MSc in Bioinformatics
Aarhus, Denmark
MSc
DURATION
4 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Mar 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
Feb 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 16,300 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* winter intake | application deadline (Non-EU): 15 september 2025
** for non-EU/EEA students only | EU/EEA/Swiss citizen students study for free
Key Summary
Learn about Aarhus as a student city, Aarhus University, our English taught Master's and Bachelor's programmes from staff and students.
Bioinformatics is a fusion of biology, statistics, and computer science that focuses on the development and application of computational solutions for analyzing and handling biological and biomedical data. The field of bioinformatics plays a key role in modern biology and biomedicine, where collecting and analyzing large data sets is essential. To address the challenges of big data in modern biology and biomedicine, a bioinformatician must combine practical and theoretical skills in statistical modeling, data analysis, and computer programming with a deep knowledge of biology and biomedicine - a network of competencies that students will acquire through the two-year MSc in Bioinformatics program at Aarhus University.
The MSc in Bioinformatics program is open to all students with a BSc degree in the natural, technical, or health sciences with a significant content of mathematical, biological, and/or computational subjects, such as a BSc degree in bioinformatics, biology, molecular biology, molecular medicine, mathematics, statistics or computer science. Students in the program will be exposed to the many topics in bioinformatics through lectures, projects, and exercise sessions; they will specialize in a bioinformatics subject during their thesis work, while also acquiring general competencies in data analysis and computer programming.
With a combination of two specializations, elective courses, and projects, there are many ways to structure your Bioinformatics master’s program. All students must do 30 ECTS thesis and a 10 ECTS project. All students must also follow a mandatory course in either computational thinking or molecular evolution depending on their background. The mandatory course can be part of a specialization, which makes it possible to have one more elective course. The 10 ECTS project can be scheduled in any semester, which makes it possible to study abroad during the third semester.
1 Semester
- Specialization 1
- Specialization 2
- Mandatory Course
2 Semester
- Specialization 1
- Specialization 2
- Elective Course
3 Semester
- Elective Course
- Project
4 Semester
Thesis
Specializations
- Algorithms and Programming
- Machine Learning and Data Science
- Molecular Evolution and Genomics
Forms of teaching
At the University of Aarhus, you are in close contact with researchers in a way that you rarely experience at other universities. The door to the professor’s office is always open if you need clarification of the study material, and you are encouraged to ask questions at lectures and during exercises. We make heavy demands on your academic skills and independence. In return, you gain considerable benefits in the form of academic challenges and scientific knowledge, in addition to broad competencies.
The teaching at the university focuses on independence, critical thinking and collaboration. Part of the teaching is in the form of lectures that introduce new angles to the material compared with the textbooks. The theoretical and practical exercises take place in small groups where you study relevant issues in depth. Most bioinformatics students also spend a certain amount of time on project work in small groups in connection with the use or development of bioinformatics tools.
The varied forms of teaching, collaboration in groups, and the opportunity for close scientific dialogue with the researchers provide you with general competencies that are in great demand in the global job market. These competencies include abstract, critical, and independent thinking, analytical skills, and strategic planning. You can use these skills in many contexts – even in jobs you didn’t know you were qualified for.
1 semester
- Elective Courses (20 ECTS)
- Computational Thinking in Bioinformatics or Evolutionary Thinking (10 ECTS)
2 semester
- Elective Courses (30 ECTS)
3 semester
- Elective Courses (20 ECTS)
- Projects in Bioinformatics (10 ECTS)
4 semester
- Master's Thesis in Bioinformatics (30 ECTS)