Denmark study visa process

visa, the process, and all the other important details you might need. Expect to hear a lot more than the widely available answer to the question "how much is Denmark visa fee", because I am ready to reveal some practical tips to make life easier for you! So...cheers for stumbling upon this article - you are definitely on the right track to paving your way into Denmark's education system! Let's kick it off with some background information...

Traveling to Denmark for studies

Some of the standard education options include basic&youth education, short-term courses, higher education (like Bachelors and Masters degrees), Danish folk schools (a typical Danish low-cost option for learning particular skills), Ph.D. studies, and internships that count toward your degree. Many people choose one option because the quality of education is very high, but that is not the only reason. If you are an EU/EEA & Switzerland citizen, you are eligible for studying free of charge in many universities across the country. You need to worry only about the costs of sustaining yourself. An amazing opportunity, isn't it?

What type of visa should I get to be allowed to stay for my studies?

Depending on your nationality and the type of education you intend to obtain, you have three study visa options to choose from. First, if you are a student from EU/EEA & Switzerland, you can reside for up to 3 months permit-free. If you decide to take on a longer course (like a university degree), you will need to apply for a registration certificate. It takes one week to receive it, free of charge. On the other hand, if you come from any other country, you should apply for one of two types of study visa for Denmark. A short-term one will allow travel to Denmark for studies or educational training for up to 90 days per half a year. The other one is a long-term visa that falls under National visas or residency permits. This one will be applicable for anyone enrolled in the higher education institutions and permit staying in Denmark for as long as the studies occur.

How to get Denmark visa for my studies?

I have researched many visa policies in my life and believe me when I say that the Denmark visa application process is one of the most user-friendly ones. Anyone willing to get a visa should go to the official website "New to Denmark" study section and step-by-step go through acquiring the desired type of visa. Note the detailed descriptions there - if you know what you want to get done, the website should be self-explanatory.  After going on the website, the process will be the following. First, you will create a case order that will follow you through the whole application as an ID number. Then you will pay the Denmark visa fee and gather all the required documents (see the next paragraph to find out more about this one). Afterward, you will be asked to fill out an application form that will take about 30 minutes of your time and will be accessed by your prospective education institution, too. From this point on you can do the application in one of two ways - either applying directly on this website or handing in the documents in a Danish diplomatic mission or an application center in the country where you are residing.  Here comes the tricky step that is not often required by other countries. Within 14 days of your application, you will have to get your biometric features recorded. You can do it either in a Danish diplomatic mission (e.g. embassy) or in one of the offices of the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). Either way, you will be required to come in for an in-person appointment to get your fingerprints and photo recorded - they will be stored on a microchip on your residence card. Here is a list of the locations for your information. If your country is on the list, you might also contact a Norwegian mission in your country or the closest Denmark embassy in other countries. FYI failure to do this step will deny your visa application and you are not keen on such a turn of events, are you? After all the formalities have been taken care of, all there is left to do is waiting for the answer from the officials. The good news is - the website will show an estimated processing time, and you will get a message as soon as the application is done. For you, it just means that there is no need in checking in frequently about the progress of the final answer. Convenient, isn't it?

What are Denmark requirements for visa if you plan to move there for your studies?

There are quite many requirements, but none of them are out of this world. When filling out your Denmark visa application, you will need to hand in the following formalities: ● An application form that is filled and signed ● A valid passport (copies of all the pages) ● Proof of your English skills (internationally approved language test results like IELTS, etc.) ● A slip proving you paid the visa (residence permit) fee  ● Proof that you have the financial means to stay in Denmark (about 1,000 EUR/month) ● A letter from the university stating the fact that you have been accepted to a particular program ● Travel insurance ● A detailed description of the chosen study program ● Proof of your arrangements for accommodation for the duration of studies Take into consideration that additional information might be required from you.

How much is Denmark visa fee?

As I mentioned beforehand, there is no fee if you are from the EU/EEA and wish to extend your stay after 3 months in Denmark. However, the Denmark visa fee is 2000 DKK (or about 260 EUR) for everyone else. 

How long is the processing time of a study visa for Denmark?

Generally, it is good to apply for your visa well ahead because you can't be fully sure of some technicalities that might arise. Additional documents, additional information to be provided...just don't leave it to the last moment. Hand in your Denmark visa application at least three months before the date of your arrival in the country, that should be a very reasonable deadline for applying.  As for the processing time itself, it varies greatly depending on your nationality. Most visas will take up to 60 days to be made, but some (e.g. if you are a national of Nigeria, Pakistan, Kenya, Ghana, etc.) will take up to 6 months of your life to be completed. But, hey, it's worth the wait for such a great opportunity, isn't it? Just remember to ensure there is enough time to get it done before your arrival. Ah, thinking about learning something new is truly exciting, isn't it? Especially when it comes to getting to know a new culture that will naturally open up your mind to new ways of understanding and seeing things. And then those unforgettable moments to remember for the rest of your life too...It makes it quite obvious why one would consider a study visa for Denmark just to access such an overall growing experience! So I salute you for looking into this - the decision to grow mentally is always a commendable one. Whatever your reasoning behind reading this article is, I hope I could help in this process by giving some insights on how to get Denmark visa. Thus feel obliged to chip in the last extra bit by wishing you all the best in making your dreams come true!* * Please consider that currently due to Covid-19 concerns, travel to Denmark is limited to only essential purposes, which varies differently in each case. The situation is changing day-by-day, which is why I highly suggest checking their official government media to see the changes and the most up-to-date information. In this link, you can see how their restrictions affect the ones accessing the Danish immigration services in these times.