Secondary education in Denmark
After elementary school, most young people in Denmark take either an upper secondary (high school) education (72%) or a vocational education (20%).
High school in Denmark
In Denmark, there are four different types of high school education. Common to them all is that they are preparatory for further study – i.e. a secondary school diploma allows the student to apply for admission to a programme of higher education. You can read more at Uddannelsesguiden (The Education Guide).
STX is a programme of general education with subjects within the disciplines of the humanities, science and social science. The requirement for admission is a passed 9th grade final examination. The programme lasts three years, and consists of a six-month basic course and a 2½-year study programme.
The HHX programme emphasises mercantile, internationally-oriented and business-oriented educational perspectives. The requirement for admission is a passed 9th grade final examination. The programme lasts three years, and consists of a six-month basic course and a 2½-year study programme.
The HTX programme emphasises technological, scientific and business-oriented educational perspectives. The admission requirement is a passed 9th grade final examination, and the programme lasts three years, consisting of a six-month basic course and a 2½-year study programme.
A vocational programme combines practical and academic learning, and prepares you for a skilled job or for further education.
Vocational programmes are programmes of professional training for positions such as refrigeration service engineer, social and health care assistant, sales assistant or gardener.
The majority of a vocational programme takes place at a company, supplemented by periods of school study. When you complete the programme, you will be skilled and ready to take up a job – or you can continue your studies, for example in a vocational college programme.
There are over 100 vocational education and training programmes in Denmark, which offer different levels and specialisations. Many of them can be taken via the EUX programme. This means that you study subjects at upper secondary level and become both a skilled professional and a high school graduate.
HF is a general secondary school-level programme that is vocationally and practically oriented. The programme is aimed at providing admission to the vocational colleges and the professional bachelor study programmes. A HF examination with an extended subject package also provides access to the university Bachelor programmes. The requirement for admission is a passed 10th grade final examination. The programme lasts two years, and includes both a number of compulsory subjects and some specialised subject packages on specific themes such as health, environment, pedagogy or economics.
There are a number of international upper secondary schools in Denmark. An international private secondary school is a programme of secondary school education aimed at students who wish to take an international examination. The international examination in question, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB), must also provide access to programmes of higher education in Denmark. A number of state secondary schools also offer IB.
If you are from another Nordic country and wish to take an upper secondary school programme in Denmark
The Nordic countries have entered into a mutual agreement that provides young people in the Nordic countries with access to secondary (high school) education in all of the Nordic countries on a par with the citizens of their own countries. This means that you can usually obtain admission to a Danish secondary school if you have completed primary school in another Nordic country.
More information
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.