Denmark · Student
Denmark Youth study programme
First stay: 1 yr
Basic and youth study programme residence permit
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Youth study programme is a student route for Denmark. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- DKK 3,060 ≈ $460
- Processing
- 60–90 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee DKK 3,060 ≈ $460; decision: 60–90 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesDKK 3,060 ≈ $460
- DKK 3,060 (≈ $460)Processing fee; normal processing 2 months, up to 3 months.
Shown, not spentDKK 7,426+/mo ≈ $1,110
- DKK 7,426 a month (≈ $1,110)Per month of study, documented for at most 12 months; not needed if the programme fee covers tuition, food and accommodation.
Processing60–90 days
Normal processing time is 2 months; up to 3 months if more information is needed.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Can't be renewed
- Needs a place at a school or university in Denmark
- Work isn't allowed on this route
- Family members can't join on this route
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The applicant is admitted to an approved basic or youth study programme; no permit is granted below the 9th grade level.
- For high school, the stay is arranged by an exchange organisation, continues a programme started at home, or is followed by continuing the programme at home.
- The applicant understands Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German reasonably well and the language of instruction.
What you must show2
- Funds are DKK 7,426 (≈ $1,110) per month of study (2026 level), for at most 12 months.
- The processing fee is DKK 3,060 (≈ $460).
Documents2
- A bank statement shows the date, the name, the balance and the currency and is no more than 30 days old.
- Applicants under 18 attach both parents' signed consent and a declaration of proper residence from the school.
Steps1
- The educational institution completes the first part of the application and the applicant completes the second part.
After you arrive1
- The permit is valid for no more than 1 year; the holder generally may not work and family cannot accompany.
When you become tax resident
How Denmark decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Foreign-source income
Personal income after labour market contribution; full tax liability on worldwide (including foreign-source) income.
All tax rules for Denmark Tax records checked
Full official text
Residence permit of up to 1 year for an approved basic or youth study programme, such as one year of high school through an exchange arrangement; a full high school programme is not covered. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- Savings of at least DKK 7,426 a month (≈ $1,110) · Per month of study, documented for at most 12 months; not needed if the programme fee covers tuition, food and accommodation. 1 2
- A fee of DKK 3,060 (≈ $460) · Processing fee; normal processing 2 months, up to 3 months. 1
Requirements
- The applicant is admitted to an approved basic or youth study programme; no permit is granted below the 9th grade level. 1
- For high school, the stay is arranged by an exchange organisation, continues a programme started at home, or is followed by continuing the programme at home. 1
- The applicant understands Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German reasonably well and the language of instruction. 1
- Funds are DKK 7,426 (≈ $1,110) per month of study (2026 level), for at most 12 months. 1
- The processing fee is DKK 3,060 (≈ $460). 1
- A bank statement shows the date, the name, the balance and the currency and is no more than 30 days old. 1
- Applicants under 18 attach both parents' signed consent and a declaration of proper residence from the school. 1
- The educational institution completes the first part of the application and the applicant completes the second part. 1
- The permit is valid for no more than 1 year; the holder generally may not work and family cannot accompany. 1
Stay
- Up to 1 year; a full high school programme cannot be completed on this permit.
- First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
- Not renewable according to our source.
Nationality
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA and Swiss citizens apply for an EU residence document instead. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
As a rule no work; a work permit can be granted in special cases such as vocational experience in a basic programme; unpaid voluntary work is allowed.
Family
Family cannot accompany the student.
Official sources
- Basic and youth study programmes · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-11
- Financial self-support on specific SIRI schemes · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-11
Youth study programme and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth study programme | – | 1 yr | No |
| Folk high school | – | 1.5 yr | No |
| PhD studies | – | – | Limited |
| Student permit | Needs savings of DKK 89k+ a year ≈ $13k | – | No |
| Student permit Portugal | Needs income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030 | 3 yr, renewable | Yes |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Youth study programme?
Savings of at least DKK 7,426 a month (≈ $1,110). Per month of study, documented for at most 12 months; not needed if the programme fee covers tuition, food and accommodation. A fee of DKK 3,060 (≈ $460). Processing fee; normal processing 2 months, up to 3 months.
How long can I stay on the Youth study programme?
Up to 1 year; a full high school programme cannot be completed on this permit.
How long does the Youth study programme take to process?
Normal processing time is 2 months; up to 3 months if more information is needed.
Can I work on the Youth study programme?
No. As a rule no work; a work permit can be granted in special cases such as vocational experience in a basic programme; unpaid voluntary work is allowed.
Can I bring my family on the Youth study programme?
Family cannot accompany the student.
Who can apply for the Youth study programme?
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA and Swiss citizens apply for an EU residence document instead. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
How are Youth study programme holders taxed in Denmark?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Youth study programme. The standard rules apply: 8% labour market contribution on salary, bottom-bracket tax 12.01%, plus municipal tax averaging 25.049% and church tax averaging 0.639% for all taxpayers (0.867% for church members) in 2026; middle-bracket 7.5% above DKK 641,200, (≈ $95,900) top-bracket 7.5% above DKK 777,900, (≈ $116,000) additional top-bracket 5% above DKK 2,592,700 (≈ $388,000).
More in Denmark
Study visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Basic and youth study programmes · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-11
- Financial self-support on specific SIRI schemes · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.