Master in Statistics

The MSc in Statistics at Aarhus University is a two-year, full-time programme taught in English. It is based at the Department of Mathematical Sciences in Aarhus and leads to a Master's degree (120 ECTS).

What you study

The programme is flexible. You build your own study plan with a teacher from the department in your first week, choosing courses from the course catalogue. The plan must be approved by the Board of Studies before you can take exams. You specialise by taking courses and projects and by writing a thesis.

You must choose at least two of three specialisations, each worth 30 ECTS:

• Applied Statistics (30 ECTS)
• Theoretical Statistics (30 ECTS)
• Probability Theory (30 ECTS)

This means at least 60 ECTS come from the current list of courses in statistics and probability theory that belong to these specialisations. The list is on the study portal. Teaching is influenced by research, as lecturers are active researchers. It includes lectures in small groups, theoretical and practical exercises, and extensive guidance on examples and projects. You get a personal supervisor for your thesis.

How the programme is organised

The degree counts 120 ECTS and mainly consists of subjects in statistics. You specialise through course activities, projects and the thesis. The programme is full-time and starts in August or September. The department has its own canteen, computer rooms, library and study areas. Master's students can get their own desk in a shared office. Student organisations such as Eulers Venner (Euler's Friends), the Friday bar and Tågekammeret (the Cloud Chamber) organise academic activities, study trips and social events.

Who it suits

This programme suits students with a strong background in mathematical statistics and advanced probability theory based on measure and integration theory. The programme has a heavy focus on theoretical aspects. It is open to students from Danish and international universities. If you want to specialise within a broad area of statistics, including theoretical and applied statistics and probability theory, this is a good fit. The department has a down-to-earth, informal relationship between faculty and students, which helps when you work on your thesis in year two.

Admission, language and next steps

To be admitted, you need a bachelor's degree comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree (180 ECTS). You must also meet specific requirements: 20 ECTS in mathematical analysis, 10 ECTS in linear algebra, 20 ECTS in mathematical statistics and 20 ECTS in probability theory, totalling 70 ECTS. 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 from outside Denmark must complete an appendix and upload it to the application portal.

Certain Danish bachelor's degrees give direct admission: Mathematics with a specialisation in statistics from Aarhus University or from the University of Copenhagen. A legal right of admission is granted to holders of the Bachelor's degree in Mathematics with a specialisation in statistics from Aarhus University, if you apply within three years of completing it.

All master's programmes at Aarhus University have limited intake. If you do not have a legal right of admission, you are ranked by grades from your qualifying degree, grades in relevant subject fields (statistics, probability theory, mathematics) and the proportion of your degree in those fields. Grades achieved after the application deadline are not included.

You must meet the university's English language requirements. Students with a legal right of admission from Aarhus University are exempt. 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.

If you have the skills and interest, you can apply for the PhD programme after completing your bachelor's degree and one year of your master's, or after finishing the master's.

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.