Denmark · Student
Denmark Student permit
Savings needed: DKK 89k+ a year ≈ $13k
Student residence permit (higher education)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Student permit is a student route for Denmark. Applicants need savings of DKK 89k+ a year ≈ $13k. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- DKK 89k+ a year ≈ $13k
- Government fees
- DKK 3,060 ≈ $460
- Processing
- 60–90 days
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee DKK 3,060 ≈ $460; savings to show DKK 89k+/yr ≈ $13k; decision: 60–90 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesDKK 3,060 ≈ $460
- DKK 3,060 (≈ $460)Processing fee.
Shown, not spentDKK 89k+/yr ≈ $13k
- DKK 89,112 a year (≈ $13,300)DKK 7,426 (≈ $1,110) per month of study, documented for at most 12 months; scholarship or loan counts; tuition paid for the first semester also accepted.
RenewalRenewable
Extendable by up to 1 year beyond the nominal length of the programme; a job-seeking permit can follow after a state-approved programme.
Permanent residenceAfter 8 years of residence
Permanent residence after 8 years of uninterrupted legal residence, or 4 years if you meet all 4 supplementary requirements (including Danish language test 3). Work, study and family permits count.
CitizenshipAfter 9 years of residence
Citizenship needs 9 years of continuous residence in Denmark and a permanent residence permit held for at least 2 years when the naturalisation bill passes.
Processing60–90 days
Normal processing time is 2 months; up to 3 months if more information is needed.
Presence rulesStay rule
A Danish permit lapses if you give up your Danish address or live outside Denmark for more than six successive months.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a place at a school or university in Denmark
- Work isn't allowed on this route
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant is admitted to a full-time higher education programme at an accredited or state-approved institution in Denmark.
- The applicant can speak and understand the language of instruction well enough to take part.
What you must show3
- Funds are DKK 7,426 (≈ $1,110) per month of study (2026 level), documented for at most 12 months (DKK 89,112 (≈ $13,300)).
- A scholarship or student loan counts; tuition paid for the first semester is also accepted instead.
- The processing fee is DKK 3,060 (≈ $460).
Documents2
- A bank statement in the applicant's name, no more than 30 days old, shows liquid funds.
- Applicants under 18 attach both parents' signed consent and a declaration of proper residence from the school.
Steps1
- Normal processing takes 2 months, or up to 3 months if more information is needed.
After you arrive2
- The permit covers the nominal length of the programme and can be extended by up to 1 year.
- A state-approved programme brings a limited work permit and, after a full programme, a job-seeking permit.
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
For admitted students of higher education programmes; limited work permit included for state-approved programmes. 1
What you must show and pay
- Savings of at least DKK 89,112 a year (≈ $13,300) · DKK 7,426 (≈ $1,110) per month of study, documented for at most 12 months; scholarship or loan counts; tuition paid for the first semester also accepted. 1
- A fee of DKK 3,060 (≈ $460) · Processing fee. 1
Requirements
- The applicant is admitted to a full-time higher education programme at an accredited or state-approved institution in Denmark. 1
- The applicant can speak and understand the language of instruction well enough to take part. 1
- Funds are DKK 7,426 (≈ $1,110) per month of study (2026 level), documented for at most 12 months (DKK 89,112 (≈ $13,300)). 1
- A scholarship or student loan counts; tuition paid for the first semester is also accepted instead. 1
- The processing fee is DKK 3,060 (≈ $460). 1
- A bank statement in the applicant's name, no more than 30 days old, shows liquid funds. 1
- Applicants under 18 attach both parents' signed consent and a declaration of proper residence from the school. 1
- Normal processing takes 2 months, or up to 3 months if more information is needed. 1
- The permit covers the nominal length of the programme and can be extended by up to 1 year. 1
- A state-approved programme brings a limited work permit and, after a full programme, a job-seeking permit. 1
Stay
- For the nominal length of the programme, extendable by up to 1 year; after a full state-approved programme, a job-seeking permit of 6 months or 1 year for applications from 1 October 2026 (6 months or 3 years for earlier applications).
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. 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
State-approved programmes: 90 hours per month from September to May and full time in June, July and August; full-time work during a mandatory internship; the same rights apply in the job-seeking period. Non-state-approved programmes applied for from 2 May 2025: no work right.
Family
PhD students can bring a spouse or partner and children under 18; for other state-approved programmes, spouse and children can accompany only if the student applied before 1 October 2026, and not for non-state-approved programmes applied for from 2 May 2025.
Official sources
- Residence permit for higher education · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10
- Permanent residence permit · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10
- Conditions for foreign citizens' acquisition of Danish citizenship · Life in Denmark (borger.dk), Danish public sector portal · checked 2026-10-11
- Researcher · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10
Student permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student permit | Needs savings of DKK 89k+ a year ≈ $13k | – | No |
| Youth study programme | – | 1 yr | No |
| Folk high school | – | 1.5 yr | No |
| PhD studies | – | – | Limited |
| 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 Student permit?
Savings of at least DKK 89,112 a year (≈ $13,300). DKK 7,426 (≈ $1,110) per month of study, documented for at most 12 months; scholarship or loan counts; tuition paid for the first semester also accepted. A fee of DKK 3,060 (≈ $460). Processing fee.
How long can I stay on the Student permit?
For the nominal length of the programme, extendable by up to 1 year; after a full state-approved programme, a job-seeking permit of 6 months or 1 year for applications from 1 October 2026 (6 months or 3 years for earlier applications).
How long does the Student permit take to process?
Normal processing time is 2 months; up to 3 months if more information is needed.
Can I work on the Student permit?
No. State-approved programmes: 90 hours per month from September to May and full time in June, July and August; full-time work during a mandatory internship; the same rights apply in the job-seeking period.
Can I bring my family on the Student permit?
PhD students can bring a spouse or partner and children under 18; for other state-approved programmes, spouse and children can accompany only if the student applied before 1 October 2026, and not for non-state-approved programmes applied for from 2 May 2025.
Who can apply for the Student permit?
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. 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.
Does the Student permit lead to permanent residence in Denmark?
Time on the Student permit counts toward permanent residence in Denmark, which the rules allow after 8 years of residence. Time on the Student permit counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 9 years of residence.
How are Student permit holders taxed in Denmark?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Student permit. 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 4 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.
- Residence permit for higher education · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10
- Permanent residence permit · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10
- Conditions for foreign citizens' acquisition of Danish citizenship · Life in Denmark (borger.dk), Danish public sector portal · checked 2026-10-11
- Researcher · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-10. 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.