Image of Aarhus city from aerial perspective

Aarhus University Summer School

Spend your summer in the beautiful city of Aarhus, the 2017 European Capital of Culture!

Aarhus University is one of the best universities in Denmark for student satisfaction. For their summer program, they offer 94 courses in English at Bachelor’s level or Master’s level in many academic areas. These include Business, Economics, Management, Communication, Culture and Society, Health, Law, Political Science, Science and Technology.

Key information

Location

Aarhus, Denmark

Language

English

Semester

Summer

Program type

Exchange

Key information

Application status

Open

Summer 2025 applications

First come, first considered for remaining space. Final deadline January 5, 2025

 

University-specific additional requirements

No reference letter required; minimum GPA 2.7. See Eligibility section below for details.

Summer 2026 applications

Open October 1, 2025

Student Experience

Image of person diving into Aarhus harbour pool

Program details

The Summer School offers courses in the following academic areas: Business Economics and Management, Communication, Culture and Society, Health, Law, Political Science, Science and Technology. For a list of available courses, click here.

Exchange students take 1 course at the summer school. 1 UCalgary half course (3 units) = 6 ECTS credits. Most of the Aarhus summer courses are worth either 5 or 10 ECTS; in order to transfer credit back to UCalgary, you will need to select one of the 10-ECTS courses. If you wish to take 2 courses, this may be possible, as long as the courses are taught in different study periods - courses are intensive and it is not possible to take 2 courses during the same study period.

Most summer courses are held at the Aarhus main campus. However, some courses take place elsewhere in order to access specific locations, materials or labs that are relevant to the coursework. Please check each course page for details.

Note: Haskayne students can apply for this program through Haskayne for improved access to business courses (look for the Haskayne version of the application in the RAISA online application portal).

The summer school is divided into multiple teaching periods.

  • Term 1: July 2 - July 19, 2024
  • Term 2: July 22 - August 9, 2024

Please refer to the course list to see the teaching period for your desired course. 

Although exchange students are expected to take 1 course at Aarhus, it may be permitted to take 2 courses and stay for both study periods.

  1. Costs

    Students will pay tuition for 1 course to UCalgary at their normal tuition rate, and will not be charged international tuition by the partner. 

    Aarhus recommends that students budget 1000 EUR for their summer school - this includes housing, meals, local transportation, textbooks, social activities, and miscellaneous expenses. For details, click here.

  2. Funding

    Did you know that you can take your UCalgary funding with you on exchange? Since you remain a degree seeking student at UCalgary while on exchange, you remain eligible for any awards and scholarships you are normally eligible to receive from the university, as well as student loans.

    Our office administers several awards, including the Global Access Fund (based on a funding-first model where students apply prior to committing to a global learning program) and the Global Learning Award (students apply after being accepted to a global learning program; the amount varies year-to-year as the money is split among chosen recipients). Students may only receive these awards once. Please see the funding page, linked below, for more information.

Various types of accommodation are available through the university's housing office, including dorm-style student residences and shared houses. For details and prices, click here.

Although housing is not guaranteed for students attending the summer school, there are generally no problems receiving housing as long as you follow Aarhus' instructions and apply for housing when directed. 

For students who wish to live outside of student housing, Aarhus provides some recommendations for where to search for housing, please click here

This exchange is open to regular, full-time students in any faculty at UCalgary, who have completed at least 1 full year (10 courses) at the post-secondary level, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 (B-).

Students applying from the Haskayne School of Business must meet the Haskayne requirements for exchange.

Courses are taught in English. No second-language skills are necessary.

The program includes a great social program including activities like BBQs, canoeing, city tours, Danish culture events and much more. For details click here.

For information on accessibility and support services at campuses across Europe, please check out Inclusive Mobility. For city-specific services and places in Europe, the Jaccede interactive platform (website and/or smartphone app - both Android and iOS) also provides a searchable user-built database to identify important accessibility information of public places and locations.


Have questions?

Global Learning 101

Please watch this short YouTube playlist before reaching out or booking an appointment. In these videos, you will learn much of the basics about Global Learning, which may answer your initial questions.

Watch Global Learning 101

Academic Advising

Before applying to study abroad, you should ask your academic advisor how this program might align with your degree (e.g. best time to go, what courses you need).

After you are accepted, you should ask your academic advisor more specific questions about courses/transfer credits. It’s also recommended to follow up with your advisor again once you return to Calgary.

Find your academic advisor

Global Learning Advising

If you have questions, please reach out to our office! We offer drop-in advising for general inquiries, and if you have questions about this specific program or any others, you can book an appointment with the responsible advisor.

Please use the link below to find the most up-to-date information about our current advising options.

View the Global Learning Advising page

The exchange advisor for this program is: Flavien Niederst

How to Apply

Download the application guide

This PDF contains information on how to complete your application and what to do after you have applied.

Application guide

Identify three programs of interest

We recommend applying for your top three programs for the priority application deadline, as placement may be competitive. We will assess your applications in ranked order.

Check requirements and deadlines

These may vary by program, so check the individual program pages and make sure that you are aware of any different application deadlines or eligibility requirements.

Start your application

Once you have gathered everything you need, you can begin your application!

Please note: Applications will not be considered complete until all required documents are submitted in full.

APPLY NOW

International travel presents challenges that may not be found when attending classes on campus. There may be a lack of resources, emergency services, hospitals, accessibility issues and/or demands on the physical and the mental self, all of which can challenge individuals when away from their usual support systems and structures. Adequate preparation is essential.

For this reason, it is imperative that you evaluate all aspects of your own physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual condition against the rigors of the particular global learning program you are selecting. If you are unsure of whether or not this program is a good fit for you and/or if you have any circumstances that could impede your enjoyment of the program, please contact us. Our Global Learning Advisors will be happy to assist in finding the best options for you and arrange any supports or accommodations necessary to ensure your success.

If you have or are seeking a certificate from Student Accessibility Services, you should provide this early to your Global Learning Advisor to ensure that the option that you are seeking can support your needs.

Please note: All participants must adhere to COVID-19 and other vaccination-related requirements for the destinations visited on this program. Failure to do so may have consequences such as being denied access to accommodation/housing, program activities, or to the host country itself.