Master in Bioinformatics

Master in Bioinformatics is one of 3 English-taught Bioinformatics programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 3 institutions. 2 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 8,700 to EUR 16,300; this programme lists EUR 16,300 a year. 2 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students. The same programme title is offered at 3 institutions, so compare the content, campus and requirements before you choose.

Bioinformatics at Aarhus University is a two-year master's programme taught in English. It mixes biology, statistics and computer science to develop and apply computational solutions for analysing biological and biomedical data. The programme is full-time and based in Aarhus, starting in August or September.

What you study

You learn to handle big data in modern biology and biomedicine. The programme combines statistical modelling, data analysis and computer programming with a deep knowledge of biology and biomedicine. You can choose from three specialisations: Algorithms and Programming, Machine Learning and Data Science, or Molecular Evolution and Genomics. All students take a mandatory course in either computational thinking or molecular evolution, depending on their background. The mandatory course can be part of a specialisation, which gives room for one more elective. You also do a 10 ECTS project and a 30 ECTS thesis. The 10 ECTS project can be scheduled in any semester, so you can study abroad in your third semester.

How the programme is organised

Teaching includes lectures, projects and exercise sessions. Theoretical and practical exercises take place in small groups where you study relevant issues in depth. Most students also spend time on project work in small groups, using or developing bioinformatics tools. You are encouraged to ask questions at lectures and during exercises, and the door to the professor's office is open if you need clarification. The programme is both practical and research oriented. Your daily life is based at the Bioinformatics Research Centre (BiRC), which hosts academic and social activities. You share some lectures with students from biology and computer science, and you can join student associations for science programmes.

Who it suits

The programme is open to students with a BSc degree in the natural, technical or health sciences with a significant content of mathematical, biological and/or computational subjects. That includes degrees in bioinformatics, biology, molecular biology, molecular medicine, mathematics, statistics or computer science. You should be comfortable with independence and critical thinking. The teaching makes heavy demands on your academic skills, and you are expected to collaborate in groups and engage in close scientific dialogue with researchers. If you like combining programming with biology and statistics, this is a good fit.

Admission, language and next steps

To be admitted, you need a bachelor's degree comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree (180 ECTS). Specific admission requirements include 15 ECTS in basic mathematics and statistics, 15 ECTS in basic computer science, molecular biology and genetics, or bioinformatics, and 60 ECTS in additional subject elements within at least one of those areas, totalling 90 ECTS. Certain Danish bachelor's degrees give direct admission, for example computer science, mathematics, biology, molecular biology, molecular medicine, agrobiology or data science from Aarhus University, and similar degrees from other Danish universities. If you have a non-Danish degree, you must complete an appendix and upload it to the application portal. All master's programmes at Aarhus University have limited intake, so meeting the entry requirements does not guarantee admission. Applicants are ranked by grades from the qualifying degree, grades in relevant subject fields (mathematics, probability theory, statistics, programming and algorithmics, molecular biology and genetics), and the proportion of relevant ECTS. You must meet the university's English language requirements. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland study free of charge; other students pay a fee set by the institution. Applications for master's programmes go directly to the institution. The next step is to check the programme page and prepare your documents.

Master’s applications go straight to Aarhus University, not through optagelse.dk, and the institution sets its own deadline. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, residence permits and housing.