Study Abroad in

Denmark
Contents
Introduction 3

Higher Education in Denmark 4

Admission Requirements & Applications 6

Study in Denmark in English 12

Student Cities & Things to Do 14

Tuition Fees & Living Costs 18

Working in Denmark After Graduation 22

 Introduction
Scandinavian countries are increasingly popular with international
students, with thousands attracted to living and studying there by the
region’s strong academic reputation and extremely high quality of life. In
fact, the happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness
Report, is currently Finland, followed by Denmark.

Danes enjoy an unusually egalitarian society with a distinctive identity

Danes enjoy an as the gateway between Scandinavia and continental Europe. A nation
unusually egalitarian of just over five million people, Denmark offers a range of pursuits and
attractions that will appeal to any prospective undergraduate student –
society with a
from the attentively designed urban chic of Copenhagen to the remote
distinctive identity beauty of the fjords.
as the gateway
In Bloomberg’s recent list of the world’s 50 most innovative economies,
between Scandinavia Denmark is ranked eighth, achieving the top score in the list globally for
and continental researcher concentration. The economy is strong and stable, with many
global companies like shipping conglomerate Maersk and pharmaceutical
Europe.
giant Novo Nordisk having their headquarters in Copenhagen.

So, how can you study abroad in this nation of hard work and hygge?
Read on to find out more about the Danish higher education system, how
to apply for university in Denmark, what you can get up to in the best
student cities, and more…

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Higher Education
in Denmark
Denmark is one of the most popular study destinations in Europe. Five
universities in Denmark make the top 400 in the QS World University
Rankings 2021, with the University of Copenhagen coming out on top,
placing 76th. The lively capital of Copenhagen also achieved 46th place in
the QS Best Student Cities ranking.

Other featured universities in Denmark include: Technical University of

Denmark (103rd), Aarhus University (147th), Aalborg University (joint
Most undergraduate
305th) and University of Southern Denmark (SDU) (joint 353rd). programs take
While the majority of undergraduate teaching in Denmark is conducted
between three
in Danish, there’s a huge range of postgraduate programs taught in and four years to
English, including many fully funded PhD programs. Most undergraduate complete, whereas
programs take between three and four years to complete, whereas
master’s programs
master’s programs take between one and two years.
take between one
Higher education in Denmark is divided into five different types of
learning institutions:
and two years.

1. Erhvervsakademi (business academies) – teaching professionally-

orientated short and first cycle degree programs.

2. Professionshøjskole (university colleges) - professionally oriented

first cycle degree programs.

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 3. Maritime Education and Training Institutions, which offer first cycle
degree programs in this field.

4. Universitet (General and specialized research universities) which

offer first, second and third cycle degree programs in academic
disciplines.

5. Specialized university level institutions offering first, second and

third cycle degree programs in fields like architecture, fine art,
performing arts and music.

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Admission requirements
& applications
Before applying to university in Denmark, you’ll need to check your
qualifications are recognized by your chosen university. To gain entry
to a Danish university, your qualifications must be the equivalent of a
Danish upper secondary school leaving certificate. However, for certain
undergraduate programs, a relevant vocational qualification may be
sufficient.

Some courses may require additional admissions requirements. These Before applying
requirements may be certain subjects passed with a particular grade, a to university in
passed admissions test or interview, or a diploma that has been passed
Denmark, you’ll
with a minimum GPA.
need to check your
If you don’t meet the requirements, you may be able to take a
qualifications are
supplementary course, which will make you eligible for admission. This
course, however, will not increase your GPA score. recognized by your
Language Requirements chosen university.

English language tests

Many non-Danish applicants apply for programs taught in English. To
study a course in English, you must submit proof of English proficiency
equivalent to an English level B in Denmark. Universities will usually state
the exact scores they require on their websites.

How to study abroad in Denmark www.TopUniversities.com 6

 Danish language tests
If you’re applying to study a course taught in Danish, you will have to pass
a Danish language test to prove a level of proficiency. You can take either
‘Danish as a Foreign Language’ (‘Studieprøven i dansk som andetsprog’)
or ‘Danish Test 2’ (‘Danskprøve 2’). Some programs may require that you
have passed ‘Danish Test 3’ (‘Danskprøve 3’).

If you are a student from one of the Nordic countries you will not be
If you are from required to pass a Danish test if you studied Danish, Norwegian or
outside the EU/EAA, Swedish as part of your entry requirement.
you will be required Fees and Funding
to pay tuition fees in
For students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland, higher education in
Danish universities. Denmark is free for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
These are, on
If you are from outside the EU/EAA, you will be required to pay
average, US$8,000- tuition fees in Danish universities. These are, on average, US$8,000-
21,000 per year. 21,000 per year.

There are several scholarships on offer, both from the government and
from specific schools. Some of the government scholarships include the
Danish Government Scholarships for Foreign Nationals, the Denmark
Government Scholarships for non-EU Students and Fulbright Commission
Scholarships to Study in Denmark.

You can find out more about fees and funding later on in this guide.

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Submitting Applications

Applications to study in Denmark should be made through the national

admissions site www.optagelse.dk.

Here you will apply to universities and attach the relevant documents
required by the university you’re applying to.

Signature
To apply, you’ll need a signature and verification of your ID for each of the
You will need to
courses you are applying to.
attach the diploma
If you are a Danish citizen or hold a residence permit, this is done with
of your upper
electronic signature NemID, a digital identification tool that will have
been issued to you previously. secondary education
If you’re an international student, you will be required to print a signature
in the ‘attachments’
page from optagelse.dk, sign it and send it to the universities you are section of the
applying for. The page will contain an application ID which the universities application.
use to download your application

Other documents
You will need to attach the diploma of your upper secondary education
in the ‘attachments’ section of the application. You may also be required
to attach a personal essay, but this depends on the course and the
institution.

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 Applying for courses and receiving responses
You can apply for up to eight programs. You must list these in order of
priority and each application must have a signature sent with it.

You will then receive a single response. This will be in the form of a letter.
If you receive an acceptance letter, this may not be from your first choice,
if they don’t have a place available for you. It may be from your second
choice, or even lower. If you receive a rejection letter, this means you
have been rejected from all of your choices. You must respond to this
letter by early August.

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Health Insurance

Once you’ve accepted your university offer, it’s time to sort out the boring
(but incredibly necessary) parts of preparing to study abroad.

If you are an EU/EEA citizen or Swiss national and are staying in Denmark
for less than three months, you can use your European Health Insurance
Card (EHIC) to access medically necessary healthcare services.

If you’re an EU/EEA or Swiss national and plan to stay in Denmark for

more than three months, you must register with the Civil Registration International
System. To do this, you’ll need a S1 Portable Document or a valid EHIC students will need
card issued by your statutory health insurance. to purchase travel
International students will need to purchase travel insurance coverage insurance coverage
for the time they’ll be studying in Denmark. However, all non-residents
for the time they’ll
staying in Denmark are entitled to emergency hospital care, free of charge,
in event of an accident, childbirth, acute illness or sudden aggravation of
be studying in
chronic disease, under the Danish Health Act. Denmark.
Getting a Visa

If you’re a citizen of Norway, Sweden or Finland, you won’t need any

documentation to live, work and study in Denmark. All you’ll need is your
Danish personal identification number.

If you’re from the EU/EEA or Switzerland you can study, work and live
in Denmark for up to three months without documentation. After this,

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 you will need to get a Danish registration certificate. To get this, you’ll
need to present your passport, two passport-sized photos and a letter
of admission from your university to the Regional State Administration
(Statsforvaltningen). You will then be issued with a personal identification
number.

If you’re from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you’ll need to obtain

If you’re from
a residence permit if you’ll be studying in Denmark for more than three
outside the EU/EEA months. If you’re staying for less than three months, you’ll need a tourist
or Switzerland, you’ll visa.

need to obtain a To obtain a residence permit you will need:

residence permit if
• An acceptance letter from your university
you’ll be studying in
• Proof of language proficiency
Denmark for more
than three months. • Proof that you have the financial resources to support yourself
(usually around €1,000 per month [approx. US$1,080])

• Proof that you have purchased travel insurance

• A valid passport

• Passport photo

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Study in Denmark
in English
The majority of university teaching in Denmark is conducted in Danish,
but there are more than 700 internationally renowned programs taught
in English, with around 86 percent of Danish citizens speaking English.

Universities in Denmark are free to attend at all levels for all EU/EEA/
Swiss students – however, no information has been released as of yet
about how British students will be affected post-Brexit. If you’re from
outside the EU/EEA, you will have to pay fees of around €6,000 – 16,000 You can either study
per annum (approx. US$6,490 – 17,306). for a full degree in
International students in Denmark can take Danish lessons for free Denmark or add
during their studies. It’s possible to enroll first in an English-taught credits to your cur-
undergraduate program then continue your graduate studies in Danish
once you’ve reached the required language capabilities.
rent degree, in the
form of a study
You can either study for a full degree in Denmark or add credits to your
current degree, in the form of a study abroad or summer school program.
abroad or summer
According to the website Study in Denmark, there are around 70 English- school program.
taught undergraduate courses and 390 masters programs in the country.

Research is of high importance in Danish society, and there are a

number of internationally renowned PhD programs that can be
undertaken in English. Universities offering PhD study include Aalborg
University, Aarhus University, Copenhagen Business School and

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Roskilde University, among others. Danish PhD scholarships are fully
funded – you will receive a salary and there are zero tuition fees.

See below for a (non-exhaustive) list of universities in Denmark where

you can complete your studies in English:

Universities in Denmark where you can study in English

University Location Undergraduate/postgraduate?

Aalborg University Aalborg Both

Aarhus School of Architecture Aarhus Postgraduate

Aarhus University Aarhus Both

Copenhagen Business School Copenhagen Both

Design School Kolding Kolding Postgraduate

IT University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Both

Roskilde University Roskilde Both

Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Copenhagen Both

The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg Postgraduate

The Royal Danish Academy of Music Copenhagen Both

University of Copenhagen (KU) Copenhagen Postgraduate

University of Copenhagen (UCPH) Copenhagen Postgraduate

University of Southern Denmark Odense Both

VIA University College Multiple campuses Undergraduate

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Student Cities
& Things to Do
The country has an abundance of interesting cities, all of which are
steeped in history and culture. Within these cities are some of the world’s
top universities, featured in the QS World University Rankings 2021.

Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, can be found in the most recent QS Best

Student Cities ranking, where it ranks 46th in the world. Outside of the
capital, there are numerous exciting cities for students, including, Aalborg,
Aarhus and Odense.
The country has
Read on to learn more about student life in these incredible Danish cities. an abundance of
Aalborg interesting cities, all
Aalborg is Denmark’s fourth largest city, with stunning architecture located of which are steeped
on the waterfront. The city is now a buzzing hub for culture, knowledge in history and
and research – great for students studying at the academically renowned
culture.
Aalborg University.

The city has a range of theatres and performance venues, as well as

museums such as Aalborg Historical Museum and Aalborg Museum of
Modern Art. Aalborg also holds the Aalborg Carnival in May, which attracts
more than 100,000 people annually. Aalborg’s nightlife is buzzing, and
students can enjoy one of the city’s many clubs or grab a drink at one of
the bars.

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 Aarhus

Home to Aarhus University, Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark

and is located on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula. You can get
around the attractions using Aarhus’ free city bike scheme, where you can
pick up a bike from one of the 56 stands in the city. Most amusements
are within close proximity to Aarhus University, making them easy for
students to visit after lectures.

Aarhus has loads of parks and green spaces for students to enjoy. These
Most amusements
include the Central Botanical Gardens, which hold a number of events
are within close throughout the year; the Den Gamle By open-air museum, depicting an old
proximity to Aarhus Danish town from around 1927; the Memorial Park, offering a panoramic
view across the Bay of Aarhus; and Marienlyst Park, which holds the title
University, making
of the largest park in Aarhus.
them easy for
For those who prefer to look forward, wait until the sun goes down and
students to visit after
head out to sample the happening Aarhus nightlife – you’ll see a very
lectures. different side to the city. A student city with a lively cultural scene, every
year Aarhus hosts Aarhus Festuge, or ‘Aarhus Partyweek’, the largest
cultural festival in Scandinavia.

The city is a hub for foodies, offering traditional Danish food, new Nordic
cuisine as well as Mediterranean and Asian food. Aarhus serves as
Denmark’s principal port, making it a great place to find fresh seafood.
You can also travel to Denmark’s capital in about three hours by car, or by
bus, boat or air.

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Copenhagen

Founded in 1167, Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and is one of

Europe’s oldest cities. It’s located in the East of Denmark, on the coastal
islands of Amager and Zealand. A former Viking fishing village, the city
now houses the top university in Denmark, the University of Copenhagen.
Cycling is how most
The Technical University of Denmark is also located in the suburbs of
Copenhagen, in the province of Lyngby. students get around
and is a great way
Make buying a bike your top priority if you move to Copenhagen – there
are bike shops all over the city, and you can find second-hand bikes to explore this
easily over Facebook and student groups. Cycling is how most students cyclist-friendly city,
get around and is a great way to explore this cyclist-friendly city, with 49
with 49 percent
percent of Copenhagers commuting to work or university by bike.
of Copenhagers
Students won’t have to look hard for things to do in Denmark’s largest
commuting to work
city, with the Rosenburg castle and the incredible King’s Garden, the Tivoli
Gardens amusement park and the Langelinie pier, where you can see the or university by bike.
famous Little Mermaid statue. On top of all of this, students can enjoy
the many restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs that Copenhagen has
to offer.

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 Odense

Odense is a city of just under 200,000 people and was formerly one of
Denmark’s industrial centers. Today, it is still the commercial hub of
Funen (one of Denmark’s islands) and has a notable shopping district.
University of Southern Denmark first welcomed students to their main
campus in Odense in 1966 and has since expanded to more than 27,000
students across their five campuses.

The city was the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, author of hundreds
of globally beloved fairy tales. There are a great number of museums,
sculptures and attractions in Odense dedicated to his works. Alongside
these, Odense offers plenty of museums, art galleries and even a zoo, to
keep students entertained between lectures.

Odense is the up and coming location of choice for many large industries,
particularly robotics, making it a good choice for students looking to
benefit from its excellent employment prospects.

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Tuition Fees
& Living Costs
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland can study for free in Denmark.
However, if you’re from outside these areas, you’ll have to pay tuition
fees. The tuition fees are different at each institution and vary depending
on what you choose to study.

Student cost of living in Denmark

Students from
Student visa requirements
If you need to obtain a student visa, you’ll need to prove that you are
the EU, EEA and
able to financially support yourself. This means having access to around Switzerland can
€1,000 per month (approx. US$1,080). study for free in
Accommodation Denmark. However,
Once you have been accepted into a Danish university, you will need to if you’re from outside
sort out accommodation.
these areas, you’ll
Most students in Denmark live in off-campus halls of residence. These have to pay tuition
usually cost around €240-460 per month (approx. US$280-496).
fees.
If you choose to live in private accommodation, a one-bedroom apartment
in a Danish city center will cost around US$1,020 per month. This will
be slightly higher if you’re studying in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen,
where a one-bedroom apartment in the city center will cost US$1,465 per
month on average.

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 Other average living costs in Denmark
• Books and course materials for courses in Denmark will cost €30-65
per month (approximately US$5-10)

• Your mobile phone bill in Denmark will cost around 150 DKK per
month (approximately US$22)

• A gym membership in Denmark will cost you an average of US$36

A monthly transport per month.
pass will cost US$59
• A monthly transport pass will cost US$59 per month on average,
per month on however, many students in Denmark use their bikes to travel to
average, however, university.
many students in • A meal out at a mid-range restaurant will cost US$44 per person.
Denmark use their
Danish Tuition Fees
bikes to travel to
For domestic students and students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland,
university.
higher education is free for both undergraduates and postgraduate
courses.

If you are an international student from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland,

you will be required to pay tuition fees at Danish universities.

These fees will depend on the university and the course you choose to
study, so check the university’s website for the exact rates.

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Here are the tuition fees at some of Denmark’s top universities:

• Aalborg University $15,000 per year for undergraduates and ranging

from 48,450DKK per year to 100,800DKK (approximately US$7100-
14,780) for postgraduate courses.

• Aarhus University €8,000 to 15,300 (US$8,690 to 16,620) for non-EU/

EEA undergraduates and for master’s programs.

• Technical University of Denmark €15,000 per year for both

undergraduates and postgraduates.
Danish students
• University of Copenhagen €10,000-17,000 (US$10,860 to 18,470) are entitled to
for non-EU/EEA undergraduates and DKK 75,000 per year (around
US$10,920 for two years) for master’s programs.
public support for
their living costs
• University of Southern Denmark €6,200-13,900 (approximately
US$6,778- 15,200) for undergraduates. Master’s students will pay
whilst at university.
€8,500 for two years (approximately US$9,291).

Danish scholarships and student funding

Education is free for Danish students and those from the EU, but for
international students, there are a range of scholarships and grants
available to help with tuition fee costs.

Danish students are entitled to public support for their living costs whilst
at university. This support is awarded by the State Educational Grant

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 and Loan Scheme (SU), which is managed by the Danish Agency for
Institutions and Educational Grants. The Ministry of Science, Innovation
You can view the full and Higher Education is the main provider of grants in Denmark.

list of scholarships Danish Government Scholarships under the Cultural Agreements are
on the Study in aimed at exchange students and researchers who wish to immerse
themselves in the studies of Danish language and culture, or other
Denmark website.
Denmark-related fields of study, including architecture, environmental
Alternatively, studies and design.
universities may
Danish government scholarships for international students are given
have their own list to Danish universities to fund full-degree students from non-EU/EEA
of scholarships, so countries and Switzerland. To be eligible, students must be enrolled
in a full degree higher education program and granted a time-limited
check the university’s
residence permit in Denmark due to education.
website before
You can view the full list of scholarships on the Study in Denmark website.
applying.
Alternatively, universities may have their own list of scholarships, so
check the university’s website before applying.

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Working in Denmark
After Graduation
Living and working in Denmark is an attractive prospect for graduates,
with the country having one of the world’s strongest and most stable
economies, along with generally high incomes and living standards. The
country follows the Nordic model, characterized by an internationally
high tax level and correspondingly high levels of government-provided
services such as healthcare and childcare.
Around a third of
Around a third of graduates from English-language master’s programs graduates from
in Denmark remain working in the country after two years. Whilst this
English-language
figure is not as high as some countries like the UK and Germany, it still
represents a significant proportion of graduates. master’s programs
in Denmark remain
Nordic citizens (e.g. citizens of Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) can
enter, study, live and work in Denmark without needing visas or residence working in the
permits. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens don’t have to apply for a work permit, country after two
but if you wish to stay for longer, you’ll have to apply for a registration
years.
certificate under EU law.

Non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens will need a residence permit to work in

Denmark. However, when you graduate from a Danish higher-education
institution, your residence permit remains valid for another 6 months to
enable you to seek employment in Denmark.

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 It’s definitely beneficial to have some level of fluency in Danish when
applying for jobs in Denmark, although in some larger international
corporations English may be the language spoken at work. Some of the
most popular companies with a global outlook to work for in Denmark
include Møller-Maersk, Carlsberg, Novo Nordisk and ISS Global.

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