Master in Biology

Master in Biology is one of 5 English-taught Biology programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 4 institutions. 5 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 8,000 to EUR 17,300; this programme lists EUR 16,300 a year. 5 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.

The MSc in Biology at Aarhus University is a two-year, full-time master's programme taught in English. It builds on the department's research in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecology, comparative physiology, microbiology, and evolutionary biology and genomics. The programme is flexible and research-oriented, letting you shape it around your own interests.

What you study

The programme gives you a deep understanding of the fundamental principles of nature, from molecular interactions to whole ecosystems. You can focus on biodiversity or on how organisms function and interact with their environment. Courses are chosen from the course catalogue, and you must earn at least 90 ECTS credits within biology. You can take courses from other disciplines if they fit your overall academic plan. The programme ends with a master's thesis of 30, 45 or 60 ECTS credits, often based on a major fieldwork or laboratory project carried out with a researcher or research group.

You will gain practical experience through research projects, laboratory work and field trips. You can work on topics such as nature restoration and conservation, how climate change affects Arctic ecosystems, physiological mechanisms behind animal behaviour, or the role of microorganisms in global element cycles. You also learn analytical tools including bioacoustics, satellite and drone based remote sensing, analytical genomics and bioinformatics, eDNA analysis and advanced chemical sensors.

How the programme is organised

The MSc in Biology is a full-time master's degree programme of 120 ECTS credits, made up of elective courses and a master's thesis. Before you start, you prepare an individual study plan with a departmental supervisor, based on courses you choose from the course catalogue. The programme is highly flexible, so you can specialise in one of the many disciplines within biology. The Department of Biology is located in the heart of the University Park in Aarhus, where you attend classes, work on projects, receive supervision and meet fellow students. Biologiens Hus is a meeting place for biology students, with quiet reading areas, group rooms and a social area that hosts a popular Friday Bar. Student-run activities include the sports club GD Biobold, the social committee BIOGAS and Kulten, which organises field trips.

Who it suits

This programme suits curious and ambitious students who are fascinated by the diversity of life and the complexities of the natural world. It is for you if you want to address challenges such as biodiversity loss, climate change and human health. The programme is research-oriented and flexible, so it fits students who are self-directed and want to tailor their degree. The active and welcoming student community, with many international students, makes it a good setting to settle in quickly.

Admission, language and next steps

To be admitted, you need a bachelor's degree or equivalent comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree (180 ECTS). Your degree must cover at least 60 ECTS in biology subject areas: biology of organisms, genetics, evolutionary biology, molecular biology, physiology, microbiology and ecology. You also need at least 30 ECTS in quantitative and physical sciences, thoroughly covering chemistry and statistics; mathematics and physics may also be included. The university cannot assess your qualifications in advance, so you should apply if you believe you meet the requirements. Applicants with a bachelor's degree in Biology from Aarhus University have a legal right of admission if they apply within three years of completing the degree. Direct admission is also granted to holders of a bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Copenhagen or the University of Southern Denmark. All master's programmes at Aarhus University have limited intake, and applicants are ranked by grades from the qualifying degree, grades in relevant subject fields, and the proportion of ECTS in biological sciences and in quantitative and physical sciences. You must meet the university's English language requirements. Applications for master's programmes go directly to the institution. Once admitted, you can apply for the Arctic Science Study Programme, an Arctic semester in Greenland, and you may write your thesis within the Arctic area. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland study free of charge; other students pay a fee set by the institution.

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.