Nordic education agreements and programmes

The Nordic countries have entered into a number of agreements to ensure that Nordic citizens have access to education throughout the Nordic region, and that diplomas from Nordic programmes of higher education are recognised in all the Nordic countries. Within the Nordic co-operation, there are also a number of study programmes that provide opportunities for students throughout the Nordic region.

Nordic education agreements  

Mutual recognition of higher education diplomas

The Reykjavik Declaration from 2004 is a joint Nordic declaration on the mutual recognition of third-level educational qualifications. The declaration was revised in 2022.

The declaration ensures that higher education qualifications from one Nordic country are generally recognised in the other Nordic countries. In some cases, you can also have your education assessed in another Nordic country and thereby obtain proof that your education is recognised in that country.

You can find out more by contacting one of the five Nordic offices for the recognition of qualifications  (NORRIC).

Access to higher education 

The agreement between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden on access to higher education dates from 1996, and ensures that if you are from a Nordic country, you have the right to apply to enter higher education in another Nordic country on an equal footing with that country’s own applicants. The agreement also provides the right to credit transfer from a course in one Nordic country to one in another Nordic country, on equal terms with applicants from that country.

The agreement ensures that you can apply for higher education in a Nordic country on the basis of your previous education, even if it is from another Nordic country.

Nordic educational community at upper secondary school level

An agreement on Nordic educational community at upper secondary level (general upper secondary and vocational schools) entered into force in 2008. Its aim is to boost free movement between the Nordic countries by giving pupils access to upper secondary education on equal terms with a country’s own nationals. The agreement also obliges the countries to recognise education obtained through a study period in another Nordic country.

This means that you can apply for upper secondary education in a Nordic country on the basis of your lower secondary education from another Nordic country, on an equal basis with the country’s own applicants.

Nordplus 

Nordplus is the Nordic Council of Ministers’ largest support programme, focusing on lifelong learning, education, mobility and languages. Nordplus consists of five sub-programmes, and supports several thousand mobile activities, networks and development projects each year for all age groups, and between players from all over the Nordic and Baltic regions. The educational institutions of the Danish minority in Germany (South Schleswig) can also apply for Nordplus funding via a special agreement with Denmark. Nordplus has existed since 1988.

Nordplus means that, as a pupil or student, you can have the opportunity to participate in mobile activities such as exchange programmes or projects with other Nordic or Baltic pupils or students. The prerequisite is that your educational institution participates in a Nordplus project with other Nordic or Baltic educational institutions.

As a staff member at a Nordic or Baltic educational institution, this means that you have the opportunity to obtain support to launch mobile activities, networks or development projects with educational institutions or the like in other Nordic or Baltic countries.