As a non-EU/EAA citizen you will need to apply for a Danish residence permit to study in Denmark – before coming to Denmark. Here is what you need to know.
As a non-EU/EAA citizen you may be granted a Danish residence permit in order to study in Denmark.
To be granted a residence permit, you must prove in writing that:
- You have been accepted as a student to a higher education course/programme at a university, college or institute that has been approved by the Danish government
- You are either completing an entire educational programme offered by a Danish institution of higher learning or are a visiting/guest student attending part of a programme that you have already commenced in your country of residence
- You can support yourself financially for the duration of your stay. If you are to pay a tuition fee, you may document that by showing that you have paid the tuition fee for the first semster or year, instead of documenting that you can support yourself. If you submit a bank statement to document that you can support yourself financially, please note that the bank statement must be less than 30 days old and clearly state in which currency the account is held. Your name must appear from the bank statement.
(Please note: foreign students do not usually receive state grants or benefits in Denmark). If you receive state grants or benefits in Denmark, your residence permit may be revoked and you risk deportation. - You can speak and understand the language of instruction and have a functional command of either Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German
How to apply for a student residence permit
To apply for a Danish residence permit, fill out this application form
Make sure you fill out the application form correctly. You are obligated to give true and correct information to the Danish Immigration Authorities, and you may risk having your application rejected or the processing time of your case delayed, if you fail to do so. The process is as follows:
- First, a representative of the educational institution in Denmark will complete section two of the application form, attach the required documents and send it to you.
- Next, complete section one of the application form and attach your own supporting documents.
(Please remember to sign the sworn declaration at the end of the form) - Submit the application in its entirety at the nearest Danish Embassy, General Consulate or VFS-station. It will then be forwarded to the Danish Immigration Service for processing. You may also submit your application online. In this case, you must subsequently within 14 days submit your biometric features at one of the aforementioned Danish Representations. Process time for fully completed applications.
IMPORTANT: Biometic residence cards required for all non-EU students
As of 20 May 2012, all non-EU citizens who wish to study in Denmark must have their photograph, fingerprints and signature recorded digitally when they submit their application for a Danish residence permit. If the application is uploaded online the applicant must submit his biometric features within 14 days. See where to apply for a biometric residence permit after 20 May, 2012 (list is subject to change).
Note: As of 1 January 2011, a processing fee will normally be charged when applying for a residence permit or an extension of a residence permit. For further information about fees, please visit www.nyidanmark.dk
The International Office can help you
If you need help when applying for a Danish residence permit, contact the International Office at the institution you have been accepted to. They can guide you, if for example it is not possible to apply for a biometric residence permit in your home country.
Useful links
How to apply for a residence permit to study in Denmark
http://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-us/coming_to_dk/studies/how_to_apply.htm