Study in Copenhagen 2025

Educational process in Denmark for children usually begins with a year, and sometimes even earlier. Preschool educational institutions (nurseries, kindergartens) are not engaged in teaching a child, but in his development:

• Formation of social skills;
• Identification and development of creative abilities.

Much attention is paid to the form of play during educational process, international children spend a lot of time outdoors. Children are admitted to the nursery from 6 months, to kindergartens – from 3 years. Visits to preschool institutions are free of charge and at the request of parents, they are organized to help working citizens.

Secondary education in Copenhagen includes:

• Preparatory class;
• Compulsory secondary education (primary school + secondary classes): Grades 1-9;
• Additional 10th grade according to the need and desire of the student;
• Senior secondary school: gymnasium, schools with university preparation programs;
• Professional secondary educational institutions.

Preparatory classes enter for children  5-6 years old. The peculiarity of preschool education in Denmark is that children are not in a hurry to give an educational load. Before school, a child is not required to be able to read and write, this is not taught even in preparatory classes. In this country, it is believed that it is more important to awaken interest in knowledge and creative initiative in a child before school.

Foreign children go to schools in Copenhagen at the age of 7, take exams in the 9th grade and receive a certificate of compulsory secondary education. After grade 9, international students make a choice: they go to high school to prepare for university or to a professional college, after which they can immediately start working.

Professional educational institutions have a practical approach, theoretical education is accompanied by internships. Some professions can begin to be mastered already during compulsory secondary education.  In Denmark, the list of professions and vocational education programs is updated annually, the state ensures that vocational education meets the requirements of the constantly changing labor market.

List of programs of preparation for higher education in Copenhagen:

• Gymnasium (academic, 2-3 years);
• STX (natural, social, 3 years);
• HHX (economic, 3 years);
• HTX (engineering, 3 years);
• HF (admission not to university, but to professional colleges, 2 years).

The peculiarities of obtaining secondary education in Denmark are that a child may not attend school at all, but be on remote or home schooling. It is enough to meet the accepted educational standards by the time of the final exam (and intermediate checks). Schools and teachers also do not impose common programs and methods, but check the knowledge and skills of children.

Remco Weeda

Specialist in international admission of students in Russia and the CIS at Scarborough College

What do parents typically consider when choosing a school, in addition to teacher qualifications?

Parents have various criteria. If choosing a more affordable private school, ensure it's genuinely high-quality. Location, overall expenses, cultural programs, boarding house conditions, and level of care should be considered. Once narrowed down to a few schools, it's beneficial to meet and communicate with their representatives and form a personal opinion.

Studying in Copenhagen according to university programs corresponds to the European system (earning educational credits).

Best universities in Copenhagen pay great attention to the structure of the educational process. Large amount of time is allocated for group assignments:

• Presentations;
• Work in a team in the laboratory;
• Discussions on popular topics.

In addition to group classes, the student must prove himself individually, in particular, working on projects.

Universities in Denmark work closely with local and international programs, so they often recommend their students as interns. Practice is a mandatory part of education and obtaining future qualification and it takes a whole semester.

Types of Bachelor's degree:

• Academic – 3 years educational program. An academic bachelor's degree is considered a step towards admission to a master's degree;
• Professional – 4-4.5 years. The professional bachelor's degree differs from the academic one in a more practical orientation. Graduation work here is not considered a thesis study, but a project related to the future profession.
• Bachelor of Arts – 3 years educational program.

Enrollment in bachelor's degree programs immediately after graduating from a foreign school can be difficult, since the duration of secondary education in Denmark is 12 years. Foreign students need to apply for a bachelor's degree after the 1st or 2nd year of a local university or after passing 2 specialized final exams of a Danish school. In exceptional cases, foreign schoolchildren can enroll on the basis of a foreign educational certificate, subject to a high average score and high indicators of a language certificate.

Studying at the top Copenhagen universities for foreign students (not citizens of the European Union) is paid. Tuition fees vary from 10.000 to 15.000 €. The quality of education is not inferior to that in the leading European countries.

The Master's degree takes 2-3 years (depends on the educational direction).

Postgraduate studies last 2-3 years. Many postgraduate programs in Denmark are free for both Danes and foreign citizens.

Educational language courses in Copenhagen differ for some factors, such as:

• Type of chosen program;
• Accommodation options;
• Duration of the course;
• Intensity option;
• Extracurricular activities;
• Excursion part;
• Personal lessons.

At the same time, regardless of the choice, in any case, a high level of quality of educational services is guaranteed.

Among foreign students a general language course is especially popular due to its versatility and financial feasibility. As for the duration of the educational course, it varies from 1 week to one year. The intensity of education can be 15-20 hours a week or 30 to 35 hours per week. The format of classes can be individual or small educational groups.

Most of the language courses in Copenhagen are options for 16+ years. As a rule, these are preparatory language courses abroad, focused on the successful passing of international language exams (TOEFL or IELTS), the presence of which is required for successful admission to top universities in Europe or USA. For successful admission to a foreign advanced university, you need to get from 6.5 to 7 points in the international language exam IELTS, from 213 to 250 points in TOEFL. The level of foreign language proficiency will determine the degree of intensity and duration of the classes.