Work-integrated Master's degree programmes

There are two different kinds of work-integrated Master’s degree programmes: 1) The flexible work-integrated programme; 2) 1+2- work-integrated programme.
As a student at a flexible work-integrated programme, you can complete your degree part-time over 4 years while working an average of 25 hours/week per year.
As a student at a 1+2- work-integrated programme, you study full-time at a Master’s degree programme for 1 year, after which you pass on to the part-time part of the programme for the last 2 years. You must work an average of at least 25 hours/week per year on the part-time part of the “1+2” programme. Please note that the 1+2 programme is currently not available to non-EU students.
You will receive a salary from your place of work. You negotiate your salary directly with your employer
Please note it is not possible to receive SU - the Danish students’ Grant and Loan Scheme - as a student in this degree programme.
To view the selection of Danish-taught professional work-integrated Master’s programmes, please visit our Danish website, kandidat.au.dk.

How do I apply for a work-integrated Master’s degree programme?

To apply for admission to a work-integrated Master’s degree programme, you must follow the same application procedure as for regular full time programmes.

Go to How to apply to learn more about Admission Requirements and visit Deadlines and important dates to learn more about when to apply and when you have to upload documentation.

Documentation of employment

If you are applying for a 1+2-work integrated programme, you do not have to submit documentation of employment until you enter the part-time part of the degree after 1 year.

For the flexible work-integrated programme, however, you will need to submit this documentation in order to be admitted. There are two different scenarios depending on if you have relevant employment at the time of application or not:

If you have employment by the application deadline, you must submit the employment agreement form when you apply for admission.
If you do not have relevant employment by the application deadline, you must submit the employment agreement form, simply ticking the box at the top to indicate that you are not yet in relevant employment but expect to be. Before you can be fully admitted to the degree programme, you must document you employment. Go to Deadlines and important dates to see the final deadline.

What is the employment requirement?

For a flexible work-integrated programme, you must meet the requirement of being in relevant employment to be enrolled.
For a 1+2-work-integrated programme, you must meet this requirement once you enter the part-time part of the programme after the first year.

“Relevant employment” means that you must work at least 25 hours per week in a public or private company, and that your work tasks are professionally related to both your qualifying education and the programme you are applying for.

For relevant employment , the following applies:

You must be employed for a minimum of 25 hours per week on average.
You must be an integrated part of the workplace, on equal terms with full-time employees. The complexity and level of difficulty of your work tasks must match the expectations for a student at the relevant level.
You must document your relevant employment by completing this employment form.

Employment agreement form

Application fee and tuition fee

If you are from outside the EU/EEA countries, the following applies:

You must pay an application fee when applying
If you are admitted, you must pay a tuition fee.

Student residence permit

Please note that paying applicants cannot receive a residence permit for a 1+2-work integrated programme. This means that paying applicants can only apply for a flexible work-integrated programme.

If you are from outside the EU/EEA countries, you must apply for a student residence permit. You will be able to do this once you have paid your tuition fees and received the application form from AU.

Go to Student Residence Permit to learn more.

Please note that your application for Student Residence Permit will not be processed until you are fully admitted. Therefore, we encourage you to submit all required documentation as soon as possible.

Employment requirement during your studies

It is a requirement that you remain in relevant employment throughout your studies.
If you no longer live up to the employment requirement on a work-integrated Master’s degree programme, e.g. if your employment contract has been terminated, your employer is obligated to inform the university of this.
If you no longer live up to the employment requirement, you can receive an offer to be transferred to a full-time degree specified in the academic regulations for the work-integrated programme you are enrolled in.

What happens if I lose my employment before graduation?

If you lose employment during your degree, you can request to transfer to the corresponding full-time Master’s programme instead.

Please note that you can only transfer to the full-time programme from the beginning of the next semester. You cannot switch in the middle of a semester.

Go to Applying as a current or a former student to learn more about transfer.

Switching to a work-integrated Master’s programme from a full-time programme

If you are enrolled in a full-time programme and wish to transfer to the corresponding work-integrated Master’s programme instead, there are two options depending on your situation:

If you have completed the entire first year of the full-time programme (programme transfer)

You must apply for a programme transfer if you have completed the entire first year of the full-time programme or will complete it within the current academic year.
Go to Applying as a current or a former student to learn more about transfer.

If you have not completed the entire first year of the full-time programme

If you have not completed the equivalent of the full first year of the work-integrated Master’s programme you wish to transfer to, you must apply for admission again through the application system.
If you are admitted to the work-integrated Master’s programme, the university will subsequently assess if any courses you passed during full time studies must be transferred to the work-integrated programme.
Please note that you must meet the current admission requirements for the programme, and that admission may be restricted.
You can read more about the mandatory credit assessment on this page.

FAQ

Below you can find answers to some of the frequently asked questions:

I am conditionally admitted to a work-integrated Master’s degree and have not been able to find relevant employment – can I transfer to the full-time programme?
No, if you are conditionally admitted and have not found relevant employment you are not able to transfer to the full-time programme. Since your enrolment in the programme is conditional upon being in relevant employment, you will be withdrawn from the programme if you do not provide documentation of relevant employment by the deadline.

Can I be transferred to the full-time programme before the beginning of my studies?

No. If you have just been admitted to a work-integrated Master’s programme but, for example, lose your employment, you can only be transferred to the full-time programme after the official study start. Please note you cannot switch to the full-time programme immediately. Go to Applying as a current or a former student to learn more about transfer.

I’ve just started the work-integrated Master’s programme but can no longer continue as a work-integrated Master’s student. Can I switch to the full-time programme now?
If you’ve just started the programme and are in your first semester but, for example, lose your employment, you cannot switch to the full-time programme immediately. However, you can write to us at indskriv@au.dk to request a transfer to the start of the next semester.

I’ve just started a semester in the work-integrated Master’s programme but would like to switch to the full-time programme because I’m no longer in relevant employment. Can I do this retroactively since the semester has only just begun?
No, you cannot. You can only switch to the full-time programme from the next semester.

I currently work at a company outside of Denmark. Do I qualify for admission even if my job is not based in Denmark?
We recommend that you secure relevant employment in Denmark. Please contact AU Admission directly for further information

Revised 20.02.2026

Master’s Web Editorial Team