New rules for international students and PhD programmes
Denmark has changed the rules for how universities admit international students and how people access PhD programmes. These changes are designed to give universities more flexibility and create better preparation for some students.
Who is affected?
These changes mainly affect international applicants to Danish universities and people applying to PhD programmes. They also affect, to a smaller extent, students on vocational degree programmes who now have access to special educational support.
What is changing?
Universities now have the option to require externally verified documents from certain international applicants. This means documents must be confirmed by a third party to ensure the information is correct.
There will also be a special entrance test for some international students. Universities can also set special requirements for how actively these students must participate in their studies.
For PhD programmes, universities can now offer a preparatory course of up to 45 ECTS points (a measure of workload). This is for people who have completed a master's degree with less than 120 ECTS points and need better preparation for PhD work.
Additionally, fee rules are changing: universities must now charge fees instead of being able to collect deposits.
What can you do?
If you are an international applicant, be prepared for universities to request documents verified by external sources. Check university websites for specific requirements.
If you are applying for a PhD programme with a shorter master's degree, you may now be offered a preparatory course, which can help you prepare better.
Important note: This article explains what the law says. If you have questions about your specific situation or application, contact the university you are interested in or seek professional guidance.