Who Can Study In Denmark?

Denmark is known for its high academic standards and its universities aim for world standards. The country offers a quality education experience and is recognised all over the world as an excellent foundation for a career. Danish universities offer a range of programs in English and Danish. The eligibility criteria for admission to a Danish university vary depending on the institution and program. However, there are some common requirements. For instance, to enrol in a bachelor's program, you need a high school diploma, language certificates in Danish or English, and a motivation letter. The specific language requirements depend on the chosen program and university. Additionally, students need to meet general and specific entry requirements, including a certain level of academic performance. International students may also need to obtain a residence permit and meet financial requirements.

Language requirements

The following English language tests are often used to prove proficiency:

• TOEFL iBT or iBT Home Edition
• IELTS Academic
• C1 Advanced (CAE)
• C2 Proficiency (CPE)

The score requirements vary, but as a general guide:

• TOEFL iBT: minimum score of 88
• IELTS Academic: minimum overall band score of 6.5
• C1 Advanced: minimum score of 180
• C2 Proficiency: minimum score of 185

For Danish-taught programmes, you must prove a satisfactory level of proficiency in Danish. This can be done by taking the 'Danish as a Foreign Language' ('Studieprøven i dansk som andetsprog') or 'Danish Test 2' ('Danskprøve 2') exams. Some programmes may require 'Danish Test 3' ('Danskprøve 3').

It is important to check the specific language requirements of the institution and programme you are applying to, as requirements may vary.

Additional Information

If you are granted a residence permit to study in Denmark, you are entitled to free Danish lessons. These lessons are offered by the municipality of residence and are typically taught together with other foreign nationals who have recently arrived in Denmark.

Application process

The application process for students wishing to study in Denmark will vary depending on the institution and program. However, there are some commonalities.

Firstly, you must check that you meet the entry requirements for your chosen course. For undergraduate programs, you will need certificates of prior educational qualifications, complete with original stamps and signatures. Qualifications from other countries are usually eligible, but you may need to assess how your qualifications correspond to Danish ones. For postgraduate programs, you will need a Bachelor’s degree relevant to your chosen subject, worth the same number of credits as a Danish degree (180 ECTS). For PhD programs, you will usually need a recognized Master’s degree or the equivalent in ECTS.

You must also meet the language requirements. Many programs in Danish universities are taught in English and require proof of English proficiency. Applicants must prove their English skills are comparable to ''English B' in the Danish upper secondary school system as a minimum. 'English A' is required for some programs. International language tests such as TOEFL, IELTS and Cambridge ESOL (CAE) are often used to prove proficiency. If you wish to study in Danish, you will need to prove your proficiency by taking a language test.

The next step is to begin the application process. For undergraduate programs, applications are submitted to the national admission website, www.optagelse.dk, rather than individual institutions. You can apply for up to eight programs at the same time. For each program, you must send a signature page, which will be generated on www.optagelse.dk after completing the digital application. This must be printed, signed, and sent to the institution offering the program. The page contains an application ID, which the institution will use to download your application.

You must also upload your diplomas and other documentation onto www.optagelse.dk. Deadlines for applications vary, but for undergraduate programs, the deadline is usually 15 March, with a later deadline of 1 September for courses starting in January/February. For postgraduate programs, deadlines vary as they are run by individual institutions.

If you are a non-EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen, you will need to apply for a student residence permit up to six months before you arrive in Denmark. This takes around two months to process and costs DKK1,900 (€255). You can apply for this online, and you will need to provide various documents, including a formal letter of admission from your university, proof of language proficiency, and evidence that you have the financial resources to live in Denmark.

Residence permits

If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you will need a residence permit/visa to study in Denmark. The same applies if you are an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen intending to stay in Denmark for 90 days or more.

To be granted a residence permit, you must prove in writing that:

• You have been accepted as a student to a higher education course/programme at a university, college, or institute approved by the Danish government.
• You are either completing an entire educational programme offered by a Danish institution of higher learning or are a visiting/guest student attending part of a programme that you have already commenced in your country of residence.
• You can support yourself financially for the duration of your stay. You can document this by proving that you have paid tuition fees for the first semester or year. If you are submitting a bank statement, it must be less than 30 days old, show your name, and clearly state the currency in which the account is held.
• You can speak and understand the language of instruction and have a command of either Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English, or German.

The application process for a residence permit is as follows:

• A representative of the educational institution in Denmark will complete section two of the application form and send it to you with the required documents attached.
• You must complete section one of the application form and attach your own supporting documents (remember to sign the sworn declaration at the end of the form).
• Submit the application form in its entirety at the nearest Danish Embassy, General Consulate, or VFS station. The application will then be forwarded to the Danish Immigration Service for processing. You can also submit your application online. In this case, you must submit your biometric features at one of the aforementioned Danish Representations within 14 days.

A 2000 DKK processing fee is normally charged when applying for a residence permit or an extension of a residence permit.

Qualifications

To be eligible to attend university in Denmark, students must meet certain qualifications. The specific requirements may vary depending on the institution and program, but there are some commonalities. For undergraduate programs, students typically need certificates of prior educational qualifications, complete with original stamps and signatures. For postgraduate programs, such as a Master's or PhD, a relevant Bachelor's degree or equivalent is usually required.

Undergraduate Programs

Students applying for a Bachelor's degree program in Denmark will need to provide certificates of their prior educational qualifications. These certificates should include original stamps and signatures. Qualifications from other countries are usually eligible, but it is recommended to assess how these qualifications correspond to Danish standards. Additionally, students may need to provide proof of language proficiency, as many programs in Danish universities are taught in English.

International language tests such as TOEFL, IELTS, and Cambridge ESOL (CAE) are often used to demonstrate English proficiency. For programs taught in Danish, students will need to prove their proficiency in the language by taking a Danish language test, such as the 'Studieprøven i dansk som andetsprog' or 'Danish Test 2' (Danskprøve 2).

Postgraduate Programs

For Master's programs in Denmark, a Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject area and with the same number of credits as a Danish degree (typically 180 ECTS) is required. To be admitted to a PhD program, a recognized Master's degree or its equivalent in credits is usually necessary. In some cases, a longer four-year PhD program may be offered to students with a Bachelor's degree plus one year of postgraduate study.

Application Process

The application process for universities in Denmark typically involves submitting an online application, along with the required documentation, by the specified deadlines. Applications are generally submitted through a national admission website rather than directly to individual institutions. Students may also need to provide proof of language proficiency, as mentioned earlier. Additionally, there may be specific admission requirements for each program, such as a minimum grade point average or the completion of specific subjects.

Tuition Fees and Scholarships

While public universities in Denmark are free for Danish citizens, permanent residents, and students from the EU, there may be tuition fees for international students from non-EU/EEA countries. The tuition fees can vary depending on the university and program, but they are generally more affordable compared to other countries like the US and the UK. Additionally, scholarships may be available for international students to help with tuition fees and living expenses.

Costs

Higher education in Denmark is free for students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland, as well as those with residence permits, or who are participating in an exchange programme. For students from outside the EU/EEA who are not permanent residents, fees can be high, ranging from €8,000 to €18,000 a year, depending on the programme. The cheapest universities will charge between €8,000 to €10,000 per year, with Bachelor's degrees generally being cheaper than Master's degrees.

Students from outside the EU/EEA will also need to factor in the cost of their residence permit, which is approximately €333. EU/EEA students don't need a visa but will need to get a registration certificate within three months of arriving in the country.

The deadlines for paying tuition fees vary according to the institution, but they are most commonly paid in instalments and are usually due before the start of the academic year or semester. For example, at Aalborg University, the payment for the first semester is due two to three months before the start of the programme, and then a month before each semester. At the Technical University of Denmark, the initial payment needs to be made by June 1, with deadlines of January 1 for the spring semester and August 1 for the autumn semester.

The monthly cost of living as a student in Denmark is estimated to be between €800 to €950 a month, and up to €1,200 in Copenhagen. This is also the budget students need to demonstrate they can cover when applying for a Danish student visa.

EU/EEA students can work without restrictions on the number of hours, while students from outside the EU/EEA can work 20 hours a week during term time and full time in June, July, and August.

Frequently asked questions