Studying in Denmark
EU/EEA vs. non-EU students
Your citizenship decides two big things: whether you pay tuition, and whether you need a residence permit. Here’s the difference.
Last reviewed October 2026. Rules change – always confirm with the official source linked on this page.
“EU/EEA” here means citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway – and Switzerland, which is treated the same way. Everyone else is “non-EU”. Some non-EU students with a permanent or certain temporary Danish residence permit are also exempt from tuition.
If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen
You can study for free at public institutions. After arriving, you register for an EU residence document and a CPR number (your Danish personal ID), usually at an International Citizen Service centre. See icitizen.dk.
If you are a non-EU citizen
You pay tuition, and you need a student residence permit from the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). You can apply once you’ve been admitted. As part of the application you’ll typically need to:
- Show your letter of admission
- Show proof that you’ve paid tuition for the first semester or year (if required)
- Document that you can support yourself financially – SIRI sets the amount
- Pay the application fee and book a biometrics appointment
Processing can take up to two months, so apply as early as you can. Full rules: nyidanmark.dk.
Find out what applies to you
Answer five questions and see which programme types you can apply for and when your deadline is.
Check your eligibility