Bachelor's and master's theses abroad

Theses abroad through DTU's exchange agreements

It is quite difficult to be selected for an exchange spot with the intention of writing your thesis abroad. In order to be eligible to apply, you will need to meet the following criteria at the time of application:

You are already on exchange while applying for writing your thesis or bachelor project.

You already have an agreement with a supervisor from DTU or a supervisor from your host university.

DTU has a free exchange spot at the relevant university in the relevant semester.

Self-arranged theses abroad

If you do not meet the listed criteria above, you are more than welcome to go around the established agreements between DTU and their partner universities and organise your project abroad on your own. Please keep in mind that planning a thesis abroad often takes a lot of time and preparatory work - we therefore always recommend that you start in good time.

There are three especially important things to keep in mind, if you wish to write your final project abroad:

1. Although you will write your thesis abroad, it will be registered as a regular DTU project and you will always need to have a DTU Supervisor as well as you will be obliged to defend your thesis at DTU. For this reason, it is important that you talk to your supervisor to ensure that he/she accepts your plans of writing your thesis abroad.
   
   
2. Research whether the host-university that you are interested in offers the opportunity for international students to write theses abroad by checking the individual universities' websites. It is for example usually not a possibility in Australia, however it is possible in many other countries. You should also consider whether or not there is a tuition fee/registration fee associated with doing your project at the host university, so that you are aware of a potential cost. It is not possible to apply for the SU Study Abroad Scholarship in this connection, as it is will be considered a regular DTU project that is completed abroad, where there will be no credit transfer from the university to DTU.
   
   
3. You can either start by searching for a DTU supervisor or a supervisor at the university you are interested in. If you start out by finding a DTU supervisor, they may be able to help you find an external supervisor, if they have any contacts at the respective university.

It is important that you read the section on master thesis in DTU Rules. The Study Guidance Office has also created a guide for students, who are preparing to write their thesis, which you can find here. 

If you have any further questions about the rules regarding the master thesis, please do not hesitate to contact the Study Guidance for help.