Psychology Schools and Programs in Denmark

Psychology Studies in Denmark

Becoming a psychologist in Denmark takes five years of university study: a three-year bachelor's degree in psychology followed by a two-year master's degree (kandidat, cand.psych.). The title psychologist is protected, and since 1 January 2026 the authorisation is issued by the Danish Patient Safety Authority (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed). The full degree is taught in Danish.

SpainExchange lists 2 schools for psychology in Denmark, and they serve different students. Aarhus University, in Aarhus, teaches the full Danish degree. DIS - Danish Institute for Study Abroad, in Copenhagen, offers psychology courses in English for one semester or a year to students of North American universities.

How the degree is organised

According to the official portal Study in Denmark, a university bachelor's degree is awarded after a three-year programme, and a master's programme is a research-based course that takes two years. The Danish name for the master's degree is Candidatus.

At Aarhus University the bachelor's degree in psychology is a theoretical programme built on six core areas:

• Social and personality psychology
• Cognitive psychology
• Developmental psychology
• Work and organisational psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Educational psychology

The university states that there are at least 12 hours of teaching per week and that a bachelor's graduate cannot yet work as a psychologist. The two-year master's degree is the practice-oriented part. It is only open to applicants with a bachelor's degree in psychology and includes a compulsory internship at a workplace with a trained psychologist as supervisor. Both programmes start in August or September. According to the university, most graduates are employed in the public sector, for example in hospitals and psychiatry.

Admission and language

Applications for bachelor's programmes go through the national admission website optagelse.dk, where applicants can list up to 8 programmes. A foreign qualification must be on a level with a Danish upper secondary school leaving certificate. For psychology at Aarhus University the specific requirements are Danish at A level, English at B level, mathematics at B level and one of history, history of ideas, social studies or contemporary history at B level.

Psychology is one of the hardest programmes to enter. In quota 1, where places are given by grade average, the admission threshold at Aarhus University in 2026 was 11.0 on the Danish scale (standby 10.9), and applicants need an average of at least 6.0 to apply in this quota at all. Other applicants apply in quota 2, with a deadline of 15 March at 12 noon, where the university also considers relevant qualifications.

Both degrees are approved with Danish as the language of instruction, although parts of the teaching and material can be in English. For Danish-taught programmes applicants must prove their Danish with an official test. The master's degree at Aarhus University asks for Danish at A level with a minimum average of 10 on the Danish scale.

Authorisation and recognition

A graduate can apply for authorisation after passing the master's examination in psychology. Without authorisation it is not permitted to work as a psychologist or use the title; a transition rule lets those who graduated before 1 January 2026 use the title until 31 December 2028. The application fee is DKK 1,362 (2026 level). The former Supervisory Board of Psychologists (Psykolognævnet) was closed on 1 January 2026, when psychologists became part of the healthcare authorisation scheme.

Psychologists trained outside Denmark must obtain Danish authorisation before they use the title in Denmark.

A semester in English at DIS

DIS describes itself as a non-profit study abroad foundation established in Denmark in 1959, with programmes taught in English in Copenhagen and Stockholm. Since 2016 it uses the name DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia. It is designed for undergraduate students of North American colleges and universities: applicants need a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and at least two completed semesters at a four-year college or university in the United States or Canada. The core courses of its psychology programme in Copenhagen include Cyberpsychology, European Clinical Psychology and Positive Psychology. The application deadlines are 1 April for the fall semester and 15 October for the spring semester. The courses count towards the degree at the home university; they do not lead to a Danish degree or to authorisation.

Costs and residence

Higher education in Denmark is free for students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. Other full-degree students pay tuition fees, which Study in Denmark puts at €6,000 to €16,000 per year (DKK 45,000 to 120,000).

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need a registration certificate if they stay longer than three months. Students from other countries apply for a residence permit through the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) before they travel. New rules apply to applications submitted on or after 1 October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a psychologist in Denmark?

Five years of study: a three-year bachelor's degree and a two-year master's degree in psychology. After the master's examination, graduates apply for authorisation from the Danish Patient Safety Authority.

Can I study psychology in Denmark in English?

The bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology at Aarhus University are taught in Danish. DIS in Copenhagen teaches psychology courses in English, but only as a study abroad semester or year for students of North American universities.

How hard is it to get into psychology in Denmark?

Entry is competitive. At Aarhus University the quota 1 threshold in 2026 was a grade average of 11.0 on the Danish scale.

Is studying psychology in Denmark free?

It is free for students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. Other students pay tuition fees of about €6,000 to €16,000 per year, according to Study in Denmark.