Study in Denmark: The Powerhouse of Quality Education

Considered one of the happiest countries in the world, Denmark is renowned as a goldmine of higher education as well as internationally recognised for its greener lifestyle. With its modern and bustling cities situated amidst striking landscapes, it has been famed to have incorporated one of the best education systems in the world. To study in Denmark to embrace educational excellence as well as the incredible quality of life rooted in sustainability! The country has also heavily invested in its academic institutions and it is quite a lesser-known fact that Denmark has the highest number of Nobel Laureates per capita. Through this blog, we will take you on a comprehensive journey detailing the admission process, student visa, cost of studying as well as top universities you must consider to study in Denmark.

Why Study In Denmark?

Before delving deeper into the guide to study in Denmark, let’s first explore why it is considered amongst the best countries to study abroad:

Excellent Education System

Denmark’s education system emphasizes producing innovative and creative students. You will be astonished by the modernity of their education system when you study in Denmark. What we love the most about them is their learning method. They provide a space where you can study, experiment, and learn from the experts. It may have not ever been possible for students to get such a space without the cooperation of higher education institutions with businesses, science parks, and various public organizations. 

Home to World’s Best Universities

Universities of Denmark give you an opportunity to study in competitive and highly accredited abroad programs. Their competitive and comprehensive programs may push you out of your comfort zone so that you can become a better version of yourself along with recognition. When it comes to the admission process, it’s simple and accommodative for international students. And if you are worried about how you will study in Denmark due to the language constraint, don’t worry! A lot of programs are available in the English language.

Embrace the Aura of the Happiest Nation!

The World Happiness Report (WHR) represents Denmark as the 2nd happiest country in the world. The credit for such happiness goes to its social development and economic success. People of the country have a high standard of living because of health care, education, human development, excellent social interactions, low corruption and a higher level of income equality. 

A Plethora of Scholarships

If you’re one of those students, who is struggling hard to solve financial issues. Relax! There are so many Danish universities that are ready to assist international students with grants, scholarships, and financial aid. Their motive behind adopting such policies is to attract international students to study in Denmark. All you have to do is to research the website of your future university to know the kind of financial assistance they are offering. 
Note: If you’re from the EU/EEA, you can even get free tuition. 

Lively Student Life

In Denmark, students make an effort to interact with their peers. Moreover, students are also placed into groups during the initiation of the course. In such groups, students generally discuss their readings, classwork and research with members of the group. This practice can help you fix your mistakes and learn new things. Along with such an intellectually conducive academic experience, if you study in Denmark you may also attend various traditional events like Friday Bars. In the event of Friday Bars, various departments from the university host wild and cheerful parties. 

Great Food and Interesting people 

Do you love food? If not, then you will start loving it when you study in Denmark. Denmark has unique recipes to make dishes that you haven’t eaten yet anywhere else in the world. For breakfast, you will have ymerdrys, wienerbrod, or junket crumble. Now don’t ask about these three recipes. Search some vlogs on YouTube because words can’t define their beauty. In addition to this, you will have an opportunity to eat Italian and American dishes like salad bars, barbecues, pasta, and macaroni. However, it would be better if you try out the traditional cuisine instead of the other ones. Even though it isn’t that easy to make friends here but once you make a few friends, you will realize how friendly, intelligent, and educated they are. The Danes know the art of clothing. Yes, they dress up very well.  

Cost of Studying in Denmark

The tuition costs in Denmark universities usually depend on the country one is from. For those from EU/EEA countries, pursuing higher education in Denmark is absolutely free whereas if you are from any other country, then you will need to pay your tuition fee. Further, the tuition fee will also differ from one institution to another as well as from one course to another. On average, the fees can be somewhere around DKK 45,000 to DKK 1,22,000 roughly for a year but can vary as per the education level as well as the institution. Coming to the living costs, it will also largely vary on the city you choose, i.e. smaller cities will cost comparatively less than bigger towns. The budget for living costs in Denmark (including accommodation, groceries and travel) can be somewhere estimated at DKK 6,000 to DKK 13,500 on a monthly basis. Also, health insurance is also a necessity for international students regarding which you must contact your chosen institution.

Popular Courses to Study in Denmark

If you have decided that you wish to study in Denmark, then the next step is to choose the course that you wish to pursue. Universities in Denmark offer a number of courses in varying fields, and from them, you can choose the one which interests you the most. Here, is a list of the most popular undergraduate and graduate courses offered by Danish Universities:

Bachelors	Masters
Bachelor in Education	Masters in Business Administration
Bachelor in International Business	Masters in Economics
BSc in Engineering – Mechatronics	Masters in Environmental Sciences
Bachelor in Industrial Design	Masters in Design
BSc in European Studies	Masters in Civil Engineering
BSc in International Business Administration and Foreign Languages	Masters in Agriculture

Admission Deadline 

After deciding to study in Denmark, the first thing that you need to find out is the deadline for applying to universities in Denmark. Given below is the general application deadline for study in Denmark for the next academic year:

• Undergraduate Courses
  • For Undergraduate courses starting in August or September, the official deadline is March.
  • Some Universities have an additional intake which happens in January or February of the next year, the application deadline for that intake will be September. 
• Graduate Courses
  • For postgraduate courses, the deadline might vary from University to University but it won’t extend beyond the March.

Application Process to Study in Denmark

In order to apply for any undergraduate-level course to study in Denmark, the Ministry of Higher Education of the country has designed its own admissions portal, which is referred to as Optagelse where one can find all the varied programmes at the bachelor’s level available in the country’s institutions. It is also important to note that admissions at the undergraduate level are taken care of by institutions locally but also coordinated centrally via the Coordinated Admission. At Optagelse, you can create your digital applications as well as attach necessary documents and get your application signed and verified accordingly by your educational institutions. On the other hand, postgraduate programs can be applied to the university’s website itself.

The document checklist you must ensure while making your application to study in Denmark is as follows:

• Academic Transcripts
• Passport size photographs
• Valid passport
• English proficiency certification like IELTS, TOEFL, and Cambridge ESOL.
• Copy of your birth certificate

Note: You can apply for up to 8 programs through the official Optagelse website for an undergraduate degree program.

List of Top Danish Universities

Well-known for its uniquely designed educational apparatus, to study in Denmark is to avail quality education at economical costs as well as globally renowned universities. Here is a list of top Denmark universities as well as their prospective rankings given by the QS and THE World University Rankings 2021:

University	QS World Ranking 2024
University of Copenhagen	=107
Aarhus University	52
Technical University of Denmark	121
Aalborg University	=336
Copenhagen Business School	–
University of Southern Denmark	326
Roskilde University	–

Scholarships to study in Denmark

If you are planning to study in Denmark, you might be worried about the cost of studying there. Studying abroad could be quite expensive and it’s the case with Denmark too but you don’t have to worry about it because there are various scholarships offered by the Danish government and universities across Denmark that you can avail:

1. Nordplus
2. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree Scholarships in Media Arts Cultures
3. Fulbright Commission
4. The Danish Government Scholarships under the Cultural Agreements
5. Danish government scholarships for highly qualified non-EU/EEA students
6. The Danish State Educational Support (SU)
7. Danish State Tuition Fee Waivers and Scholarships at Roskilde University
8. Danish State Scholarships at Aarhus University
9. IT University of Copenhagen State Scholarships in Denmark
10. Danish Government Scholarships at University College of Northern Denmark

Getting Student Visa in Denmark

In order to obtain a student permit in Denmark, it is important to familiarize yourself with the type of visas that the country issues to foreign students. Mainly, the process and documentation of a student visa in Denmark largely depend on the country you are from as well as the duration for which you will be staying. For those from Nordic/EU/EEA countries, a valid passport is enough to enter Denmark with minimal documentation whereas for those from Non-EU/EEA countries, the whole process differs. There are two types of student permits that Non-EU/EEA students can choose from:

Visa: For a stay of less than three months
Residence Permit: For a stay of more than three months

 Let’s explore how a visa or residence permit can be obtained:

Visa Process

When it comes to Indian students wanting to study in the country for less than 90 days, you will be required to get a tourist visa but those who have diplomatic or service passports have been exempted by the Danish Immigration Service. However, a visa doesn’t allow me to work in Denmark or study a program which encompasses more than 3 months in duration. If you don’t have a diplomatic or service passport then it is best to visit the Danish embassy in your state and get an application for a tourist visa.

Obtaining Residence Permit

If you are planning to study in Denmark for a full-fledged degree or diploma program that is longer than three months, then you need to get a residence permit in the following cases:

• You must be accepted by a higher education institution in Denmark 
• You can either finish an academic course or else be a part of the programme as a guest or exchange student.
• You can also pursue a preparatory course that can further lead you to a higher educational programme.

Further, the essential requirements you need to accomplish to get a residence permit to study in Denmark are as follows:

• Acceptance letter from the higher education institution
• English language proficiency test scores such as IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge ESOL (CAE) or else if your chosen program is in Danish, German or any other language, you need to submit proficiency scores accordingly to the same.
• If you are opting for a preparatory programme (of more than 3 months), you will be granted a residence permit given that you have the acceptance letter from the university, the programme is not of more than one year and the Ministry of Higher Education and Science must have verified that attendance is the key prerequisite for the course fulfilling which you have been granted admission into the prospective higher education programme.
• You must verify that your chosen institution is accredited under a state authority or the Danish Evaluation Authority (EVA), as well as your chosen program, should be under the category of higher education, i.e. must require applicants to have completed high school.
• Proof of sufficient funds
• For those who are still to turn 18 years old, they must submit a declaration of consent signed by their parents or guardian allowing them to study in Denmark, provide a birth certificate, and your chosen academic institution must also ensure that they have proper residence and study permit to stay in the country.

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How to Apply for Residence Permit to Study in Denmark?

Processing Time: 2 months (can vary)
Processing Fee: DKK 1,900 (20,700 INR) – as per the country and duration of the study

Here is the step-by-step process you need to follow in order to apply for a residence permit to study in Denmark:

1. Visit the Danish Immigration website by clicking here and create a case order ID by entering your name, case type (i.e. higher education) as well as a passport number. 
2. Pay the visa fee mentioned above.
3. Gather the Necessary Documents, i.e. Receipt of your visa fee payment, a copy of all the pages in your passport (front, back and empty pages), an acceptance letter from the university, and documents proving that you have sufficient funds.
4. Now, you and your educational institution will be asked to fill out separate forms which can either be done offline (printable forms) or online. Scan all your documents if you are filling out the application online and once your educational institution has submitted their form, they will send you a reference number and password after which you can fill out the other form from your side.
5. After completing your form online, you can submit it directly or for offline forms, you will be provided with the address of the nearest Danish Mission or Norwegian Mission where you can send it.
6. Also, getting your biometrics recorded is the concluding step of the process which you must ensure or else your application will be rejected. Biometric features can be recorded at your nearest Danish mission or embassy and this needs to be done within 14 days.
7. Once you have completed all the above-mentioned steps, you need to wait for the processing time mentioned above and you will be informed about your application within the same time frame.

Popular Employment Areas in Denmark

If you look at the distribution of employment opportunities across different sectors in Denmark then the service sector provides the maximum scope. Then comes the industrial sector. So, it’s only smart to look for employment in these fields. Also, there is a shortage in terms of skilled labour in Denmark, so with the right skills you can easily find a job for yourself there. The most popular Employment Areas in Denmark are given below:

1. Energy and Electrical Engineer
2. Medical Consultant
3. Doctor
4. Dentist
5. Pharmacist
6. Mechanical Engineer
7. IT consultant
8. Radiographer
9. Primary and secondary school teachers

FAQs

Hence, now that you know the essentials to keep in mind while planning to study in Denmark, it’s high time to start exploring the courses and universities that you can choose from. Take the assistance of our Leverage Edu experts who can guide you in selecting a suitable program and university as well as throughout the admission process from crafting impressive LORs and SOP to ensure that you get successfully shortlisted!