Academic information
Studying at CBS
At CBS, critical thinking skills and independent thought are highly valued, and you will have both the opportunity and responsibility for making the most out of your education.
Hear international bachelor students share how they have experienced what it is like to study at CBS.
Teaching format
When studying at CBS you will most likely encounter a different academic culture than you are used to in your home country.
Guidelines for attendance
As a general rule there is no mandatory attendance for teaching activities at CBS. Class attendance is not recorded and please also be aware that class attendance does not count toward your final grade either. You grades are neither improved by class attendance, nor are your grades reflected by non-attendance. Your grades are based on your exams 100%.
Attend the teaching activities
Although attendance is not mandatory, we recommend that you participate in teaching activities. If you choose, for example, to take a holiday in a teaching or exam period, it is your responsibility to catch up on what you miss. We therefore recommend planning your holiday outside teaching periods.
It is your responsibility to get what you want out of your programme. We recommend that you prepare for classes and that you participate actively – for your own sake, not for your lecturer’s sake.
Make use of your lecturers
Your lecturers are your sparring partners and inspirators. Many students do not make full use of their lecturers or are perhaps afraid to ask 'silly' questions. Your lecturers are committed to their field, and they would love to have active and inquisitive students. So do speak to them if there is something you do not understand or need sparring for.
Read more about teaching formats at Teaching and working formats
Exam types
As a student at CBS, you can expect to have any of the following exam types:
| WRITTEN EXAM | COMBINATION WRITTEN AND ORAL EXAM | ORAL EXAM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | Written project/ assignment/ case | ||
| HOME & ON-CAMPUS |
1) Oral exam based on written assignment 2) Oral exam based on written assignment and curriculum |
||
| ON-CAMPUS EXAM |
Written exam 1) With aids 2) Without aids |
1) Based or not based on written synopsis 2) With or without preparation 3) With or without aids |
Oral exams
For most international students oral exam is a new encounter. An oral exam on the basis of a written project is made up of two parts; both are taken into account when your grade is determined:
- A written project you have turned in before the exam. This could be a synopsis, a case project or a paper, and it can be written individually or in a group.
- An oral exam that can be a defence of the written product, a broader examination in the curriculum or a combination of both. The oral exam can be held either individually or as a group exam.
Group work
Exam aids
To find out which exam aids are allowed during the exam, you check the course description the course catalog for the course in question. Depending on the exam form, students will have access to various exam aids during the exam.
The exam can be with or without exam aids. There are three different types: no aids (closed book), limited aids, all aids (open book).
You can read more about exams at Exams at CBS
Re-exams
In Denmark, a 7-point grading scale is used. 12 is the highest grade, and 02 is the minimum grade for passing an exam. The Danish grading scale is compatible with the ECTS grading scale.
- Grading on a curve is not used, as relative grading is not allowed.
- Apart from the 7-point grading scale, pass/fail assessment may also be used.
Learn more about:
If the student does not attend an exam for which (s)he was registered, the transcript will show ‘Absent’.
CBS grade distribution for the academic year 2023/24:
|
Undergraduate |
|||||||||
|
Grade |
-3 |
0 |
02 |
4 |
7 |
10 |
12 |
Total |
Avg.grade |
|
Number given |
2533 |
2695 |
3080 |
7060 |
14433 |
15309 |
10543 |
55653 |
7,3 |
|
Percentage |
5% |
5% |
6% |
13% |
26% |
28% |
19% |
100% |
|
|
Graduate |
|||||||||
|
Grade |
-3 |
0 |
02 |
4 |
7 |
10 |
12 |
Total |
Avg. grade |
|
Number given |
2225 |
763 |
1219 |
3800 |
9047 |
10577 |
8191 |
35822 |
7,8 |
|
Percentage |
6% |
2% |
3% |
11% |
25% |
30% |
23% |
100% |
|
The calculation is based on the majority of the grades given for ordinary exams (re-takes not included) at all study programmes at Copenhagen Business School during the academic year 2023-24 including grades given for bachelor’s and master’s theses and courses taken at the CBS International Summer University Programme.
Teaching periods and holidays
Academic calendar
Autumn semester
September to December/January
The official start and end dates of our autumn semester are from 1 September until 31 January the following year, both dates included. But you are not expected to be present in Denmark for this exact period.
|
Course type / length |
Teaching period |
Exam period, |
Exam period, first retake |
Exam period, second retake |
|
Q1, i.e. first quarter or first half of fall semester |
Early September - Mid October |
Late October - Early November |
Mid December - Early January | Late October - Early November the following year |
|
Q2, i.e. second quarter or second half of fall semester |
Mid October - Mid December |
January |
Late February |
the following year |
|
Semester (if neither Q1 or Q2 is noted in the course catalog, the course is a semester course) |
Early September - Late November |
December - January* |
February | December the following year |
Spring semester
February to May/June
The official start and end dates of our spring semester are from 1 February until 30 June, both dates included. But you are not expected to be present in Denmark for this exact period.
|
Course type / length |
Teaching period |
Exam period, |
Exam period, first retake |
Exam period, second retake |
|
Q3, i.e. third quarter or first half of spring semester |
Late January - Late March |
Late March - Early April |
Late May - Early June | Late March - Early April the following year |
|
Q4, i.e. fourth quarter or second half of spring semester |
Mid-April - Early June |
Early June - Mid-June* |
Late August - Early September | Early June - Mid-June the following year |
|
Semester (if neither Q3 or Q4 is noted in the course catalog, the course is a semester course) |
Late January - Mid-May |
Late April - Late June* |
Early August - Early September | Late April - Late June the following year |
Here you can see the exact dates for the public holidays.
| New Year's Day | 1 January |
| Maudy Thursday | Thursday before Easer Sunday |
| Good Friday | |
| Easter Monday | |
| General Prayer Day | 4th Friday after Easter |
| Ascension Day | 39 days after Easter Sunday |
| Whit Monday | 7th Monday after Easter |
| Constitution Day | 5 June |
| Christmas Eve Day | 24 December |
| Christmas Day | 25 December |
| Second Day of Christmas | 26 December |