Exemptions from admission requirements

If exceptional circumstances have had a negative impact on your grades or overall grade point average (GPA), you may apply for an exemption from grade-based admission requirements.

An exemption means that SDU can take your circumstances into account when assessing your application. An exemption does not guarantee admission.

Examples of exceptional circumstances can be:

• serious physical or mental illness
• accident with lasting or permanent injury
• serious illness or death in your immediate family
• uncompensated dyslexia or dyscalculia.

Circumstances such as lack of opportunity, changed interests or exam nerves are not considered exceptional. You must be able to document the exceptional circumstances.

How to apply

To apply for an exemption from grade requirements you must:

• apply for admission through the regular admission process via optagelse.dk (open from 1 February - 15 March).
• fill in and submit SDU’s exemption form (available 1 February – 15 March)

SDU attaches the exemption form to your application.

It may be relevant for you to apply for exemptions from more than one grade requirement.

If you are eligible for application via your GPA (Grade Point Average) and your GPA is lower than the GPA required for admission and you have experienced exceptional circumstances, you can apply for exemption from "grade requirement under quota 1" or "exemption from admission GPA". If you choose to do so, it is a good idea to take the admission test (uniTEST) to enhance your chances of admission in case your application for exemption is rejected.

If you wish to apply for admission to Medicine, there is a GPA requirement of 4,0. If your GPA is lower and you have experienced exceptional circumstances, you can apply for exemption.

If you apply for exemption, you must take the admission test (uniTEST), even if you have not yet received a reply to your application for exemption. If your application for exemption is rejected, you cannot be accepted for admission regardless of how you did on the admission test.

Documentation

Remember to upload documentation to optagelse.dk when you apply for admission:

• a written explanation of how the circumstances affected your grades or GPA.
• professional documentation (e.g. medical certificates, specialist statements or official records)

Documentation must be relevant, clear and issued by a qualified professional. Documentation from professionals must include:

• Your name, CPR number (Danish Civil Registration System) or date of birth 
• Dates of first and latest consultation, hospitalisation, therapy session etc.
• Description of whether professional judgements have been made on the basis of the professional’s examinations or the patient’s statements
• Description of condition and ability to study
• Date of issue/print of the documentation
• Name of professional and hospital department, private practice, educational institution or similar. CBR no./provider no., signature/stamp
• Printouts from Sundhed.dk or Lectio must show the URL (website address).

Any cost associated with obtaining documentation is at your own expense.

Deadline for application is 15 March at 12 noon (CET).

Assessment of your application

When assessing your application, SDU considers:

• whether the circumstances were beyond your control.
• how long the circumstances affected you (short-term or long-term).
• whether there is a clear and documented connection between the circumstances and your academic performance.

SDU cannot disregard admission requirements, but we assess whether you were placed at a disadvantage compared to other applicants.

You will receive a reply via SDU’s self-service system sdu.dk/admission.

If you do not meet the specific requirements for subjects or levels for the bachelor's programme you wish to apply for, but you have similar qualifications, you can apply for recognition of equivalent academic qualifications.

You must be able to document that you have acquired equivalent academic knowledge in another way. For example if you:

• have passed similar subjects as part of another education.
• have completed academic courses at a comparable level.

SDU assesses the equivalence by comparing your qualifications with the academic level in Danish upper secondary subjects (A/B/C level). You must be able to document equivalent subject content and level.

Work experience cannot be used as a basis for recognition.

You cannot apply for recognition of equivalent academic qualifications because you lacked the opportunity to take the required subject or because you experienced exceptional circumstances.

How to apply

To apply for recognition of equivalent academic qualifications you must:

• apply for admission through the regular admission process via optagelse.dk (open from 1 February - 15 March).
• fill in and submit SDU’s exemption form (available 1 February – 15 March).

SDU attaches the exemption form to your application.

Documentation

Remember to upload documentation to optagelse.dk when you apply for admission. Relevant documentation could be:

• diploma
• transcript of grades
• course descriptions

Deadline for application is 15 March at 12 noon (CET).

Alternative options

If you cannot document equivalent academic qualifications, there are other options.

Supplementary courses

If you are missing required subjects, you may be able to complete the subjects as supplementary courses.

Individual skill assessment

In some cases, VUC (adult education centres) may be a better option than recognition of equivalent academic qualifications, because VUC can conduct formal academic assessments and issue certificates valid across institutions.

SDU can only assess your application on the basis of submitted documentation, whereas VUC can conduct additional academic tests and examinations to assess your level.  

An individual skill assessment will grant you a certificate of skill proficiency, which will be recognised equally with a specific subject requirement – unless there is a grade requirement for the subject. The certificate can be applied across education programmes and educational institutions. 

How to apply with an individual skill assessment

EU/EEA applicants

When you submit your application to optagelse.dk you must indicate whether you will complete the skill assessment before or after 5 July.

If you upload your certificate to optagelse.dk by 5 July at 12 noon (CET), your supplementary course is included in the assessment of your application to SDU.

If you have not finished the course or uploaded the certificate by 5 July, any offer of admission to SDU will be conditional on you passing the supplementary course(s) by 31 August. You must upload the course certificate to SDU's self-service system sdu.dk/admission by 31 August. 

Non-EU/non-EEA applicants

If you are from a country outside of the EU/ EEA, you must upload your certificate by 5 July at 12 noon (CET).

If your application is missing documentation after 5 July, it cannot be processed.

Pre-assessment

You can request a pre-assessment of your qualifications if you know well in advance that you want to apply for admission.

If you do not hold formal upper secondary qualifications, you may apply for admission on other grounds.

This requires that you can document academic qualifications equivalent to upper secondary level, for example a professional bachelor’s degree programme or a vocational education with substantial theoretical content

You must still meet programme-specific subject requirements.

How to apply

To apply for admission on other grounds you must:

• apply for admission through the regular admission process via optagelse.dk (open from 1 February - 15 March).
• fill in and submit SDU’s exemption form (available 1 February - 15 March).

SDU attaches the exemption form to your application. 

Documentation

Remember to upload documentation optagelse.dk when you apply for admission. Relevant documentation could be:

• CV
• documentation of specific subject requirements 
• documentation of written assignments.

Deadline for application is 15 March at 12 noon (CET).

Pre-assessment

You can request a pre-assessment of your qualifications if you know well in advance that you want to apply for admission.

If you already hold a master's degree, you may not be eligible for admission to a new study programme because of the master's degree rule.

In exceptional cases, you might be granted an exemption from the master's degree rule. You can apply for an exemption if you can document that you are no longer able to use your master’s degree professionally due to exceptional circumstances.

An exemption does not guarantee admission, but allows your application to be assessed on equal terms with other applicants.