
Apply for a study stay (exchange) at a partner university
International Office, Aalborg University has made it easy and manageable to apply for an exchange at an AAU partner university. Contact us if you need help.

All about applying for exchange at an AAU partner university
It is important to carefully consider when in the course of your education, you wish to integrate a study period abroad into your educational program.
It is recommendable that you have reached a fairly high academic level (completed 4th or 5th semester) and a certain amount of personal maturity. Some financial support schemes require that a certain academic level has been reached.
The later semesters of your education usually have a structure (more freedom to choose between courses and specializations), making it easier to obtain credit transfer. Your student counselors and/or the study board can assist you when determining which semester(s) would be the best to go for a study period abroad.
Aalborg University has entered cooperation agreements with partner universities all over the world.
There are several types of exchange agreements:
- Erasmus = agreements inside Europe
- Bilaterale = overseas agreements
- Nord…. = agreements within the Nordic countries
- ISEP = speciel programme in the US
You may search for exchange agreements in our database. Please remember to search by your own study board, that way you will be searching for relevant agreements.
Directory of exchange agreements
It is important to keep in mind that the form of study and educational structure at Aalborg University is quite unique. As a result, you cannot expect to find the same form of study and educational structure at the foreign educational institution.
When you want to apply for a semester abroad, you must submit your application to International Office's (IO) online application system. When you apply for a study place at a partner university, you automatically apply for a grant as well.
Application deadlines
To increase your chances of getting a scholarship, we recommend that you apply before:
- 1st of March for stays during in spring semester
- 1st of November for stays in the fall semester
It is still possible to apply for a grant and a study place after this deadline - provided that the deadline at the partner university has not expired.
Apply for an exchange abroad
Most of our exchange agreements have two available places per academic year. They are allocated on a first come first served basis. The new available places are released every year by 15 September. - for instance, were the places for the academic year 2022/23 released in September 2021.
Apply for a place at one of our partner universities abroad
After this, your wish will be evaluated by IO and you can expect one of the following results with more information:
- Approved - you have chosen a relevant agreement and your choice has been approved by International Office. Now you can apply for an advance credit transfer at your study board. International Office will nominate you which means that we will send a message to the partner university to let them know that you will be coming as an exchange student. After this, you will receive information about how to apply, the deadline, etc.
- Rejected - your choice of university has been rejected most likely because you have chosen an agreement that is not for your study program or the agreement is only for either undergraduate or graduate students.
You can only apply for one place at a time. If rejected, you can apply again.
Important: Necessary documents to upload
The following documents must be uploaded to the system by 1 June (autumn semester) and 1 November (spring semester).
- Admission letter from the host institution abroad.
- An advance credit transfer from the Study Board at AAU and for Erasmus+ students also an Erasmus+ Learning Agreement for Studies.
Read the section "Erasmus exchange in particular" if you are applying for a stay within the EU/EEA
You must apply for an advance credit transfer before you leave to study abroad.
- Choose the study program and/or courses that you want to follow at the foreign university in cooperation with your academic adviser.
- Apply for advance credit transfer at your study board. This is to ensure that you will get a credit transfer for your foreign stay when you return to AAU.
- You must choose courses that add up to a semester: 30 ECTS or equivalent. However, it is a good idea to choose more courses that you need as it happens that a course falls through.
- Examine if your study board has a special form that you need to fill in. If not, make your application. In both cases remember to enclose a detailed description of the courses you are going to follow.
- Also examine if there are deadlines for applying for advance credit transfer.
- During the exchange: Be aware that the approval from the study board is preliminary approval, which must be finally confirmed when you return to AAU after your stay abroad. Therefore, any intended changes in your foreign study program must be discussed with your academic adviser as well as your study board beforehand. This is to make sure that you will not be faced with any problems when the final approval will take place upon your return to AAU.
- After your return: You must send or hand in documentation to the study board to prove that you have followed your foreign study program and activities as planned and that you have fulfilled the requirements on which you have received the preliminary approval. This documentation will be issued by your host university and can vary a lot from university to university as to design and content.
Important: Note that credit transfer of your study activities abroad is a requirement for obtaining financial support from the various support schemes related to student exchange.
Contact your study secretary regarding the pre-approved credit transfer application process.
- Be sure which semester you are allowed to study abroad
- Examine AAU agreements*. Remember to check the Note. It will show when you choose the university. See the list of agreements
- Enter the website for the university in question and search for courses (it is a good idea to do so in cooperation with your Study Advisor/ Professor). Choose courses that can give you a credit transfer (30 ECTS or equivalent)
- Search for application deadlines
- If you have any questions before choosing a university, please contact us at International Office. You will find the right employee at the International Office here.
- When you have found a university then apply for an exchange place in International Office's online system. Choose only one university.
- Your wish will be evaluated by International Office and you will receive a notification when your wish has been approved (if rejected, you can apply for another place)
- If your application is approved by the IO, you must apply for advance credit transfer at your Study Board. You must apply for courses corresponding to 30 ECTS (mostly 3-5 courses). Please pay special attention to the deadline for applying for advance credit transfer at your study board.
- You will receive information on how to apply at the university abroad, deadlines etc. as soon as possible (if you have submitted your application early, please note that you will not get this information until the time of the stay is approaching).
- Make sure to follow the procedure very precisely
- Important: Remember to take out insurances that will fully cover your stay abroad (both health, liability, and accident insurance are necessary).
*You can apply to a university within your faculty. If the study board is listed, choose in compliance with this. You can choose between agreements within your field of study or a "nonspecified subject area".
Nonspecified subject area = Agreements which apply to the whole university. Generally, you can choose between all the courses they offer.
You are not supposed to pay the Tuition Fee within these agreements.
Do you have any questions? You can contact us at International Office
Important about Erasmus+ exchange in particular (EU/EEA)
Talk to a supervisor from International Office
As an AAU student, you can receive guidance on staying abroad during your studies. You may be in doubt about what makes sense regarding your studies when you can travel, and how to go about it. Maybe you are also in doubt whether it is something for you. Book a time for guidance by calling or sending an email to the right person (please see the overview below).

Contact International Office
If you want to talk to a supervisor from International Office, you need to book an appointment in advance by calling or sending an email to the right employee. Please indicate whether you prefer the guidance to be held physically, by phone, or via teams.

Find the emails and phone numbers here
The office is basically staffed Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9-15, and Friday 9-14.
To ensure you get the best guidance, we recommend that you book an interview about your topic by sending an email to the right employee.
Write if you prefer the guidance to be held physically, by phone, or via teams.
Shared email: internationaloffice@aau.dk.
Trine Vaagholt Østergaard (study abroad)
Tlf.: 9940 9656
Mail: trn@adm.aau.dk
Gitte Nørgaard Jensen (projectoriented course abroad)
Tlf.: 9940 7501
Mail: gij@adm.aau.dk
Lotte Sølvkær (incoming exchange students)
Tlf.: 9940 9592
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / lso@adm.aau.dk
Rikke R. Sørensen (incoming exchange students)
Tlf.: 9940 7576
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / rhs@adm.aau.dk
Kenneth Kiel Jensen (study abroad)
Tlf.: 9940 9650
Mail: exchangeoverseas@adm.aau.dk/kkjen@adm.aau.dk
Gitte Nørgaard Jensen (projectoriented course abroad)
Tlf.: 9940 7501
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / gij@adm.aau.dk
Mette Sæderup Thorvaldsen (incoming exchange students)
Tlf.: 9940 7512
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / mes@adm.aau.dk
Lotte Sølvkær (Erasmus outside EU/EEA)
Tlf.: 9940 9295
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / lso@adm.aau.dk
Rikke R. Sørensen (Erasmus outside EU/EEA)
Tlf.: 9940 7576
Mail: internationaloffice@aau.dk / rhs@adm.aau.dk