History
The University of Southern Denmark was established in 1998 through a merger involving Odense University, the Southern Denmark School of Business and Engineering and South Jutland University Centre.
Education
With over 70 full-time study programmes taught in English, graduates of the university of Southern Denmark are now members of virtually every profession in the international community. More than 500 exchange agreements exist with partner institutions around the world, meaning that we are a truly global university.
Research
The SDU campus covers virtually all scientific and humanities disciplines, enabling us to make sure that the research issues we focus on are appropriate to the society we live in – as it develops and changes – and that research results can be quickly tested and converted into practical, implementable results that benefit individual citizens as well as public welfare.
One particular example of how we do this is the Danish Institute for Advanced Study, a research centre that aims to inspire and kickstart ground-breaking new ideas via effective meetings of minds in a world-class think-tank environment.
Career
SDU offers the programme Career in Denmark for international students looking to prepare for a career in Denmark after their studies. In addition we arrange career networking events, so you can get help finding a student job or networking with local businesses.
University of Southern Denmark Key Statistics & Highlights
- #278 Ranking
- 3,800 Academic Staff
- 27,000 Students
- 1,250 Students (int'l)
University of Southern Denmark Overview
University of Southern Denmark Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 3.7% Denmark
Top 11.1% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Best Global Universities Rankings
278
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 23 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 227 | 255 | 278 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
283
By TopUniversities
Climbed 20 places compared to 2026
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 324 | 303 | 283 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
No 2027 Ranking
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 251 | 251 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
No 2026 Ranking
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 301 | 301 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Student services
Student Services handles several key tasks about counselling, admission, international students and services both students and the board of directors within the area of academic administration.
Student Services is directed by the head of studies and supported by its staff unit. They are responsible for the organisation of Student Services and the running of the personnel administration, economy, physical surroundings and purchases.
Housing services
In 2015, the Campus House, Odense put 250 student flats into use. The house offers flats for both 1 and 2 tenants, and the rent is affordable for students. All flats are fully furnished and include an en suite bathroom and private balcony. Each group of flats share a living room and each floor shares a large kitchen. In this way, Campus House, Odense favours both privacy and community.
In Kolding there are no dormitories. Instead, the Accommodation Office has entered into agreements with private landlords with multiple single rooms with shared kitchens and bathrooms. The student accommodation is situated close to the city center, the train and bus station and the university.
Library services
Campus library administrates the loan of books and journals not only from its own collections but also from all the collections of the University Library of Southern Denmark. The library also deals with requests for material from other libraries at home and abroad.
Medical services
You will receive a CPR number when you have registered in the Civil Registration System at your municipality´s citizen service centre. After you have registered with the Civil Registration System the health card is sent to you by mail within approximately 2 weeks. With the CPR number and the health card you have access to health care services offered to all Danish citizens.
Campus life
The University of Southern Denmark has more than 30,000 students and 4,000 employees. The campuses of the university are represented in 6 cities: Odense, Esbjerg, Kolding, Copenhagen, Slagelse, and Sønderborg - all with main focus on education and research.
Sports facilities
Denmark has the highest number of sport facilities per capita among the European countries. So whichever one of our five campus you study in, you’re sure to find an array of both sport and social activities. At our Odense campus you will even find a fitness center and swimming pool.
Student clubs
Taking part in association activities are central to Danish culture, and with more than 22,500 students at the same location, SDU Odense is a good environment for student associations. If you browse the notice boards along Gydehutten, you will discover a plethora of communities of interest that you can take part in.
Accreditation
In 2014, SDU became one of the first higher education institutions to receive accreditation. This means that the Danish Accreditation Council assessed that SDU's quality system is overall able to continuously and systematically maintain and develop the quality and relevance of our programmes.
University of Southern Denmark Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
Denmark Country
Sønderborg City
#2 Branch Campus
Denmark Country
Esbjerg City
#3 Branch Campus
Denmark Country
Kolding City
#4 Branch Campus
Denmark Country
Slagelse City
#5 Branch Campus
Denmark Country
Odense City
#6 Branch Campus
Germany Country
Flensburg City
University of Southern Denmark Student Reviews & Awards
4.2
Based on 39 reviews
- 5 Star 16 Reviews
- 4 Star 15 Reviews
- 3 Star 7 Reviews
- 2 Star 0 Reviews
- 1 Star 1 Review
How Students Rated This University
- Student Teacher Interaction 4.1
- Student Diversity 4.5
- Quality of Student Life 4.1
Real Engineering, Real Purpose | SDU S�nderborg
I�m currently pursuing my M.Sc. in Electronic Engineering at SDU�s S�nderborg campus, and it has genuinely shaped the way I think as an engineer. The programme is two years long, and every semester feels purposefully designed. SDU doesn�t just teach you engineering it teaches you how to think at the frontier of technology. The university has a strong focus on green energy, which isn�t just a marketing label here. It�s embedded into how courses are structured and what research directions are encouraged. One subject that has truly stood out for me is Embedded Power Systems. What I love most about it is how it bridges theory directly to real green energy applications, you�re not solving abstract problems, you�re working on systems that actually matter for the energy transition. It�s the kind of course that makes you realise why you chose engineering in the first place. The S�nderborg campus is small and quiet a very different from a big university city. As an international student, that takes some adjustment. But the focused, calm environment actually helps you concentrate on your studies, and the student community is close-knit because of it. The hands-on teaching culture means you�re constantly building, experimenting, and developing your own ideas alongside new technologies. For future students considering SDU S�nderborg, come prepared to think independently, embrace a quieter lifestyle, and dive deep into cutting-edge engineering. It�s absolutely worth it. M.Sc. Electronic Engineering Student, SDU S�nderborg, Denmark
International collaboration in Odense
The university provided plenty of resources throughout my studies. I'd say the quality and overall experience of my master's study program was great and reached my expectations. Plenty of international students from the whole world in the class which I worked on many group projects. There is also an opportunity to do an Internship during the 3rd semester. Unfortunately, only for 10 ECTS but it's still worth it and manageable with electives on aside.
Large lectures in Odense
A fine university. Proper professors, but not enough ressources. Classes with 150 students take motivation and learning from the students. Fine facilitites such as sports area, cafeteria and a big library
Studied here? Share your experience
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Student Teacher InteractionHow helpful were your teachers?
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Student DiversityHow diverse was the atmosphere at your university?
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Quality of Student LifeHow was your everyday life?
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