/she has had the opportunity to talk with the assessor.

A conversation with the assessor about the exam answer/performance will not affect the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs' assessment of the complaint. The sole purpose is for the student to gain an understanding of and an explanation of the assessment given, which may lead to the student no longer wishing to complain or wishing to withdraw an already submitted complaint or that the student can write a better justification for his/her complaint.

A possible conversation with the assessor about an exam answer/performance cannot lead to a changed assessment unless an error in the assessment is discovered.

Filing a complaint
An exam complaint must be submitted via the Exam Complaint System eksamensklager.dtu.dk.
When the complaint has been submitted in the Exam Complaint System, the student receives a receipt and information email via his/her student email.

Complaints about part exams can only be submitted as part of a complaint about the final grade or other assessment in the course.

A complaint can be submitted on your own behalf, but it is also possible to add co-complainants if several people want to complain together, e.g. about the assessment of a group project. Co-complainants receive a copy of emails sent to the person who sent the complaint and only have viewing access to the system. It is important to ensure that consent is obtained from any co-complainants before they are added to the complaint in the system.

Complaints can be submitted regarding the following:

  1. Legal issues (e.g. non-compliance with rules and legislation)
  2. The basis for examination (questions, assignments, etc.)
  3. The exam process 
  4. The assessment 

The complaint must state what is being complained about and what is desired to be achieved with the complaint. As the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs makes a decision based on the complaint, the assessor's opinion, and any supplementary comments of the student, the student should, in the reason for the complaint, compare his/her exam performance with the course's learning objectives, elaborate the course of the exam or the like. Complaints without justification will be sent back to the student requesting further information. If the student does not elaborate on his/her complaint, the complaint will be processed on the basis available.

The complaint must be able to be sent to the assessor as it appears. In its decision, the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs cannot include information that the student does not wish to pass on to the assessor. Complaints about teaching/teacher/supervisor must be submitted to the board of studies at the department where the course is offered or where the lecturer is employed. Read more on DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Complaints about teaching and guidance'.

If the complaint does not concern dissatisfaction with the exam but rather offensive or abusive behaviour, and the student wants help and guidance to handle this or wants to report the teacher/supervisor or others for offensive behaviour, he or she must not send an exam complaint as described above. Instead, please refer to these guidelines for offensive behaviour.

The total case processing time for exam complaints is approximately 3-4 months from the time the complaint is received until a decision has been made. The student may continue on the programme according to the applicable rules while the complaint is processed.

Complaints about exams in courses at DTU Admission Course must be submitted to DTU Admissions Course. Contact information can be found on DTU's website here.

What is the position of the student during the complaint process
If the student plans to participate in the re-exam in the course to which the student's examination complaint relates, and a decision has not yet been made regarding the complaint, the following applies:

  • If the student is offered a new assessment (re-assessment) or new exam (re-exam) and accepts this offer, the result of any re-exam will be cancelled, and it will be the result of the new assessment/re-exam that applies. The new assessment/exam does not count as an exam attempt.
  • If the student's complaint is not upheld, the result of a possible re-exam will still be valid, and an exam attempt has been used.

If the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs manages to make a decision on the matter before the re-exam is held, but after the registration and de-registration deadline for the exam has expired, the student must contact the Study Administration if he/she wishes to be registered or de-registered for the re-exam. Read more on DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Examination'/'Registration and withdrawal'.

Processing of the complaint
The assessor(s) access the student's complaint in the Exam Complaint System.

The assessor(s) he assessor(s), including a possible external examiner, must make an academic opinion based on the complaint. The statement must contain an explanation of the assessment and respond to all of the student's academic complaints. When the assessors have submitted their opinion, the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs will make the opinion available to the student in the Exam Complaint System. The student then has the opportunity to make any further comments before a decision is made. This is called a hearing. The student has two weeks to comment on the statement from the assessor(s).

The Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs may choose to hear the assessor(s) again if the student's comments give rise to it, just as the assessors' further comments can be sent in hearing to the student if the assessor's comments contain new information of material importance to the decision of the case.

When the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs believes that the case has been adequately clarified, a decision is made based on the complaint, the assessors' statement(s), and the student's possible comments, if any.

A decision on the matter is made by the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs based on the assessors’ statement and the student’s comments, if any. The student receives an email via his/her student email when a decision has been made.

If an exam complaint does not deal with academic issues but only legal or technical issues, e.g. regarding the conduct of a written exam, the case will often be handled without consulting the assessor.

The decision
The decision on the matter may be one of the following: 

  1. The student is offered a new assessment (re-assessment) of a written assignment by new assessors.
  2. The student is offered a new exam (re-exam) by new assessors if necessary.
  3. The student’s complaint is not upheld.
  4. If the exam includes both a written assignment and an oral exam, the student is offered a combination of 1., 2., and 3.

Neither the assessor nor the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs has the opportunity to make a decision to raise or lower the student's grade.

If the student is offered a new assessment or exam, the student has two weeks to accept the offer via The Exam Complaint System. Acceptance of the offer is binding on the student, and the new assessment will replace the student's original assessment which is cancelled. The student must know that a new assessment or exam may result in a lower grade. It is not possible to complain about the new assessment/the new exam unless the complaint concerns legal issues.

Appeal of decision
Appeal of academic issues
If the student does not accept the decision on his/her exam complaint, academic issues in the decision can be appealed to a board of appeals. The appeal must be filed within two weeks of the announcement of the decision to the student via the Exam Complaint System. It must be justified in writing and submitted to studenterklager@dtu.dk using the student email address. The case number from the exam complaint in the Exam Complaint System must appear in the appeal.

The decision is made by a board of appeals of 4 members appointed specifically to make a decision on the matter, comprising two external examiners, a lecturer, and a student within the relevant subject area. The decision of the board of appeals may be:

  1. The student is offered a new assessment (re-assessment) of a written assignment by new assessors.
  2. The student is offered a new exam (re-exam), usually by new assessors,
  3. The student is offered a combination of 1st and 2nd if the exam includes both a written assignment and oral exam or 
  4. The student’s complaint is not upheld.

The board of appeals is in no position to lower or higher the student’s grade.
The decision of the board of appeals cannot be further appealed to other authorities with respect to academic issues, and the decision from the board is final.

Complaint against legal issues
Complaints against legal issues can be referred to The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science. Legal issues can be e.g. non-compliance with the educational rules that apply to the education and whether other legislation (e.g. the Public Administration Act) and the general principles of administrative law have been complied with. The deadline for submission of an appeal is two weeks from the day the decision is announced to the student. The appeal must be submitted to the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs via studenterklager@dtu.dk. In the appeal, the case number from the exam complaint in the Exam Complaint System must appear.

When DTU receives an appeal about a decision, the decision is reassessed based on the information the student provided in the appeal. In this connection, DTU may decide to reopen the case if the appeal contains information that is of significant importance to the case or if significant case-handling errors have occurred in the original processing of the case.

If DTU chooses to maintain the original decision, DTU will prepare a statement about the decision and the appeal. The statement will be sent to the student who has the opportunity to comment on it. Finally, the entire case will be sent to the Agency for their consideration. The processing time at the Agency is currently approximately six months.

Errors and deficiencies in exams
If the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs or a board of appeals in connection with the processing of an exam complaint becomes aware that there have been errors and deficiencies in an exam, the Office makes a decision on how the error or deficiency can be remedied. This may be with or without the participation of the original assessors. The Office's processing of this type of case does not follow the rules on exam complaints but the Examination Order.

If the student's exam complaint contains significant complaints that do not relate to the errors and deficiencies that occurred during the exam, the Office will also decide regarding these complaints.

In the event of errors or deficiencies of a particularly serious nature, or where it must be considered the most correct way to remedy the error or deficiency, the Office may cancel the exam and arrange for an extraordinary new exam.

In the event of other significant errors and omissions, the Office may offer the student an extraordinary new exam. The offer must be given to all students whose exam suffers from the error or deficiency in question. A student may choose to retain the original assessment, even if they have participated in the extraordinary re-exam.

Exam certificate/diploma

When a student has completed a study programme at DTU, DTU issues an exam certificate/diploma. The exam certificate lists all the exams the student has passed within the student’s curriculum.

The exam certificate is dated with the date on which the study programme ended:

  • If the final element is a BEng project, a BSc project, or an MSc thesis, the exam certificate/diploma will be dated with the oral presentation date.
  • If the final element is a course, the exam certificate/diploma will be dated with the date the last course was assessed.

If the student has completed their study programme after 15 June 2023, they will get a digital exam certificate. The exam certificate can be accessed via www.diplomasafe.com within six weeks of the date of completion of the programme. The month of July is not included in the calculation. The student will receive a message on the student email, where they will be guided step by step in the Diplomasafe system when the diploma can be accessed. The diploma will remain available via www.diplomasafe.com.

As a starting point, the introductory email will contain a link where the student is forwarded to the diplomasafe.com login. Here, the student is asked to register as a user, with the message not to use the student email, as this email is deactivated three months after the end of the studies. If the student has nevertheless used their student email and the email has been deactivated, the student must contact the Study Administration by writing to studadm@adm.dtu.dk to gain access to Diplomasafe.

After registering as a user, the student can access their exam certificate. When the student has entered the diploma, a purchase button will appear on the page, which can be used in connection with the purchase of a diploma if desired. A physical diploma with the DTU emblem can be purchased additionally for a fee of DKK 500.

Students who are withdrawn from a study programme at DTU without completing it will receive documentation for any completed parts of the programme stated in ECTS credits. 

Specifically for students who graduated before 15 June 2023
If a student has graduated from DTU before 15 June 2023, they will have been sent a physical diploma by post. If the student has lost their diploma, it is possible to order a copy of the diploma by writing to the Study Administration at verification@adm.dtu.dk.

Credit Transfer, Studying Abroad, Exemption, Leave, etc.

Credit transfer means replacing elements forming part of the student’s study programme at DTU with courses or exams passed at another Danish or foreign educational institution. DTU may grant credit transfer upon submission of an application.

Credit transfer from previous study programmes at the same level (pre-commencement credit transfer)

 

Upon admission to DTU’s BEng, BSc, and MSc programmes, students are obliged to apply for credit transfer for passed programme elements (courses, etc.) from all previous non-completed ordinary study programmes at the same level. This may, for example, be the case if an applicant to a BSc programme has previously been admitted to another BEng or BSc programme without having completed the programme. 

An application for a pre-commencement credit transfer must be filed through www.merit.dtu.dk. Information on the process will be provided in the admission letter from DTU.

If students do not submit an application for credit transfer for previously passed programme elements at the same level or submit incorrect or incomplete information thereon, DTU may retract their enrolment at the university.

If the Head of Studies deems that credit transfer for programme elements can be granted to the mandatory parts of the programme, students will be granted credit transfer.

If it is deemed that credit transfer for programme elements to a mandatory course/project can only be granted partially, it is up to the student to decide whether he/she wants the partial credit transfer. Once the student has used an exam attempt in the mandatory course/project, the decision not to have the partial credit transfer is binding. The transfer is only possible if the partial credit amounts to a minimum of 5 ECTS credits and a minimum of half of the ECTS scope of the course/project.

If it is deemed that credit transfer for programme elements can be granted to the elective category of the programme, students can decide whether they want credit transfer. The optional credit transfer is registered by applying through www.merit.dtu.dk. It is entirely up to the student how much of the optional credit they wish to use and when.

Once granted, a credit transfer for both mandatory and elective parts of the programme cannot be withdrawn.

Students who wish to apply for credit transfer for educational elements from previously completed study programmes at the same level or passed educational elements from previously completed or uncompleted educational courses at a higher level can do so.

For the BEng and BSc programmes, the courses must at least be at a professional bachelor or BEng level. For the MSc programmes, the courses must at least be at the master's level. MSc students may, however, have up to 10 ECTS credits at the bachelor's level as part of the elective courses in their programme.

BEng students who have completed an academy profession programme before admission can apply for credit transfer for parts of the programme provided an established credit transfer agreement has been concluded. For information on currently established credit transfer agreements, please send an email to merit@adm.dtu.dk.

When granted a pre-commencement credit transfer, students can still obtain a diploma from DTU even though credit transfer has been granted for more than half of the programme.

Exam attempts in DTU courses
Exam attempts on failed DTU courses in the previous field of study will only be transferred if such courses are mandatory in the new study programme or are not applicable to a course in the new study programme. Failed courses that can only be transferred as semi-mandatory or elective courses will not be transferred unless the student wishes to take these courses as part of the new study programme.

Students who are admitted to DTU via quota 1 or 2 and who have used exam attempts on failed courses they have previously attended at DTU on another study programme will automatically be assigned three new exam attempts on the relevant courses if these courses may be included in the study programme.

Non-transferrable programme elements
Students cannot be granted transfer of credits from the qualifying programme/exam.

A final project from another educational programme cannot be transferred as a substitution for the final project to a DTU study programme. The project or elements of the project can only be transferred to the student’s programme as a substitution for other programme elements (courses) and if approved by the Head of Study.

Courses/educational elements passed more than five years before admission to DTU cannot - as a general rule - be transferred to the student's enrollment. However, the relevant head of study may make an exemption from this rule based on a specific academic assessment. Whether an exemption can be granted is assessed by the Head of Study in connection with the assessment of the readmission application. Courses that date back more than five years will only be transferred to the applicant's new study programme if the applicant wishes to do so.

Programme deadlines in relation to pre-commencement credit transfer
The maximum study duration is reduced by one semester for every 30 ECTS credits the student has been granted in pre-commencement credit transfer. In the industry MSc Eng Programmes, the maximum study period will be reduced by one semester for every 15 ECTS credits the student has already passed.

Suppose the student has been granted pre-commencement credit transfer on courses that are included in the first-year exam. To pass the first-year exam, the student is only required to pass the remaining elements.

Decision-making authority
The Board of Exemptions for the BSc and MSc programmes (CMDU) and the Board of Exemptions for the BEng programmes (DMDU) have authorized the heads of studies and the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs (AUS) to make decisions in cases related to credit transfer. 

A decision on credit transfer is not valid until the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs (AUS) issues a written decision to the student via email or at www.merit.dtu.dk.

Appeal against decision
If the student does not get their application granted, the student can appeal the decision via email to merit@adm.dtu.dk.

Credit transfer during the study programme

Courses must be ‘passed' to be transferred to the programme.

For BEng programmes, transferred courses must be at the BEng level minimum, i.e. from an engineering college, a university college, or a university.

For BSc programmes, transferred courses must be at the university level. However, BSc students may have as many as 10 ECTS credits at the BEng level as part of the Elective Courses in their BSc programme (valid from 1 September 2020).

For MSc programmes, transferred courses must be at the MSc level. However, MSc students may have as many as 10 ECTS credits at the BSc level as part of the Elective Courses in their MSc programme.

Students cannot get pre-approved to transfer credit above the prescribed total ECTS credits for the study programme and must always try to plan their study according to the prescribed total ECTS credits for the programme. Also, see DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/Teaching'/'Course registration'/'Rules for choice of courses'.

Students cannot have pre-approved or credit-transferred courses that are to replace one or more courses the student is bound by. The head of studies cannot grant the student an exemption from this rule. See the rules on binding courses under Study rules/Teaching/Binding courses. 

As a minimum, BEng and BSc students must pass courses and projects at DTU corresponding to 90 ECTS credits (BEng Arctic Technology and Fisheries Technology minimum105 ECTS credits and BEng Global Business Engineering minimum 120 ECTS credits) to receive a diploma for a full-time study programme at DTU. This rule does not apply to pre-commencement credit transfers.

MSc students must pass courses and projects at DTU corresponding to 60 ECTS credits at minimum to receive a diploma for a full-time study programme at DTU. This rule does not apply to pre-commencement credit transfers.

Choice of courses
Regarding credit transfer to BSc and MSc programmes, a distinction is made between specific engineering courses and general engineering courses. Courses that do not have technical-scientific content but fall within the learning objectives of the study programme are categorized as general engineering courses. These courses are considered part of the elective courses. Students may earn the following number of ECTS credits within the general engineering course category:

  • 15 ECTS credits on the BSc programme
  • 10 ECTS credits on the MSc programme 

Language and culture courses
Language and culture courses cannot be transferred to the programme. neither in connection with pre-commencement credit transfer. 

Final projects
A final project from another Danish or foreign educational institution cannot be transferred to a study programme at DTU. Further rules regarding final projects (BEng project, BSc project, and Master's thesis), including the possibility of preparing the project abroad, are stated in the programme specifications for the said programme. 

MSc students passed MSc courses at their bachelor's programme
On DTU Inside, under 'Study rules'/'Teaching'/'Course registration', you can read about the situation where a master's student on his/her BSc or BEng programme has passed a course that is a general competence course or a technological specialization course in his/her master's programme, and which course the student should choose instead.

Courses taken as single subjects
The student should be aware that courses taken as single subjects while enrolled in a regular full-time programme at DTU cannot be credited toward this full-time programme at a later time.

Pre-approval of credit transfer
Before taking a course or going abroad, students are obliged to apply for pre-approval of credit transfer for planned programme elements from another university or institution of higher education in Denmark or abroad.

The student is responsible for ensuring that the desired courses can be included in the programme's maximum allowed ECTS credits. If the student plans with odd credits in relation to DTU's credit structure of 2½, 5, and 10 ECTS, the student must make sure to plan with other courses so that the plan works. This can be done, for example, by using EuroTeQ courses or project courses.

If the pre-approved courses that the student is taking at the host university change during the semester, the student must submit a new application for a pre-approval of credit transfer. Each application must include a complete list of courses taken at the host university. A new decision for the same period and the same host university will replace former decisions.

By applying, students consent to DTU requesting the necessary information from the host institution regarding the application if the students cannot procure the documentation themselves.

The pre-approval of credit transfer is registered in the study administration system but will not appear in the Study Planner until the student has passed the courses and applied for final credit. 

It is impossible to pre-approve more ECTS credits than there is room for in the student's study programme/framework.

Final credit transfer
The student must apply for final credit for all passed courses and ECTS credits. It is a requirement that all passed ECTS credits must be credited. The student can, therefore, not choose to only apply for credit transfer for some of the passed courses or ECTS points. Once a course has been passed, final credit must be sought, and the credit is binding to the student and cannot be withdrawn. However, according to DTU's specific assessment, fewer ECTS may be transferred if this is necessary for the study plan to fit the limit of ECTS credits in the study programme.

Programme elements that have been credit transferred will be recorded on the student's DTU diploma with the grade 'Passed'. That applies to pre-commencement credit transfers and credit transfers during the study programme. However, if a programme element from another Danish educational institution assessed on the 7-point grading scale is credited as equivalent to a specific DTU course, the grade from that institution will be recorded.

With their application, the student consents that DTU can obtain necessary information for the application, which the student cannot obtain at the host university.

Submission of applications
Applications for pre-approval of credit transfer and final credit transfer are submitted electronically via www.merit.dtu.dk. Other inquiries regarding credit transfer are sent to merit@adm.dtu.dk via the student email.

Applications must include the following:

  • Course description
  • Documentation of level
  • Documentation of workload (ECTS/credits)
  • For final credit transfer, documentation of passed and failed courses and an official description of the grading scale according to which the course is assessed.

Decision-making authority
The Board of Exemptions for the BSc and MSc programmes (CMDU) and the Board of Exemptions for the BEng programmes (DMDU) have authorized the heads of studies and the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs (AUS) to make decisions in cases related to credit transfer. A decision on credit transfer is not valid until the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs (AUS) issues a written decision to the student via email or www.merit.dtu.dk.

The overall processing time for credit transfer applications is approximately 8 weeks from the date the application is received. The processing time may be longer if there is incomplete information or documentation.

Appeal against decision
If the student does not get their application granted, they can appeal the decision via email to merit@adm.dtu.dk.

If the complaint concerns the academic assessment of final credit transfer for Danish educational elements (including pre-commencement credit transfer) or pre-approval of credit transfer for Danish and foreign educational elements, it is processed by a credit transfer appeals board. That only applies if the decision concerns a BSc or MSc student. The deadline for lodging this type of complaint is two weeks from the day the decision letter is sent to the complainant.

Complaints regarding legal matters can be submitted to the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science. Legal matters concern compliance with applicable law in handling a case, including whether the educational regulations for the programme have been followed and whether other laws (e.g., the Public Administration Act) and general administrative legal principles have been adhered to. The complaint must be submitted to the Offivce for Study Programmes and Student Affairs via email to merit@adm.dtu.dk no later than two weeks after the decision has been communicated to the student by email or via www.merit.dtu.dk.

Studying abroad

A thorough description of the possibilities for studying abroad and the application deadlines can be found at DTU Inside under ‘Study Abroad’ or at DTU’s website Studyabroad.dtu.dk and Beyondborders.dtu.dk

To be eligible for an exchange place, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Students enrolled in a BSc or BEng programme must have completed at least two years of study (approximately 120, minimum 110, ECTS credits) before the commencement of the exchange stay unless the student is attending summer school abroad.
  • Students must be enrolled in an ordinary full-time DTU programme at the time of application and during the entire exchange stay. They must also have credit availability for transferring a minimum of 20 ECTS credits from their stay abroad.

Students are expected to be full-time students (30 ECTS credits per semester). Students must have space in their curriculum to obtain pre-approval and credit transfer of a minimum of 20 ECTS points from their study abroad. Students who do not comply with this requirement may be requested to repay any grants received from DTU. All pre-approved courses that have been passed must be transferred to the study programme.

Students must always comply with other study activity requirements and deadlines laid down by DTU, the host university, and other relevant bodies. Information on DTU's study activity requirements and deadlines is available on DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Study Activity Requirements and Deadlines'.

Students are expected to pass and transfer at least 20 ECTS credits per semester (however, not students attending summer school abroad) and comply with other study activity requirements made by DTU, the host university, and other relevant bodies. Students who do not comply with this requirement may be requested to repay any grants received from DTU.

Students must apply for a pre-approved credit transfer for planned programme elements from another institution of higher education in Denmark or abroad before the course/stay is commenced, unless it involves language courses and/or summer school stays. For further information, see the chapter about Credit transfers under the study programme.

Transferring to an MSc programme (transitional semester) and early start of studies

Please note that starting from the academic year 2025/2026, effective from September 1, 2025, new requirements have been announced for approval of a transitional semester. See the announcement and the new rules in Study Announcement s1895.

Transferring to an MSc programme (transitional semester)

Students lacking 55 ECTS credits or less in their BEng/BSc programme at DTU can apply to take MSc courses worth a total of up to 30 ECTS credits, provided that they wish to apply for admission to an MSc programme at DTU and meet the admission requirements and academic prerequisites for admission into the MSc programme in question. The student cannot be granted an exemption to take more than a total of 30 ECTS credits, regardless of how many semesters the student follows the transitional procedure. 

The desired MSc courses can be project courses. In that case, the student in their application must specify the department that delivers the special course and how many ECTS credits the individual special course constitutes.

Students must take courses or the final project as part of their BEng or BSc programme concurrently with the courses forming part of the future MSc programme. However, this rule can be waived if there are special study-related circumstances. Transfer to the MSc programme must not cause an extension of the study period for the BSc Eng/BEng programme beyond the maximum duration of the programme.

The student must file their application via a digital form found at DTU Inside under ‘Study rules’ / ‘Transferring to an MSc programme’. The application must be filled in and sent from the student email to kandidatopt@adm.dtu.dk. The decision regarding the application will be sent to the student email.

When processing the application, DTU emphasises whether the student is deemed to have the academic prerequisites to complete courses on the MSc programme concurrently with completing the BSc/BEng programme.

Deadline for applications:

  • 13-week periods: Three weeks after the beginning of the semester at the latest
  • 3-week periods in June, July, and August: 1 May
  • 3-week period in January: 15 November

Students can only apply for one semester at a time. The autumn semester runs from September to and including January, and the spring semester runs from February to and including August. 

Students who have taken MSc courses concurrently with completing their BSc/BEng programme must still comply with the study activity requirement of 5 ECTS following admission to the MSc programme. The number of transferred ECTS credits will not be deducted from the study activity requirement. 

The maximum study duration is reduced by one semester if students have passed 30 ECTS credits of MSc courses under the transitional procedure.

Registration for courses under a transitional procedure
Course registration under the transitional procedure must be done via the digital application form. If the student wishes to change his/her course during the transitional semester, including unsubscribing for a course, this must be done by sending a new, updated application form to the Study Administration via student email at studadm@adm.dtu.dk

Application for a master's programme after the transitional procedure
The student must apply for admission to the master's programme when they are about to complete the BEng or BSc programme. See more about applying for the master's programmes at dtu.dk under 'Master'/'How to apply for MSc programmes'. 

MSc courses passed under the transitional procedure
MSc courses passed under the transitional procedure will automatically be transferred from the BEng/BSc programme when the student is admitted to the MSc programme.

If the student chooses a different MSc study programme than that originally planned, only passed MSc courses, which are mandatory for the new study programme, will be transferred. The student can always ask to have passed electives transferred. The same rules then apply when changing the study programme.

MSc courses not passed under the transitional procedure
MSc courses not passed under the transitional procedure are binding to the student, cf. the rules on binding courses. That also applies to elective courses if the student applies for admission to the same MSc programme that they chose during the transitional procedure. Find more information on DTU Inside under 'Study Rules'/'Teaching'/ 'Binding Courses'. Thus, not passed courses will be transferred from the BEng/BSc programme when the student is admitted to the MSc programme.

If the student applies to do a different MSc study programme than that originally planned, his or her binding registration for a failed course will be cancelled unless the course is mandatory in the new study programme.

SU on completion of BEng/BSc programme
The BEng/BSc programme is completed when the grade in the last course/project on the study programme has been registered. That also applies even if the final grade is registered in the middle of the semester and even if the courses in the semester that the transfer of courses concerns are not yet concluded.

When the BEng/BSc programme is completed, the student will no longer be entitled to receive SU or a completion loan because the student is no longer enrolled in a study programme, even though the student is still following courses in the semester that the transfer of courses concerns.

Early start of studies at the MSc programme

When a student has been finally admitted to the MSc programme and thus also passed any supplementary courses, it is possible to take courses from the MSc programme in the 3-week periods leading up to the start of studies. If you start the MSc programme on 1 February, you can, therefore, take a course in January, and if you start the MSc programme on 1 September, you can take courses in July and August.

If you want to apply to take courses before the formal start of studies on the MSc programme, you must write from your student email to kandidopt@adm.dtu.dk and state which course(s) you wish to follow with course numbers. This is also evident in your admission letter.

Information about the possibility of receiving the State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme (SU) for early start of studies can be found on DTU Inside under 'Academic Offers and Guidance/State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme (SU)'.

When you get a reply that it is possible to take the course, you must register for the course yourself at Studieplan.dtu.dk. Registration must be done within the registration and deregistration deadlines for the teaching period in question. See registration and deregistration deadlines on DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Teaching'/Registration deadlines for courses and examinations'.

Leave of absence

If, as a student, you wish to apply for a leave of absence, there are three different types of leave available. A student can apply for leave multiple times during their study period.

  1. Right to leave of absence (maternity/paternity leave, adoption and military service)
  2. Leave of absence for special reasons (e.g., personal illness or illness of a close relative)
  3. Leave of absence without reason

Right to leave of absence (maternity/paternity leave, adoption, and military service)
Students have the right to be granted leave from their studies for up to one continuous year per leave period, provided they submit the necessary documentation showing they are taking maternity leave, have adopted a child, or are required to perform military service.

More information about options for students who become parents during their studies can be found on DTU Inside under "Study Rules"/"Leave of absence".

Leave of absence due to special reasons (e.g., personal illness or illness of a close relative)

  • Personal, long-term illness, including mental illness
    Documentation could be a medical certificate or other medical statement indicating that the student cannot study due to illness. The documentation must specify when the student is or is expected to be ill.
  • Illness of a close relative
    That could involve caring for or supporting a close relative who is disabled, seriously ill, or dying. Close relatives are typically parents, grandparents, children, and spouses/partners. Other individuals may also be considered close relatives if the student explains why they should be considered close relatives and provides medical documentation proving the person is seriously ill.
  • Elite athletes
    Learn more about being a student and an elite athlete on DTU Inside under "Academic Offers and Guidance" / "Elite Sports".
  • Other special circumstances
    Other circumstances that prevent the student from actively studying. These circumstances must not be self-imposed, and the special circumstances must be documented.

Deadlines related to the program, including the first-year exam and the maximum study time, are extended by the leave period, calculated in whole semesters.

Extension of leave beyond one year
If the student wishes to extend an ongoing leave period beyond one year with the same reason, the student must apply for an exemption to extend the leave period via www.dispensation.dtu.dk. Extensions of leave can only be granted with a special justification. Read more about submitting an exemption application on DTU Inside under 'Study Rules'/'Leave of absence'.

Leave of absence without reason
Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Engineering students can apply for leave of absence without providing a reason once they have completed at least 60 ECTS credits. For Bacheor of Engineering programmes, these 60 ECTS credits must constitute the first year of study as per the curriculum. For Bachelor of Science in Engineering students, the 60 ECTS credits must be earned from mandatory courses (elective courses do not count).

Master’s students can apply for leave once they have completed 30 ECTS credits from mandatory courses (elective courses do not count).

Leave can be granted for up to one semester. The leave period cannot be extended.

Leave during the final project
When applying for a leave of absence during the final project, the application must be accompanied by a statement from the project supervisor. It is the supervisor who, based on an academic assessment, determines whether the project deadline can be postponed corresponding to the leave period. If the supervisor cannot support a longer-term postponement of the project, that means the project cannot be extended during the leave period, and the student has used an exam attempt unless the student can provide documentation of illness, in which case the student receives the registration 'SYG' (ill). Read more about this registration at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exam'/'Assessment forms and grading'. 

The relevant curriculum describes what opportunities the student has to apply for an extension of the submission deadline for the final project, e.g., in case of illness. See DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Final projects'.

Application for leave of absence
The student must send their leave application along with documentation to the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs at studadm@adm.dtu.dk from their student email. The application form can be found on DTU Inside under "Study Rules"/"Leave of absence".

The application must be submitted no later than three weeks into the leave period the student is applying for. A leave period may fall in the middle of a semester. Leave of absence cannot be granted retroactively beyond three weeks.

Consequences of the three types of leave of absence
All study activities must stop during the period of leave. That includes participation in courses and the submission of assignments/projects. Students will not receive monthly grants (SU) during their leave of absence. Questions on SU must be addressed to the SU team in the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs. Find contact information at DTU Inside under 'Academic offers and guidance'/'Guidance options'/'SU Office.

Students should also be aware that there may be special rules for study activity requirements for study accommodation/dormitories. Questions about this must be directed to the housing association/dormitory company in question.

Students may only exercise their voting rights and retain their eligibility during a leave of absence period exceeding six months if the leave expires at the beginning of the term of office at the latest.

During the period of leave, students must stay updated on study announcements posted by DTU.

Termination of leave prematurely
Students who want to return to their studies before the end of their leave of absence must write to the Study Information at studadm@adm.dtu.dk from their student mail. 

Deadlines that have been postponed (first-year exam and maximum duration of study time) are not adjusted unless the student terminates the leave early by a full semester. In that case, the postponement of deadlines will be revised accordingly.

Students who are in conflict with DTU's rules of study
If the student submitted an exemption application due to conflict with DTU's rules of study before their leave, the student may withdraw the application if a final exemption decision has not been made yet. Once an exemption decision has been made, this decision will be binding and cannot be annulled.

Special rules for non-EU-EEA students with a residence permit in Denmark
A student who is a non-EU/EEA citizen waiver student and has a Danish student residence permit should be aware that his/her student residence permit may be revoked by the Danish immigration authorities (SIRI), even if DTU grants a leave of absence. According to the law, DTU must inform SIRI when this group of students get a leave of absence from the university. Revocation of the student's residence permit by SIRI means that the student has to leave Denmark immediately. When the students are ready to resume their studies, they must apply for a new Danish student residence permit from their home country.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering students can get more information on this by writing to optagelse@adm.dtu.dk. Master students can get more information by writing to mscadmissions@adm.dtu.dk

SU (State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme)

Rules on SU can be found on the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science website: www.su.dk. All rules governing SU can be found in the Danish Act on the State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme (SU-loven) and the Ministerial Order on the Danish State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme (SU-bekendtgørelsen), (see ‘Love og bekendtgørelser’). These rules constitute the basis for decisions made by the SU office at DTU.

Further information about SU can be found at DTU Inside under ‘State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme (SU)’.

Students should note the differences between DTU’s study-related rules and the legislation governing the State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme. Therefore, exemptions from DTU’s study-related rules will not take account of SU issues. Likewise, SU-related decisions will not impact DTU’s study-related rules.

That means that students who are granted an exemption from DTU’s study-related rules do not necessarily comply with the terms of the Danish Act on the State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme for continuing to receive SU. Therefore, students may risk losing their SU despite any decisions made by DTU.

Withdrawal from study programmes

Students who wish to withdraw from their study programme at DTU must fill out a withdrawal form at DTU Inside under 'Study rules’/‘Withdrawal from study programmes’. The filled-out form must be sent from the DTU student mail to studadm@adm.dtu.dk.

Please note a withdrawal cannot be cancelled.

It is not allowed to be enrolled in more than one full-time education at a time. If the student is admitted to another full-time programme outside DTU, he or she must actively withdraw from their studies at DTU. That does not happen automatically. 

If the student is considering applying for admission to DTU later on, read more about the admission rules on DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Readmission'.

It is possible for students to temporarily interrupt their studies by applying for a leave of absence if it is justified in special documented circumstances. Read more about leave of absence at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Leave of absence'.

If the student is newly admitted to DTU and wishes to withdraw from the programme in the first semester before 30 September (summer start) and 28 February (winter start), withdrawal is made by contacting the admission office:

If the student has questions or needs guidance before withdrawing from their studies, DTU Study Guidance can be contacted.

Special rules for non-EU/EEA students with a residence permit in Denmark
A student who is a non-EU/EEA fee-paying OR waiver student and has a Danish student residence permit should be aware that his/her student residence permit may be revoked by the Danish immigration authorities (SIRI). DTU is obliged to inform SIRI when non-EU/EEA students withdraw from the University. Revocation of the student's residence permit by SIRI means that the student has to leave Denmark immediately.

Bachelor students: for more information on this, please write to optagelse@adm.dtu.dk.
Master students: for more information on this, please write to mscadmissions@adm.dtu.dk

Readmission into BSc Eng and BENG programmes

If previously enrolled students want to study at DTU again, they can apply for readmission.

Rules regarding readmission only apply if a student applies for the same study degree. All BSc Eng are considered the same type of degree, and all BEng are considered the same type of degree. If the student previously studied one type of programme and now wishes to apply for a new type of programme, the student must apply for admission or a change of study programme.

Applicants who have withdrawn from their study programme themselves, or DTU has withdrawn them, can be readmitted in the same field of study programme within the same type of degree (BSc, BEng, or MSc) at the earliest five months after their enrollment at DTU was terminated. In relation to the summer admission that means an applicant must be disenrolled by 1 April to be able to resume the semester starting 1 September. 

If applicants apply for readmission and have already completed a master's programme, they will be covered by the master rule ('kandidatreglen'), which means that you can only be admitted if there is a vacant seat on the programme. 

Applicants who are in conflict with DTU's study rules
Applicants who have been disenrolled from their study programme by DTU because of violation of DTU's rules (the first-year exam, used up exam attempts or maximum duration of the study, etc.) or who are in violation of those rules at the time of application for readmission will need to apply for an exemption. Such an application is only to be submitted once you have applied for readmission and once DTU has notified you. Please note that ann exemption must be applied for regardless of whether the student is applying for a place on a different study programme than the one in which the student was previously enrolled. 

In connection with the application for exemption, DTU assesses whether the applicant's opportunities to complete the education have significantly improved since they were last enrolled at DTU. This assessment can, i.a., include academic and health conditions. The applicant must thus not apply for an exemption for the rule with which they were in conflict. Instead, they must focus on how the opportunities to complete the study programme have been improved.

If the application for an exemption is accepted, it will be assessed whether the applicant can be readmitted. If it cannot be accepted, the student’s application for readmission will be rejected.

Read more about exemption from DTU's rules at DTU Inside under 'Study rules'/'Exemption'.

Limitation period for previously passed courses
Courses/educational elements passed more than five years before readmission to DTU cannot - as a general rule - be transferred to the student's new enrollment. However, the relevant head of study may, in special cases, make an exemption from this rule based on a specific academic assessment. Whether an exemption can be granted is assessed by the head of studies in connection with the assessment of the readmission application. Courses that date back more than five years will only be transferred to the applicant's new study programme if the applicant wishes to do so.

Application and application deadlines
Readmission with study start on 1 September
Applicants who apply for readmission must be aware of which application deadlines they must follow. Application deadlines are found at DTU.dk under ‘Readmission and change of study programme’.

However, it should be noted that applicants who have passed between 0 and 59 ECTS credits on higher education programmes must apply for readmission no later than 15 March at 12 noon.

It should also be noted that applicants who have already passed 60 ECTS credits or more on higher education programmes must apply for readmission no later than 1 May.

If the applicant's qualifying exam is only admissible in quota 2, or if the applicant wishes to be assessed in quota 2, the application deadline is 15 March at 12 noon.

Applications for readmission are submitted via www.optagelse.dk.

Readmission with study start on 1 February
Applicants who apply for readmission must be aware of which application deadlines they must follow. Application deadlines are found at DTU.dk under ‘Readmission and change of study programme’.

However, it should be noted that applicants who have between 0-59 ECTS credits in higher education programmes must apply for readmission no later than 15 October.

It should also be noted that applicants who have already passed 60 ECTS credits or more on higher education programmes must apply for readmission no later than 1 November.

If the applicant's qualifying exam is only admissible in quota 2, or if the applicant wishes to be assessed in quota 2, the application deadline is 15 October at 12 noon.

Readmission is applied via an application form available during the application period at DTU.dk under ‘Readmission and change of study programme’.

Processing of the application
Applicants may be readmitted either outside the ordinary admission or through ordinary admission.

Applicants will be readmitted outside the ordinary admission (quotas 1 and 2) if all the following conditions are met:

  • The applicants meet the applicable admission requirements for the study programme.
  • The applicants are granted an exemption following any application for this.
  • The applicants have passed courses corresponding to the first academic year of the study programme for which they are applying for readmission.
    In a BEng programme, the first year of study is passed if at least the first and second semesters of the study programme in question have been passed.
    In a BSc programme, the first year of study is passed if a minimum of 60 ECTS credits from the three mandatory blocks of courses (Enrolled before September 2023: basic natural science courses, technological specialization courses, and projects and professional skills courses // Enrolled after September 2023: the Polytechnic foundation, programme-specific courses, and projects) have been passed.
  • There are vacant places at the level of study on the study programme for which the applicants are applying. If the number of students applying for readmission exceeds the number of vacant study places, the places will be distributed in decreasing order of grade point average from the qualifying upper secondary school exam.

Applicants will be readmitted through ordinary admission (quotas 1 and 2) if all the criteria mentioned below are met:

  • The applicants meet the applicable admission requirements for the study programme.
  • The applicants are granted an exemption following any application for this.
  • The applicants have not passed courses corresponding to the first academic year of the study programme for which they are applying for readmission.
    - On a BEng programme, the first year of study has been passed if a minimum of the first and second semesters of the study programme in question have been passed.
    - On a BSc programme, the first year of study has been passed if a minimum of 60 ECTS credits from the three mandatory blocks of courses (Enrolled before September 2023: basic natural science courses, technological specialization courses, and projects and professional skills courses // Enrolled after September 2023: the Polytechnic foundation, Programme specific courses and Projects) have been passed.
  • The applicants’ grade point average is high enough for admission through quota 1, or if the applicants are prioritized high enough to be admitted through quota 2.

Deadlines, courses, and exam attempts

Deadlines
The maximum study period for readmitted students is the prescribed study period + one year from the readmission date. The maximum study period will be reduced by one semester for every 30 ECTS credits the student has already passed.

Courses
If the student is readmitted to the same BEng or BSc programme, all compulsory and optional courses that the student has previously passed or failed in this programme will automatically be transferred to the new enrollment and will, therefore, still be part of the student's new study plan.

Exam attempts 

  • Readmission to the same study programme
    The student is granted a new exam attempt on courses for which all exam attempts have been used if the course forms part of the study programme.
  • Readmission to a new study programme through ordinary admission (quotas 1 and 2)
    For students who are readmitted to DTU on a new study programme, the number of used exam attempts on failed courses they have previously attended at DTU is zeroed. The students are allocated three new exam attempts on the courses in question if these courses can be included in the study programme to which the students are now readmitted.
  • Readmission to a new study programme outside the ordinary admission (quotas 1 and 2)
    The students are granted a new exam attempt on courses for which all exam attempts have been used if the course forms part of the study programme.