Aarhus University

Aarhus – Denmark

www.au.dk

Information Sheet: Aarhus University (PDF 31kb)

City

Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark and was founded in 900 by the Vikings. It now has a population of 300,000 and a higher education student population of 50,000. Aarhus, in spite of its age, is a young and vibrant city which offers all the advantages of urban life, including charming cafes, great shopping and a lively nightlife. At the same time, the city is located on the waterfront and one is never far from beaches or woods. It is easy to get around the city as public transport is very good.
One of the transformations in Aarhus has been the uncovering of the Aarhus River which had been buried under concrete for many years. The river bank is now lined with restaurants, cafés and pubs and has a great vibe.
Practically everyone speaks English, as is the case in most of Scandinavia.
The cost of living is better than in Copenhagen, although it is still quite expensive. Copenhagen is still accessible by train in around 3.5 hours. Ryan Air runs direct flights from Aarhus to London (although the airport is about 40km from the city centre - access is by bus).
The city is the perfect size for an exchange study experience and has many cultural attractions including theatre, opera, art and concerts and is famous as a thriving centre of music. There are many leisure and sporting activities available and there are sporting facilities for virtually all sports from boxing clubs to sailing to riding centers. The city has two premier football clubs AGF and FC Aarhus – which play in the top Danish leagues. The third largest fun exercise run in Denmark – Marselisløbet – is held every September and regularly attracts in excess of 15,000 participants.

University

Aarhus University is the second oldest (founded in 1928) and second largest university in Denmark and is the only ‘campus style’ university in the country. The main part of the University is situated in a lush green parkland site called Universitetsparken. The campus is very attractive complete with a lake, ducks, rolling hills and sculptures. The buildings with the park campus are all of a rather attractive yellow brick that is reserved for buildings within this site.
The University has 38,000 students studying in nine faculties – Humanities, Theology, Educational Science, Social Sciences, Business, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Agricultural Sciences and the National Environmental Research Institute. The Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Social Sciences and the School of Business are the most popular faculties and with Law and European Studies being very popular areas of study. Psychology is very keen to attract exchange students. Classes are offered in English in all subject areas throughout the University.
The whole university and city are friendly and personal. Studying here would be a charm, and the university has the possibility of designing flexible study programs for students as it is smaller and less rigid than the larger universities elsewhere.

Department of Law

The Department of Law has approximately 50 incoming and 60 – 60 outgoing exchange students every year. There are 2,000 students in the Department with 45 professors. Subjects are taught in both lectures and tutorials. Only Master level courses are taught in English but these would be open to exchange students from the 3rd, 4th or 5th year of their Australian degree. The Department has no formal barriers to exchange students.

Accommodation

Accommodation is guaranteed to exchange students provided they submit their accommodation applications before the deadlines which are 1st May for the Fall Semester and 1st November for the Spring Semester. Rooms are single study bedrooms, some with private bathroom and others with shared bathroom. All rooms have access to kitchen and laundry facilities. The dormitories can be shared with Danes or international students depending on the dormitory. The majority of the dorms are on campus. The prices range from DKK1,900 – 3,500 per month ($A360.00 - $A670.00 approximately). Students should also be aware that they must pay a deposit of 2-3 months rent which is held in case there should be any damage or unpaid bills when students finish their lease. The deposit will be returned to each student after departure provided the room has been left in an acceptable condition.

International Centre and General Information

The International Centre (IC) at Aarhus provides registration and support for international and exchange students, accommodation arrangements, orientation, organising a mentor, etc. The Centre is on the Main Campus and the staff are extremely helpful, warm and friendly.
The IC organises a two week long Danish Course in August each year followed by the AU Intro week which is mandatory for exchange students. Exchange students are offered a free membership of Student House Aarhus (Studenterhus Århus) which is both a meeting place and a social centre which organises “Mellow Café evenings” popular films, live music, parties, E.A.T. (Exchange at the Table) evenings where students from different nationalities cook for each other and outings and field trips such as kayaking, hiking and trips to Copenhagen.

Orientation Week and Language and Culture Course: Destination DK

Destination DK is a 2 week pre-semester intensive introductory course consisting of languages classes, cultural arrangements and social activities. There is a small fee of DKK 500 (AUD 95) for the social part of the programme.
A mandatory introduction week (AU Intro Week) is arranged by the International Centre in cooperation with Studenterhus Århus, and is held before the semester begins.

The AU Intro Week is designed to give new international students an introduction to the University and to the city of Aarhus. The programme offers guidance on academic culture and living in Denmark, library and faculty-specific orientations, city tours and social activities to allow students to get to know each other and their surroundings.

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