Rules on exemption

DTU’s study programmes are governed by a variety of rules that you must follow. It is important that you familiarize yourself with the general study regulations as well as the specific rules outlined in your curriculum.

An exemption is a permission to be exempted from the standard, established rules applicable to your study programme.

Decisions made by the DTU Exemption Boards are always based on a specific, individual assessment of the information provided in your application, viewed in the context of the other circumstances of the case.

In special cases, the DTU Exemption Boards may grant exemption from DTU’s study regulations due to unusual circumstances, provided that doing so does not conflict with applicable legislation.

As a student, you can apply for an exemption regarding various matters. Below, you can read more about the different types of exemptions and the requirements for your application.

Exceptional circumstances are circumstances that:

  • do not occur routinely
  • are beyond your control—meaning they must be something you could neither have avoided through reasonable foresight nor foreseen, and which are not otherwise "your own fault"
  • are, or have been, of decisive importance regarding your ability to comply with the rule(s) for which you are seeking an exemption.

Examples of exceptional circumstances
Under each specific type of exemption, you can see what is considered an exceptional circumstance capable of justifying an exemption of that specific type.

What does not qualify as an exceptional circumstance?
In general, the DTU Exemption Boards do not consider the following circumstances as grounds for granting an exemption:

  • Stays abroad and all forms of work, holidays, etc.
  • Voluntary work is generally not grounds for an exemption, unless you are the chairperson of a voluntary organization under the Danish Youth Council (DUF), a board member of the Polytechnic Association (PF), or a member of similar organizations.
  • Participation in committee or board work, such as departmental study boards, CUU, and DUU
  • Housing or financial problems
  • Lack of knowledge regarding the rules of the study programme
  • Lack of structure and planning
  • The fact that a course is difficult, or that you are otherwise performing poorly in your studies.
  • Undocumented computer problems (e.g., when applying for an extra exam attempt)
  • Traffic-related challenges (e.g., when applying for an extra exam attempt)
  • You must upload your application for an exeption, along with relevant documentation, at dispensation.dtu.dk.
  • You must select the exemption category that corresponds to the type of exemption you require.
  • You should upload only one application for exemption
    If you are in conflict with multiple rules simultaneously, you still need to uploade only one application for exemption. Therefore, you should upload a single, consolidated application explaining all the reasons why you are in conflict with DTU’s study regulations.
  • At the top of your application, you must state which study regulation(s) you are seeking an exemption for.
  • You must explain the circumstances that you believe justify granting you an exemption.
  • You must attach documentation. All documents—both your application and any relevant attachments—must be uploaded in PDF format; otherwise, the DTU Exemption Board will be unable to access them. Obtaining relevant documentation is your own responsibility. DTU cannot cover any costs associated with obtaining documentation.
  • As a general rule, your application should not exceed one A4 page, using 12-point font, standard margins, and 1.5-line spacing.
What should medical documentation include?
The medical documentation (regarding physical or mental illness) should include an assessment of how the illness has affected or is currently affecting you and your studies—including whether you are undergoing treatment or showing signs of recovery—and, if possible, a prognosis regarding the duration of the illness.

Statements from psychologists and other medical documentation meeting the above requirements may also be used. Medical documentation submitted in connection with an application for an additional exam attempt must focus solely on whether, during one or more previous attempts, there were exceptional circumstances—such as illness or the like—that caused you to fail the course.

There are several different types of exemptions at DTU, and each type may have its own requirements regarding content and documentation. It is therefore important that you thoroughly familiarize yourself with the rules applicable to your specific situation. You can find the documentation requirements and procedures for each type of exemption below.

Do you have questions or need guidance?

You can always contact DTU’s Student Guidance for guidance on how to write a exemption application and to discuss your situation. Please note, however, that student counsellors have no influence on exemption applications and operate independently of the DTU Exemption Board's process.

If you have submitted an exemption application and have questions regarding your case, you can email the committee secretariat at studiedispensation@adm.dtu.dk.
If DTU asks you to apply for an exemption
If you have been asked to apply for an exemption because you are in conflict with one or more study regulations at DTU, you must submit your application by the deadline stated in the letter you received from DTU in your e-Boks.

If you wish to apply for a dispensation yourself
If you have not been asked to apply for an exemption but know that you are—or will be—in conflict with a DTU study regulation, or if you wish to request permission to deviate from a DTU study regulation, we generally recommend that you apply as soon as possible.

The processing time is 8–10 weeks.

What happens after you submit your application?

  • You submit your application for an exemption.
  • The committee secretariat reviews your application and the attached documentation. If information is missing from the case, you will be contacted via the exemption system and your student email.
  • Your case is processed.
  • Once a decision has been made, we will send it to you via the exemption system. You will be notified via your student email that a decision is available for you in the system.

The 8–10 week processing time assumes that your application contains sufficient information when submitted. Missing information may result in a longer processing time. If information is missing, we will contact you.

The DTU Exemption Boards review cases at their monthly meetings. You can view the schedule of meeting dates and the corresponding application deadlines at student.dtu.dk.
If you have applied for an exemption and remain enrolled at DTU—even though you are in conflict with one of DTU’s study regulations—you generally have the right to continue your studies while your application is being processed.

Types of exemption

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