1. The Core Requirement
To be eligible for the Danish Government Scholarship you need to be:
- A citizen of a country outside the European Union and European Economic Area
- Enrolled in or applying to a full-degree program at a participating Danish university
- Granted (or applying for) a time-limited residence permit in Denmark for educational purposes
That's it as far as the basics go. If you're from Nigeria, Vietnam, Colombia, Canada, Australia, Egypt, or any other country outside the EU/EEA, you're in the eligible category from a citizenship standpoint.
2. The EU/EEA List — Who Is Excluded
Citizens of any of the following countries are not eligible for the Danish Government Scholarship (they also pay EU-level tuition fees):
EU Member States (27)
EEA (Non-EU)
Switzerland is NOT in the EU or EEA
Swiss citizens are eligible for Danish Government Scholarships, even though Switzerland has bilateral agreements with the EU. Switzerland is a separate legal case. A Swiss passport holder pays non-EU tuition fees and can apply for the scholarship.
What about UK citizens post-Brexit?
Since January 2021, UK citizens are no longer EU/EEA. UK passport holders can now potentially receive Danish Government Scholarships — though they must still pay tuition fees as non-EU students. If you graduated from a UK university before Brexit and are now applying to Denmark, you're treated as a non-EU applicant.
3. The SU Rule — The Most Overlooked Exclusion
Most applicants don't know this exists
If you qualify for Danish State Educational Support (SU) — the standard Danish student grant paid to Danish students — you cannot receive the Danish Government Scholarship.
Who might qualify for SU as an international student?
- ›Students who have been legally resident in Denmark for a qualifying period
- ›Students who are married to a Danish citizen (in some circumstances)
- ›Students with certain types of Danish residence permits linked to work or family
The practical reality: most newly arriving international students do not qualify for SU and are not affected by this rule. But if you've been living in Denmark for work or family reasons, check whether you qualify for SU before assuming you're eligible for the government scholarship. These two benefits are mutually exclusive.
4. Artistic Institutions Are Not Eligible
Danish artistic higher education institutions — including music conservatories, architecture schools, design schools, and arts academies — explicitly do not participate in the Danish Government Scholarship program. The scholarship is only available at research universities and university colleges under the Danish Act on Universities.
Not Covered — Artistic Institutions
- Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
- Royal Danish Academy of Music
- Danish National Academy of Music
- The Royal Danish Theatre school programs
- Architecture and design academies
Covered — Research Universities
- Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
- University of Copenhagen (UCPH)
- Aarhus University (AU)
- Copenhagen Business School (CBS)
- University of Southern Denmark (SDU)
- Aalborg University (AAU)
- IT University Copenhagen (ITU)
- Roskilde University (RUC)
5. Degree Level — Bachelor, Master, or PhD?
The scholarship is available for:
Available at select universities. SDU specifically offers Bachelor-level scholarships at its Vejle campus for engineering programs.
The vast majority of awards go to Master's students. This is where most international full-degree enrollment in Denmark is concentrated.
Available in some cases, institution-dependent. PhD funding in Denmark is typically handled through separate employment-based contracts.
SDU specifically offers scholarships at both Bachelor's (Vejle) and Master's (Sønderborg) level for engineering programs — making it one of the few universities with a clear Bachelor-level track.
6. The "Admitted to a State-Approved Program" Requirement
Your program must be a state-approved (accredited) full-degree program at a Danish higher education institution. This matters more in the context of work rights and post-study visas (after 2025 rule changes), but it also defines what counts for scholarship eligibility.
All major Danish universities (DTU, UCPH, AU, CBS, SDU, AAU, ITU, RUC) offer accredited programs. If you're considering a private institution or short-course provider, verify accreditation status carefully through the Danish Accreditation Institution (AKKR) before applying.
7. Residency — Where You Live Doesn't Matter
Your current country of residence is irrelevant. A Nigerian citizen living in the UK can still apply for Danish Government Scholarships as a non-EU/EEA student — they pay non-EU fees and are eligible for the scholarship. What matters is citizenship, not current residence.
8. Dual Citizenship
One passport is EU/EEA → Not eligible
If you hold citizenship in both an eligible country and an EU/EEA country, you are treated as an EU/EEA student and are not eligible for the scholarship — and you also pay EU-level tuition fees.
Both passports non-EU/EEA → Eligible
If both your citizenships are from non-EU/EEA countries, you can apply. For example, a Nigerian-Canadian dual citizen is eligible under both passport identities.
9. Are There Academic Eligibility Requirements?
The scholarship has no published academic minimum separate from admission requirements. However, the awards go to the top academic performers among admitted students. At UCPH's Faculty of Science, 2025 recipients had Bachelor's GPAs at or above the 98th percentile among admitted applicants. The practical academic bar is extremely high — even if no floor is officially published.
Admission requirements (separate from scholarship criteria):
Academic Degree
Bachelor's degree or equivalent from an accredited institution
English Proficiency
IELTS 6.5+ or TOEFL 83+ iBT (varies by program and university)
Field Prerequisites
Field-specific academic prerequisites set by the faculty
10. Self-Check Eligibility
Go through each item. If all six apply to you, you meet the basic eligibility requirements. Competition is another matter.
I am a citizen of a country outside the EU and EEA
Citizenship, not residence. Where you live now doesn't matter.
I do NOT hold dual citizenship that includes an EU/EEA country
If one of your passports is from an EU or EEA country, you are ineligible.
I do NOT already qualify for Danish State Educational Support (SU)
If you're a new arrival to Denmark, you almost certainly don't qualify for SU. But verify if you've lived in Denmark previously.
I am applying to a full-degree (Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD) program
Exchange programs, short courses, and diplomas do not qualify.
My intended university is a research university — not an artistic institution
DTU, UCPH, AU, CBS, SDU, AAU, ITU, and RUC are covered. Arts, music, and design academies are not.
My intended program is accredited and state-approved
All programs at the major Danish research universities are accredited. Verify through AKKR if in doubt.
Passed all six checks?
You meet the basic eligibility requirements. The next step is understanding the selection process — because eligibility gets you in the running, not the scholarship itself.
11. What If My Country Has Specific Bilateral Agreements?
Some countries have bilateral cultural agreement scholarships with Denmark. These are separate from the Danish Government Scholarship and have different criteria — they target exchange students and researchers, not full-degree students.
Countries with bilateral cultural agreements with Denmark
If you're from one of these countries, you may have access to both tracks — the standard Danish Government Scholarship (through your university) and a bilateral agreement scholarship (through the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science). The bilateral route is administered separately and is worth researching independently.