Danish University Thesis Templates: AAU, DTU, KU, AU & SDU LaTeX Guide

Writing a thesis at a Danish university means following that institution’s formatting rules, and they vary more than you’d expect. What AAU asks for is not what KU asks for. This guide gives you a working LaTeX starting point for each of the five big institutions (Aalborg, DTU, Copenhagen, Aarhus, and SDU) so you spend your time on the research instead of fighting the title page at midnight. Treat the templates as a baseline, then check them against your department’s current guidelines, because those do change.

What Danish Universities Tend to Require

The specifics differ by institution, but a few requirements show up almost everywhere:

• A layout that follows the university’s design guide
• Abstracts in both Danish and English (the Danish one is usually called Resumé)
• Specific typography and the institution’s color palette
• Correct use of the official logo
• Accessibility for digital submission

Read your department’s current guidelines before you start formatting. The templates here cover the structure; the exact margins and fonts occasionally get updated, and the last thing you want is a reformat the week before you submit.

Aalborg University (AAU) Thesis Template

AAU Design Philosophy

Aalborg University emphasizes clarity and modern design. Their thesis requirements reflect the PBL (Problem-Based Learning) approach.

Complete AAU Template

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper,twoside,openright]{memoir}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[danish,english]{babel}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage[dvipsnames]{xcolor}

% AAU Colors
\definecolor{AAUblue}{RGB}{33,26,82}
\definecolor{AAUgrey}{RGB}{84,97,110}

% Page setup
\usepackage{geometry}
\geometry{
    top=3cm,
    bottom=3cm,
    left=3.5cm,
    right=2.5cm,
    headheight=1cm,
    headsep=0.5cm,
    footskip=1cm
}

% Headers and footers
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\fancyhf{}
\fancyhead[LE,RO]{\thepage}
\fancyhead[RE]{\leftmark}
\fancyhead[LO]{\rightmark}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0.4pt}

% Chapter style
\chapterstyle{madsen}
\setsecheadstyle{\Large\bfseries\color{AAUblue}}
\setsubsecheadstyle{\large\bfseries}

% Title page
\newcommand{\makeAAUtitle}{
    \begin{titlingpage}
        \centering
        \vspace*{2cm}
        
        % University logo
        \includegraphics[width=0.4\textwidth]{aau-logo.png}
        
        \vspace{2cm}
        
        % Title
        {\Huge\bfseries\color{AAUblue} \thetitle\par}
        
        \vspace{1cm}
        
        % Subtitle
        {\Large Master's Thesis\par}
        
        \vspace{2cm}
        
        % Author
        {\large\bfseries \theauthor\par}
        
        \vspace{1cm}
        
        % Program
        {\large
        Master of Science in Engineering\\
        Computer Science\\
        Department of Computer Science\par}
        
        \vfill
        
        % Date
        {\large Aalborg University\\
        \thedate\par}
    \end{titlingpage}
}

% Abstract environment
\newenvironment{AAUabstract}[1]{
    \chapter*{Abstract}
    \selectlanguage{#1}
    \addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{Abstract}
}{
    \clearpage
}

% Problem statement box
\newmdenv[
    linecolor=AAUblue,
    linewidth=2pt,
    roundcorner=5pt,
    innertopmargin=10pt,
    innerbottommargin=10pt,
    innerrightmargin=10pt,
    innerleftmargin=10pt
]{problembox}

\begin{document}

% Front matter
\frontmatter
\title{Advanced Machine Learning for Sustainable Energy Systems}
\author{Your Name}
\date{June 2025}

\makeAAUtitle

% Danish abstract
\begin{AAUabstract}{danish}
Dette speciale undersøger anvendelsen af avancerede maskinlæringsmetoder...
\end{AAUabstract}

% English abstract
\begin{AAUabstract}{english}
This thesis investigates the application of advanced machine learning methods...
\end{AAUabstract}

% Table of contents
\tableofcontents*
\clearpage
\listoffigures*
\clearpage
\listoftables*

% Main matter
\mainmatter

\chapter{Introduction}
\section{Problem Statement}
\begin{problembox}
How can advanced machine learning techniques be applied to optimize sustainable energy systems while maintaining grid stability and reliability?
\end{problembox}

\section{Project Context}
This thesis is conducted in collaboration with...

% Additional chapters
\chapter{Literature Review}
\chapter{Methodology}
\chapter{Implementation}
\chapter{Results and Analysis}
\chapter{Discussion}
\chapter{Conclusion}

% Back matter
\backmatter
\bibliographystyle{apalike}
\bibliography{references}

% Appendices
\appendix
\chapter{Source Code}
\chapter{Additional Results}

\end{document}

Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Template

DTU Design Standards

DTU maintains strict design guidelines emphasizing technical precision and visual clarity.

Complete DTU Template

\documentclass[11pt,a4paper,twoside,openright]{book}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{mathptmx} % Times font as per DTU guidelines
\usepackage[danish,english]{babel}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{xcolor}

% DTU Colors
\definecolor{DTUred}{RGB}{153,0,0}
\definecolor{DTUgray}{RGB}{128,128,128}

% Geometry
\usepackage[
    top=2.5cm,
    bottom=2.5cm,
    inner=3cm,
    outer=2cm,
    headsep=1cm,
    footskip=1cm
]{geometry}

% Headers
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\fancyhf{}
\fancyhead[LE]{\thepage}
\fancyhead[RE]{\nouppercase{\leftmark}}
\fancyhead[LO]{\nouppercase{\rightmark}}
\fancyhead[RO]{\thepage}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0.4pt}
\renewcommand{\footrulewidth}{0pt}

% Chapter formatting
\usepackage{titlesec}
\titleformat{\chapter}[display]
{\normalfont\huge\bfseries\color{DTUred}}
{\chaptertitlename\ \thechapter}{20pt}{\Huge}
\titlespacing*{\chapter}{0pt}{0pt}{40pt}

% DTU Title Page
\newcommand{\makeDTUtitle}{
    \begin{titlepage}
        \centering
        \vspace*{1cm}
        
        % DTU Logo
        \includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{dtu-logo.pdf}
        
        \vspace{2cm}
        
        % Title
        {\Huge\bfseries \thetitle\par}
        
        \vspace{1.5cm}
        
        % Degree
        {\Large\scshape Ph.D. Thesis\par}
        
        \vspace{2cm}
        
        % Author
        {\Large\bfseries \theauthor\par}
        
        \vspace{1cm}
        
        % Department
        {\large
        DTU Compute\\
        Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science\\
        Technical University of Denmark\par}
        
        \vfill
        
        % Supervisors
        {\large
        \textbf{Main Supervisor:} Professor Name\\
        \textbf{Co-supervisor:} Associate Professor Name\par}
        
        \vspace{1cm}
        
        % Date
        {\large Kongens Lyngby, \thedate\par}
        
    \end{titlepage}
}

% Summary box for DTU
\newenvironment{DTUsummary}{
    \chapter*{Summary}
    \addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{Summary}
    \markboth{Summary}{Summary}
}{
    \clearpage
}

% Preface
\newenvironment{DTUpreface}{
    \chapter*{Preface}
    \addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{Preface}
    \markboth{Preface}{Preface}
}{
    \clearpage
}

\begin{document}
\selectlanguage{english}

% Title information
\title{Quantum Computing Applications in Cryptography}
\author{Your Name}
\date{December 2025}

% Front matter
\frontmatter
\makeDTUtitle

\begin{DTUpreface}
This thesis was prepared at DTU Compute in fulfillment of the requirements for acquiring a Ph.D. degree in computer science.

The work was carried out from September 2022 to December 2025 under the supervision of...
\end{DTUpreface}

\begin{DTUsummary}
This thesis explores quantum computing applications in modern cryptography...
\end{DTUsummary}

% Danish summary (required)
\chapter*{Resumé}
\addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{Resumé (Danish Summary)}
\markboth{Resumé}{Resumé}
\selectlanguage{danish}
Denne afhandling undersøger kvantedatabehandlingens anvendelser inden for moderne kryptografi...
\selectlanguage{english}

\tableofcontents
\listoffigures
\listoftables

% Main content
\mainmatter

\chapter{Introduction}
\section{Motivation}
Quantum computing represents a paradigm shift...

\chapter{Theoretical Background}
\chapter{Quantum Algorithms}
\chapter{Implementation}
\chapter{Security Analysis}
\chapter{Conclusions}

% Back matter
\backmatter
\bibliographystyle{plain}
\bibliography{references}

\appendix
\chapter{Mathematical Proofs}
\chapter{Source Code}

\end{document}

University of Copenhagen (KU) Template

KU Design Elements

The University of Copenhagen emphasizes elegant simplicity with its distinctive seal and typography.

Complete KU Template

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper,twoside]{report}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{palatino} % Palatino font for KU
\usepackage[danish,english]{babel}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{xcolor}

% KU Colors
\definecolor{KUred}{RGB}{144,26,30}
\definecolor{KUgray}{RGB}{102,102,102}

% Page layout
\usepackage[
    top=3cm,
    bottom=3cm,
    left=3cm,
    right=3cm,
    headsep=0.75cm
]{geometry}

% Headers and footers
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\fancyhf{}
\fancyhead[LE,RO]{\thepage}
\fancyhead[LO]{\rightmark}
\fancyhead[RE]{\leftmark}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0.5pt}

% KU Title Page
\newcommand{\makeKUtitle}{
    \begin{titlepage}
        \centering
        
        % KU Seal
        \includegraphics[width=0.25\textwidth]{ku-seal.png}
        
        \vspace{1cm}
        
        {\large\scshape University of Copenhagen\par}
        {\large Faculty of Science\par}
        
        \vspace{3cm}
        
        % Title
        {\Huge\bfseries \thetitle\par}
        
        \vspace{2cm}
        
        % Degree
        {\Large Master's Thesis in Bioinformatics\par}
        
        \vspace{3cm}
        
        % Author
        {\Large\bfseries \theauthor\par}
        
        \vfill
        
        % Academic details
        {\large
        Supervisor: Professor Name\\
        Department of Biology\\
        \thedate\par}
        
    \end{titlepage}
}

% KU Abstract style
\renewenvironment{abstract}{
    \chapter*{\abstractname}
    \addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{\abstractname}
}{
    \clearpage
}

\begin{document}

\title{Machine Learning in Genomic Medicine}
\author{Your Name}
\date{August 2025}

\makeKUtitle

\begin{abstract}
This thesis investigates the application of machine learning algorithms...
\end{abstract}

% Danish abstract
\begin{otherlanguage}{danish}
\renewcommand{\abstractname}{Resumé}
\begin{abstract}
Denne afhandling undersøger anvendelsen af maskinlæringsalgoritmer...
\end{abstract}
\end{otherlanguage}

\tableofcontents
\listoffigures
\listoftables

\chapter{Introduction}
The intersection of machine learning and genomics...

% ... additional chapters ...

\bibliographystyle{nature}
\bibliography{references}

\end{document}

Aarhus University (AU) Template

AU Visual Identity

Aarhus University uses a clean, modern design with distinctive blue coloring.

Complete AU Template

\documentclass[11pt,a4paper,twoside,openright]{memoir}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{helvet} % Helvetica for AU
\renewcommand{\familydefault}{\sfdefault}
\usepackage[danish,english]{babel}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{xcolor}
\usepackage{tikz}

% AU Colors
\definecolor{AUblue}{RGB}{0,61,115}
\definecolor{AUdarkblue}{RGB}{0,37,70}
\definecolor{AUlightgray}{RGB}{237,237,237}

% Geometry
\setlrmarginsandblock{3.5cm}{2.5cm}{*}
\setulmarginsandblock{3cm}{3cm}{*}
\checkandfixthelayout

% Chapter style
\makechapterstyle{AUstyle}{
    \renewcommand{\chapnamefont}{\normalfont\Large\bfseries\color{AUblue}}
    \renewcommand{\chapnumfont}{\normalfont\huge\bfseries\color{AUblue}}
    \renewcommand{\chaptitlefont}{\normalfont\Huge\bfseries\color{AUdarkblue}}
    \renewcommand{\printchapternum}{\chapnumfont \thechapter}
    \renewcommand{\afterchapternum}{\\[10pt]}
}
\chapterstyle{AUstyle}

% AU Title Page
\newcommand{\makeAUtitle}{
    \begin{titlingpage}
        % Top blue bar
        \begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture,overlay]
            \fill[AUblue] (current page.north west) rectangle ([yshift=-3cm]current page.north east);
            \node[anchor=west] at ([xshift=2cm,yshift=-1.5cm]current page.north west) {
                \includegraphics[height=2cm]{au-logo-white.png}
            };
        \end{tikzpicture}
        
        \vspace{5cm}
        
        \begin{center}
            % Title
            {\Huge\bfseries\color{AUdarkblue} \thetitle\par}
            
            \vspace{2cm}
            
            % Degree
            {\Large Ph.D. Dissertation\par}
            
            \vspace{3cm}
            
            % Author
            {\Large\bfseries \theauthor\par}
            
            \vspace{1cm}
            
            % Department
            {\large
            Department of Computer Science\\
            Faculty of Natural Sciences\\
            Aarhus University\par}
            
            \vfill
            
            % Date
            {\large Denmark · \thedate\par}
        \end{center}
    \end{titlingpage}
}

\begin{document}

\title{Distributed Systems for Edge Computing}
\author{Your Name}
\date{2025}

\makeAUtitle

% ... thesis content ...

\end{document}

University of Southern Denmark (SDU) Template

SDU Design Guidelines

SDU emphasizes accessibility and environmental consciousness in their design approach.

Complete SDU Template

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper,twoside]{book}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{libertine} % Linux Libertine for SDU
\usepackage[danish,english]{babel}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{xcolor}

% SDU Colors
\definecolor{SDUblue}{RGB}{0,115,153}
\definecolor{SDUgray}{RGB}{77,77,79}
\definecolor{SDUlightblue}{RGB}{182,215,232}

% Page setup
\usepackage[
    top=2.5cm,
    bottom=2.5cm,
    inner=3.5cm,
    outer=2.5cm
]{geometry}

% Headers
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\fancyhf{}
\fancyhead[LE,RO]{\thepage}
\fancyhead[RE]{\textsc{\leftmark}}
\fancyhead[LO]{\textsc{\rightmark}}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}

% SDU Title Page
\newcommand{\makeSDUtitle}{
    \begin{titlepage}
        \centering
        \vspace*{1cm}
        
        % SDU Logo
        \includegraphics[width=0.4\textwidth]{sdu-logo.png}
        
        \vspace{2cm}
        
        % Faculty
        {\large\scshape The Faculty of Engineering\par}
        
        \vspace{1cm}
        
        % Title
        {\Huge\bfseries\color{SDUblue} \thetitle\par}
        
        \vspace{2cm}
        
        % Thesis type
        {\Large Ph.D. Thesis\par}
        
        \vspace{2cm}
        
        % Author
        {\Large\bfseries \theauthor\par}
        
        \vfill
        
        % Bottom info
        {\large
        Department of Technology and Innovation\\
        University of Southern Denmark\\
        \thedate\par}
        
    \end{titlepage}
}

\begin{document}

\title{Sustainable Robotics for Healthcare Applications}
\author{Your Name}
\date{September 2025}

\makeSDUtitle

% ... thesis content ...

\end{document}

Common Elements Across Danish Universities

Bilingual Support

% Package setup for Danish/English
\usepackage[danish,english]{babel}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}

% Special Danish characters
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

% Switching languages
\selectlanguage{danish}
% Danish text here
\selectlanguage{english}
% English text here

% Or use environment
\begin{otherlanguage}{danish}
Dette er på dansk.
\end{otherlanguage}

Required Sections

Most Danish universities require:

% 1. Title page (university specific)
% 2. Abstract in English
\begin{abstract}
Your English abstract...
\end{abstract}

% 3. Abstract in Danish (Resumé)
\chapter*{Resumé}
\selectlanguage{danish}
Dit danske resumé...
\selectlanguage{english}

% 4. Acknowledgments
\chapter*{Acknowledgments}
I would like to thank...

% 5. Table of contents
\tableofcontents

% 6. Lists of figures and tables
\listoffigures
\listoftables

Citation Styles

% Common citation styles in Denmark
\bibliographystyle{apalike}  % APA-like
\bibliographystyle{chicago}  % Chicago style
\bibliographystyle{nature}   % For natural sciences
\bibliographystyle{ieee}     % For engineering

% Or with BibLaTeX
\usepackage[style=apa]{biblatex}

Writing Your Thesis Collaboratively

A thesis is rarely a solo document in practice. Your supervisor reads drafts, leaves comments, and wants to see how the argument evolved. That’s where a real-time editor earns its keep.

With inscrive.io, your supervisor edits or comments on the live document instead of marking up a PDF you emailed last week. Advanced version history lets you rewind to any earlier draft, which is reassuring when a late restructuring goes sideways. You can save your university skeleton into inscrive’s template library and reuse it across chapters or share it with the next student in your group. inscrive doesn’t ship official per-university templates, so use the ones in this guide as your starting point and adapt them to the current design guide.

The EU Data Residency Angle

For a Danish thesis, where your draft is stored is not a footnote. Your unpublished work, your data, and often material covered by a supervisor’s grant agreement all live in that document. inscrive keeps it on EU soil, always:

• 100% EU data residency, hosted on Hetzner infrastructure in Germany and Finland
• ISO 27001-certified data centres
• Full GDPR compliance with a signed Data Processing Agreement
• No third-country data transfers, which avoids the Schrems II uncertainty around US-hosted tools

For a Danish or EU institution weighing which tools to sanction, that combination answers the questions a data protection officer actually asks. The GDPR and security page has the full picture, and institutions can manage access centrally through Organizations.

Tracking Feedback in the Document

Simple colored macros make supervisor notes and draft markers easy to spot during writing:

% Supervisor comments
\newcommand{\supervisor}[1]{{\color{red}\textbf{[Supervisor: #1]}}}

% Co-author tracking
\newcommand{\contribution}[2]{{\color{blue}\textbf{[#1: #2]}}}

% Draft management
\newcommand{\draft}[1]{{\color{orange}\textbf{[DRAFT: #1]}}}

Submission Guidelines

Digital Submission

Most Danish universities now require digital submission:

% PDF/A compliance
\usepackage[a-1b]{pdfx}

% Metadata
\hypersetup{
    pdftitle={Your Thesis Title},
    pdfauthor={Your Name},
    pdfsubject={Ph.D. Thesis},
    pdfkeywords={keyword1, keyword2, keyword3},
    pdfcreator={LaTeX with pdfTeX},
    pdfproducer={inscrive.io}
}

Print Requirements

For printed copies:

% Ensure proper margins for binding
\usepackage[
    inner=4cm,  % Extra space for binding
    outer=2.5cm,
    top=3cm,
    bottom=3cm,
    twoside
]{geometry}

% Blank pages for double-sided printing
\cleardoublepage

Accessibility Compliance

Danish universities increasingly require accessible documents:

\usepackage[tagged]{accessibility}

% Alternative text for images
\begin{figure}
    \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{diagram.png}
    \Description{Detailed description of the diagram showing...}
    \caption{System architecture}
\end{figure}

% Proper heading structure
\section{Main Section}
\subsection{Subsection}
\subsubsection{Sub-subsection}

Best Practices for Danish Theses

Language Consistency

1. Choose primary language: Usually English for STEM fields
2. Translate key terms: Maintain glossary of translations
3. Abstract in both languages: Required by most universities
4. Consistent terminology: Don’t mix languages within sections

Visual Identity

% Respect university colors
% Use official logos correctly
% Follow typography guidelines
% Maintain consistent styling

Academic Integrity

% Proper citation of all sources
% Clear indication of own contributions
% Acknowledgment of collaborations
% Declaration of authorship

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Font Issues

% If university fonts aren't available
\usepackage{fontspec}  % With XeLaTeX
\setmainfont[
    BoldFont={UniversityFont-Bold},
    ItalicFont={UniversityFont-Italic}
]{UniversityFont-Regular}

% Fallback options
\usepackage{libertine}  % Open-source alternative
\usepackage{palatino}   % Classic academic font

Logo Problems

% Multiple logo formats
\graphicspath{{logos/}{images/}}

% Conditional logo loading
\IfFileExists{university-logo.pdf}{
    \includegraphics[height=3cm]{university-logo.pdf}
}{
    \includegraphics[height=3cm]{university-logo.png}
}

Resources and Support

University-Specific Help

• AAU: aau.dk/thesis-guidelines
• DTU: dtu.dk/english/education/phd/thesis
• KU: ku.dk/english/research/phd/thesis
• AU: au.dk/en/research/phd/thesis
• SDU: sdu.dk/en/research/phd/thesis

LaTeX Communities

• Danish TeX Users Group
• University LaTeX forums
• inscrive.io support community

Before You Submit

A thesis at a Danish university rewards a bit of process. A few things worth holding onto:

1. Check the current guidelines. Requirements get updated, sometimes mid-year.
2. Ask your department. Some have rules the general design guide doesn’t mention.
3. Start the formatting early. Title pages and front matter always take longer than you think.
4. Keep a version history so a late restructuring is reversible.
5. Test the build on the system you’ll actually submit from.

The templates here give you a solid foundation. They won’t make the formatting decisions for you, and they shouldn’t, because your department’s current guide is the authority. What a collaborative, GDPR-compliant editor adds is the workflow around the document: live supervisor feedback, a deep version history, and storage that keeps your unpublished work on EU soil.

Your thesis is years of work. The formatting should be the least of your worries by the end.

Starting your thesis? Try inscrive.io. Save your university skeleton into the template library, collaborate with your supervisor in real time, and keep everything on EU-hosted, GDPR-compliant infrastructure. The free plan needs no credit card; see pricing for Pro and Organizations for institution-wide use.