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AAU Master of International Relations

Aalborg University · Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities · Aalborg, Denmark
  • 24 months full time
  • English taught
  • 120 ECTS
12 min read · Published on October 22, 2026 · Updated on October 22, 2026
Two-year planning totalINR 46.03 lakh

Tuition, low-end living, application and permit.

TuitionDKK 111,200

current four-semester rate

Duration2 years

120 ECTS full time

Deadline15 January

fee-paying autumn applicants

EnglishIELTS 6.5

6.0 in each section

PrioritiesUp to 3

one AAU application fee

Job search1 year

permits filed from Oct 2026

What is AAU Master of International Relations?

AAU Master of International Relations is a full-time, English-taught 120 ECTS master’s completed over two years in Aalborg. It studies international politics, conflict, sustainability, governance, project management and a self-arranged external placement. Current tuition for a non-EU student is DKK 27,800 per semester, and the low-end full plan is INR 46.03 lakh.

The page covers September 2027 entry and the 15 January 2027 fee-paying deadline. AAU has published 2026 tuition rather than a guaranteed 2027 rate, so the December recheck must confirm the invoice.

How much does AAU Master of International Relations cost?

The low-end two-year planning total is DKK 318,210, about INR 46.03 lakh. AAU publishes the current 2026 tuition rate and reserves the right to revise it, so the 2027 invoice controls. It isn’t a fixed AAU invoice because rent, permit charges and the final 2027 tuition rate can change.

ItemINRLocal currencyWhen it is due
Tuition, four semestersINR 16.08 lakhDKK 111,200Current 2026 rate; billed by semester
Living plan, 24 monthsINR 29.33 lakhDKK 202,800Low official budget of DKK 8,450 a month
Application feeINR 16,634EUR 150 / DKK 1,150One intake; covers up to three priorities
Student residence permitINR 44,262DKK 3,0602026 SIRI study-case fee; recheck
Low-end two-year planning totalINR 46.03 lakhDKK 318,210Before flights, deposit and fee revision

SIRI also requires proof that the student can support themselves. That proof is a cash-availability condition, not another university charge. Conversions use DKK 1 = INR 14.4647133588, derived from official reference rates for 7 October 2026. The living case uses the low end of the official national budget and excludes flights, a rental deposit and setup costs.

AAU invoices a newly admitted student shortly after the offer and gives about 14 days to pay. Later semester invoices are due one month before semester start.

The living plan is deliberately conservative. The official ranges include rent from DKK 3,000 to DKK 6,500 and food from DKK 2,000 to DKK 3,500 a month, so actual spending can exceed the table by several lakh over two years.

AAU automatically considers non-EU applicants for roughly 15 scholarships a year across the university. The award can include tuition and a stipend, but AAU explicitly says applicants should not rely on receiving one.

Can an Indian applicant meet AAU Master of International Relations entry requirements?

Eligibility depends on at least 30 ECTS in international relations or a named adjacent social-science field. AAU assesses the completed bachelor curriculum rather than the degree title alone, does not pre-assess files, and uses restricted admission. The degree title isn’t sufficient evidence on its own.

“Aalborg University does not carry out pre-assessments of your bachelor degree in order to determine if you are eligible for admission or not.” Aalborg University admission requirements

For Master of International Relations, AAU won’t confirm eligibility before the complete application is assessed.

RequirementPublished ruleWhat you do
Relevant bachelor degree (India) (India)A recognised bachelor or professional bachelor degreeUpload the award, transcript, grading scale and course descriptions
International-relations field (India) (India)At least 30 ECTS in one or more named IR-related subject areasMap modules in IR, development, European studies, political economy, area studies, migration, refugee studies, integration or international law
English BIELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each section, or an accepted equivalentUpload a valid test or permitted registration receipt by the deadline
GRE or GMATNot listed as an admission requirementUse preparation time on the 30 ECTS subject map

Build a transcript crosswalk before applying. Each row should name the AAU subject rule, the Indian module, local credits, teaching hours, assessed content and the official syllabus page that proves the match.

AAU does not offer pre-assessment. The first formal academic judgement comes after submission, which makes an honest self-audit more useful than an unsupported claim that the degree is related.

A test registration receipt may be uploaded at application time where AAU permits it, but a valid final result is still required by the later documentation deadline stated for the admission cycle.

Three checks that can reject an AAU International Relations file

  1. Use course content, not a broad degree label

    An Indian political science, law or international-studies title can still miss the 30 ECTS minimum if the transcript cannot establish the named subject areas through official descriptions.

  2. Supplementary courses cannot repair a shortfall

    AAU says applicants cannot take supplementary courses to meet this programme’s admission requirements. Resolve the 30 ECTS count before paying the application fee.

  3. The external placement is your responsibility

    One published third-semester route is a 25 ECTS project-oriented placement, and AAU states that students find the organisation themselves. Guidance is available, but the programme does not place every student.

How should an Indian applicant apply for AAU Master of International Relations?

Work backwards from 15 January 2027. Submit in the Danish Application Portal, upload the complete academic and English file to every priority, and pay one EUR 150 fee covering up to three AAU master’s priorities for the intake. A late or incomplete upload doesn’t receive a separate non-EU extension.

The route uses the Danish Application Portal. One AAU application fee covers up to three priorities for one intake, and only the highest possible priority can produce an offer.

Start byTaskTakesWhy this date
15 Oct 2026Secure English evidence90 daysAllow time for booking, results and one full retake.
29 Nov 2026Prepare the Indian file45 daysCollect degree records, grading scale, translations and official descriptions.
14 Dec 2026Audit the academic match30 daysBuild the programme-specific credit and course-content map.
13 Jan 2027Submit and pay2 daysUpload every PDF to each priority and add the EUR 150 receipt.

The allowances are Nbyula planning estimates, not processing times published by Aalborg University.

The academic map comes first because a subject-credit shortfall is the cheapest reason to stop. AAU does not accept application documents by post or email and asks for the full PDF set inside each application.

AAU allows a maximum of three master’s priorities and can issue only one offer, for the highest possible priority. Ordering the list therefore changes the result when more than one programme would admit the applicant.

For a non-EU applicant without a Danish permit, AAU’s current September-cycle deadline for finishing outstanding admission proof is 20 April. The exact portal message and offer conditions control the individual file.

English result timing

AAU may accept a permitted test-registration receipt at application time and request the final result later. A receipt is not a waiver of the English B score.

What jobs can follow AAU Master of International Relations?

AAU links the programme to work as a policy analyst, public-administration adviser, NGO programme officer, sustainability project manager, diplomatic support officer or international-business consultant. It publishes no audited placement rate or starting-salary distribution for this exact programme, so these are directions rather than promised jobs.

MeasureFindingBasis
Programme-linked directionspolicy analyst, public-administration adviser, NGO programme officer, sustainability project manager, diplomatic support officer or international-business consultantAAU programme skills and curriculum
Audited programme placement rateNot publishedNo exact-cohort audited figure found
Student work right90 hours per monthSeptember to May; full time June to August
Graduate job searchGenerally 1 yearStudent-permit applications from 1 October 2026

The job-seeking permit supplies time and limited work permission. It does not guarantee an employer, salary or role in English.

The best employment evidence will be assessed project work that states the problem, method, individual contribution and measured result. AAU’s group model makes that individual contribution worth documenting throughout the degree.

Danish language ability, professional recognition and local experience remain separate hiring questions. An English-taught degree does not mean every relevant employer or public authority works only in English.

How is Aalborg University ranked for Master of International Relations?

THE World University Rankings 2026 places Aalborg University at 251-300. This is research and institutional context, not a ranking of this exact programme or evidence of admission odds, teaching fit, placement or salary. It doesn’t measure this named programme, admission difficulty or graduate employment.

PublisherPositionTable and year
THE World University Rankings251-3002026

Who is AAU Master of International Relations for, and who should avoid it?

Master of International Relations fits an applicant whose completed bachelor study already satisfies the detailed entry table and whose planned role benefits from the published project sequence. It isn’t a good fit when prerequisite gaps require foundation teaching, the budget depends on an uncertain scholarship, or the decision requires a published placement guarantee.

VerdictYour backgroundWhy
Strong fitExact academic matchAt least 30 ects in international relations or a named adjacent social-science field is already visible in completed university study.
Strong fitProject-based learnerThe applicant wants substantial group projects, oral examinations and applied problem work.
Needs evidenceScholarship-dependent applicantAAU awards roughly 15 non-EU scholarships across the university and says not to rely on one.
Needs evidenceEnglish-only job seekerThe degree is taught in English, but relevant Danish employers can still value or require Danish.
Do not shortlistProgramme-specific mismatchIt is a weak fit for someone expecting the university to arrange a UN or embassy internship or expecting an English-taught degree to remove the need for local-language ability in Danish public-sector hiring.
Do not shortlistGuaranteed-outcome buyerNo audited programme placement rate or starting salary is published.

It is a weak fit for someone expecting the university to arrange a UN or embassy internship or expecting an English-taught degree to remove the need for local-language ability in Danish public-sector hiring.

Financial fit is separate from academic fit. The INR 46.03 lakh low-end plan must work before uncertain student earnings, scholarship selection and a rental deposit.

A useful sibling comparison covers entry credits, compulsory first-year modules, third-semester options and the final thesis. A mismatch on any one of those can be a valid reason to choose another course.

What will a student study in AAU Master of International Relations?

The current AAU curriculum carries 120 ECTS over four semesters. It combines named courses with large assessed projects and a final thesis; alternative tracks and third-semester routes are choices rather than extra credits. Students still need one valid semester from the published options and actual availability.

CodeComponentECTSNotes
2026IR1Research Design5First semester
2026IR2International Politics and Conflict15First-semester project
First-semester electives10Track and elective availability can change
2022IR8Sustainability and Project Management10Second semester
2026IR9Global Politics, Governance and Diversity project10Second semester
Second-semester electives10Track and elective availability can change
Project-oriented course or approved study abroad25Third semester; student normally finds the placement
Thesis preparation5Third semester
Master's Thesis30Fourth semester
Total120
  • The award requires 120 ECTS of full-time study.
  • Alternative specialisations and third-semester versions are not taken together.
  • Module availability and elective menus can change before September 2027.
  • The standard final independent assessment is a 30 ECTS master's thesis.

AAU’s project modules carry unusually large credit weights. A student should inspect the oral assessment and group-work format, then decide how to document individual responsibility inside each output.

The third-semester choice should support the same direction as the thesis. A placement, exchange or elective package is most useful when it creates evidence for the target role rather than simply broadening the transcript.

Should an Indian student shortlist AAU Master of International Relations?

Shortlist Master of International Relations only when the completed bachelor record clears every published prerequisite and the planned role genuinely needs this programme’s project sequence. It isn’t a beginner conversion route, and AAU’s restricted admission means meeting the minimum does not guarantee an offer.

The strongest case is a clear progression from prior study into assessed projects, an external collaboration or the thesis. The planning total of INR 46.03 lakh must also work without depending on a scarce scholarship, immediate part-time earnings or an unpublished placement result.

Two things are genuinely difficult. The subject-credit match must already exist inside the qualifying degree; post-degree certificates can’t repair a missing foundation where the programme forbids supplementation. A qualified file can still lose the restricted-admission ranking, while tuition and two years of living costs remain payable.

Key takeaways
  • Master of International Relations is a full-time, English-taught 120 ECTS master's completed over two years.
  • The fee-paying deadline for September 2027 is 15 January 2027.
  • Current four-semester tuition is DKK 111,200, while the low-end full plan is INR 46.03 lakh.
  • The decisive academic check is at least 30 ECTS in international relations or a named adjacent social-science field.
  • Student work permission is 90 hours a month from September to May and full time in June, July and August.
  • A permit application from 1 October 2026 generally leads to a one-year post-study job-seeking period.

Frequently asked questions

What is the tuition for AAU Master of International Relations?

AAU's current 2026 rate produces four-semester tuition of DKK 111,200, about INR 16.08 lakh. Adding a low-end official living plan, the application fee and the 2026 permit fee gives INR 46.03 lakh. Flights, a rental deposit and any 2027 fee revision remain outside that total.

What is the deadline for AAU Master of International Relations?

The fee-paying deadline for the September 2027 intake is 15 January 2027 at 23:59 CET under AAU's current calendar. The portal normally opens in mid-December. Indian applicants should prepare course descriptions and English evidence before opening day because AAU does not pre-assess degrees or promise deadline extensions.

Does AAU Master of International Relations require GRE or GMAT?

AAU does not list GRE or GMAT as an admission requirement for this programme. The decisive evidence is the completed bachelor curriculum, the programme-specific ECTS map and English B proof. A voluntary test score cannot replace missing academic credit, an ineligible degree category or unclear official course descriptions.

What English score does AAU Master of International Relations require?

AAU's current English B route accepts IELTS Academic at 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in every section. It also lists accepted TOEFL, Cambridge and ECPE routes. IELTS One Skill Retake, TOEFL Essentials and TOEFL MyBest are not accepted, and normal IELTS or TOEFL validity is two years at the deadline.

Can an Indian student work during AAU Master of International Relations?

A non-EU student in a state-approved Danish higher-education programme can normally work 90 hours per month from September through May and full time in June, July and August. Work permission helps with experience and part of living costs, but it should not be the condition that makes tuition or rent affordable.

How long can an AAU graduate stay to find work?

For a student-permit application submitted on or after 1 October 2026, SIRI generally grants a one-year job-seeking period with an eligible Danish master's degree. Older guides often say three years because that was the previous rule. The graduate still needs to meet permit conditions and find qualifying employment.

Sources

These sources support the programme, admission, cost, experience and immigration information used on this page.

Sources checked on 8 October 2026. The next intake covered here is September 2027; 15 January 2027.

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