Guidelines for exams and classes

Aarhus University’s guidelines for conducting exams are in conformity with the Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s guidelines. This means that:

• The majority of exams taking place in January – both oral and written - will be conducted online.
• There will be exceptions; in some cases, holding exams online may be inappropriate or impracticable. In such cases, exams will be conducted on site, and there will be an increased focus on measures to prevent infection  Se paragraph about particular focus on on-site exams

Students will find exam schedules on their degree programme study portals and in Wiseflow/Digital Exam.

Students who are infected with Covid-19, have Covid-19 symptoms or are self-isolation may not participate in on-site exams. Check the healthcare authorities’ self-isolation guidelines here.

Missing an exam due to Covid-19 will not count as an exam attempt as long as the student is able to provide documentation. The following documentationis required:

• Students who are infected must present documentation of a positive test result (PCR or rapid test result from authorised test site) taken no more than 11 days prior to the date of the exam. This documentation must take the form of a printout from sundhed.dk or a Covid passport with a positive result. As a general rule, a positive self-test will not constitute adequate documentation in connection with an application for an exemption.
• However, if you are ill with Covid at the time of the exam and more than 11 days have passed since you tested positive, you must submit a doctor’s certificate.
• Students with Covid symptoms must submit a solemn declaration - (click the button below to download the form).
• Students who have been directed to self-isolate due to contact (close or otherwise) with infected persons in accordance with the healthcare authorities’ guidelines must also submit a solemn declaration - (click the button below to download the form).

Please note that contact (close or otherwise) does not necessary mean that self-isolation is required.

Student should submit documentation along with an application for an exemption; the form is available at mitstudie.au.dk.  

If you are unable to participate in an on-site exam, the following options for sitting your exam are available:

• Oral exams: Students may be offered the option of taking an oral exam online in accordance with applicable rules for online exams, if this option is found to be practicable and academically sound.
• Written on-site exams with supervision: Such exams may not be replaced by online exams, and students must wait until the next time the on-site exam is offered.
• Written take-home exams: Students may take such exams unless prevented from doing so by symptoms/infection. The relevant faculty’s guidelines for absence from exams due to illness apply to students who are too ill with Covid-19 to take their exam.

Students who have children who have been sent home from school due to the Covid situation and who are unable to get childcare can contact their studies administration office to discuss their options in relation to the exam(s) this might affect. These students must document their situation by submitting a solemn declaration - (click the button below to download).

If Covid-19-related travel restrictions are introduced or announced which affect students’ ability to participate in a planned on-site exam, affected students can apply for an exemption. The travel activity in question must be for academic reasons, and students must submit documentation for the introduced/announced travel restrictions (for example, a page from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark website) and documentation of the trip (such as a ticket). A case-by-case assessment of the options the university can offer these students will be made.

At-risk students may need to take special precautions that make it impossible or difficult for them to participate in on-site exams. Such students may be granted exemptions based on an individual assessment of the specific circumstances. As in connection with other illnesses, at-risk students must be able to provide documentation for their situation, in this case a medical certificate describing the relevant circumstances. See the Danish Health Authority website for more information on the different at-risk groups.

A valid Covid passport is a prerequisite for participating in exams with in-person attendance.

• Students must present their Covid passport before entering the exam room when participating in written on-site exams.
• In connection with all other on-site exams, how Covid passports are to be checked will be decided locally.

Students who are unable to present a valid Covid passport on request may not participate in the exam in question, and will be registered as absent. This absence will count as an exam attempt. There may be isolated cases in which students are exempt from the Covid passport requirements. Information on exemption and how to document it is available at coronasmitte.dk.

If you test positive (are infected), your Covid passport will remain invalid for 11 days after you test positive. If, according to the health authorities' guidelines, you may end your self-isolation earlier, instead of a Covid passport, please complete a solemn declaration and take it with you. - (click the button below to download the form)

As a general rule, lack of opportunity to get tested at the proper time and limited testing capacity may not be used as excuses for failure to have a valid Covid passport.

On-site exams will be held with particular focus on measures to combat infection. We strongly encourage all of you to show consideration for one another. This means that:

• Students and staff must wear a face covering. However, students and staff may take their face coverings off when seated during the exam.
• Covid passports must be presented.
• Every effort will be made to ensure that maintaining a social distance of two metres is possible. Exam supervisors may ask students to maintain social distancing.
• There will be a particular focus on good ventilation.
• Sanitiser must be available.
• If an exam supervisor, examiner or similar notices that there is a student present who has visible symptoms, they must ask the student to leave.
• AU staff and students should comply with the healthcare authorities’ general recommendations regarding testing. See Coronasmitte.dk

As a general rule, if the ordinary exam is scheduled to take place in person, the re-exam will take place in person. As a general rule, if the ordinary exam is scheduled to take place online, the re-exam will take place online. There will be exceptions. Check your study portal for more information on exam format.

Classes at Aarhus University must take place in accordance with the following guidelines form the Ministry of Higher Education and Science. These guidelines will apply through 31 January.

Through the end of January, teaching must take place in assigned teams or groups.

Depending on the situation, students who are unable to attend classes due to Covid-19 infection, can apply for help through AU's academic assistant scheme.

In the event that the academic assistant scheme is not an option, students should contact their local studies administration office to find out how their absence due to Covid-19 will affect them academically.

If one or more classes are sent home due to Covid-19, teaching will take place online to the extent this is feasible.

We are currently assuming that Danish universities will be allowed to offer classes in person this semester. We will inform you of the updated guidelines and recommendations that will apply from 1 February as soon as possible.