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About the graduate school courses

The course programme for PhD students at the Graduate School of Health consists of a mandatory course, a welcoming event and a number of elective courses. All PhD courses will grant ECTS credits.

The graduate school also offers an introductory course for future PhD students and Research year students.

Types of courses

Mandatory course and event

The Graduate School of Health offers one mandatory course for all PhD students enrolled at the graduate school; "Responsible Conduct of Research". Also, we have a mandatory welcoming event.

Both is intended for PhD students at Health, Aarhus University only.

Learn more and sign up via our PhD Course Management .

Elective courses

The Graduate School of Health offers a considerable number of generic and scientific courses in both health science and general disciplines. The nature of the courses changes continuously, as the research fields develop.

Introductory course (future PhD or Research Year students)

If you consider enrolling in a PhD programme, you might be interested in our introductory course “Introduction to Research Training in Health Sciences”. 

Learn more about the course and sign up via our PhD Course Management .

Teaching elements on courses

  • The graduate school’s aim is to ensure a high level of academic and educational quality, which enables you to acquire the relevant skills.
  • In addition, we wish to provide you with some interesting learning experiences that are relevant to your academic development and encourage you to seek new knowledge.
  • According to the ECTS rules, it is a condition for the allocation of ECTS credits that the participant’s work has been assessed to some extent.
  • The graduate school has chosen to focus the course programme on participant activities and involvement rather than on a final examination. We strive to increase your learning outcome through activities such as presentations, group work or report writing.

Course admission

The graduate school course seats are allocated on a first come-first served principle.

If you register for a course with no more seats available, you will be placed on a waiting list. You will be notified directly if a seat becomes available (no later than two weeks before the course starts).

10 ECTS credits per semester

  • As a rule, you can only apply for courses up to 10 ECTS credits per semester via PhD Course Management.
  • You are also welcome to participate in external courses (no ECTS limit per semester). Learn more about External activities

35 ECTS credits during the entire PhD study

  • You can enrol in courses up to max 35 ECTS credits via PhD Course Management.
  • If you exeed the limit of 35 ECTS credits, a course fee will be charged

Seats are allocated by the graduate school administration

  • You are not allowed to transfer your course seat to others, since only the graduate school administration can allocate course seats.
  • Likewise you cannot attend the graduate school’s courses without being assigned to a course seat by the graduate school administration.
  • You are not allowed to sign up for more than one course if you find duplicate courses. If you are able to participate in more than one of the duplicate courses (E.g. spring or fall), please indicate in your primary course registration (in the comment box) which course(s) you are also interested in. In case of a duplicate registration, please notice that you will be charged with a full course fee when the application deadline on each duplicate course has been reached.

Are you a PhD student at a Danish university or within the Nordoc network?

  • External PhD students at Danish Universities under the Open Market agreement or within the Nordoc network are welcome to register for our courses. It is a prerequisite for admission that the course has available seats and if  you have uploaded a valid Letter of Enrolment you might be granted a seat.

Are you not enrolled as PhD student?

  • You are allowed to register for our courses even if you are not enrolled as a PhD student. If there is an available seat on a course you might get a seat if you meet the criteria for participation. We will, however, make an individual assessment on registrants who  are not enrolled as PhD students. You will be charged a fee of DKK 1,200 per ECTS credit for course participation (the fee can variate at residential courses).

Are you a Research Year student at AU?

  • When enrolled as a Research Year student you can free of charge register for PhD courses offered by Graduate School of Health in PhD Course Management.

    Please notice that enrolment in the Research Year is no guarantee for admission to your desired PhD courses. It is a prerequisite for admission that the course has available seats.

Course absence

In order to pass a course, you must be physically present at least 80 per cent of the time. Homework, assignments etc. do not count as participation. (i.e. up to 20 per cent of absence is accepted).

As a rule, a fee corresponding to the actual course fee* will be charged if

  • you are absent more than 20 percent of the time, or
  • you do not cancel before the cancellation deadline

The only exception to this rule is registered illness, death of nearest relatives etc. 

In case of late cancellation due to illness we may require a doctor’s note from you.

You must notify the course secretary in case of absence due to illness no later than at 9:00 on the day of the course.

(*For online courses, the no-show fee is DKK 500).

Course fees

If you are included in one of the following categories, your participation is free of charge

  • PhD students, Research Year students and Research Honours Programme students at Health
  • PhD students from other graduate schools at Aarhus University
  • PhD students enrolled at partner universities of the Nordoc network
  • PhD students at other Danish universities, in accordance with the open market agreement


Please note that you must be enrolled as a PhD student or research year student at the time of course end. I.e. if a course ends on 20 August and you will be enrolled from 1 September, you will be charged a course fee.

All other participants are charged a fee of DKK 1,200 per ECTS credit. 
(NB! Does not cover our Laboratory Animal Science courses).

Course evaluation, attendance and diploma

Course evaluation

As a course participant, you are asked to take part in evaluating all courses. You will receive a link to an electronic evaluation (anonymous) on the last day of the course.

Course attendance and diploma

In order to pass a course, you must be physically present at least 80 per cent of the time. Homework, assignments etc. do not count as participation. (i.e. up to 20 per cent of absence is accepted).

After completing a course, you will need to register your attendance /absence. If you have sufficient attendance (and if you have passed the exam if relevant) you will receive your course diploma via e-mail or you can download your course diploma from PhD Course Management.

Courses taken during research year

GSH courses taken during Research Year

A maximum of 15 ECTS for PhD courses completed during the research year and within the last 5 years before enrolment in the PhD programme can be transferred and approved as part of your PhD degree (learn about credit transfer)

PhD Day as a research year student

Participation in PhD Day as a research year student cannot be transferred. You are expected to participate in PhD Day as a PhD student as well.

External courses as a research year student

All courses not offered by the Graduate School of Health are defined as external courses and need to be approved. See what other courses can be accredited.