As a bachelor's student at SDU, you can apply for permission to take master's level courses while you are still completing your bachelor's degree. This exception allows you to begin master's courses even if you haven't yet finished your undergraduate studies. This option may be relevant if, for example, your bachelor's studies have been delayed.
This means you can remain a full-time student even if you're missing a few ECTS credits from your bachelor's degree, allowing you to continue your education without further delay.
Eligibility Requirements
To apply for this permission, you must:
- Be enrolled in a full-time bachelor's programme.
- Apply for admission to a full-time master's programme.
Academic Assessment
You will be granted permission if it is assessed that you have the academic qualifications to complete your bachelor's degree and simultaneously follow master's level courses. The assessment will consider:
- How far you are in your bachelor's programme.
- Which courses you have passed.
- Which courses you have not yet passed.
University Practice
SDU allows students to take up to 30 ECTS credits of master's level courses without having completed their bachelor's degree, provided they are academically qualified and only missing a few ECTS credits from their bachelor's programme.
Please note: You will not be officially enrolled in the master's programme until you have completed your bachelor's degree. This means:
- You can take a maximum of 30 ECTS credits at the master's level — SDU cannot grant exemptions from this rule.
- You can only use SU (student grants) associated with your bachelor's programme.
- You must comply with study activity requirements related to your bachelor's programme.
How to apply
# 1 - Apply for Admission to the Master's Programme
Apply for the master's programme where you wish to take courses. Make sure to apply within the deadlines listed under "Application and Admission" for SDU's master's programmes.
Your application will not result in full enrolment. However, if you are offered a place with permission to take master's courses, you will be fully enrolled once you complete your bachelor's degree. Note that this full enrolment will use your legal right of admission.
#2 -Submit a Seperate Applicatoin for Course Permission
In addition to your admission application, you must complete and submit a separate application form for permission to take master's courses without having completed your bachelor's degree.
Only submit this form once you are certain that some courses from your bachelor's programme will not be passed by:
- September 25 (for September intake)
- February 25 (for February intake)
- You can submit this application until:
- September 15 (for September intake)
- February 15 (for February intake)
Note: Are you a student in Clinical Biomechanics or at the Faculty of Engineering?
Then you must also attach a study plan to your application. The plan should indicate when you expect to complete both your bachelor's and master's degrees, and which master's courses you intend to take alongside your bachelor's studies.
#3 -Check Your Application Portal for a Response
You will receive a combined decision in response to your admission application. You can find the response under "Messages" in the application portal. Use the same login method you used when submitting your application.
Even if you’ve been granted permission to take master’s level courses, you are still officially a bachelor’s student. This means you can only use SU grants associated with your bachelor’s programme. You must apply for SU for your master’s programme once you have completed your bachelor’s degree.
Your permission is assessed through a collaboration between the Admissions Office and the academic staff from your programme.
If you need guidance regarding the permission, please contact Admissions here.
Yes! You don’t have to register for 30 ECTS — that’s just the maximum.
You can spread the 30 ECTS across multiple semesters if it takes longer to finish your bachelor’s degree. You can also choose to take fewer than 30 ECTS.
You decide how many courses you want to take, but once you’ve started, your registration is binding. You can only withdraw from courses under exceptional circumstances that prevent you from continuing.
If you already registered for your first semester and later found out you won’t finish your bachelor’s degree in time, you can request changes to your registration.
Contact Education Law & Registry via SPOC as soon as possible after receiving your permission.
Unfortunately, no. You cannot register for more than 30 ECTS before completing your bachelor’s degree - even if it takes a year to finish your final bachelor’s course.
That’s why it’s important to carefully consider how many and which master’s courses you want to take. We recommend discussing an individual study plan with a programme advisor.
Once you’ve passed your final exam, simply contact Education Law & Registry to be fully enrolled in the master’s programme.
You do not need to apply for admission again.