There are perhaps as many ways to organise your studies and study time as there are students at Aarhus University. At the same time, it is very different what you as a student need help for, and when the need is there, but on this page we have collected a number of advice and topics, which in our experience are particularly important to relate to at the beginning of your study period.
Using AU Studypedia as a new student
AU Studypedia gives you specific advice, exercises, schedules, etc.m. about academic writing and forms of work that you will encounter as a university student. It is therefore a good idea to know the page so that you can make use of it as a resource during your education. For example, you will find exercises that you can use when you need to build an argument in a written assignment or if you get stuck in the writing process. And if the task writing gets too hard, time is tight and your motivation drops, we come up with good advice on how you can increase your study motivation.
Although being a university student is a great experience, many find the requirements for independence and self-discipline challenging. Therefore, it is important to build good study habits from the beginning.
As a university student, it is your own responsibility to know when you have classes, which room you should be in and what you should prepare before you attend class. You must also be aware of practical information and deadlines, for example that you are registered for the classes and exams.
Your study consists of more than just going to classes and reading the syllabus. Everything that takes place outside of the classroom is an equally important part of your study - and you have to manage that yourself. It can be group work, project work, exercises, additional reading, exam periods and perhaps internships etc.
Your study time must also be adapted to the rest of your life with friends, family, sports, interests and maybe a job on the side. You have to make sure that it all fits together in your life, which may require proper time management. Find concrete advice on how to build good study habits and managing your time on the page below:
Study strategies aim to strengthen your knowledge and skills in the subjects. There is a lot to read, to write and produce during your studies, and therefore it is important to know how you prefer to do the different tasks and what strategies help you in specific situations.
There are many ways to study - maybe as many ways as there are students at the university. We all have different preferences, and what works for your fellow students might not work for you. Therefore, as a new student it is a good idea to start figuring out how you prefer to learn. Many students spend quite some time figuring this out, but if you are aware of your mental strategies when working with the subject, it might help you acquire new knowledge and competencies faster.
Different strategies are appropriate in different subjects, and no matter which strategies you find beneficial, it will take time to master them. By trying out different strategies and adapting them through your academic work, you build good study skills that you can use throughout your education - so why not start now? On the pages below you will find suggestions for different ways of working with your reading and notetaking:
Many students will find that it takes time to get used to the new environment at the university. For most students the transition will involve many different emotions - both positive and negative. It is completely natural. And it is also completely natural that you will encounter both academic, social and personal challenges during your time at the university.
If you experience challenges with your professional, social or personal well-being, it is important to remember that you can seek help and support from a number of different agencies at Aarhus University.
ACADEMIC CALENDARAn academic calendar shows the semester dates and includes an overview of the public holidays in each semester. |
ACADEMIC REGULATIONSYour Academic regulations make up the legal framework for your degree programme and cover everything from admission requirements to graduation requirements. These regulations indicate which courses and exams you as a student must complete. |
ACADEMIC QUARTER OF AN HOURAn academic quarter is the quarter-hour (15 minutes) discrepancy between the defined start time for a lecture and the actual starting time. The academic quarter is only relevant for some courses. Ask your lecturer or fellow students. The quarter system dates back to the days when the ringing of the church bell was the general method of time keeping. When the bell rang on the hour, students had 15 minutes to get to the lecture. Thus, a lecture with a defined start time of 10 o’clock would actually start at 10:15. |
| AU FIND is an AU App where addresses of both people and places are integrated with Google Maps. You can search for lecture halls, libraries, canteens, Friday bars, lecturers and much more. |
AU ID NUMBERYou will find your AU ID number on your student ID card or at mystudies.au.dk. The AU ID number (in the form: auxxxxxx@uni.au.dk) is used to log into many of AU's systems. |
BRIGHTSPACEBrightspace is AU’s cloud-based learning management system (LMS) which is a software used to manage your courses and support teaching and learning experiences. |
COURSE CATALOGUEThe Course Catalogue is an overview of all courses at all programmes at AU. The Course Catalogue allows you to search for courses by: Programme; Period; ECTS; Location; Department; Faculty; Course type and Language of instruction. |
EDUROAMAU’s wireless network for students and staff. |
FRIDAY BARSMost departments have a Friday bar for social gathering. The Friday bars are organised by students who set up a small bar in a canteen or classroom where beers, drinks and non-alcoholic drinks are served. |
MAXIMUM PERIOD OF STUDYThe maximum period of study is the timeframe you have to complete your programme. For both bachelor and master students the maximum period of study is the prescribed period + one semester. You can see your maximum period of study under the "Degree programme overview", which you access via mystudies.au.dk |
MY STUDIESMystudies is your personalized digital study environment. A single point of access, where you only have to log on once to gain direct access to the most important platforms and websites at AU. |
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT (SPS)Special Educational Support is an offer to students with disabilities. The purpose of SPS is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to educate themselves on equal terms. |
STUDENT COUNSELLORS or STUDENT WELFARE COUNSELLORSStudent Counsellors are experienced students who have hands-on study experience from your degree programme. They can help you with questions about your courses, exams, exemptions, study abroad etc. Student Welfare Counsellors are full-time staff who can guide you if you experience personal issues that have an impact on your studies or if you need advice about how to structure your studies. They all have a duty of confidentiality. |
STUDENT ID CARDYour Student ID Card works as your keycard to campus buildings and as identification when you are on campus or need to document that you are enrolled at Aarhus University. Especially at exams, it is important that you bring your identity card. On this card you will find both your Student ID number and your AU ID number. |
STUDENT ID NUMBERYou will find your student ID number (2021xxxxx) on your student ID card or at mystudies.au.dk. All students at Aarhus University have an AU email address, studentnumber@post.au.dk. |
STUDY SPACEStudy spaces are the term for formal places that are available on campus for you as a student to sit and study. An overview of study places can be found on your study portal. |
STUDY PORTALEvery degree programme has a Study portal where students can find all kinds of practical information about their specific degree programme and studies. |
As a student at AU you will get to know the platform Brightspace, where you for example will find important information from your teachers. You can log onto Brightspace here.
You can choose to think of Studypedia as a tool box that you can rummage around in and find the exact tools you need to build up a good frame work for your learning and the academic side of your life.
The front page of Studypedia consists of several different topics that concerns different aspect of the academic side of life. The idea behind this separation into topics is to give you a fast way to orient you towards the content you need.
Become part of a community in Aarhus by participating in different leisure activities across the university such as clubs and associations, culture or sport activities.
Becpme part of a community at genlydaarhus.dk (danish), where you can find other young people in Aarhus, that would like to meet up, go to the movies, train, play board games, do creative stuff, and a lot more. Find other people's invitations or create your own at genlydaarhus.dk
