Danish Government Scholarship FAQ

You meet the citizenship requirement if you're also not Swiss or from the EEA — but that is just one of several conditions. You also need to be applying to a state-approved full-degree programme at a participating Danish university, and you must not qualify for Danish State Educational Support (SU). Meeting all three makes you eligible to compete; it doesn't guarantee a scholarship. The scholarship goes to the top academic performers among admitted non-EU/EEA students.

No. Earlier versions of this guide said yes, but the official Study in Denmark rules require citizenship of a country “outside the EU, the European Economic Area or Switzerland,” and CBS's scholarship rules say the same. Swiss citizens study under the same fee rules as EU/EEA students and are not eligible.

Yes. Since January 2021, UK citizens are no longer EU/EEA members and are treated as non-EU/EEA students for tuition and scholarship purposes. British students now pay international fees at Danish universities and are eligible for the government scholarship.

You're treated as an EU/EEA student and are NOT eligible for the government scholarship. If you hold EU citizenship — even alongside a non-EU passport — you pay EU-level fees and are excluded from the government scholarship.

No. Your current country of residence is irrelevant; what matters is your citizenship. A Brazilian living in Germany applies as a Brazilian citizen — non-EU/EEA, and eligible. The only location-based restriction would be if you'd previously lived in Denmark under circumstances that qualify you for SU (Danish student grants).

SU is Denmark's universal student grant system — DKK 7,426 a month before tax for higher education students living away from home (2026 rate). Most international students don't qualify for it because it's tied to legal residence status and specific permit types, but some students with Danish partners or long-term work permits may. If you're eligible for SU, you can receive that instead — you just can't receive both SU and the government scholarship. The government scholarship specifically targets students who do NOT have access to SU.

This varies by university. Most publicised scholarship awards target Master's students because that's where most non-EU/EEA international enrolment is concentrated. Some universities include PhD students in their scholarship consideration — check directly with the university's admissions office.

Yes. A Danish bachelor's degree doesn't disqualify you from the scholarship for a Danish Master's — as long as you still meet the other criteria (non-EU/EEA citizenship, not qualifying for SU, etc.). DTU specifically notes that non-EU/EEA applicants with a Danish qualifying degree must apply by 15 January to be considered for the waiver.

Usually no official minimum — with one exception: UCPH's Faculty of Science only considers non-EU/EEA applicants with a bachelor's GPA above 90%, on their first-priority application. In practice the bar is extremely high everywhere. At UCPH Science, 2025 recipients had bachelor's GPAs of at least 98%. At Aarhus, only 1–2 scholarships exist per Master's programme. Meeting admission requirements is far below the actual competitive standard.

No. The official Study in Denmark rules exclude applicants to artistic higher education institutions, such as conservatories, design academies and schools of architecture. The scholarship is run by the participating universities.

No. This is the most common confusion. There is no central Danish Government Scholarship application — no government website you submit to. Each university manages its own scholarship allocation through its own admission process. You apply to a university for admission, and scholarship consideration happens as part of that process.

At most universities (UCPH, Aarhus, AAU, RUC, ITU, SDU) consideration is automatic — all admitted non-EU/EEA applicants are reviewed and no separate application is needed. DTU and CBS are the exceptions: DTU requires a separate personal statement explicitly requesting the waiver; CBS requires a personal statement uploaded in the portal plus a box checked indicating scholarship interest.

Yes, significantly. Each university has its own scholarship pool — they don't compete with each other. Applying to three universities means three separate chances, each with its own allocation. Apply to as many as you realistically qualify for.

Timing varies by university. UCPH aims to reply to September-intake applicants by 13 March 2027. DTU and Aarhus typically notify in March–April for January applications, CBS sends offers by 15 March at the latest, and Aalborg decides by early July at the latest. SDU notifies after its interviews (19–27 February for master's applicants). The scholarship decision usually comes with or just after the admission decision.

The admission and scholarship processes run together at most universities. You don't need an offer letter before applying — your application for admission is also your scholarship consideration. The final scholarship decision is made after the university decides on admissions (DTU grants its waivers after you accept the offer of admission).

CBS says it must be “personal and specific” — not a template. Focus on your academic achievements (GPA, honours, awards), relevant work or life experience, why you chose this specific CBS programme (not just CBS generally), and your post-graduation goals. Two pages maximum. Generic statements that could apply to any scholarship are the main reason statements fail.

The DTU statement must explicitly state that you are requesting the tuition fee waiver — otherwise your application isn't considered. Beyond that, focus on undergraduate academic achievement: GPA, class ranking, research experience, publications and competition results. DTU cares about what you've already accomplished academically, not just your future goals.

Yes. SDU includes an online interview as part of scholarship selection — between 19 and 27 February for master's applicants and in early June for bachelor's applicants. It covers your motivation for the programme, your technical background and your career plans. Treat it as a conversation about your field rather than an exam — but know your field and why SDU specifically.

Aarhus runs a winter round (15 September) as well as the main 15 January round. CBS no longer does: its 15 October 2026 round was its last winter intake, so for 2027 it has one deadline, 15 January. Aalborg awards scholarships for the September intake only. At other universities with two intakes, scholarships in the second round are typically fewer or not available (DTU has none for spring). Check with each university.

You can only hold one Danish Government Scholarship at a time. If you're lucky enough to receive multiple offers, you must choose one. Weigh programme quality, city living costs, scholarship coverage (tuition only vs stipend) and your career goals.

Not always. Many scholarship databases label it “fully funded,” which is misleading. At DTU, the scholarship covers tuition only — no monthly stipend. At Aarhus's science faculties it's tuition only too, and SDU's current page describes a tuition waiver only. Full funding (tuition + monthly grant) is clearly published at Aalborg (DKK 11,225 a month, 2026 rate), CBS (DKK 8,000 a month) and some UCPH and Aarhus faculties. What you actually get depends on which university and faculty admits you.

Aalborg: DKK 11,225 a month before tax (2026 rate for new students). CBS: DKK 8,000 a month before tax (about DKK 6,500–7,000 after, by our estimate). SDU's scholarship is a tuition waiver with no living grant. Whether a stipend is enough depends on the city: in Aalborg the AAU stipend should cover basic costs; in Copenhagen, CBS's stipend covers basics with very little margin. Most Copenhagen scholarship students supplement with part-time work.

Yes. The monthly stipend is taxable income under Danish law. Before you obtain a tax card from SKAT, 55% is automatically withheld — the default rate. It's returned when you file your taxes, but the cash-flow impact in your first months is significant. Get your CPR number immediately on arrival, then register with SKAT for a tax card to fix this.

Yes. A tuition-only scholarship doesn't satisfy the financial self-sufficiency requirement for a Danish student residence permit. You need to show DKK 7,426 a month in available funds (2026 level), up to DKK 89,112 for programmes longer than a year. This must come from savings or verifiable income. Plan for it before applying for your permit.

No. Health coverage in Denmark comes from the public system via CPR registration — not from the scholarship. Once you have a CPR number and yellow health card, healthcare is free. Before CPR registration (the first 2–6 weeks), only emergency care is free. Bring private travel/health insurance to cover the gap between arrival and CPR completion.

No. You must find and fund your housing independently, and Danish universities offer little traditional on-campus housing. In Copenhagen, student housing waitlists are notoriously long. The stipend (where included) is meant to help with living costs, but a housing deposit — typically 1–3 months' rent — is not covered and must come from your own funds.

No. Neither flights to Denmark nor the cost of relocating are covered by the scholarship.

CBS: up to 22 months. Aalborg: four semesters. SDU: 2 years (MSc) or 3 years (BSc). DTU: two years of tuition. At UCPH, Science pays living costs for 22 months; check other faculties and Aarhus with the university. At SDU you must complete at least 30 ECTS per semester to keep the award — falling below this means losing the scholarship.

Very difficult, especially in Copenhagen. Subsidised student housing is in short supply, and waiting lists for student dormitories can be years long in the general queue. Apply to your university's housing office the day you accept your offer. Consider temporary options (like Copenhagen's August–November “Startup Housing” programme) while you search for permanent accommodation.

After registering for a CPR number and receiving your yellow health card, you have full access to Denmark's public healthcare system — GP visits, hospitals, most specialist referrals — for free. Dental care, physiotherapy and glasses are generally not covered. Before CPR registration, only emergency care is free.

Yes, if you're in a state-approved programme. You can work up to 90 hours a month during the study period (September–May) and full-time in June, July and August. In practice, finding part-time work is harder than it sounds — most service-sector jobs expect some Danish, even in a country where nearly everyone speaks English.

Usually not for your studies — programmes for non-EU scholarship applicants are generally taught in English. But for finding a student job, making deeper social connections and practical daily situations (some paperwork, local businesses outside Copenhagen), basic Danish is very useful. Many universities offer free beginner Danish courses for international students.

The CPR number is Denmark's civil registration number — like a national identity number. Without it, you can't open a proper bank account, access free healthcare, get a tax card or use most public services. You register at your local Borgerservice (citizen service centre) within 5 days of arriving. Processing takes 2–6 weeks. It's the first thing to sort after landing.

Pretty dark, especially for students from tropical countries. In Copenhagen in December you get about 6 hours of daylight, and the sun sets around 3:30–4:00 PM. Temperatures are typically 0–5°C in winter, sometimes dropping to −5°C or below. The darkness is the main challenge — not the cold. A good winter coat, a daylight lamp and staying socially active help significantly.

Yes. Denmark consistently ranks among the safest countries in the world. Personal security, low crime rates and a stable social environment make it a safe place to study and live. Many international students from higher-crime countries cite this as one of the best unexpected benefits of studying in Denmark.

Only partly, and the rules have tightened. Family members need their own residence permits, and you must show adequate housing and financial support for them. Students who applied for a non-state-approved programme on or after 2 May 2025 cannot bring family members at all. For state-approved programmes other than PhDs, the rules tightened again on 1 October 2026: a spouse or partner whose application was submitted on or after that date cannot get a permit as your accompanying family member, and neither can children under 18 if your own application was submitted on or after that date. Turkish citizens covered by the EU–Turkey Association Agreement are an exception. Check nyidanmark.dk for details.

Yes. Graduates of state-approved programmes can apply for a post-study job-seeking permit. The standard permit is 6 months; for Bachelor's, Master's and PhD graduates a permit of up to 3 years is available (the length depends on your level and application date), letting you stay in Denmark to find work.

The job-seeking permit keeps the same work rights as during studies — up to 90 hours a month during the study-year period and full-time in June, July and August. To work full-time year-round without restrictions you need a separate employer-based work permit or another permit category. Bachelor's and master's graduates of state-approved programmes can apply for a work permit without limitations once they finish.

Yes. Study years count toward Denmark's 8-year legal-residence requirement for permanent residency. However, you also need to meet language, work and financial requirements — study years alone don't get you permanent residency. The work requirement (3.5 years of regular full-time employment in the last 4 years) is the hardest to meet as a student.

Strong for STEM fields, particularly engineering (DTU graduates), tech, and business (CBS graduates). The Danish labour market values Danish degrees highly. The main practical barrier is language — most non-academic employment eventually requires Danish. Graduates who invest in learning Danish significantly improve their long-term job options.

Yes. Options include the post-study job-seeking permit, an employer-based work permit if you have a job offer, or a start-up visa if you're establishing a business. Denmark's Fast-Track scheme and other categories may also apply depending on your situation and salary level.

Denmark phased out its previous Green Card scheme. The current routes for high-skilled workers include the Pay Limit Scheme (a salary of at least DKK 552,000 a year at the 2026 level) and the Positive List for occupations in shortage. These are post-graduation pathways for those with a qualifying job offer, relevant if you want to work in Denmark long-term after the job-seeking period.