As a student in Denmark you get access to the Danish public healthcare system, and for most registered students the medical care itself is free of charge. What you actually get depends on two things: where you come from, and whether you have registered with the Civil Registration System (CPR). Private insurance for your belongings and liability is a separate extra, and it is strongly recommended.
What the public system covers
The Danish healthcare system offers equal and universal access for all residents. Once you are registered, you get free medical treatment, with some exceptions. Dental care and physiotherapy are the obvious ones you will pay for yourself, or through your insurance. Everything outside the public package is your bill.
Before you are registered, you are not left with nothing. Under the Danish Health Act, all non-residents staying in Denmark are entitled to emergency hospital care free of charge in the event of an accident, childbirth, acute illness or sudden aggravation of a chronic disease. That is the safety net. Any other care before registration has to be paid for by you or your insurance.
If you come from the EU/EEA or Switzerland
Staying less than three months? If you are covered by a statutory health insurance service in another EU country, your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers any healthcare that becomes medically necessary during your stay. The cost is forwarded to the insurer that issued the card.
Staying more than three months? If you are covered by the statutory health insurance service in your home country, you get full access to the Danish national healthcare system once you register with the Civil Registration System. To register you present an S1 Portable Document or a valid EHIC issued by your statutory health insurance.
Two small exceptions worth knowing. Students from the Nordic countries do not need to show any of these documents. Students from the UK only need their UK passport.
If you come from outside the EU/EEA
Planning to stay more than three months? You must obtain a Danish residence permit and then register with the Civil Registration System. Start with the residence permit page, because the permit comes first and the CPR registration comes after you arrive.
When you register, you receive a national health insurance card, the Sygesikringskort, often called the yellow card. It is your proof that you are entitled to all public healthcare services in Denmark. You must present it at every visit to a doctor or hospital, and at pharmacists when you collect prescription drugs. After registration you are entitled to free medical treatment, with the exceptions above.
Group 1 or Group 2: your choice at registration
When you register with the Civil Registration System you choose whether you want to be insured in Group 1 or Group 2. The difference is how you see a doctor.
- Group 1: you choose a GP. Care from GPs and specialists is free of charge, and your GP refers you to a specialist when necessary.
- Group 2: you are not assigned a specific GP and can see any GP or specialist on request. Only part of the cost of treatment is reimbursed.
Roughly 98% of Danish residents are insured in Group 1. That is the official figure, not a recommendation from us. Read both options on the registration page before you tick a box.
Private insurance: what to arrange yourself
Danish educational institutions cannot be held liable if your property is stolen or lost. So take out adequate insurance while you are studying here. Study in Denmark strongly recommends the following cover:
- Third-party liability insurance (ansvarsforsikring): covers expenses if you have to pay compensation to another person.
- Accident insurance (ulykkesforsikring): covers the financial consequences of an accident.
- Home insurance (indboforsikring): for your personal belongings.
- Car insurance (bilforsikring): if you bring a car, make sure it is properly insured.
If you take out insurance in Denmark, try contacting some of the larger insurance companies. Their websites are in English. Your host institution may be able to refer you to specific companies. Study in Denmark's rough monthly budget puts insurance at about DKK 300, but insurers set their own prices, so compare current offers and check the figure against your own cost of living budget.
One gap to plan for: the Danish public healthcare system does not cover transportation to your home country if you fall ill.
Quick comparison
| Your situation | What you need | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA or Swiss, under 3 months | EHIC from your statutory insurer | Medically necessary care, cost passed to your home insurer |
| EU/EEA or Swiss, over 3 months | S1 Portable Document or valid EHIC, then CPR registration | Full access to the Danish national healthcare system |
| Non-EU/EEA, over 3 months | Residence permit, then CPR registration | National health insurance card and free medical treatment, with exceptions |
| Anyone, not yet registered | Nothing to show | Free emergency hospital care only; other care paid by you or your insurance |
Practical steps, in order
- Sort out your right to stay. Non-EU/EEA students need the residence permit before anything else.
- Register with the Civil Registration System after you arrive, once your stay will last more than three months and you have a residence and a right to stay. You can only get a CPR number after arrival.
- Choose Group 1 or Group 2 at registration, and pick your GP if you go for Group 1.
- Keep the yellow card with you. Show it at every doctor, hospital and pharmacy visit.
- Arrange third-party liability, accident and home contents insurance, plus car insurance if relevant.
Rules and amounts change, and the authority decides your case, not this page. For the current requirements, check the Civil Registration System and the official Study in Denmark pages, and ask your institution's international office if something is unclear.
Frequently asked questions
Do international students get free healthcare in Denmark?
Yes, once you are registered in the Civil Registration System. Non-EU/EEA students staying more than three months need a residence permit and then register, and you receive the national health insurance card. Access is free of charge with some exceptions, such as dental care and physiotherapy.
What happens if I get ill before I have registered?
Under the Danish Health Act, all non-residents staying in Denmark are entitled to free emergency hospital care after an accident, childbirth, acute illness or sudden aggravation of a chronic disease. All other care must be paid for by you or your insurance.
What are Group 1 and Group 2 in the Danish health system?
You choose between them when you register in the Civil Registration System. In Group 1, GP and specialist care is free and you are assigned a GP who refers you on. In Group 2 you can see any GP or specialist, but only part of the cost is reimbursed.
Do I need extra insurance as a student in Denmark?
Study in Denmark strongly recommends third-party liability, accident and home contents insurance, plus car insurance if you bring a car. Educational institutions are not liable for theft or loss of your property, and the public system does not cover transport to your home country if you fall ill.
Sources
- Study in Denmark, Healthcare, Access by student group; Group 1 and 2; yellow card
- Study in Denmark, Insurance, Recommended private insurance
- Study in Denmark, How do I get a Danish ID number (CPR)?, Registering in the CPR system
- Study in Denmark, Bank & budget, Insurance of about DKK 300 a month in the register budget
Last checked: October 2026. Rules and amounts change; confirm them on the official page before you act on them. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.
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