Master in Physics

Master in Physics is one of 7 English-taught Physics programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 5 institutions. 6 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. 6 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 Physics at Aarhus University is a two-year, full-time programme taught in English. It is about understanding the laws of nature, from the behaviour of individual atoms to the evolution of galaxies. You explore these questions through experiments, simulations, astronomical observations and theoretical modelling.

What you study

The programme comprises 120 ECTS. You take at least 60 ECTS of courses, including one selective compulsory course chosen from Astrophysics, Computational Physics, Quantum Physics, or Techniques in Experimental Physics. The rest of your courses are electives, which you choose in dialogue with academic staff to build a profile that matches your interests. The remaining ECTS are your Master's thesis, worth 30, 45 or 60 ECTS, depending on the depth of your research focus. The programme must include at least 90 ECTS within physics.

Teaching is closely integrated with ongoing research. Your lecturers are active scientists, and you become part of a research group where you work alongside PhD students and academic staff. Many students carry out research at the ISA, Centre for Storage Ring Facilities, Aarhus University's synchrotron radiation facility, where experiments in atomic and molecular physics, surface and materials science, space science, and the spectroscopy of biological molecules are conducted. Facilities such as ASTRID2 and the Mars Simulation Laboratory are located on or near campus. Students with an interest in astrophysics are integrated into research that combines observational data, instrumentation, data analysis, and theoretical modelling of the Universe. You might also spend time at international research facilities such as CERN.

How the programme is organised

You typically take 30 ECTS per semester, combining lectures, exercises, laboratory work, theoretical analysis and independent study. Your individual study plan ensures academic progression while giving room for exploration across theoretical, experimental, and computational approaches. You can also take on individual research projects or industry collaboration projects. The thesis is conducted within a research group, where you participate in meetings, discussions and ongoing projects, and is typically completed during the final year. When writing your thesis, you are typically assigned a workspace in your research group, sharing an office with fellow master's students and PhD researchers.

If your circumstances change, it is possible to transfer between the full-time MSc in Physics and the Flexible Work-integrated Master's Degree Programme in Physics. Transfers are arranged in dialogue with the department and typically take effect at the beginning of a new semester.

Who it suits

The programme suits students who are curious about how nature works and who want to work closely with research from day one. You should be comfortable with both theory and experiment, and you should be ready to take responsibility for your own academic direction. The programme is flexible, so you need to be able to make choices and plan your own study path. If you enjoy laboratory work, computational modelling, or observational astronomy, you will find opportunities here. The department has an active student culture with seminars, film nights, informal talks, the Physics Friday Bar (Fysisk Fredagsbar), the Physics Show (Fysikshow), science outreach events, study cafés, and astronomy observation nights.

Admission, language and next steps

To be admitted, you need a bachelor's degree comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree (180 ECTS). Your degree must cover specific subject areas: 60 ECTS within physics and astronomy (including mechanics, theory of relativity, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, structure of matter, structure of the Universe, and experimental skills) and 30 ECTS within mathematics and statistics, totalling 90 ECTS. The university cannot assess your qualifications in advance, so you should apply if you believe you meet the requirements. A bachelor's degree in Physics from Aarhus University gives you a legal right of admission, provided you apply within three years of completing your bachelor's degree. Certain other Danish bachelor's degrees in Physics (from the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Copenhagen) meet the admission requirements directly. 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 (physics, astronomy, mathematics, statistics), and the proportion of ECTS within those fields. You must meet the university's English language requirements. Applications for master's programmes 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.