Master in Chemistry

Master in Chemistry is one of 8 English-taught Chemistry programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 5 institutions. 7 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 7,300 to EUR 17,300; this programme lists EUR 16,300 a year. 7 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 Master's in Chemistry at Aarhus University is a two-year full-time programme taught in English. It is for students who want to understand how chemical substances are synthesised, structured and function, and who want to go deep into one area of chemistry.

What you study

The programme is built around chemistry subjects and projects, and you choose a specialisation. The page names possible areas: environmental and atmospheric chemistry, development of new energy materials for sustainable technologies, structural characterisation of biomolecules and materials using NMR and X-ray methods, computer simulations, and development of theoretical models for predicting molecular properties.

You specialise through course activities, projects and your thesis. The thesis is written in the final year and carries considerable weight.

How the programme is organised

The degree counts 120 ECTS and consists mainly of subjects within the chemistry fields of study. You have considerable influence on the structure: you design your own individual study plan, including courses and your Master's thesis project, based on your academic background and interests.

Teaching is research-based. Lecturers are active researchers, so you meet the newest research, and the page says you are in close contact with lecturers and researchers. Teaching focuses on independence, critical thinking and collaboration. Lectures introduce new angles compared with textbooks, while theoretical and practical exercises take place in smaller groups. Depending on your specialisation, your main forms of study and work involve laboratory work and advanced experimental equipment such as NMR and X-ray methodologies and computer modelling.

Who it suits

This programme suits students who want heavy academic demands and independence, and who are comfortable asking questions at lectures and during exercises. The page describes an open-door culture where you can go to professors' offices for clarification. It also points to a strong study community: study cafés with peer feedback, the student association @lkymia, the Tutor Association (TKM), and science communication activities such as Kemishow and Besøgsservice.

Admission, language and next steps

To be admitted, you need a bachelor's degree or equivalent comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree in level and duration (180 ECTS). You must also cover specific subject areas: inorganic chemistry (15 ECTS), organic chemistry (20 ECTS), physical/theoretical chemistry (15 ECTS) and structural chemistry (10 ECTS), with the topics listed for each. The university cannot assess your qualifications in advance, so you apply and then the assessment is made.

Certain Danish bachelor's degrees give direct admission, including Chemistry from Aarhus University, the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Copenhagen, Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from Aarhus University, Chemistry and Technology from the Technical University of Denmark, and Nanoscience from Aarhus University. A bachelor's in Chemistry from Aarhus University also gives a legal right of admission if you apply within three years of completing it.

All master's programmes at Aarhus University have limited intake, and applicants are ranked by grades from the qualifying degree, grades in chemistry, mathematics and physics, and the proportion of ECTS in those fields. You must meet the university's English language requirements. Applications go directly to the institution. 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.