If you hold a passport from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you generally pay nothing for tuition in Denmark. If you don't, you pay, and Study in Denmark puts the typical bill at EUR 6,000, 16,000 (DKK 45,000, 120,000) a year. The exact number depends on the programme, because each institution sets its own fees.
Who pays and who does not
Higher education in Denmark is free of charge for students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland. The same goes for students who are entitled to the same status as Danish citizens under EU law. If you come in through an exchange programme, you also study for free.
Everyone else, meaning all other full-degree students, pays tuition. That is the line that matters when you are budgeting. Your nationality and your status decide which side of it you fall on, not the subject you pick or how long the degree is.
Two groups sit between the lines. Convention refugees and protected persons, and their relatives, should ask the institution directly how the fee applies to them. The rules here are specific to your situation, so a general guide can't settle it for you.
How much tuition actually costs
Study in Denmark gives an annual range of EUR 6,000, 16,000 (DKK 45,000, 120,000) and tells you to ask the institution for the exact figure. Treat the range as a starting point, not a quote.
Every programme in this site's catalogue shows the fee listed in the Study in Denmark register, and some fall outside that range. So check the specific programme page before you fall in love with a course. Our tuition fees guide walks through how the figures are presented, and you can compare costs side by side in tuition fees by university.
Fees are set by each institution, and they can change between application rounds. The number you see now is the number to confirm in writing before you accept an offer.
| Your situation | Tuition |
|---|---|
| EU/EEA or Swiss citizen | Free of charge |
| Entitled to the same status as Danish citizens under EU law | Free of charge |
| Exchange programme participant | Free of charge |
| All other full-degree students | Paid; EUR 6,000, 16,000 a year is Study in Denmark's stated range, confirmed per programme |
The table is a map, not a quote. Your programme page is the source of truth, and the institution has the final word.
The other costs that come with a permit
Tuition is not the only bill if you come from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland. You also pay a fee when you apply for a residence permit. The amount and the current rules are on nyidanmark.dk, and the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) decides on your application.
You normally need that permit before you arrive, so the application should sit in your timeline alongside your admission paperwork. We don't quote the fee here because it isn't fixed in our facts, and a wrong number is worse than no number. Applies to you? Check nyidanmark.dk before you budget.
Scholarships that can cut the bill
The Danish government scholarship can cover full or partial tuition and sometimes living costs too. The universities run it themselves, which means there's no single national form and no single deadline. You apply to the institution.
That makes scholarships a research task, not a lottery. Start on our scholarships page, then read the international pages of the institutions on your shortlist. Our catalogue lists 24 Danish higher education institutions and 422 programmes; not all of them offer the scholarship, so check before you spend an evening on an application.
Ask the admissions office two questions: whether the programme you want participates, and whether the award covers tuition, living costs or both. Those two answers shape your entire budget.
Applying, deadlines and confirming the numbers
Undergraduate applications go through the central system at www.optagelse.dk, but the institutions assess them. The deadlines are 15 March and 5 July, both at 12 noon (CET). Those are hard cut-offs, so work backwards from them.
Two practical habits save trouble. First, open the programme page and note the fee exactly as listed in the Study in Denmark register, then email the institution to confirm it. Second, if you are unsure whether you count as an EU/EEA student, ask the admissions office rather than guessing, because the answer changes your budget completely.
You can browse the full list of all universities in Denmark to see who offers your subject. All Danish institutions use ECTS credits and follow national rules on degree structures, teacher qualifications and examinations, so the credit system will look familiar whichever one you choose.
When a figure matters, go to the people who set it: the institution for fees and admission, studyindenmark.dk for the official programme register, optagelse.dk for undergraduate applications, nyidanmark.dk for residence permits and su.dk for student support. SIRI decides on permits and the institution decides on admission, so those are the places to ask.
Sources
- Study in Denmark, tuition fees and scholarships
- Study in Denmark, how to apply
- Study in Denmark, residence permits for non-EU/EEA citizens
- Study in Denmark, guarantee for a quality experience
- This site's catalogue, imported from the Study in Denmark register
Frequently asked questions
Is university free in Denmark for international students?
It depends on your status. Higher education in Denmark is free of charge for students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland, for students entitled to the same status as Danish citizens under EU law, and for exchange programme participants. All other full-degree students pay tuition set by the institution.
How much are tuition fees for non-EU students in Denmark?
Study in Denmark gives an annual range of EUR 6,000, 16,000 (DKK 45,000, 120,000) and advises asking the institution for the exact fee. Some programmes listed in the Study in Denmark register fall outside that range, so check the programme page and confirm with the institution.
Can I get a scholarship to cover tuition in Denmark?
Yes. The Danish government scholarship can cover full or partial tuition and sometimes living costs, and the universities administer it themselves. There is no single national application; you apply through the institution, so check whether your programme participates.
Do I pay anything else besides tuition?
If you come from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, you also pay a fee when applying for a residence permit. You normally need the permit before you arrive, and SIRI decides on the application; current details are on nyidanmark.dk.