Step-by-step

Students at Natural Sciences and Technical Sciences have good opportunities to take an exchange programme abroad. The best time to study abroad is stated in your academic regulations. If you have any questions about the structure of your degree programme and the best time to take credit-bearing courses abroad, you can contact your student counsellor.

An exchange must not prolong the time it takes you to complete your degree. Consequently, you must plan your studies abroad so that you earn 30 ECTS credits per semester, just as in Denmark. You can apply to study abroad for one or two semesters.

The guide below may also be useful to students organising their own period of study abroad (free movers).

Step 1: Prior to applying

  • Search for agreements that are relevant for your study area and find a university in a country of interest to you in MoveONs database. The database contains descriptions of all the partner universities. You can also read about any special requirements, and find links to the university website and course catalogues to help you draw up your study plan etc.
  • Study the courses offered by the partners that are of interest. For each partner, you have to choose courses corresponding to 30 ECTS within the agreement framework.
  • Note whether the semester structure at the foreign university matches the structure in Denmark
  • We recommend that you write a minimum of three priorities on your list.
  • You are welcome to book an appointment with your international coordinator via our booking system, if you need guidance on your application or studying abroad in general.
  • You can contact your international academic coordinator, if you need guidance on courses, and he or she may refer you to your head of degree programme.
  • In addition, we recommend that you join the Study Abroad fair and similar events at Nat-Tech.

Step 2: Submit your application

You submit you application electronically via MoveON before expiry of the application deadline.

Your information and your priorities of universities are registered and locked when you press 'Submit', after which it is no longer possible to make changes to your application.

For questions related to the application system, please send an e-mail to: studyabroad@au.dk

Step 3: Consideration of applications

All applications will be considered by the International Office Nat-Tech after the application deadline. 

For the May round, you will receive a reply within two weeks.

For the December round, you will receive a reply within seven weeks.

If there are a lot of applications for one university, and only a few places, the international coordinator will assess who is to have the places. The assessment will be based on a student's years of seniority and average grade.

When the process is complete, you will be contacted directly by email by the relevant coordinator, who will state whether you have been nominated for a place at one of the universities you have applied for.

The international coordinators will write to the foreign university and tell them about the students from AU who will be applying for the university.

 

Step 4: Advance approval of credit transfer

During the semester before you go abroad, you must submit an application for advance approval of the courses you want to take at the foreign university.

If you are in doubt as to whether the courses can be approved, you must contact your head of degree programme to get guidance before you apply for pre-approval. You will find contact information in the menu under 'Contact and Study Service > 'Heads of degree programme and Education Committees'.

You will find more information on advance approval of credit transfer in the menu under 'Study Abroad' -> 'How to apply' -> 'Advance approval of credit transfer and ECTS' 

Step 5: Submit your application to the host university

Once the coordinator has nominated all students to the foreign universities, the respective universities send notification about the application procedure to either the coordinator, or usually directly to the student.

You must apply as an exchange student at the foreign university yourself.

Note: Being nominated for a place is no guarantee that you will be admitted to the foreign university.

  • Follow the application procedure guidelines you receive from the foreign university/your coordinator at AU, and study the university's website carefully to make sure you understand the application procedure, deadlines, practical issues such as accommodation, etc.
  • Do a language test – if required. Language tests are mainly required by overseas universities. This will be stated in the agreement.
  • In connection with ERASMUS+/Nordplus exchanges, your application must usually be accompanied by a signed Learning Agreement. A Learning Agreement contains your study plan/your courses at the foreign university, and you must make sure that it is signed by you, your contact at the foreign university and your international coordinator at Nat-Tech by no later than two weeks before you leave. You will receive this document by e-mail from AU prior to your departure from Denmark.

Step 6: Prior to departure

There are a number of things to do prior to departure. For example, you must order tickets, take out insurance, apply for a visa and residence permit, arrange to sublet your flat etc. Read more about this under Prior to departure.

We advise that you apply for a Faculty scholarship at Nat-Tech as a lump sum subsidy for your stay abroad

It is also a good idea to apply for other financing to supplement your budget.

If you are travelling through ERASMUS+, NORDPLUS or Nordlys, you will automatically be nominated for a monthly grant.

If you are travelling through an overseas agreement, your study costs will be covered, but you will not receive a monthly grant.

As a free-mover, you can explore options to apply for a foreign scholarship.

You will receive an invitation from the International Centre to a pre-departure meeting.

Step 7: While abroad

If have to make changes to your study plan abroad (e.g. if a course is not offered after all for some reason), you should contact your board of studies by email for approval of the changes.

If you are a free-mover, you should apply for new preliminary approval of credit transfer from your board of studies at mit.au.dk.

Note whether the new course is equivalent in terms of ECTS credits and level.

If you are on exchange under ERASMUS+ or NORDPLUS/Nordlys, your Learning Agreement must also be revised.

  • Once you have received confirmation of approval of the changes in the form of a new preliminary approval or some other form of written confirmation, the changes must be inserted into Part II of the ERASMUS+ Learning Agreement document.
  • After this, you must again sign and obtain the necessary signatures from your host university and your international coordinator at Nat-Tech.
  • Please note that your international coordinator will only be able to sign the document if a written academic approval is submitted together with the revised Learning Agreement.

Step 8: After returning home

After returning home, you should apply for final approval of the credit transfer to your board of studies via your self-service page at mystudies.au.dk

The following documentation must be included with your application for credit:

  • your transcript of records (transcript/certificate) with stamp and signature from the foreign university, and an overview of the marking scale from the foreign university.

Complete an evaluation about your stay abroad on MoveON.

After returning home, you will be invited to a Reentry workshop. At the workshop, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the academic and personal competencies you have acquired from your studies abroad. You will also learn how you can talk about your skills, when applying for a jobs.