Denmark is one of Europe’s most popular international study destinations because of its affordable study prices, high-quality English-taught Master’s degrees, and innovative teaching methods.
Denmark, in addition to its natural beauty, has several historic cities, like Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Esbjerg, making it an ideal student destination.
So, if you’re looking for step-by-step instructions on how to apply to study in Denmark, keep reading.
About Denmark
Denmark is one of the three Scandinavian countries, with a population of around 5,5 million people.
It is a northern European country. It is made primarily of the Jutland Peninsula and around 400 North Sea islands. Furthermore, the country is nearly double the size of Massachusetts.
Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with a democratic government. The parliament, Folketinget, is the country’s highest authority, and Queen Margrethe II has no real political influence.
Free and equal access to benefits such as healthcare and education for all citizens is a cornerstone of the Danish welfare system.
Economic equality, virtually little corruption, and low crime rates are all benefits of a strong welfare state.
Its Economy
Oil and other kinds of energy, the medical industry, agricultural produce, shipping, and IT services are the major sources of revenue in Denmark.
Denmark has a sophisticated mixed economy that the World Bank classifies as a high-income economy. It was rated 16th in the world in terms of nominal GNI per capita and 10th in terms of PPP per capita in 2017.
Also, in the Index of Economic Freedom and the Economic Freedom of the World, the economy stands out as one of the most free.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2018, it is the world’s tenth most competitive economy and the sixth most competitive in Europe.
Education
In order to secure growth, welfare, and competitiveness in Denmark, free education for all is a top goal.
Danish institutions are equipping their students to play an active role in today’s globalized knowledge-based world by combining high academic standards with innovative learning methodologies.
Danish higher education has a long history of collaborating with businesses, industries, and research organizations to provide students with an enriching and vibrant learning environment.
Also, because Danish universities and higher education institutions are highly international and offer a big number of English-language programs, international students have a variety of options.
Work-life Balance
If you value a good work-life balance, you should seriously consider studying and working in Denmark, as Denmark has one of the best work-life balances in the world!
A regular working week is 37 hours long. Because the majority of men and women work, flexible working hours are common.
Parents are eligible for 52 weeks of maternity leave with a maternity subsistence allowance, of which 36 weeks can be split between the mother and father based on personal preferences.
Study in Denmark
Denmark is one of the most popular international study destinations in Europe that has high-quality and innovative teaching methods.
Also, Denmark is a choice for international students due to its great standard of living and the large variety of study subjects available at Danish universities.
#1. University Tuition Fees In Denmark
All Bachelor’s and Master’s students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland, as well as students participating in an exchange program, are entitled to free higher education in Denmark.
In Denmark, you can also study for free if you:
- You already hold a residency permit, either permanent or temporary.
- One of your parents works in Denmark and is from a non-EU/EEA nation.
Tuition prices for non-EU/EEA citizens range from 6,000 to 16,000 EUR per academic year. Some specialized programs may be more expensive; thus, we recommend that you visit the university page to see what tuition you will be paying.
You can read this: List Of Business Schools and Schools of Management in Europe(TOP 20)
#2. Students Living Costs In Denmark
Average living costs in Danish cities
Denmark’s tuition-free policy appeals to EU/EEA students, however, the excellent quality of life implies that living costs and average prices are greater than in other countries.
You’ll need to carefully budget your monthly expenses to be able to meet these costs.
International students in Denmark require between 800 – 1,200 EUR per month to live comfortably.
These prices can increase or decrease depending on your spending patterns, such as how much you spend on shopping and going out, how much you travel, and so on.
You should also expect to pay extra if you want to study in Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital.
Accommodation Costs
In Denmark, lodging accounts for almost a third of your monthly living expenses. In most locations, you can expect to pay between 400 and 670 EUR, while in Copenhagen, you can expect to pay between 800 and 900 EUR.
You might be able to find apartments outside of the city for 250 EUR per month if you start looking early.
The following are the main student housing alternatives in Denmark:
- 450 EUR/month for students living alone
- Students sharing a room with a partner or a coworker – 500 EUR per month
- Kollegier (student halls of living) – between 250 and 300 EUR a month
Furthermore, you may have a tough time finding housing immediately before the semester begins. As a result, you should begin looking at your possibilities months before moving to Denmark.
This allows you to compare different locations and pricing without having to make a decision right away.
Food costs
Depending on your spending patterns, your monthly food expenses in Denmark will range from 200 to 270 EUR. Discount supermarkets such as Bilka, Lidl, Netto, Fakta, and Aldi provide lower grocery pricing.
Dining out in the city costs roughly 30 EUR per person on average, while a beer or soft drink at a bar costs around 5 EUR.
Transportation costs
In Denmark, over half of the students ride their bikes to school, while the other third take public transportation. The cost of a monthly public transportation pass for the bus, metro, or train is between 40 and 50 EUR.
Denmark, and especially Copenhagen, is a biker’s paradise, with bicycles apparently outnumbering people. As a result, you may always rent a bike and ride throughout the city.
Extra costs and savings
- You will spend between 30 and 65 EUR per month on books and other study materials.
- Students spend between 120 and 175 EUR per month on social activities on average.
- If you sign up for an international youth travel card, you can save a lot of money on sightseeing in Denmark.
- You may be required to pay for health insurance if you are a non-EU/EEA citizen who does not register with the Danish Civil Registration System.
How To Apply To Study In Denmark in 2024
#1. Decide on a university
It’s time to choose a university and a degree now that you’ve decided to study in Denmark Making it one of the ways how you can apply to study in Denmark.
In the QS World University Rankings 2024, five Danish universities make the top 400, with the University of Copenhagen coming out on top, ranking 76th.
Technical University of Denmark (103rd), Aarhus University (147th), Aalborg University (joint 305th), and the University of Southern Denmark are among the other universities listed in Denmark (SDU, joint 353rd).
You may find a complete list of programs offered by Danish institutions here to help you select the correct course for you.
2. Check the admission requirements
This is one of the steps on how to apply to study in Denmark.
You should have settled on your university and course by now. Before you apply, double-check that your credentials are accepted by the university of your choice.
Your qualifications must be equivalent to a Danish upper secondary school leaving certificate in order to be admitted to a Danish university.
A qualifying vocational certification may, however, be adequate for many undergraduate programs.
Additional entrance requirements may be required for some courses. Certain subjects with a specific grade, a passing admissions test or interview, or a certificate with a minimum GPA are examples of these requirements. On the university’s website, look up the individual course prerequisites.
If you don’t satisfy the prerequisites, you might be able to take a supplementary course that will allow you to apply. This course, however, will not improve your GPA.
#3. Language skills
This is the third ways on how to apply to study in Denmark and is important.
English language tests
Many non-Danish students apply to English-taught programs. To enroll in an English course, you must show proof of English skill equivalent to a Danish level B. On their websites, universities frequently mention the precise scores they want.
Danish language tests
If you want to pursue a Danish course, you’ll need to pass a Danish language test to demonstrate your ability.
You can choose between ‘Danish as a Foreign Language’ (‘Studieprven I dansk som andetsprog’) and ‘Danish Test 2’ (‘Danskprve 2’). You may be required to pass the ‘Danish Test 3’ (‘Danskprve 3’) by some programs.
If you studied Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish as part of your entry requirements, you will not be required to pass a Danish test if you are a student from one of the Nordic nations.
#4. Fees and Funding
Higher education in Denmark is free for students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland, for both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
You will be required to pay tuition fees in Danish universities if you are from outside the EU/EAA. These costs range from $8,000 to $21,000 per year on average.
There are a number of scholarships available, which you can learn more about here.
#5. Apply
Applications to study in Denmark should be made through the national admissions site www.optagelse.dk by 15 March, 12 noon (CET).
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 proof of identification (ID) for each course that interest you.
If you are a Danish citizen or have a residency permit, you will use the electronic signature NemID, a digital identity instrument that was previously granted to you.
If you’re an international student, you’ll need to print, sign, and deliver a signature sheet from optagelse.dk to the universities you’re applying to.
An application ID will appear on the page, which institutions will use to download your application.
Other documents
In the ‘attachments’ part of the application, you must attach your upper secondary education diploma. Also, they will need a personal essay from you, but this depends on the course and the institution.
Applying for courses and receiving responses
You can apply to as many as eight different programs. Also, you must list these in order of importance, and each application must be accompanied by a signature. You have until July 5 to adjust the universities’ priority.
Furthermore, you will receive a single response after that. This will be written in a letter format. If you receive an acceptance letter, it might not be from your first pick if they don’t have a spot open.
It could be from your second or even third choice. If you get a rejection letter, it implies you’ve been turned down by all of your options. By early August, you must answer to this letter.
#6. Get Health insurance
After you’ve accepted your university offer, it’s time to get to work on the tedious (but crucial) aspects of studying abroad preparation.
If you are a European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) citizen or a Swiss national visiting Denmark for less than three months, you can use your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to obtain medically essential healthcare.
If you plan to stay in Denmark for more than three months and are from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you must register with the Civil Registration System.
You’ll need an S1 Portable Document or a valid EHIC card from your state’s statutory health insurance to do so.
International students will acquire travel insurance for the duration of their studies in Denmark.
However, under the Danish Health Act, all non-residents traveling in Denmark will have free emergency hospital care in the event of an accident, delivery, acute illness, or abrupt exacerbation of a chronic condition. In addition, this is one of the steps on how to apply to study in Denmark.
#7. Obtain a Visa
You won’t need any papers to live, work, or study in Denmark if you’re a citizen of Norway, Sweden, or Finland. Your Danish personal identification number is all you’ll need.
You can study, work, and live in Denmark for up to three months without documents if you are from the EU/EEA or Switzerland. Following that, you must obtain a Danish registration certificate.
To receive this, go to the Regional State Administration with your passport, two passport-sized pictures, and a letter of acceptance from your university (Statsforvaltningen).
After that, they will give you a personal identification number.
If you’ll be studying in Denmark for more than three months and are not from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you’ll need to apply for a residence permit. Also, if you’re staying for less than three months you’ll need a tourist visa. (https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/download-schengen-visa-application-form/)
To obtain a residence permit you will need:
- An acceptance letter from your university
- Proof of language proficiency
- A proof that you have the financial resources to support yourself (usually around €1,000 per month [around US$1,080])
- Proof that you have purchased travel insurance
- A valid passport
- Passport photo
Also, you can check this: 17 Best Denmark Colleges for International Students 2024
#8. Sort out accommodation
After you’ve gotten your visa, you’ll need to find a place to stay. Off-campus student halls of residence, which typically cost around €240-460 per month (approximately US0-496), are home to the majority of Danish students. (https://aaronkirman.com/) You can find more information on this on your university’s website.
You can also opt to live in a private residence. This is usually more expensive, though it varies depending on the size, location, and amount of individuals sharing the space. A one-bedroom apartment in Copenhagen’s city center costs on average €1,333 (about US$1,444). Also, this is one of the ways how to apply to study in Denmark.
#9. Enroll
Finally, this is the last step on how you can apply to study in Denmark. You will need to enroll at your university shortly before beginning your course. This is done online, and your university will provide you with instructions on how to do so shortly before you begin.
Conclusion
If you want to study in Denmark, I hope the information provided above will assist you in doing so.
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