Start with your host institution's website and follow its housing recommendations. Then look at the portals and student housing providers listed on Study in Denmark. If a message asks you to send money before you have seen a contract, stop and check it.
Start with the institution
Your institution knows its own city and its own students. Its housing pages are the first place to look, and following them saves you from guessing. Once you have read those, go to the official Study in Denmark housing pages. Dormitory places and student housing providers are listed there, together with practical advice on renting in Denmark.
You can get a sense of which city suits you before you commit by browsing Danish universities and colleges and checking where each one sits. Your institution decides on admission, but the housing market around it is your problem to solve.
Where the listings are
Study in Denmark lists several rental portals: BoligPortal, Lejebolig, Bolighub, Boligzonen, Kvikbolig and DBA, among others. These portals charge a small fee to contact landlords. That fee is normal; paying it is not the same as paying a deposit.
Student housing providers are listed too: Student Housing Aarhus, KKIK in Copenhagen, Studiebolig Aalborg and Boligoen in Odense. These are worth applying to early, because student housing is usually cheaper and more predictable than the private market.
What rent costs and what you may be asked for
According to the budget on Study in Denmark, rent for a room typically varies from DKK 3,000 to 6,500 a month. Your city and your standard of living will push you towards one end of that or the other.
On the deposit, the rule is clear. A landlord may ask for at most 3 months' rent as deposit and 3 months as prepaid rent, which comes to 6 months' rent in total. If someone asks for more, that is a warning sign.
Utilities are often prepaid ("a conto") and reconciled once a year, so your monthly payment may go up or down later. Rent is paid on the first business day of the month.
A simple checklist for a safe rental
- Never pay in cash or under the table. Pay the deposit by traceable bank transfer.
- Never use a service where the transaction cannot be reversed, such as Western Union.
- Do not sign under pressure. Read the contract, and make sure it is signed by the tenant or the landlord.
- Be wary of text messages with no visible phone number.
- Do not send money before you have seen the contract. No exceptions.
If something feels wrong, free help exists. LEJKA.dk offers free legal advice and deposit protection. Lejerens Frie Retshjælp offers free legal aid on housing issues in English on request.
Budget for more than the rent
Rent is the big number, but not the only one. Your deposit and prepaid rent together can add up to six months' rent before you have slept a night in the place. Our cost of living guide will help you plan the rest.
Fees depend on your situation. 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. Fees and application deadlines on this site are shown as listed in the Study in Denmark register, so confirm them with the institution.
Undergraduate applications go through optagelse.dk and are assessed by the institutions, with deadlines of 15 March and 5 July, both at 12 noon (CET). Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland normally need a residence permit for study before they come; apply through SIRI and check nyidanmark.dk. SIRI decides on permits, not us.
How to plan the first weeks
- Apply to student housing providers as soon as you are accepted.
- Read our student accommodation guide before you reply to any landlord.
- Check your institution's housing page and follow its recommendations.
- Keep every bank transfer receipt.
Our catalogue lists 24 Danish higher education institutions and 422 programmes imported from the Study in Denmark register. Each one will point you towards its own city and its own housing advice, so use that first. To compare where you might land, look through all universities in Denmark before you decide.
Sources
- Study in Denmark, find housing
- Study in Denmark, how to enter the housing market
- Study in Denmark, budget
- Study in Denmark, how to apply
- Study in Denmark, tuition fees and scholarships
- Study in Denmark, residence permits for non-EU/EEA citizens (nyidanmark.dk)
- Study in Denmark, guarantee for a quality experience
Frequently asked questions
How much deposit can a landlord ask for in Denmark?
At most 3 months' rent as deposit and 3 months as prepaid rent, so 6 months' rent in total. If you are asked for more than that, treat it as a warning sign and check with your institution or a free legal aid service.
Where do I find student housing in Denmark?
Start on your host institution's website and follow its housing recommendations. Study in Denmark also lists portals such as BoligPortal, Lejebolig, Bolighub, Boligzonen, Kvikbolig and DBA, plus student housing providers including Student Housing Aarhus, KKIK, Studiebolig Aalborg and Boligoen.
How much does a room cost in Denmark?
According to the budget on Study in Denmark, rent for a room typically varies from DKK 3,000 to 6,500 a month. Utilities are often prepaid ("a conto") and reconciled yearly, so budget a little extra for the settling-up.
I think I have been scammed. Where can I get help?
LEJKA.dk offers free legal advice and deposit protection. Lejerens Frie Retshjælp offers free legal aid on housing issues in English on request. Report the matter to the police if money has been taken.