Universities in Denmark

Colleges in Denmark offer a wide range of high quality programs that are recognized throughout the world. In fact, Denmark is at the top of the United Nations’ Education Index. Established in 1479, The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university in Denmark with over 37,000 students and more than 7,000 employees.

The Danish higher education can be segmented in to three categories: 1) Universities, 2) University Colleges and 3) Academies of Professional Higher Education.

Universities in Denmark

The universities offer undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD courses in a variety of streams like Biotechnology, business, design, environmental engineering, food technology, IT, renewable energy, telecommunications and pharmaceutical development. All the university offered courses in Denmark are research based programs and require English language proficiency for 130 odd programs that are taught in English; or proficiency in Danish if the program is taught in Danish. The basic requirement for a Masters Degree in Denmark is an internationally recognized bachelor’s degree, while the broad admissions requirements for PhD program are a Masters degree or any equivalent degree, comparable to the Danish two-year Masters degree. In some cases, a four-year PhD course is offered to students who have completed a bachelor’s qualification and one year of study at postgraduate level.

 Moreover, university level institutions for fine arts, performing arts, design and architecture are also categorized herein.

University Colleges in Denmark

University–colleges or the “ Professionshøjskoler ’’ offer professional Bachelor’s programs of a three to four and half years duration. The admission requirement for such undergraduate programs is to possess a qualification comparable to a Danish qualifying examination.  Most institutions have their own admission criteria and process, so it is advisable to gather information about entrance qualifications, additional tests and potential credit transfer, from the respective institutions’ admissions offices.  

The Academies of Professional Higher Education (Erhversakademier)

Professionally oriented higher education programs are offered at The Academies of Professional Higher Education colleges. The courses offered here differ from the ones offered at Universities by the fact that they are only offered by specialized colleges, involved in international level theoretical and practical developmental work, like the EC mobility programs.  The courses are two to two and half years in duration.

Higher education in Denmark is by and large provided free of cost for EU/EEA students, including study exchange program students. However, students who are neither EU/EEA students nor exchange program students have to pay a tuition fee range from 6,000 to 16,000 Euros. Nevertheless, availability of a variety of scholarships for study also enhances Denmark’s credibility as a viable study destination.

 There is a lot of state funding or grant programs like the SUV, VEU and SU that are offered by the Danish government.   SUV applies for education in basic school, high school or university, while VEU applies for education in the business education levels. Students who are eligible for SU also qualify for low interest state loans.

Danish Agency for Universities and Internationalization and the Danish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education is a great source of information for the interested prospective students.