Financing your Studies in Denmark | EFG

Among Europe, Denmark is one of a few countries whose currency is not Euro, but Danish Krones (DDK). From an economic point of view, Denmark’s wealth is one of the highest in Europe and as a student you can profit from this situation. When it comes to finances and tuition, Denmark is exceedingly generous when it comes to its costs and available scholarships, both programme and government.

Get a scholarship in Denmark

Cost of your studies

Tuition fees

Universities in Denmark are free for any student from Switzerland or the EEA/EU. You also have your education paid for if you’re in an exchange program or a permanent residence permit-holder. For US students, a Danish education will cost between $8.000 and $21.000. In Euros, it is 6.000-16.000 and in krones (DDK) it is 45.000-120.000. Students have access to libraries and the Internet for free.

Cost of living

Living arrangements for students are largely up to each individual as Denmark does not have the traditional on-campus accommodation. On a monthly basis, a student living in Denmark will need to pay about 5000 DKK for food, rent, transportation, and school supplies.

Financing your studies

Public support

When studying in Denmark, there are a few options when it comes to financing. Typically, students will use loans and scholarships to pay their fees. Public support of students is excellent in Denmark. The two main institutes responsible for dealing with student support are the Agency and the Ministry. The Agency deals with student applications, communicates with the educational institutions, pays out the grants and loans, and writes budgets. The Ministry does the general planning and budgeting, and also is in charge of any amendments to the system. Foreign students (unless under special status) are not able to use educational assistance. Of those able to use support, about 50% take advantage of the loaning system. Though Denmark does invest an impressive amount of money into its educational system, it is its culture of learning that truly defines Denmark’s perspective on the value of education. Through the country’s monetary investment in schools, support of its students both financially and intellectually, and innovative curriculum and teaching style, Denmark time and again finds itself ranked highly on lists of the best countries for education in the world.

Scholarships

For those students who have to pay fees, scholarships can be obtained from some of the numerous options that Denmark provides, such as programs like Nordplus, Erasmus, the Fulbright Commission, and a variety of scholarships from the Danish Government Scholarships under the Cultural Agreements. These particular scholarships are targeted to especially gifted exchange students from all over Europe as well as China, Russia, Japan, Israel, and Egypt. Some of these scholarships include both long-term sessions and summer classes for language. Government scholarships are two-parted and can either go towards tuition and/or a student’s living costs. A popular scholarship for Danish students is the SU (Danish State Educational Support). To learn more about how each university or university college manages government scholarships, a student should contact the institution specifically.

Students loans

A source for student loans comes in the form of the State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme, which is run by the Danish Agency for Higher Education. This fund is primarily for students’ living costs. For academics, every student in a higher education class gets monthly grants that correspond with the length of the student’s session, plus an extra year. Students who live with their parents and don’t have to worry about housing costs will not receive as much as someone who needs to live on their own. If a student need more money and have used all their grants, they can apply for a completion loan. It is common to use this loan during the student’s last year. If a student becomes ill or has a child, they can apply for a higher monthly loan.

Student jobs

Denmark is one of the best countries in the world for jobs and has a very low unemployment rate. For students, having a job is very common. Denmark’s focus on practical skills and thinking encourages students to gain real-world experience and so in addition to their studies, students will find work anywhere from a shop to something in their academic field. Because working students are so common, most companies in Denmark will specifically put out ads for student workers and offer collaborations for a student to work with them for a final project. This leads to many student workers finding long-term employment.