PhD studies (full degree)

You will be participating in a full degree PhD study programme linked to a Danish educational institution.

Normal processing time
1 month

Processing fee
DKK 2,490,-

What do you want to print?

Who can apply for a residence permit?

You can be granted a Danish residence permit as a full degree PhD if

  • you are enrolled as a PhD student at a Danish university and receive a salary from the university or a company affiliated with the PhD programme, or
  • you are enrolled in a PhD programme without receiving a salary

If you are a citizen of a EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you do not need to apply for a residence permit, but must instead apply for a EU residence document.

Read more about EU residence here

If you are enrolled in a PhD programme on one of the flexible PhD models (3+5 or 4+4), you must choose whether you want to apply for a residence permit to complete your master's degree and, subsequently, apply a second time to complete your PhD programme, or whether you want to apply for a residence permit valid for the full duration of your education (4 or 5 years).

The advantage of applying for a permit valid for the full duration is that you only need to apply and pay the fee once. The disadvantage is that your permit cannot be extended for more than a maximum of two years. In the first case, you can extend your studies for a master's degree with 1 year and your PhD programme with 2 years, thus making it possible for you to extend your permit with up to 3 years in total.

What do you want to print?

What are the conditions?

It is a requirement that you have been enrolled in a PhD programme in Denmark.

The educational programme must be a full-time study.

You must be able to speak and understand the language of instruction.

You must also be able to understand either Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German with a reasonable level of proficiency.

As a PhD student, you can be employed by a university or by a company and receive a salary while you are enrolled in the PhD programme.

You can also be a PhD student without employment and salary. 

If you are employed by a university or by a company, your self-support is secured by your salary.

If you are not employed and therefore do not receive a salary, you must have sufficient funds to be able support yourself during your stay in Denmark. 

You have sufficient funds if your disposable amount corresponds to DKK 6,820 (2024 level) for each month you will be a PhD student in Denmark - only for a maximum of 12 months, however.

For example, if you wish to stay in Denmark for 1 year or longer, you must have a disposable amount corresponding to 12 times DKK 6,820 (2024 level). That means a maximum of DKK 81,840 (2024 level).

Documentation of your ability to support yourself and any family members accompanying you, can be in the form of a bank statement.

It is required that the documentation for your support shows the date of the statement and your name.

A bank statement must also show the balance of the account and must not be more than 30 days old. If it is not evident what currency the account is in, the currency must also appear of the statement. Should you choose to enclose more than one bank statement, all statements must be issued on the same day. 

Read more about the requirement for self-support here

What do you want to print?

What rights do I have, if I am granted a permit?

What are you allowed to do with a Danish residence permit as a PhD student? – and what are you not allowed to do?

A residence permit allows you to stay and study in Denmark for the period your permit is valid.

In addition, a permit allows you to stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days within a 180 days period. However, the permit does not allow you to work in other Schengen countries.

If you are enrolled in a full PhD programme in Denmark your residence permit will not lapse, even if you give up your Danish address or stay abroad for more than 6 successive months.

You can read more about permit lapse and dispensation options here.

You are allowed to work full-time at the university in which you have been enrolled or in the company affiliated to your PhD programme. This only applies to work tasks that are part of your PhD programme and only for the period while you study.

In addition to your residence and work permit as a PhD student, you are also granted a limited work permit allowing you to take up additional employment besides your full-time job as a PhD student

The limited work permit allows you to work:

  • for up to 90 hours per month during the normal period of study from September to May, and
  • full-time through June, July and August

The limited work permit is also valid during the 3-year job seeking period granted to you after you have completed your education in Denmark.

It will be regarded as illegal work, if you work more hours than you are allowed to. If you work illegally you can receive a warning, a fine or your residence permit as a student can be revoked. You can read more about that here.

If you wish to work more that 90 hours per month in the job seeking period, you can apply for a work permit without limitations after you have completed your educational programme. You can read more here. 

If you are enrolled in a full PhD programme in Denmark, you also have the right to work an unlimited number of hours in addition to your employment at the university in which you are enrolled as PhD student if the employment is naturally related to your PhD studies.

You can read more about sideline employment here.

Your residence permit also allows you to carry out unpaid voluntary work. Please find further information on voluntary work here.

 A Danish residence and work permit does not allow you to work in other Schengen countries.

You can read more about working conditions in Denmark and 'The Danish labour market model' here.

You must be able to support yourself and your family during your stay. Therefore, there are certain public benefits that you are not allowed to receive. Which benefits depend on your residence permit:

As an employed and salaried PhD, you are not allowed to receive benefits under the terms of the Active Social Policy Act, e.g. social security benefits. This also applies to any family members accompanying you to Denmark.

As an unpaid PhD student, you are not allowed to receive public assistance. For example, you are not allowed to receive maternity or paternity benefits, housing benefits or state study grants, and there might be other benefits that you are not allowed to receive.

Any family members accompanying you are also not allowed to receive benefits under the terms of the Active Social Policy Act, e.g. social security benefits.

If you or your family member receives benefits in violation of the terms of your residence permit, your permit can be revoked – and you will lose the right to stay in Denmark.

If an authority, e.g. a municipality, disburses benefits to foreign nationals, SIRI will be notified.

You can see a list of benefits that you are not allowed to receive here.

With a residence permit in Denmark, you are entitled to free Danish lessons. However, you must have turned 18 years and have your Danish address registered in the Danish National Register.

If you have a residence permit in Denmark based on work, study, etc. you have to pay a deposit before you can start receiving lessons. Be aware that you can lose your deposit if you do not pass the different modules within a specific timeframe.

Your municipality of residence is obliged to offer you Danish lessons and refer you to a language centre. If you have not been offered Danish lessons within a month after registering your address in Denmark, you can contact your municipality.

You will (typically) be taught together with other foreign nationals who have arrived in Denmark recently.

If you are going to stay in Denmark, there are a number of things to acquaint yourself with. Depending on your personal situation, you might need other important information and options.

The portal lifeindenmark.dk provides you with information, links and in many cases also options concerning the most important subjects such as:

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

What do you want to print?

How long can I stay in Denmark?

You can stay in Denmark for the standard (nominal) duration of your PhD programme, provided that you participate actively in the programme.

If you do not complete your PhD programme within the nominal period of study, it is important that you apply for an extension of your permit.

If you change your PhD programme, you must apply for a new residence permit based on the new programme.  You are allowed to start your new programme while you wait for us to reach a decision in your case.

If you have completed a PhD programme in Denmark, you can be granted a 3-year residence permit to look for a job in Denmark.

If you are granted a permit to complete a full PhD programme, you will generally be granted the 3-year job seeking permit along with your residence permit. If not, you can apply for the job seeking permit after completing your PhD.

You can read more about the conditions and how to apply here.

A residence permit for job seeking gives you the same rights to work as you had during your studies: 20 hours per week and full-time through June, July and August.

If you wish to work more that 20 hours per week in the job seeking period, you can apply for a work permit without limitations after you have completed your educational programme. You can read more here. 

The job seeking period gives you the opportunity to find a job in Denmark after you have completed your studies. If you are offered a job during the job seeking period, you can also apply for a new residence and work permit based on work. You can read more about residence and work permits based on work here.

A residence permit can only be valid until 3 months before the expiry date of your passport.

If your passport has a shorter validity than the otherwise possible period of stay, your residence permit will be shortened. This means that the validity of your residence permit will be shorter than it could be. When you have renewed your passport, you can apply for an extension of your residence permit – however, this can only be done 3 months before your permit expires at the earliest. 

Read more about the passport requirements.

What do you want to print?

Can my family be granted a residence permit?

A residence and work permit based on PhD studies in Denmark allows your family to come with you to Denmark.

A permit can be granted to your spouse, registered or cohabiting partner as well as children under the age of 18 living at home.

Read more about accompanying family members here

What do you want to print?

What more do I need to know before I apply?

An application for a residence permit on the basis of PhD studies is processed by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). If you are in Denmark when submitting the application, you must be here legally. More about legal submission here.

You must be enrolled in a Danish university as a PhD student to be able to apply.

Before submitting your application, you must create a case order ID for your application and pay a fee to cover SIRI’s case processing expenses. You can do this on the “How to apply” tab to the right. Here you also find the relevant application form, PHD1.

The educational institiution must first complete their part. When the educational institution has completed their part, they will receive a reference number and a password for the second part of the form. The educational institution will pass this information on to you in order for you to be able to open the application and complete your part.

Please note that, as a rule, SIRI will refuse your application for a residence permit on new grounds, if the application is submitted prematurely in relation to the wished for start date for your stay in Denmark.

If you submit such an application earlier than 6 months before your stay in Denmark will begin, you can expect a refusal to your application. If you have paid SIRI's case processing fee, you will not receive a refund of the fee.

SIRI will contact you or your educational institution if we need further information to process your case.

What do you want to print?

Below you will find a step-by-step guide to submitting an application to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).

It is important that you have carefully read the conditions for being granted a residence permit before you begin step 1. You can do this on the tab “Need to know” on the left.

If you are a commuter and will not be residing in Denmark and for this reason will only apply for a work permit, you do not need to create a case order ID or pay a fee. Instead you kan go directly to step 3. Read more about commuting here.

It is a good idea to gather the necessary documents before you start to complete the application form. You can use the check list below.

If you submit documents not written in English, German, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish, you must also submit certified translations into Danish or English.

You must submit:

If you are an employed and salaried PhD, you must also submit

If you are a PhD, but do not receive a salary, you must also submit

Expect to use

30 minutes

per person to complete the application

2 persons

You and your educational institution are each required to complete a part of the form.

In this step you and your educational institution have access to the relevant application form.

Make sure that you have completed all the preceeding steps before you begin.

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

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

When your educational institution has completed their part, a reference number and password will be shown, which the educational institution must pass on to you. You are then able to open the online application and complete your part.

Make sure you have all documents ready in digital form, in order to attach them as you complete the application form.

If you do not have a NemID/MitID, you must sign, scan and attach to the application the document 'Sworn declarations and information'.

You can download the document 'Sworn declarations and information' here (also available in the form)

 

Use the form PHD1

 

Please note that it is mandatory to use this application form. Under special circumstances, you can be exempted from the requirement to use an online application form. You can read more here.

Please note that it is mandatory to fill in your passport number in this application form. If you are not in possession of a valid passport, you can contact us for guidance. You can find our contact information here.

When you apply for a residence permit, you must have your biometric features recorded. This means that you must have a facial photo taken and your fingerprints recorded. The facial photo and your fingerprints will be stored on a microchip embedded in the residence card, which will be issued to you if you are granted a permit.

If you do not agree to have your biometric features recorded, your application will be rejected. This means that your application will not be processed.

Read more about biometrics here

You must have your biometric features recorded no later than 14 days after you submitted your application.

If you are unable to have your biometric features recorded within the time limit of 14 days, because you are unable to book an appointment at a Danish diplomatic mission, you can inform us of the appointed time you will have your biometrics recorded. This way you can avoid having your application rejected.

You are abroad

You can have your biometric features recorded at a Danish diplomatic mission or an application centre in the country, where you reside.

See the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ list of diplomatic missions or application centres where you can have your biometric features recorded (opens in a new window)

In certain countries Denmark does not have a diplomatic mission or application centre. In these instances the list will refer you to one of the Norwegian missions with which Denmark has made an agreement or to the nearest Danish diplomatic mission or application centre in the region.

If you submit your application to a Norwegian diplomatic mission, you must also submit one passport photo. If you are granted a residence permit based on your application, you must within a specific time frame after you entry to Denmark have your biometric features recorded.

We recommend that you visit the local diplomatic mission’s webpage to get more information before you submit the application. The individual diplomatic mission can have additional requirements regarding payment of additional fees, submission of additional passport photos or additional copies of the application.

You are in Denmark

If you are residing legally in Denmark, you are normally able to have your biometric features recorded in Denmark. This is the case, if you:

  • hold a valid visa
  • are exempt from the visa requirement or
  • already hold a valid residence permit.

Read more about the legal residence requirement and submission of your application in Denmark. 

You can have your biometric features recorded in one of SIRI’s branch offices. 

If you plan to have your biometrics recorded in one of SIRI’s branch offices, you must remember to book an appointment.

You have submitted your application succesfully if you have:

  • created a case order ID
  • paid the fee
  • submitted the application
  • had your biometric features recorded

You can see the normal case processing time to the right on this page. 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.

Read more about what you can expect while you are waiting for an answer.

What do you want to print?

Responsible agency

Contact SIRI
Send link

Last updated 05-07-2024 - Published by: SIRI

Also relevant for you