What financial aid options are available for international students at the University of Copenhagen?

For international students at the University of Copenhagen, the main funding options are limited and depend heavily on your citizenship. EU/EEA and Swiss students may qualify for Danish state support in some cases, while most non-EU/EEA students should expect to rely primarily on scholarships, external funding, or personal resources. The University of Copenhagen does offer some tuition waivers and scholarships, but they are not broad, guaranteed aid programs like at many U.S. colleges.

If you are a non-EU/EEA student, the most relevant university-based option is the Danish Government Scholarship administered by the University of Copenhagen for certain master’s applicants. These awards are typically given as full or partial tuition waivers, and some also include a stipend to help with living costs. They are generally awarded to highly qualified students admitted to eligible master’s programs, not to all applicants who show financial need.

If you are from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you usually do not pay tuition at Danish public universities, including the University of Copenhagen. Some EU/EEA students may also be able to receive SU, Denmark’s state educational grant, but only if they meet specific conditions, often related to equal-status rules under EU law, such as working a certain number of hours in Denmark.

For bachelor’s students, funding is usually more limited than for master’s students, especially for non-EU applicants. Many international students therefore look to external scholarships from their home governments, Erasmus+ opportunities where applicable, private foundations, or exchange agreements.

It is smart to separate funding into two categories: tuition and living expenses. Even when tuition is waived, Copenhagen is an expensive city, so housing, food, transport, and residence permit financial requirements still matter.