Danish Government Scholarship Documents 2027/28

1. The good news — mostly automatic

At most Danish universities (UCPH, Aarhus, AAU, RUC, ITU), the scholarship is awarded through automatic consideration — there's no separate application form, no additional document, no scholarship essay. Your standard admission application is your scholarship application.

This is different from most competitive scholarships, where you spend weeks on separate applications. At these universities, the scholarship decision is made by the university reviewing all admitted non-EU/EEA applicants.

Your admission application IS your scholarship application. Every document you submit for admission is also evaluated for the scholarship.

2. Universal admission documents (also scholarship documents)

For admission to any Danish university you typically need the following. They are evaluated both for admission and for scholarship consideration at automatic-consideration universities.

1. 1
   Completed online application form

   Submitted through the university's admissions portal.

2. 2
   Official bachelor's transcripts

   Certified copies or official electronic records. All years of your undergraduate degree, not just the final year.

3. 3
   Bachelor's degree certificate

   Or proof of expected completion if you haven't graduated yet.

4. 4
   Passport copy

   The main ID page with your photo, personal details and expiry date.

5. 5
   English proficiency test results

   IELTS 6.5+ or TOEFL iBT 83+, or official proof of English-medium education. See section 7 for exemptions.

6. 6
   CV / résumé

   Required at most universities. Format varies by institution — see section 8.

7. 7
   Motivation letter or statement of purpose

   Required at most universities for admission. This is separate from the scholarship personal statement at CBS and DTU.

3. DTU-specific scholarship document

What the DTU personal statement should contain

• Explicit waiver request: state clearly that you are requesting the tuition fee waiver.
• Undergraduate academic achievements: GPA, class ranking, academic awards. Be specific with numbers.
• Research experience: publications, lab work, participation in research projects.
• Competition results (if any): olympiads, hackathons, technical competitions.
• International experience & extracurriculars: particularly activities related to your academic field.

DTU selection focus: DTU's scholarship is more merit-oriented than motivation-oriented. Your achievement record — grades, research, competitions — matters more than your career-goals narrative. Lead with accomplishments.

4. CBS-specific scholarship documents

Copenhagen Business School requires two scholarship-specific actions beyond your standard admission documents (plus the application fee for non-EU applicants):

1. 1
   Check the scholarship box

   In the CBS application portal, there is a checkbox indicating you wish to be considered for the scholarship. You must tick it. If you don't, you won't be considered regardless of your other documents.

2. 2
   Upload a personal statement (max 2 pages)

   CBS wants it to be “personal and specific.” It evaluates academic achievements, work or life experience relevant to your programme, why you chose this specific CBS programme, what you plan to do after graduation, and any other relevant accomplishments.

Interviews at CBS: CBS may conduct interviews as part of scholarship selection, though this is not guaranteed. If they contact you for one, treat it seriously — it means you're in consideration.

5. SDU-specific requirements

The University of Southern Denmark's process includes an online interview after the initial application review, in addition to the standard admission documents (bachelor's applicants also need a uniTEST score). The interview covers:

• Your motivation for choosing the specific programme at SDU
• Technical background and preparation
• Career plans

6. Transcripts — the critical document

At every university, your bachelor's transcripts are the most important document for scholarship consideration. They need to meet all of the following criteria:

• Official copies: certified copies or official electronic records. Self-scanned documents are typically not accepted.
• Individual grades visible: show individual course grades and GPA or percentage. Summary documents alone are not sufficient.
• In English (or translated): in English, or with a certified translation. Machine translations are not accepted.
• Complete undergraduate record: all years of your bachelor's degree, not just the final year or semester.

7. English proficiency

Exemptions from English tests

You are typically exempt if you are:

• A native English speaker (US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc.)
• A student who completed their entire bachelor's degree taught in English
• From a country where English is an official language (varies by university)

If you're exempt, you'll typically need a letter or certificate from your undergraduate institution confirming English was the medium of instruction. Request it early — some institutions take several weeks to issue it.

8. CV / résumé

Most Danish universities request a CV for admission (and therefore scholarship consideration). Include all of the following sections where applicable:

• Academic background: degrees, institutions, GPA if strong.
• Work experience: relevant professional roles.
• Skills: language skills, technical competencies.
• Publications or research: particularly valued at DTU and UCPH Science.
• Extracurricular activities: particularly those related to your field or demonstrating leadership.

No specific template is required at most universities (unlike Sweden's SI scholarship). Use a clean, professional format; a standard one- to two-page CV is appropriate for most programmes.

9. Motivation letter vs scholarship statement

Where both are required (CBS, and DTU's waiver statement), these are two distinct documents serving different purposes. Do not submit the same text for both.

Each university has a different deadline. Find yours before it's too late: View deadlines.