Danish State Education Support (SU)
In Denmark, students can receive financial support (SU) during their studies.
The support consists of an SU grant and a voluntary SU loan. The SU grant does not have to be repaid to the state, while the SU loan must be repaid after the conclusion of studies.
To be entitled to receive SU, you must fulfil a number of conditions:
- You must be over a certain age.
- Your study programme must be approved for SU.
- You must be a Danish citizen (you can read about exceptions to this in the section “SU for foreign nationals”, below).
- You must be actively studying.
The conditions vary, depending on whether you are taking upper secondary and vocational education, a course of higher education or a private study programme. You can read more at su.dk.
Many students choose to work while they are studying. It is important that you are aware that there is a limit to how much you can earn alongside your studies if you are receiving SU at the same time. If you exceed this limit, you will have to pay back some of your SU.
You can read about how much you are allowed to earn alongside your studies at su.dk.
If you are eligible for SU and wish to study in one of the other Nordic countries, you can in most cases take your SU with you.
First of all, you must meet the general conditions for receiving SU. You must also have lived in Denmark for a continuous period of at least two years during the past ten years (this does not apply to students taking certain study programmes in South Schleswig).
Finally, your study programme abroad must be approved for SU. The programme must normally provide ordinary qualifications that can be used in Denmark, and both the programme and the educational institution must be publicly recognised in the country of studies.
At su.dk, you can see which rules apply, and what you have to do to apply to receive Danish SU abroad.
Check whether the study programme for which you wish to receive SU is on the list of programmes of higher education that are pre-approved for SU – the so-called "fast track list”. If the programme is not on the list, you must apply to have it included on the list at the same time as you apply for SU for studies abroad.
Educational support for foreign nationals
If you are a citizen of another Nordic country, you will usually have to apply for educational support in your own country. You can read more about this on the following pages:
Danish SU for foreign nationals
As a foreign national, you may be entitled to SU if you meet a number of conditions.
You may be granted equal status to Danish citizens in accordance with two different sets of rules: Danish rules or EU rules (see below).
You may be granted equal status with Danish citizens in accordance with Danish rules:
If you have moved to Denmark together with your parents before the age of 20. A condition for this is that the family still resides in Denmark, and that both you and your parents have permanent residence in Denmark.
If you have lived in Denmark continuously for at least two years before you apply for SU, and at the same time have been married or in a registered partnership with a Danish citizen for at least two years. It is a condition that you are still married or in a registered partnership at the time of application.
If, immediately before beginning the study programme for which you are applying for SU, you have lived in Denmark for a minimum of two years with at least 30 hours of work per week.
If you have lived in Denmark immediately before the date of application for an interrupted period of at least five years, without having moved to Denmark for the purposes of education.
If you are a German citizen, but belong to the Danish minority in South Schleswig.
If you are covered by section 2, subsection 2 (refugees) or by section 2, subsection 3 (family-reunited foreigners) of the Integration Act.
You can be granted equal status with Danish citizens in accordance with EU rules:
- If you are an EU or EEA citizen, and you are employed or self-employed in Denmark.
- If you are the child of an EU or EEA citizen.
- If you are the spouse of an EU or EEA citizen.
- If you are the parent of an EU or EEA citizen.
- If you are an EU or EEA citizen, or the family member of an EU or EEA citizen, and you have been living in Denmark continuously for at least five years. If you have more than two coherent years of absence from Denmark, you will not be entitled to SU until after a following five years of coherent residence in Denmark.
Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.