Prerequisite studies for the master's programmes

What are prerequisite studies?

Prerequisite studies are comprised of courses and/or projects at bachelor's level from one of Roskilde University’s bachelor's programmes. If you are required to complete prerequisite studies, you must do so before you begin the actual master’s programme.  

The University may require you to complete prerequisite studies, if your bachelor's degree is not in itself sufficient for admission to a specific master's programme. Please note that you will not be offered prerequisite studies, if you lack courses/projects that amount to more than 30 ECTS points. The University will make this assessment once your application is received. 

If you are required to complete prerequisite studies, your admission letter will explain this condition and name the specific courses/project you must complete as prerequisite studies. 

If you accept your admission with this condition, you will automatically be enrolled in prerequisite studies. Once you have successfully completed your prerequisite courses, you will automatically be enrolled in the master’s programme.

Non-EU/EEA citizens cannot be offered prerequisite studies

Prerequisite studies are only available to EU/EEA citizens.

If you are a non-EU/EEA citizen that needs a residence permit for their studies, you can unfortunately not get a residence permit to do prerequisite studies. Therefore, you cannot be admitted on the condition that you complete any prerequisite studies.

This means that if you are a non-EU/EEA citizen that needs a residence permit based on studies, you cannot be admitted with the condition that you complete prerequisite studies.

Payment for prerequisite studies

All students (non-EU/EEA, EU/EEA, Swiss and Danish citizens) must pay tuition fees for the prerequisite studies. The fees corresponds to the tuition fees for guest students:

You are not entitled to receive SU while you are completing prerequisite studies.

How to complete prerequisite studies?

Roskilde University offers two types of prerequisite studies. You can either be required to complete prerequisite studies as a summer school or during one semester. You cannot choose the type of prerequisite studies. The University makes this decision. 

Summer School during July and August (10 ECTS)

The prerequisite studies to be completed during a summer school are only offered for admission to the master’s programmes in: Social Entrepreneurship & Management, Spatial Design and Society and Nordic Urban Planning Studies.

Find more information about the prerequisite studies offered during July and August here.

Prerequisite studies that last for one semester (from 5-30 ECTS)

The prerequisite studies are offered for the semester that you have applied for admission to. If you pass the prerequisite studies, you will commence the master’s programme the following semester. 

If I am required to complete prerequisite studies, can I select another priority?

No you cannot. If you have applied for admission to more than one master’s programme and are offered conditional admission to a master’s programme with the requirement of completing prerequisite studies first, you cannot change to a lower priority. You will only receive an offer to the highest priority where you can qualify for admission—even if you might have been able to be admitted to a lower priority without the requirement of prerequisite studies. 

Since the requirement of prerequisite studies is based on an individual assessment of your educational background once we have received the application, we can unfortunately not inform you beforehand, if you will be required to complete prerequisite studies for a specific master’s programme.