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Admission with an International Baccalaureate (IB)

The requirements for your IB exam depend on whether you are applying for admission to a 3.5-year Bachelor of Engineering or a 3-year bachelor's programme:

Requirements for a 3-year Bachelor's programme

To be admitted to a bachelor's program, you must generally have obtained an IB Diploma.

Diploma Programme (DP) Course Results or an IB Certificate can provide admission if each of the following conditions is met:

  • You have achieved a minimum grade of 3 in all six subjects.
  • You have at least 3 subjects at Higher Level (HL).
  • You have supplemented your IB education with at least two individual subjects (at least 1 subject at A-level and 1 subject at B-level. Subjects at C-level cannot be included).

Requirements for 3.5 year Bachelor of Engineering programme

The following credentials grant admission to an engineering diploma programme:

  • IB Diploma
  • Diploma Programme (DP) Course Results or IB Certificate with a minimum grade of 3 in all six subjects and at least 3 subjects at Higher Level (HL).

All SDUs education programmes require you to have passed certain subjects at certain levels.

The requirements refer to the Danish upper secondary school system, where A is high level, B is intermediate level and C is introductory level. 

View the programme requirements here

Conversion of IB subjects

The follow chart applies for conversion of courses in Danish, English, and Mathematics:

Reuquired subject IB course
Danish A - Danish A1 (HL/SL)
- Danish B (HL)
- Danish A Literature (HL/SL)
English A - English A1, A2 (HL/SL)
- English A Literature (HL/SL)
- English A Language and Literature (HL/SL)
- English B (HL)
English B - English B (SL)
Mathematics A - Mathematics (HL)
- Mathematics: Applications and interpretation (HL)
- Mathematics: Analysis and approaches (HL)
Mathematics B - Mathematics (SL)
- Mathematics: Applications and interpretation (SL)
- Mathematics: Analysis and approaches (SL)

If you are proficient in Danish, you may check the official conversion guidelines including all subject areas. This is available on the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science - please choose 'International Baccalaureate' in the list otherwise containing countries.

Otherwise, you may forward your diploma for a pre-assessment.

As an applicant with an international educational background, you must document your language skills, regardless of whether Danish/English is listed as part of the programme’s admission requirements:

  • You must document your Danish language skills if you apply for admission to a Danish-language programme – even if you are a Danish citizen.
  • You must document your English language skills, regardless of the language of the programme.

Requirements can be fulfilled with your IB subjects

You can document your language skills with subjects from your IB education equivalent to Danish A and possibly English A, as required by some programmes. You will always meet the general English B requirement with an IB education.

If you do not meet the requirements with subjects in your education, it is necessary for you to complete an approved language test or exam.

See alternative ways to document your language skills 

You must apply no later than 15 March at 12:00 noon

With an international exam, you must always apply for admission no later than 15 March at 12:00.

Documents to include in your application:

  • A copy of your IB diploma/certificate (SDU will only collect your diploma directly if you graduate after submitting your application - see below)
  • Separate documentation for language proficiency in case requirements are not met via courses in your exam

If you haven't graduated yet

If you apply for admission in the same year as you expect to graduate, you must give SDU access to download your certificate/diploma. To do so, you must inform your school that you are applying for admission to SDU. Our institutional code is 000157.

Pre-assessment option

Between 1 October–15 November, we can pre-assess your exam, including whether your exam is sufficient proof of language proficiency.

Read more about the opportunity here

We recommend that you participate in SDU’s admission test

After applying, you will be invited to participate in SDU's admission test to qualify for the quota of study places allocated based on test results (quota 2).

Depending on your grade point average, you may qualify for admission to the study places allocated based on grades alone (quota 1). However, we recommend that, in any event, you also take the admission test for quota 2 study places to maximise your chances. 

Read more about the admission system at SDU

NOTE: It is always your first grade point average that counts

In Denmark, it is not possible to improve your examination results by retaking courses or taking supplementary courses after completing upper secondary school. This means that the calculation of a Danish grade point average is based on the original diploma. 

Improvements or supplementary courses must therefore be listed on a separate document.

Last Updated 08.04.2024