To study in Denmark as a non-EU/EEA citizen, the Denmark student visa requirements are an admission letter from a publicly recognized Danish higher education institution, proof of at least 7,426 DKK per month in disposable funds for 2026, a valid passport, a 3,060 DKK application fee, and the ST1 residence and work permit application filed with the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI), followed by biometrics within 14 days. What Denmark calls a “student visa” is technically a combined residence and work permit.
Who Qualifies
You need a formal acceptance letter from a Danish higher education institution that the government publicly recognizes.1Study in Denmark. Residence Permits (Non-EU/EEA Citizens) The program has to be full-time. Part-time enrollment does not qualify. Your school verifies your academic credentials before the immigration process starts, but SIRI makes the final call.
You also have to show proficiency in the language of instruction. For English-taught programs, most universities look for scores roughly equivalent to an IELTS 6.5 or a TOEFL iBT of 79–93 at “English B” level, or an IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT of 94–101 at “English A” level.2Study in Denmark. Language Requirements These are averages across institutions, and your specific program may set higher or lower thresholds. Check with the admissions office.
Documents You Need to Prepare
Your passport must remain valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure from Denmark.3Nordic cooperation. Passport Requirements for Travel to Denmark This matters more than people expect: SIRI will only issue a residence permit that expires three months before your passport does. If yours is close to expiring, renew it first.
You need the original admission letter from your Danish institution. The bigger documentation hurdle is proving financial self-sufficiency. For 2026, you must show disposable funds of at least 7,426 DKK per month for each month you plan to study in Denmark, up to a maximum of 12 months of documented funds at a time.4New to Denmark. Financial Self-Support on Specific SIRI Schemes That works out to roughly 89,112 DKK for a full year. A bank statement in your name satisfies the requirement, as does documentation of a scholarship that covers living expenses.
The application itself runs on the ST1 form, available through the New to Denmark portal at nyidanmark.dk.5New to Denmark. Application for a Residence and Work Permit for Students (ST1) It has two parts. Your educational institution fills out the first section with details about your program and admission. You complete the rest with your personal information and your Case Order ID, which links the application to SIRI’s tracking system.
How to Apply and Pay
Before you can submit anything, create a Case Order ID on the SIRI website. This ID links your application to your fee payment and is required to file.6Newtodenmark.dk. Fee – Pay the Fee for Application The fee for a student residence permit is 3,060 DKK as of 2026. One detail trips people up: fees are adjusted every January 1, and your Case Order ID, payment, and application submission must all happen in the same calendar year. Pay in December and submit in January and the application will be rejected.
After paying, upload the completed ST1 form and all supporting documents through the digital portal. Then comes biometrics, and the window is tight. You have to appear in person at a Danish embassy, consulate, or authorized visa application center to give fingerprints and a photograph within 14 days of submitting your online application.7New to Denmark. Deadline for Biometric Reverts to 14 Days If you cannot meet that deadline, contact SIRI with an explanation. Missing it without one can result in rejection without a fee refund. In the United States, VFS Global runs regional visa application centers that handle biometric collection, and the Danish Consulate General in New York is the primary processing location.8VFS Global. Apply for VISA to Denmark
Processing Times and Appeals
SIRI’s service goal for student residence permits is two months.9New to Denmark. Case Processing Times in SIRI Seasonal surges push this longer in practice, especially around the autumn semester start. Decisions come electronically. If approved, you get an approval letter setting out the terms and validity of your permit. Apply early enough that a delay won’t derail your enrollment.
If your application is denied, you can appeal to the Immigration Appeals Board. The appeal must be filed within eight weeks of the decision and costs 1,040 DKK.10New to Denmark. Appeals Include your case number, alien identification number, and a copy of the original decision.11New to Denmark. Overview of Fee Rates
What the Permit Lets You Do
Your student residence permit includes work authorization, and the limit changed in July 2024. The old rule allowed 20 hours per week. The current rule allows 90 hours per month during the academic year (September through May), with full-time work permitted in June, July, and August.12newtodenmark.dk. Warning Issued When You as a Student Has Been Working Illegally If your card was issued before July 1, 2024, it may still say “20 hours per week,” but the 90-hour monthly limit applies regardless of what the card says.
The monthly cap gives you more flexibility than the old weekly one. You can front-load hours in one week and work less in another, as long as you stay under 90 for the calendar month. Exceeding the limit counts as illegal work: a warning for a first offense, and a fine or revocation of your residence permit for repeated violations.
Before you can legally work, you need a Danish tax card (skattekort). Students with a CPR number can apply online through skat.dk, and the card is usually generated immediately, though approval can take up to five days. Without a CPR number, you can call the Danish Tax Agency at (+45) 72 22 27 80 or submit a paper form, which takes about two weeks.13lifeindenmark.borger.dk. Apply for a Danish Tax Card and a Personal Tax Number Without a tax card, your employer withholds at the highest marginal rate.
Renewing Your Permit
You can apply to extend your permit starting four months before it expires, and you have to apply before it runs out. If it expires before you submit the extension, you lose your legal right to stay in Denmark and the application will typically be rejected.14New to Denmark. Higher Educational Programmes – Extension
To qualify, you must still be enrolled in the same program your original permit was based on, and your institution must confirm you are actively participating. If you have fallen behind, the delay can be up to one year beyond the standard program length. Parental leave of up to one year does not count against that allowance. Changing programs means applying from scratch for the new education.
The extension fee is 3,060 DKK, processing takes about three months, and you must provide fresh proof of financial self-sufficiency at the 2026 rate of 7,426 DKK per month.14New to Denmark. Higher Educational Programmes – Extension File on time and you can stay in Denmark while SIRI reviews the extension, even if your current permit expires during that period. One rule catches people off guard: receiving public benefits during your stay can disqualify you from an extension.
Bringing Family With You
Your spouse and children under 18 can apply for residence permits to accompany you. You act as the sponsor and have to prove sufficient funds for each family member. For 2026, that is 7,426 DKK per month per person, for up to 12 months. Bringing a spouse for a full year means documenting 89,112 DKK on top of your own self-support requirement.15New to Denmark. Accompanying Family Members – Study and PhD
Partners who are not legally married to you cannot get a dependent residence permit. They may visit visa-free for up to 90 days depending on nationality and time already spent elsewhere in the Schengen area.
After You Graduate
Finishing a Danish bachelor’s, professional bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD program opens the door to a three-year job-seeking residence permit. In most cases the three-year period is included automatically with your student permit, contingent on passport validity.16New to Denmark. Job Seeking Residence Permit for 3 Years After a Completed Educational Programme You only need a separate application if your student permit was shortened because of passport expiry, you were granted just six months of job seeking initially, or you finished your program after the standard study period. The application fee is 3,060 DKK.
During job seeking, your work rights stay the same as during studies: 90 hours per month from September through May, and full-time in June, July, and August. Once you land a job that requires more hours, you can apply for a work permit without limitations or a residence and work permit tied to a specific employer.
Two restrictions matter. You cannot receive public benefits of any kind during this period, including unemployment benefits, housing benefits, or social assistance. And you cannot give up your Danish address or leave Denmark for more than six consecutive months, or the permit lapses automatically.16New to Denmark. Job Seeking Residence Permit for 3 Years After a Completed Educational Programme