EU residence as a student

You are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen and have been admitted to a higher educational programme, an upper secondary educational programme or a vocational educational programme in Denmark.

Normal processing time
0-30 days

Processing fee
No fee

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Who can be registered as a student?

If you have been accepted by an educational institution in Denmark to study in a programme at the upper-seconday level or higher, you can, as an  EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, apply for a residence document for students.

You can get registered as a student when you have established genuine and effective residence in Denmark. Genuine and effective residence means that you have moved to Denmark and have your daily life in Denmark. It is not enough that you are on holiday in Denmark, are registered at a Danish address or are the owner or tenant of a home in Denmark.

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What are the conditions?

You must be enrolled at a public or private educational institution in a programme studying at the upper-secondary level or higher. Primary-level programmes (such as folkekole) are not encompassed.

This means that you need to be fully admitted to a public or private educational institution in a higher educational programme, a upper secondary study programme or a vocational programme. The programme must be offically accredited or receive public funding. 

You are considered to be fully admitted if you no longer need to meet futher requirements in order to be accepted to the programme. An example of such a requirement is a course at a specified level that you still need to complete before you can be fully admitted.

You need to be able to support yourself financially while you are studying in Denmark.  This means you must have sufficient funds to avoid receiving public economic support such as cash benefits. If you receive support such as a state study grant (SU) or unemployment benefits (arbejdsløshedsdagpenge), you will still be considered to be self-supporting.

You must sign a declaration that you have enough money to support yourself while you are studying in Denmark.

You are considered an active student if you are actively participating in your study programme by attending class, sitting for exams and the like. If you are enrolled but not active, you do not qualify for a residence certificate as a student.

If you have not yet turned 18, one of your parents must give you permission to study in Denmark.

If your parents are not present when you submit the application, they can instead give you permission in writing. This means that they must sign a declaration of consent. 

If only one of your parents have custody of you, it is this parent, who must sign the declaration of consent. 
You must attach documentation of who your custody holders are, e.g. by submitting a copy of your birth certificate along with a copy of the data page in your parent’s passport.

You can read more about what documentation you need to submit, under the tab How to apply.

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What rights do an EU residence document give me?

An EU residence document is proof of a right that you, as an EU citizen, have when you enter Denmark, if you meet the conditions for grounds for residence under EU rules. This means you have the right to reside, work or study in Denmark with or without an EU residence document.

In Denmark, you will, however, in many situations need a Civil Registration System (CPR) number. You must present your EU residence document to the municipality where you live to be given a CPR number (and health insurance card and the like). The information below explains the rights an EU residence document (and CPR number) conveys to you, as well as the limitations that are placed on your residence.

As an EU citizen, you may freely enter Denmark and you may begin to work upon arrival. You do not need a permit to work in Denmark.

There is no limit on the number of hours you may work while living in Denmark. This also applies if you are studying in Denmark. 

You do not need an EU residence document in order to begin work. This is the case even if you have – or have applied for – a residence document as a worker, as a self-supporting individual, or for some other reason.

During your stay in Denmark under EU rules, you must normally be able to support yourself and your family financially. Depending on your grounds for residence, that means you, amongst other things, may not receive cash benefits or other forms of public assistance regulated by the Active Social Policy Act (lov om aktiv socialpolitik).

If you or a family member receive such benefits while living in Denmark, your right of residence can be terminated and you can lose your right to be in Denmark.

Benefit payments from the municipality or any other public authority to a foreign national are reported to SIRI. SIRI will then assess whether this affects your grounds for residence. 

If you meet the requirements to be a worker as defined by EU law – or if you have retained worker status despite no longer working – receiving the above-mentioned benefits will normally not in and of itself lead to termination of your right of residence. The same applies if you have grounds for residence as the family member to a worker.

Read more about what you are allowed to receive and what you are not allowed to receive in public benefits when you have been granted an EU residence document by SIRI.

If you plan to live and work in Denmark, there are several things you need to consider. Depending on your situation, there may be more important information you need to be aware of.

The website lifeindenmark.dk contains information about:

  • MitID
  • The CPR register
  • Health card
  • Tax matters
  • Holiday entitlements
  • School and daycare
  • Housing
  • Danish lessons
  • Car registration and driver’s license

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How long can I stay in Denmark?

As an EU citizen, you may freely enter Denmark. 

If you plan on remaining in Denmark for less than three months, you do not need to apply for an EU residence document. If you are seeking employment, you may remain in Denmark for up to six months before obtaining a residence document.

If you plan on being in Denmark for longer than three months, or six months if you will be seeking employment, you need to apply for an EU residence document. If you have a residence document, you may remain in Denmark indefinitely, provided you meet the conditions for your grounds for residence. There is no date of expiry for residence documents. 

If your grounds for residence are terminated – e.g. if you stop working or studying – you must apply for a new residence document on other grounds – e.g. as a person with sufficient funds. If you are uncertain whether you meet the conditions for new grounds for residence, you must contact SIRI.

If you continuously have met the conditions for EU-secured grounds for residence in Denmark for five years, you can – regardless of whether you are a citizen of an EU state or a country outside the EU / EEA and Switzerland  – apply for a permanent right of residence under EU rules. If you hold a permanent right of residence you do not necessarily need to continue to meet the conditions for your original grounds for residence. Please note, however, that your permanent right of residence can terminate if you reside outside of Denmark for an extended period.

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What happens if I am no longer studying?

If you have been granted a residence document based on your status as a student, and you disenrol or complete your educational programme, your right of residence has, as a rule, been terminated.

You do not need to do anything about your grounds for residence. All you need to do is to inform the Civil Registration System that you will be leaving Denmark. You can do this on-line at lifeindenmark.dk (requires NemID).

If you would like to remain in Denmark after disenrolling or completing your programme, you must contact SIRI for clarification of your grounds for residence. If you believe that you meet the requirements for other grounds for residence, for example or as self-supporting person, you must submit an application on these grounds.

SIRI will write to you to inform you if it is considering making a decision that could affect your grounds for residence. In such instances, you will have the opportunity to provide information or documentation to support extending your residence.

If you no longer meet the requirements for grounds for residence under EU rules your ties to Denmark will be considered and this may influence whether you retain your right to residence. Among other factors this includes how long you have lived in Denmark and your work history here.

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Can my family qualify for an EU residency document?

If you are an EU citizen, you can qualify for grounds for residence based on your own qualifications. You can also qualify as the family member of someone who has grounds for residence. 

You have independent grounds for residence if you, as a citizen of an EU country, work, are self-employed, are a student or are a self-supporting person. 

Your grounds for residence can be derived from a family member who is an EU citizen. 

If you are a citizen of a third country who is related to a citizen of an EU country, your family can apply for family reunification according the rules for citizens of EU countries.

If you are citizen of a third country, granted residence as the family member of a citizen of an EU country, you may not yourself sponsor an individual applying for family reunification. In certain cases, the EU citizen who sponsored you for family reunification can sponsor your family members. 

Read more about qualifying for family reunification as an EU citizen.

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What more do I need to know before I apply?

Applications for an EU residence document as a student should be submitted to the Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). 

The ‘How to Apply’ tab (at right) provides more information about the application process, as well as the application form itself. 

SIRI normally makes its decision based on the information and documents you submit with the application form. In some cases, SIRI will need to contact you to request further information. 

Please note that SIRI will only request information from you. Your employer, for example, will not be contacted to provide information. 

Likewise, SIRI will not provide information about your application to others than you. If SIRI is contacted – by telephone or in writing – by anyone other than you requesting information about your application, the request will normally be turned down. 

You may grant SIRI permission to give information about your application to others than yourself. To grant someone else permission to receive information, you must submit a power of attorney in advance. The power of attorney needs to indicate by name the individuals authorised to receive information about your application.

If you state in your application that you are being represented by a solicitor, you do not need to submit a power of attorney. Solicitors, due to their profession, are automatically granted power of attorney. If you are being represented by a solicitor, SIRI will send all correspondence about your application to your solicitor.

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In this tab, you can read about the application process.

You must submit your application to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).

As part of the process, you must usually appear in person at one of SIRI’s branch offices in Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sønderborg or on Bornholm.

Before reading this tab about submitting an application for EU residence, we recommend that you read about the conditions for residence as a student etc. in the ‘Need to know’ tab at left.

It is a good idea to gather the necessary documents before you start to complete the application form.

You can use this checklist and downlaod declarations below.

 

You must bring the following to your appointment with SIRI:

You must attach the following to your application:

As documentation of your grounds for residence as a student, you can submit the following:

If you are under the age of 18, and if your parents are not with you when you submit the application, you must also submit:

Download declaration:

Download Declaration of self-support

Download Sworn declaration and information (must be signed and attached if you do not sign the application with MitID)

Expect to use

30 minutes

to complete the application form

1 person

You complete the application form yourself

In this step you have access to the relevant application form OD1.

You can choose between an online form and a printable form.

Both types of application forms contain instructions on how to complete the form and what kind of documents you must submit along with the form.

Online form

If you choose to complete OD1 online, you must make sure you have all documents ready in a digital format, in order to attach them to the online application form.

Use the online form OD1 (opens in a new window)

Printable application form

If you choose the printable form OD1A, it must be completed and submitted in person at one of our branch offices together with the relevant documentation.

The application form in Word format can be completed on the screen before you print. The application form in pdf format must be printed first and then completed by hand.

Download the printable form OD1A (Pdf format)

Download the printable form OD1A (Word format)

You need to be able to support yourself financially while you are studying in Denmark. This means you must have sufficient funds to avoid receiving public economic support such as cash benefits. If you receive support such as a state study grant (SU) or unemployment benefits (arbejdsløshedsdagpenge), you will still be considered to be self-supporting.

You must sign a declaration that you have enough money to support yourself while you are studying in Denmark.

Download the declaration on self-support

In order to be registered as a student it is a condition that you are an active student. You are considered an active student if you are actively participating in your study programme by attending class, sitting for exams and the like. If you are enrolled but not active, you do not qualify for a residence certificate as a student.

Download the declaration on study activity

You can read more about how we process your personal data here

You have applied online

If you are applying online for a Danish EU residence document for the first time, you must appear in person at one of SIRI's branch offices.

You must bring the receipt for your online application (containing your application's reference number) and your photo ID (passport or national ID card).

Only when you have identified yourself this way and been linked to your application, will we consider your application to be fully submitted. You must appear no later than 30 days after submitting your online application. If you do not this, SIRI will consider your application as withdrawn and close the case.

In these other instances you do not need to appear in person at SIRI.

  • You are applying to change the grounds for your residence under EU rules, e.g. if you have had EU residence as a student and now wish to change the grounds for your residence to EU residence as a worker.
  • You are appying for an extension, if you have a temporary right of residence under EU regulations that you wish extend.
  • You are applying for permanent residence under EU regulations.

You can appear in person at one of SIRI’s branch offices in Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sønderborg or on Bornholm.

Find information on the addresses and opening hours of SIRI's branch offices here

Remember to book an appointment at SIRI!

Before you appear in person at SIRI, you must book an appointment

You wish to submit a printable application form

You can submit your application in person in one of SIRI’s branch offices in Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sønderborg or on Bornholm.

Find information on the addresses and opening hours of SIRI's branch offices here

Remember to book an appointment at SIRI!

Before you submit your application at SIRI, you must book an appointment

You can see the normal case processing time to the right of this tab. When we make a decision in your case, you will receive an answer.

SIRI will contact you or your employer if we need further information to process your case. In some cases, we will need to obtain further information, e.g. from other public authorities, including SKAT and the police and relevant authorities abroad.

You have the right to reside and work in Denmark while you wait for an answer.

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Last updated 20-11-2024 - Published by: SIRI