TRIn Denmark, bachelor's applications are made through a single system, optagelse.dk. For applicants with a foreign high school diploma, the deadline is 15 March, 12:00. Places are split into two quotas: in quota 1 the high school grade average decides, and in quota 2 the university's own criteria decide.
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In Denmark, bachelor's applications are made through optagelse.dk, and the system opens on 1 February. For applicants with a foreign high school diploma, the last day is 15 March, 12:00. Quota 1 looks at the high school grade average and quota 2 looks at the university's own criteria. A student who will receive the diploma in June can add the document by 5 July.
According to Study in Denmark, more than 500 programs are taught in English. At bachelor's and master's level, at least 'English B' level is required, which means IELTS 6.5. Some programs ask for the next level up, 'English A', which equals IELTS 7.0. For Danish-language programs, 'Danish Test 2' or the 'Danish as a Foreign Language' exam is needed.
A bachelor's at a university takes three years and a master's two years. The professional bachelor's given at university colleges takes between three and four and a half years. A student from outside the EU who has no exemption pays a tuition fee. At Aarhus University, the 2026/2027 master's fee is €13,000 or €17,300 a year, depending on the program.
With a student residence permit, you can work at most 90 hours a month during the study period from September to May. In June, July and August, full-time work is allowed. The limit is set monthly, not weekly.
For students who apply on or after 1 October 2026, the post-graduation job-seeking permit has been cut from 3 years to 1 year. For those who applied before this date, the period stays at 3 years. According to SIRI, Turkish citizens under the EU-Türkiye Association Agreement may still qualify for the 3-year permit.
The universities are the country's top three schools according to the QS World University Rankings 2026.
Examples from current fees for international students, as published on the schools' own pages.
Study in Denmark (official portal of the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science) estimate, Denmark-wide (the page does not name a city), no year on the page
For a student residence permit, you need to show DKK 7,426 a month at the 2026 level. For programs longer than a year, the amount to be shown is at most DKK 89,112. If you have paid the first semester's tuition fee, this payment counts as enough proof.
A month-by-month plan for 2027 entry. Official date Our suggestion
Look at the AU Summer University course list; the prerequisites for each course are on its own page.
An external student is asked for a valid English exam result and a transcript; you can start preparing the documents.
Follow the application period. In 2026, applications ran from 1 May to 1 June 2026, 12:00; the 2027 dates have not been published yet.
AU says some participants need to get a short-stay visa; you can check on nyidanmark.dk whether a visa is needed.
AU Summer University term 1 starts (5 to 23 July 2027).
AU Summer University term 2 starts (26 July to 13 August 2027).
At Aarhus University, the quota 2 average is calculated only from the grades of subjects related to the program. Activities such as work experience, an internship or a folk high school can raise the evaluation. These activities usually need to last 4 to 12 months and be documented by 15 March. According to Study in Denmark, some institutions also ask for a motivation letter.
The application closes on 15 March, but a student who will receive the high school diploma in June can also apply. The diploma is added to optagelse.dk by 5 July, 12:00.
Last checked: October 2026. Rules and amounts can change. We check the current situation together before you apply.
Bachelor's applications are made through optagelse.dk. For applicants with a foreign high school diploma, the deadline is 15 March, 12:00. Some of the places (quota 1) are given by grade average and some (quota 2) by the criteria the institution publishes.
According to the University of Copenhagen, most master's programs last two years (120 ECTS).
Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who are not covered by an exemption pay a tuition fee. For full-program students, the annual fee is about €6,000 to €16,000 (DKK 45,000 to DKK 120,000), depending on the institution.
An application for a residence permit is made for the higher education program you were admitted to; the process starts with creating a case order ID and paying the fee. For online applications, biometric data must be given within 14 days at a Danish mission abroad or a SIRI office.
At the 2026 level, DKK 7,426 a month must be shown, and at most DKK 89,112 for studies longer than a year. If you have paid the first semester's tuition fee, this payment is accepted as proof of sufficient funds.
Students can work up to 90 hours a month during the normal study period from September to May, and full-time in June, July and August.
For applications made on or after 1 October 2026, graduates are generally given a 1-year job-seeking permit; for applications before this date the period was generally 3 years. It is stated that Turkish citizens under the EU-Türkiye Association Agreement may still qualify for the 3-year permit.
At KU, DTU and Aarhus, the last day for non-EU applicants is 15 January at all three; at KU it is 23:59 (CET). Non-EU applicants who apply to Danish-language programs are also subject to this date.
At the 2026 level, you need to show DKK 7,426 (Danish kroner) a month. For programs longer than a year, the upper limit is DKK 89,112. If you have paid the first semester's tuition fee, SIRI accepts this payment as sufficient proof.
Family members of students who apply on or after 1 October 2026 can no longer get a residence permit based on the student. SIRI writes that family members of Turkish citizens under the EU-Türkiye Association Agreement may still qualify for a permit. We suggest you ask SIRI about your situation before applying.
At Aarhus, payment is made between April and May, and for the first semester by 1 September at the latest. At KU, the fee is set for a 60 ECTS year, and four semesters are paid for a master's.
Aarhus University's AU Summer University runs in two terms in 2027: 5 to 23 July and 26 July to 13 August 2027. Courses carry ECTS credits and the fee varies by course. AU says some participants need to get a short-stay visa.
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