If your student residence permit application reaches SIRI on or after 1 October 2026, two things change: your stay after graduation is capped at up to 1 year, and a spouse, registered partner, cohabiting partner or children can generally no longer get permits as accompanying family under the student rules. If you applied before that date, the old rules apply to you.
The single most important thing to understand: the date SIRI receives your application decides which rules apply. Not the date you post it, not the date your course starts. SIRI decides on permits, and the institution decides on admission.
Who the new rules apply to
The changes apply to students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who submit a residence permit application on or after 1 October 2026. If that is you, plan for the new rules on family and on time after graduation.
If you are from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you do not need a student residence permit, so these changes do not affect you. Higher education is free of charge for students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland and for students entitled to the same status as Danish citizens under EU law. Other full-degree students pay tuition fees set by each institution.
PhD students are not affected by the change to time after graduation: they can still get a permit to stay and look for work for up to 3 years after the PhD.
What changes for family members
For applications on or after 1 October 2026, a spouse, registered partner, cohabiting partner or children can generally no longer be granted permits as accompanying family under the student rules. That is a big shift if you were planning to bring your partner or children with you while you study.
Transition rules apply if you applied before 1 October 2026. In that case, a child under 18 can still apply as accompanying family, and a partner must have submitted their own application before that date. So a partner who applies after 1 October 2026 will not be covered by the transition rules.
Special rules may apply to certain Turkish citizens under the EU-Turkey Association Agreement. If that might apply to you, check the current wording on nyidanmark.dk or ask SIRI.
What changes after graduation
After graduation, the permit to stay and look for work is up to 3 years if your student permit application was submitted before 1 October 2026, and up to 1 year if it was submitted on or after that date. Again, it is the submission date that counts.
So if you are starting a course in late 2026 or 2027 and you apply for your student permit after 1 October 2026, you should plan on up to 1 year to find work in Denmark after you finish. One year is still time, but it is a shorter runway than before. Use it deliberately: start talking to employers early, and check the current rules on nyidanmark.dk when you get close to graduating, because the details on what work you can do while looking are on SIRI's pages.
How to check your own date
Because the date SIRI receives your application decides which rules apply, keep proof of when you submitted. If you are applying through the institution or online, note the date of receipt. If you are unsure, ask SIRI or check your case status on nyidanmark.dk.
If you have not yet applied and you want the older rules, you would need SIRI to receive your application before 1 October 2026. That is a hard cut-off. Do not assume a late-September postmark is enough: it is receipt that matters.
For the practical steps of putting an application together, see our residence permit guide. For context on arriving and settling in, see our page for international students.
What this means for choosing where to apply
Denmark has 24 higher education institutions and 422 programmes in the Study in Denmark register as imported on this site. You can browse all of them on our list of universities in Denmark.
Undergraduate applications are coordinated centrally through www.optagelse.dk but assessed by the institutions. The deadlines are 15 March and 5 July, both at 12 noon (CET). If you are applying for a course starting after the summer, a 5 July deadline leaves you only a few months before 1 October 2026 to get your residence permit application in. If the family and post-study rules matter to you, work backwards from the SIRI receipt date, not from the course start date.
Tuition fees and application deadlines on this site are shown as listed in the Study in Denmark register: confirm them with the institution. All Danish higher education institutions use ECTS credits and follow national rules on teacher qualifications, degree structures and examinations.
What to do next
- Decide whether you are applying before or after 1 October 2026, based on when SIRI receives your application.
- If you need to bring family, check whether you can meet the earlier date; if not, look at the current rules on nyidanmark.dk for any other route, and ask SIRI. Do not rely on the student rules for family after 1 October 2026.
- If you will graduate under the new rules, plan for up to 1 year after graduation and start your job search early.
- Check the current fee and deadline for your course with the institution, and the current permit rules with SIRI.
Sources
- Study in Denmark, residence permits for non-EU/EEA citizens (live-in-denmark pages)
- Study in Denmark, working in Denmark after graduation: the practicalities
- Study in Denmark, how to apply
- Study in Denmark, tuition fees and scholarships
- Study in Denmark, education in Denmark: guarantee for a quality experience
- This site's catalogue, imported from the Study in Denmark register (studyindenmark.dk)
Frequently asked questions
When do the October 2026 student permit changes apply?
They apply to students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who submit a residence permit application on or after 1 October 2026. The date SIRI receives your application decides which rules apply. If you applied before that date, transition rules apply instead.
Can my spouse or children come with me on a student permit after October 2026?
For applications on or after 1 October 2026, a spouse, registered partner, cohabiting partner or children can generally no longer be granted permits as accompanying family under the student rules. If you applied before that date, a child under 18 can still apply and a partner must have submitted their own application before 1 October 2026. Special rules may apply to certain Turkish citizens under the EU-Turkey Association Agreement.
How long can I stay in Denmark after graduating?
It depends on when your student permit application was submitted. If it was submitted before 1 October 2026, you can get a permit to stay and look for work for up to 3 years after graduation. If it was submitted on or after that date, it is up to 1 year. PhD students are not affected and can still get up to 3 years after the PhD.
Do the new rules affect EU/EEA students?
No. The changes apply to students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who need a residence permit. EU/EEA and Swiss students do not need a student residence permit, and higher education is free of charge for them and for students entitled to the same status as Danish citizens under EU law.