The Technical University of Denmark (DTU), founded in 1829 by the physicist Hans Christian Ørsted, has its main campus in Lyngby, just north of Copenhagen. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 105th in the world, the second-highest-ranked university in Denmark and fifth in the Nordic region. It’s known for engineering, sustainable energy, life science technology and computer science.
DTU offers one bachelor’s programme taught entirely in English and many English-taught master’s programmes. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on DTU’s own guidance and official Danish government information.
1. Choose the BSc in General Engineering, or a master’s
DTU’s English-taught bachelor’s degree is the BSc in General Engineering, a broad engineering programme with several specialisations. Its other bachelor’s programmes are taught in Danish. Most international students come to DTU for an MSc, as nearly all of its master’s programmes are taught in English. DTU BSc in General Engineering.
2. Apply through optagelse.dk by 15 March
You apply for bachelor’s programmes at DTU, and at other Danish universities, through the national admissions portal, optagelse.dk, which opens on 1 February. You can apply for up to eight programmes in total, and the deadline for applicants with international qualifications is 15 March at 12 noon (Central European Time). Late applications aren’t accepted, and if you don’t have a Danish personal number, you also need to send a signed signature page by the same deadline.
3. Pay the application fee on time
All applicants from outside the EU/EEA must pay a €100 application fee by 15 March before DTU will process their application, and attach the receipt to their application on optagelse.dk. If you’re admitted, the fee is deducted from your first tuition payment. DTU General Engineering: fees, funding and permits.
4. Meet the subject requirements
Your school qualification must be recognised as equivalent to a Danish upper secondary exam, and you need strong results in mathematics, physics, chemistry and English at the levels DTU sets for General Engineering. Check the programme’s admission requirements carefully for your qualification.
5. Prove your English
General Engineering is taught in English, so you’ll need to document your English at the required level, for example through your school qualification or a recognised test. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
6. Upload translated documents
If your diploma and transcripts aren’t in English or a Nordic language, you must upload translations by an authorised translator. Upload all the documentation required for each programme you apply to, because DTU can’t see your application until it receives your signature page.
7. Understand the fees
EU/EEA citizens don’t pay tuition fees. Other students pay €15,000 a year for the BSc in General Engineering, paid in advance one semester at a time (€7,500 per semester), with deadlines of 1 August for the autumn and 1 January for the spring semester. DTU doesn’t offer scholarships or tuition fee waivers at undergraduate level.
8. Budget for life near Copenhagen
The Copenhagen area is expensive, and student housing is in short supply. Start looking for accommodation as soon as you’re admitted, and budget for rent, food and transport on top of your tuition.
9. Apply for your residence permit
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens don’t need a permit to study in Denmark, but they must register for an EU residence document if they stay more than three months. Other students apply to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) for a residence permit once DTU has admitted them, paying a processing fee and creating a case order ID first. You must show that you can support yourself with DKK 7,426 a month (2026 level), up to a maximum of DKK 89,112 if you’ll study for more than a year, and paying your first semester’s tuition counts as part of your documentation. From 1 October 2026, students on state-approved programmes can no longer bring a spouse, partner or children as accompanying family members. New to Denmark: higher education.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
As a student on a state-approved programme, you get a limited work permit: up to 90 hours a month from September to May, and full time in June, July and August. When you complete your degree, you’re normally entitled to a job-seeking permit with the same work rights. If you applied for your residence permit on or after 1 October 2026, this is generally 6 months or 1 year (it was previously up to 3 years). If you get a job offer, you can apply for a new residence and work permit based on the job.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at DTU?
DTU’s MSc programmes are taught in English. For the autumn intake, the deadline is 15 January for applicants from outside the EU/EEA and 1 March for EU/EEA applicants, and non-EU applicants pay a €100 application fee. DTU has a very limited number of tuition fee waivers for new non-EU MSc students, awarded mainly for academic excellence; you apply by including a separate personal statement with your application. PhD positions at DTU are paid and advertised individually. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
DTU’s places are limited, so apply to other options too. Read our guides to the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, the University of Southern Denmark and Aalborg University. Our guide to studying in Denmark explains how the Danish system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from DTU’s official admissions and fee pages, Danish government sources and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on DTU’s admissions website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with DTU.