Danish Government Scholarships for Non-EU/EEA Students

The Danish Government Scholarship is a scheme run by the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science through the Danish universities, which award a limited number of tuition waivers and living-cost grants each year to highly qualified full-degree students from countries outside the EU, the European Economic Area and Switzerland. There is no single national deadline and no separate scholarship application — the university you apply to decides.

Overview

Danish universities receive a limited number of government scholarships each year to fund highly qualified full-degree students from non-EU/EEA countries and Switzerland. The scholarships are administered by the Danish universities, who each select the students who are awarded a scholarship. The scheme is the Danish Government’s main funding route for talented full-degree students who must pay tuition fees in Denmark.

Scholarship Benefits

The government scholarship consists of two parts and can be given as full or partial tuition fee waivers and/or grants towards covering living costs. The exact coverage is decided by each university, so it varies: some universities award a full tuition waiver, some a partial waiver, and some add a grant towards living costs. No national amount is published on the official Study in Denmark page — ask the university of your choice for its exact terms.

What it does NOT cover: the official page does not promise full coverage. Because each university sets its own terms, a recipient may still have to pay part of the tuition fee and part of their living costs. Annual tuition fees for full-degree students from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland are USD 8,000–21,000 / EUR 6,000–16,000 (DKK 45,000–120,000), so check the university’s fee and scholarship terms before applying.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to be eligible for a scholarship you must be: a citizen of a country outside the EU, the European Economic Area or Switzerland; enrolled in a full degree higher education programme; and granted a time-limited residence permit in Denmark due to education.

You are not eligible for a Danish government scholarship if you: are seeking admission to an Artistic Higher Education Institution; have a legal claim to the rights of Danish citizens; have been granted a residence permit at the time of admission by the Danish Aliens Consolidation Act §9c, subsection 1, as the child of a foreign citizen who has been granted a residence permit in accordance with §9m and who is a citizen of a country that is not acceded to the EU or covered by the EEA agreement; or are a student who is eligible for a grant in accordance with Danish law regarding the State Education Fund (SU).

Available Fields

All fields of study at participating Danish universities, for full-degree higher education programmes. The national page publishes no field list; each university decides which of its programmes the scholarship covers, so check the admission details of the institution of your choice.

Required Documents

There is no separate scholarship form and no separate scholarship document list. The university admission application is the application, and the documents are those the chosen university requires for admission. Consult the admission details of the higher education institution of your choice.

Application Process

1. Choose a full-degree programme at a Danish university.
2. Apply for admission to that programme by the university’s own admission deadline.
3. Selection: the university selects the scholarship recipients among the admitted non-EU/EEA students. There is no separate scholarship application and no separate scholarship deadline to track.
4. Details: for further information about the government scholarship, including the exact coverage and the applicable deadline, consult the admission details of the higher education institution of your choice.

Important Dates

Event	Date
Application deadline	Set by each university — no single national deadline

There is no single deadline — each university sets its own admission deadline. Check the university’s page for the date that applies to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a separate application for the Danish Government Scholarship?

No. There is no separate scholarship application. You apply for admission to a full-degree programme at a Danish university, and the university selects the scholarship recipients among admitted non-EU/EEA students.

How much does the scholarship cover?

It varies by university. The scholarship can be given as a full or partial tuition fee waiver and/or a grant towards living costs. No national amount is published — ask the university of your choice for its exact terms.

Who is eligible?

Citizens of countries outside the EU, the European Economic Area and Switzerland who are enrolled in a full-degree higher education programme and hold a time-limited residence permit in Denmark for education.

Is there one deadline for all universities?

No. Each university sets its own admission deadline, and the scholarship follows the admission process.

Can EU/EEA students get this scholarship?

No. EU/EEA and Swiss students do not pay tuition fees at Danish universities and are not eligible for this scheme.

Official source: Study in Denmark — Scholarships