Most Danish universities do not make you fill in a scholarship form. At Aarhus, Copenhagen and Aalborg you are considered automatically once you apply for a master's. DTU and SDU are the exceptions that want a separate step. Below is how each of the seven institutions actually runs it.
Who pays, and who gets help
Higher education is free of charge for students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland. If you are a full-degree student from outside that group, you pay tuition fees set by each institution. The scholarships below exist to cut that bill, usually by waiving the fee and sometimes by adding a monthly grant on top.
Every figure here comes from the university pages and our catalogue. Treat them as a starting point and confirm with the institution before you plan your budget. Our scholarship directory collects the schemes in one place.
The seven universities, one by one
Aarhus University
Aarhus considers non-EU/EEA master's applicants for Danish State Scholarships automatically. What you get depends on the faculty: Arts and Aarhus BSS give a tuition waiver plus a monthly grant, while Natural Sciences and Technical Sciences give a waiver only. Typically one or two are awarded per programme. The page gives 15 January for summer entry and 15 September for winter entry, as of October 2026.
University of Copenhagen
Copenhagen states plainly that you do not apply for a scholarship: all eligible non-EU/EEA applications are considered. Awards vary by faculty, and any living-cost support is subject to Danish tax. Check the faculty page for your programme, because the terms differ.
DTU
DTU has a very limited number of two-year tuition fee waivers for international non-EU/EEA MSc students starting in the autumn. You must send a separate personal statement as part of the application. The page gives 15 January.
SDU
SDU offers full tuition fee waivers to non-EU/EEA students on selected Sønderborg MSc and Vejle BSc programmes. The page gives 1 February for master's and 15 March for bachelor's. Only the named programmes qualify, so check the list before you set your heart on one.
Aalborg University
Aalborg grants about 15 master's scholarships a year, each a tuition waiver plus a monthly stipend of DKK 11,225 for new students in 2026. Like Aarhus and Copenhagen, you are considered automatically.
CBS
CBS awards about 25 scholarships a year: a tuition fee waiver plus DKK 8,000 a month for up to 22 months. The page gives 15 January for the summer round and 15 October for the winter round.
Roskilde University
Roskilde offers a tuition waiver plus DKK 7,800 a month for up to 22 months on selected master's programmes. For September 2026 those were Media and Communication, Environmental Science, Nordic Urban Planning Studies and Computer Science.
Side by side
| University | What you get | How you are considered | Deadline on the page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aarhus | Waiver plus grant (Arts, BSS); waiver only (NatSci, TechSci) | Automatic | 15 Jan / 15 Sep |
| Copenhagen | Varies by faculty | Automatic | See faculty |
| DTU | Two-year tuition waiver | Separate personal statement | 15 Jan |
| SDU | Full tuition waiver | Selected programmes | 1 Feb / 15 Mar |
| Aalborg | Waiver plus DKK 11,225/month | Automatic | See university page |
| CBS | Waiver plus DKK 8,000/month, up to 22 months | Application-based | 15 Jan / 15 Oct |
| Roskilde | Waiver plus DKK 7,800/month, up to 22 months | Selected programmes | See university page |
The award numbers are small. Aalborg's roughly 15 and CBS's roughly 25 are yearly totals across their master's portfolio, so the realistic odds on any single programme are low. Apply because the programme fits you, not because the money is likely.
How to raise your odds
- Check whether a separate step exists. DTU wants a personal statement; most others do not. Missing that one file rules you out.
- Match the programme to the scheme. SDU and Roskilde fund only named programmes, so a strong application to an unfunded programme gets you nothing.
- Hit the earlier deadline. Where a university publishes two dates, the earlier one governs the main intake.
- Read the faculty page, not just the central page. At Copenhagen and Aarhus the terms are set below the university level.
Deadlines change each year. Always check the university page before you submit, and browse our university listings to see which institutions offer your subject in the first place.
The rest of the paperwork
Undergraduate applications go through optagelse.dk, which coordinates them centrally, but the institutions assess them. The deadlines are 15 March and 5 July, both at 12 noon CET. Master's applications go directly to each university, which is why the scholarship dates above are scattered.
Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland normally need a residence permit for study before arriving. Apply through the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) and read the rules on nyidanmark.dk. A scholarship does not change that requirement. SIRI decides on permits; the institution decides on admission and on the award.
On the academic side, every Danish institution uses ECTS credits and follows national rules on degree structures, teacher qualifications and examinations, so the teaching standard is consistent even though the funding is not.
Where to check the numbers
This site lists 24 Danish higher education institutions and 422 programmes imported from the Study in Denmark register. Our directory includes the Danish State Scholarships at Aarhus, the Danish Government Scholarships at Copenhagen, Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarships, the DTU Tuition Fee Waiver for International MSc Students, the SDU Tuition Fee Waiver Scholarships for Sønderborg MSc and Vejle BSc, and the Aalborg University Master's Scholarship. You can also see all universities in Denmark in one view.
Tuition fees and application deadlines on this site are shown as listed in the Study in Denmark register. Confirm them with the institution before you rely on them. For anything not on this page, go to the university's own scholarship page, studyindenmark.dk, optagelse.dk, nyidanmark.dk or su.dk.
Sources
- Aarhus University, master's scholarships and grants
- University of Copenhagen, scholarships for full-degree students
- DTU, tuition fee waivers
- SDU, fees and funding, scholarships
- Aalborg University, finance and fees for master's applicants
- CBS, master's application and admission
- Roskilde University, tuition fees and scholarships
- Study in Denmark, how to apply
- Study in Denmark, tuition fees and scholarships
- Study in Denmark, residence permits for non-EU/EEA citizens
- This site's catalogue, imported from the Study in Denmark register
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to apply separately for a scholarship at Danish universities?
Usually not. Aarhus, Copenhagen and Aalborg consider all eligible non-EU/EEA master's applicants automatically. DTU is the clear exception and asks for a separate personal statement. SDU and Roskilde only fund selected named programmes.
How much do Danish master's scholarships pay?
It varies. Aalborg gives a tuition waiver plus DKK 11,225 a month for new students in 2026, CBS gives a waiver plus DKK 8,000 a month for up to 22 months, and Roskilde gives a waiver plus DKK 7,800 a month for up to 22 months. Aarhus Natural Sciences and Technical Sciences give a waiver only.
What is the deadline for Danish university scholarships?
The pages give 15 January for Aarhus summer entry, DTU and CBS's summer round; 15 September for Aarhus winter entry; 1 February for SDU master's; 15 March for SDU bachelor's; and 15 October for the CBS winter round. Dates change each year, so check the university page.
Are Danish universities free for non-EU students?
No. Higher education is free of charge for students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland, and those with equivalent status under EU law. Other full-degree students pay tuition fees set by each institution, which is what these waivers and scholarships offset.