Language requirements
Applicants to an English-taught master's degree programmes at the Faculty of Humanities are required to document their English language proficiency in accordance with the language requirements for admission.
How to document your English proficiency
The Faculty of Humanities requires what is called 'English level B' language proficiency (on the Danish scale).
This is most often demonstrated by way of an approved English language test.
The English language test has a minimum total score requirement, which is found by clicking on the applicable language test from the menu below.
The Faculty of Humanities accepts the following English proficiency tests:
TOEFL iBT with a minimum total score of 83.
The Faculty of Humanities does not accept TOEFL MyBest Scores.
TOEFL test takers are required to choose the Faculty of Humanities (institution code: 3312) as recipient of the test results.
TOEFL iBT certificates are only valid for two years from the date of the commencement of master's degree studies, i.e., by 1 September in the applicable admission year.
IELTS Academic test with a minimum total score of 6.5.
IELTS certificates are only valid for two years from the date of the commencement of master's degree studies; i.e., by 1 September in the applicable admission year.
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE), passed
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE), passed
Cambridge certificates are only valid for two years from the date of the commencement of master's degree studies, i.e., by 1 September in the applicable admission year.
The University of Copenhagen verifies all test reports with the test provider.
Do I need to take an English language test?
Applicants who have previously studied in an English-speaking country, or have acquired fluent English proficiency by other means, may be exempt from submitting formal English test results to demonstrate their English proficiency.
These exemptions are outlined below.
Please note that exemptions must be met exactly as stated. Applicants who have a bachelor's degree in English language and/or literature from a non-English speaking country are not exempt from submitting an English language test.
If you are a citizen of one of the following countries, you are not required to take an English test:
- Australia
- Canada (except Quebec and northern New Brunswick)
- Irish Republic
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom - including England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
- United States of America
Applicants apply for the exemption by submitting a valid passport from one of the aforementioned countries in their online application.
You are exempt from submitting an English proficiency test if you document that you have acquired a weighed grade point average of 3 or above in English B (samlede Engelsk B karaktergennemsnit) in your upper secondary education in Denmark.
Applicants apply for the exemption by submitting a Danish upper secondary leaving certificate (e.g., a "Studentereksamen") in their online application.
You are exempt from submitting an English proficiency test if you can document that you are studying or have completed your entire bachelor's degree at a Danish university.
Please note that only applicants who complete the entirety of their studies in Denmark (excluding semesters abroad) can qualify for the exemption.
Applicants apply for the exemption by uploading a Danish bachelor's degree certificate and diploma supplement to their online application.
You are exempt from submitting an English proficiency test if you can document that you have completed your upper secondary education in either Sweden, Norway, Finland or Iceland, AND your upper secondary school leaving certificate includes passed English language courses equivalent to the Danish "English B-level".
Applicants apply for the exemption by uploading an original exam certificate from the relevant Nordic country to their online application.
SWEDEN
Danish level |
Swedish level GY2000 |
Swedish level GY2011 |
English B-level |
Engelska C (EN1203) |
Engelska steg 7 (ENGENG07) |
NORWAY
Danish level |
Norwegian level |
English A-level |
The list is extensive. See courses here |
English B-level |
The list is extensive. See courses here |
FINLAND
Danish level |
Finnish level |
English B-level |
Engelska, A/Englannin kieli, A: 7 kurssi |
ICELAND
Danish level |
Icelandic level |
English A-level |
18-24 einingar: ENS 103+203+303+403+503+603 (+ evt. 703+803) |
English B-level |
15 einingar: ENS 103+203+303+403+503 |
You are exempt from submitting an English proficiency test if you can document that you have studied and passed an entire bachelor's degree at a university in either Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom or the United States of America.
The applicant is required to have resided in the English-speaking country for the entirety of their bachelor studies. Applicants who have completed an exchange semester abroad in an English-speaking country do not qualify for the exemption.
Applicants apply for the exemption by submitting a bachelor degree certificate and transcript in their online application.
Please note that the Faculty of Humanities does not accept personal recommendations and attestations of English proficiency from former universities or professors as sufficient proof of documenting your English language proficiency.
You are exempt from submitting an English proficiency test if you can document that you have an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma which includes one of the following courses in which the minimum pass grade of 3 has been obtained:
- English B, standard level (SL)
-
English A1, A2 or B, higher level (HL)
-
English A1 or A2 standard level (SL)
- English A Literature or English A Language and Literature, higher Level (HL)
- English A Literature or English A Language and Literature, standard Level (SL)
Applicants apply for the exemption by submitting an International Baccalaureate (IB) leaving certificate and diploma in their online application.
Deadline for submission of a language test
If you have not included an English proficiency test report in your application, you are required to submit documentation of your language proficiency as soon as possible in accordance with the following deadlines:
- Non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens: 1 April
- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens: 1 August
Failure to document your English language proficiency by the deadline may result in the admission offer being withdrawn.
Test report forms are submitted by e-mail to fulldegree@hum.ku.dk.