Every foreigner can now get an education and a European-style diploma in Denmark - a Scandinavian country, the majority of whose population is fluent in English. What are the advantages and features of the educational system of this state?

Advantages

The Kingdom of Denmark is the southernmost and smallest of all the Scandinavian countries. This multicultural state has a well-developed infrastructure and a high standard of living. Denmark offers its students excellent living conditions and an educational system that is one of the most prestigious and best in the world. Many people choose this particular country for secondary and higher education for a number of reasons:

1. Reduced language barrier. For admission, it is enough to know English, and Danish can be gradually mastered already in the process of obtaining education. More than 500 university programs are taught in English.
2. The country's universities are guided by an international format, so they can offer a huge number of relevant training programs and courses to choose from.
3. Studying in Denmark will help you acquire a qualification that will be recognized in the labor market in almost any country in Europe and the world.
4. For students from EU countries, tuition is free. For all others, the fee can range from 6,000 to 16,000 euros per year.

In its current form, the Danish education system has existed since 1994. It is worth noting that it is controlled by the government, and most educational institutions are supervised by state bodies and subordinate to the Ministry of Education.

Elementary education

The country's kindergartens are open all year round, except weekends and holidays, from 7 am to 6 pm. In Denmark, there are these types of preschool institutions:

The Education Act states that primary school is committed to helping children acquire the basic knowledge and skills they need to continue their education in general secondary education. In addition, according to this law, the school must develop the personality of the student, teach him tolerance and understanding of the cultures of other countries, lay the foundations for correct behavior, skills for full functioning in society, work in a team, and correct interaction with nature.

Teachers help children:

• form and expand vocabulary;
• familiarize yourself with the school rules in a playful way;
• learn to feel like a full member of society.

Secondary education

A rather specific aspect is that the duration of complete secondary education in Denmark is 12 years. At school, children receive knowledge in mathematics, languages, natural and social disciplines, study the culture and history of Denmark and other countries. The right to receive a compulsory level of education for children between the ages of 7 and 16 is legally enshrined.

At the same time, parents can also control school attendance, deciding whether their child needs it. Special education is also compulsory, but studying in the 10th, as well as in the preparatory 11th and 12th grades of school is not considered compulsory. The same level of knowledge provided by Folkeskole (public high school) can be obtained by studying at home or in one of the private schools (Privatskole). There are special Christian or Waldor schools, they are not controlled by the municipal authorities.

The majority of children attend public institutions, and only about 12% of them go to private schools, and 4.5% go to paid gymnasiums.

From the 2nd to the 8th grade, knowledge testing is regularly carried out in secondary school. If in the second grade it consists only of tests in the Danish language, then in the eighth grade the test includes a test of knowledge in such disciplines as biology, geography and physics. An individual curriculum is drawn up for each student. At the same time, schoolchildren begin to receive grades only in grades 8-10.

According to statistics, approximately 99% of Danish children go to secondary schools. After completing compulsory education, 86% of them go to high school, and 41% go to higher education. High school graduates receive certificates called studentereksamen. At the beginning of the year, all types of schools receive a kind of plan. It contains a list of the minimum points that children must score at the end of the year, separately for each of the disciplines. Knowledge testing is carried out by teachers, parents and inspectors. Parents choose the school for their child, and students can choose teachers. Teachers should regularly improve their qualifications, and at the expense of their own funds.

Danish school graduates can choose their major in any of the following areas:

Studying in Denmark presupposes a certain freedom - teachers can independently draw up a curriculum, choose materials at their own discretion, even introduce their developments into the educational process. After receiving secondary education, everyone can continue their studies in one of three types of universities - vocational school, college or university.

Higher education system

To be able to study at a Danish university, applicants from the Russian Federation should study at any of the Russian universities for at least one year.

Among the types of higher educational institutions of the state, the following can be distinguished:

1. Vocational schools offering two-year education programs in information technology or business. Training here involves a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical training. At the end of your studies, you should write a thesis.
2. Specialized colleges offer applicants for 3-4 years to master knowledge in the field of engineering, pedagogy, business and management. Here theory is successfully combined with research activities. To obtain a bachelor's degree, you must write a diploma.

The largest and oldest universities in the state are the University of Copenhagen, founded in 1479, and the University of Aarhus, founded in 1928.

Some higher education institutions specialize in any one industry, but most offer specialization in one of the many faculties with a wide range of disciplines.

The Danish higher education system offers to obtain a European-style diploma with the assignment of one of the following qualification levels:

• Base. The duration of training is 3-4 years. A bachelor's degree is issued.
• Basic. The study lasts 2 years, the graduate receives a master's degree.
• Additional - if you wish, you can continue your studies for 3 years and become a doctor of sciences.

In order to prepare for entering a university, you can use the services of special centers at universities. After completing training in such a structure, you can take a special exam called Higher Preparatory Examination.

The opportunity to enter a higher educational institution is received by persons who have reached the age of 18, provided that they have a high school diploma and a certificate confirming sufficient English language proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS).

Each university in the country establishes a scholarship for students, and when applying for special postgraduate courses, you can try to use the state scholarship program.

Students must take exams after completing the course in each discipline. The commission accepting these tests consists of university professors and independent examiners. Since 2002, all universities are required to provide graduates with diploma supplements in English.

Education in Denmark is now available for applicants from the Russian Federation. In order to enter a Danish university for free tuition, you will need to apply for an appropriate grant. Currently, the Danish government offers a number of scholarship programs to international students. You can also enroll in one of the Danish universities on your own, on a paid basis, if you have a document on complete secondary education, and you have completed at least one course at a Russian university.

Education in Denmark is paid and expensive, but students and their parents love this country for its comfort and safety. If you want to study in Europe, it is worth considering migration options for the purpose of obtaining an education. This is beneficial because at the Danish Technical University, the tuition fee for Danish citizens is $ 1,000 per year, and foreign students pay $ 19,000 for the same period.

Denmark is one of the most highly developed states in Europe. Machine building, communications, financial and banking are flourishing here. And education in the country is taken seriously, the system is controlled by the state.

It is interesting to study here: the classes are practice-oriented, joint student projects are being implemented, and a lot of industrial practice.

Every year, the Ministry of Education sets quotas for admission to study of foreigners who meet the admission requirements. The official language of the state is Danish; there are more than 700 study programs in English for foreign students.

Educational projects

Higher education includes five types of institutions:

• Danish Universities (implementing curricula for bachelor's, master's and postgraduate studies);
• University Colleges (Pro Bachelor's Degree);
• Business academies (undergraduate and Academy Profession courses);
• Art institutes (here they teach for bachelor's, master's or graduate student's degrees);
• Maritime schools (train professionals for the merchant marine and fishing vessels).

Duration of training:

• Bachelor's degree studies last three years;
• Master's degree - plus two years;
• For a doctoral degree - another three years.

The ratio of Danish and Russian programs can be represented as follows:

• A Danish classical or professional bachelor's degree corresponds to a Russian bachelor's degree;
• The Danish Master's degree is similar to the Master's degree in Russia;
• Postgraduate studies or PhD in Denmark correspond to the status of a candidate of sciences.

What are the conditions for foreign citizens to apply?

Secondary education in the country lasts 12 years, so it will not be possible to enter a university after 11, and even more so 9 grades of a Russian school. You will have to study at a Russian university for at least one year. Admission to creative professions requires passing a special exam. To enroll in a Danish university, a Russian citizen must certify the level of education with an appropriate diploma.

So, for admission to undergraduate programs, a certificate of secondary complete education (11 classes) is enough. Some educational institutions require one or two years to unlearn a similar profile of a Russian university. In the case when the average score of the certificate is higher than 4.5 points, they can be accepted for study immediately.

All issues are regulated by admissions committees, the deadline for submission of documents ends on March 15. Exceptions can be made in English-language programs. Details should be found at the university.

List of documents

The set of papers attached to the application complies with European standards:

• Certificate or diploma of education;
• Proof of knowledge of the language (Danish or English);
• Motivation letter;
• Recommendations or resume (at the request of the university).

The state fee for filing documents is 248 €. In parallel, the procedure for obtaining a residence permit is under way. The university starts the process, the applicant continues. Minor children and spouses are required to purchase separate residence permits, for each family member you will have to pay 231 €. Citizens of the CIS countries enter Danish universities in a similar way.

What the cost of studying

Citizens from Russia will have to pay for education from 6,000 € to 16,000 € for each year. This is a rather high price.

In addition, approximately 600 to 900 € will have to be spent per month on accommodation. In Copenhagen, the cost of living is even higher - up to € 1,500. This amount includes:

• Rental of property;
• Nutrition;
• Insurance;
• Mobile connection;
• Educational literature;
• Fare.

Free education

Russia is not on the list of countries intensively cooperating with Denmark, so Russian students should not rely on grants and material support. You won't be able to get an education for free, and it is almost impossible to get a student loan.

Scholarships and grants for foreigners

Danish technical universities issue a small number of manuals to help students from non-European countries.

Such government subsidies have 2 parts:

1. Full or partial tuition fees;
2. Grant covering the cost of living in the country.

The rest of the conditions for granting scholarships is determined by each university independently. Therefore, it is better to look for details on the official websites of educational institutions. At the same time, applicants will have the opportunity to improve their knowledge of the language.

Exchange internship programs

The list of scholarships for students from Russia is very limited. Students wishing to learn Danish language and literature can apply for a government exchange scholarship. The applicant must study at a Russian university and apply to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation or the Russian Academy of Sciences. These organizations send a presentation to an overseas institution. The scholarship applicant must have a ready-made project, which he is going to carry out in Denmark.

The subsidy is around 870 € and is paid throughout the year. Training is provided free of charge.

For non-Europeans, Denmark has an Erasmus Mundus student exchange program. Its goal is to increase student mobility and the quality of higher education through financial investments in the academic association of Europe and other countries. You can find out which Russian universities are participating in the project, as well as the conditions for applicants, here:

What accommodation options

The Danes lead a leisurely, measured and very economical way of life. It is considered common practice for them to travel around the city by bike and to dine at home. Russian citizens are surprised by the excessive punctuality of citizens. Here they strictly follow the rules and regulations, it is not customary to be late even for friendly meetings.

Nevertheless, very welcoming and hospitable hosts are usually hidden behind the external secrecy. It is easy to make sure of this, because foreign students most often have to rent housing privately. Only 10% of Danish students are provided with hostels.

Housing rent starts at 500 € per month. The grocery basket will cost another 300 €. Plus payment for individual student requests. To ease the financial burden, Danish law allows students to earn 15 hours a week during their studies, and full-time in the summer.

Top Danish Universities

Let's consider their advantages:

• (Københavns Universitet) is the oldest and largest university in the country. The history dates back to 1453. Medicine, social and humanitarian courses, pharmacy, theology, and law are taught here. Among the 37,000 students, about 1,750 are foreigners. The university pays 12 scholarships for graduate students annually. Official information:.
• (Danmarks Tekniske Universitet) is located in Lyngby-torbek, 12 km south of Copenhagen. The educational institution lives under the motto "Technology and Science for Society"... The leading research areas are technical design, wind power, biotechnology, electronics and telecommunications. Special scholarship program DTU H.C. Ørsted Fellowships annually distributes 16 scholarships for researchers from different countries. All details about the university and educational programs on the site.
• Aalborg University(Aalborg Universitet) is located in the north of the country, in North Jutland. The strongest courses are social, humanities, physical sciences, engineering. Here the innovative “Aalborg model” of learning has been tested. Students receive a minimum of traditional methods, the main emphasis is on a problem-oriented approach, ways of solving problems in real life. Official information is presented on the website

What students say

Olga, Russia: For myself, I chose to study at the Danish Academy of Fine Arts. This university is one of the best in Europe for an architectural education. Tuition fees are adequate, and student life is interesting and eventful.

Dmitry Guzhov: I will share my experience of studying in Denmark. First you need to translate your diploma and certificate into English, then draw up a curriculum vitae. Send all documents by mail in advance, well before the end of the deadline. Since admission to universities is carried out on the principle of “first come-first serve”, which translates as follows: “who did not have time, he was late.

After graduation, a person has 6 months to find a job. Government agencies are willing to help promising graduates who are already adapted to local conditions to get jobs. After another two years, you can get a permanent residence permit, and the path to citizenship will take 9 years.

And 92%. However, the International Program for the Assessment of Students' Educational Achievements (PISA) can better determine the level of knowledge acquired by high school students, in Denmark, on average, they receive 499 points out of 600 possible, in Russia, for example, 469 points and in Finland 543 points.

As we said Denmark is a country of universal equalization, even in independent testing girls and boys receive the same number of points, but in other European countries girls are ahead of boys by at least 10 points. The financial condition of their parents also strongly affects the performance of schoolchildren, the educational system of Denmark can offer students from different families according to their socio-economic status relatively equal opportunities for learning. From this point of view, financially secure students from the Benelux countries and some Eastern European countries have more opportunities.

On average, every student in Denmark can count on 18.8 years of study, which is a very high figure, as children from Russia study for only 16.6 years, the record belongs to 19.6 years.

Kindergartens in Denmark

Children in Denmark are sent to preschool institutions from the age of 3, in a nursery from 3 months, kindergartens are run by municipalities, thus they can be private and public, but always on a paid basis.

Schools and secondary education in Denmark

Children go to school from the age of 7, there are only 10 classes, the first year is preparatory, and the last is not mandatory at all, nevertheless, most children finish the 10th grade. Then you can go to high school, which lasts 3 years, it can be professional and academic. The academic school prepares children for admission to universities, final exams are a green light on the path of enrollment in higher educational institutions. Vocational schools are similar to our vocational schools and technical schools, you can study from 2 to 5 years, after which you can go to work or still continue your studies, for example, from the second year of the university.

Higher education, universities and universities in Denmark

Denmark's universities are divided into academic and non-academic, for a bachelor's degree to study for 3 or 4 years, for a master's degree for another 2 years, after which you can go to graduate school. All universities in Denmark are free for citizens of Denmark or the European Union. As you have penetrated, non-academic institutions are narrow-profile institutes and colleges, they issue bachelor's degrees. At universities there are preparatory courses, you can also get a second higher education, all this is already paid, but the cost is relatively low

Admission to Danish Universities

For foreign students, quotas are provided, first of all, secondary education must correspond to the Danish level, for applicants from Russia, Ukraine or Belarus, this will mean that only those who have completed two years of university studies in their homeland can enter, the second option is to study in preparatory branch at universities in Denmark for two years. In Denmark, you can study both in English and in Danish, in both cases, foreign students must provide language certificates, TOEFL certificates for at least 550 points or IELTS for 6 points are suitable for studying in English. Applying for a master's degree, respectively, you must provide a bachelor's degree or a specialist from your country.

Scholarships in Denmark

As a rule, scholarships in Denmark are intended for students who are engaged in research activities, and are also aimed at covering the costs of travel for internships, such a scholarship can be up to 1000 euros. Scholarships are also available for Danish language learners if the foreign student donates the opportunity to study in English. Foreign students or students from low-income families can apply for financial assistance from the state, in this case it is necessary to fulfill a number of conditions, assistance can be directed to the maintenance of the student, compensation for the cost of living and so on, the income for each family member of such a student is also taken into account.

During their studies, students have the right to work 15 hours per week or 37 hours during the week during vacations, which in the latter case is a full working week. We note right away that the working week in Denmark is the lowest in general in the world, people in this country have more time for rest, self-education and self-development. Even such reduced hours for work will give a salary of over 1000 euros even in the worst job, junior students of universities can apply for a job as a waiter or a janitor, in any case, the work will be unskilled at the lowest local rates, nevertheless, this will provide an opportunity for comfortable student life, of course, if work does not interfere with studies and in this case it is impossible to receive a scholarship.

Tuition fees in Denmark

Each university has its own tuition fees, the amount can start from 5,000 euros per year and go up to 20,000 euros. Exchange students, citizens of Denmark and the European Union study completely free of charge.

Dorms

The cost of a hostel is in the region of 300 euros per month, you can rent an apartment or a room from individuals, such a luxury will cost from 700 euros per month, taking into account utility bills, even working half a day you can pay this amount, but it will still be expensive. The minimum need to count on 600 euros of all kinds of expenses per month.

Study visa to Denmark

Everything here is very standard, you need to have a passport, make a copy of it, also do it with an internal passport. Fill in the visa application form, sign it, paste there a photo the size of a passport, attach the second photo to the package of documents. An invitation from the university to study, a receipt for payment of tuition and accommodation fees are submitted. Diploma or certificate of secondary education. Financial guarantees are bank statements or a printout from an ATM, an amount of at least 600 euros per month for life or 7200 euros per year is required, but as a rule, confirmation is enough only for the first semester. Together with a study visa, a residence permit is issued in parallel, while knowledge of English or Danish is required, which can be confirmed by a certificate.

Prospects to stay in Denmark

A permanent residence permit can be obtained after two years of stay in this country. University graduates have six months to find a job in Denmark, otherwise they are forced to leave the country. In general, Denmark is a great place to settle in Western Europe, there is low unemployment, a lot of work for both highly qualified employees and those who do not have a diploma accepted in the EU countries. Students who have studied for several years in Denmark have already acclimatized and can further successfully integrate into the Danish environment.

Studying in Denmark is very profitable and prestigious: in addition to being an opportunity to get a high-quality European education, it is also a chance to improve your English, travel, and later, with a Danish diploma, an opportunity to get a job in any part of Europe.

English is one of the reasons why many foreigners who are thinking about education in Europe choose Denmark. In this country, almost the entire population speaks English, therefore, firstly, it will be easy for a foreign student to get used to life in a new country, even if you do not know Danish at all. And secondly, in Denmark all universities offer study programs in English - which provides foreigners with a wonderful language for life.

Danish universities are focused on international education and readily accept international students. There are two main routes to Danish universities: if you are already a student in Russia, you can try one of the many student exchange programs. Details about such programs must be found out in each specific case at your own university - Danish universities have many such programs, you just need to study the website of the university you are interested in and figure out how to become a member of such an exchange program.

On the other hand, you can apply to Danish universities on your own by preparing and sending the necessary set of documents. The Danish Ministry of Education annually sets two levels of quotas: for Danes and for foreign citizens who do not have a Danish diploma, but meet the requirements of Danish universities. The main requirement of Danish universities for applicants is 12 years of education in secondary school, so for Russians after 11 years in school, it is necessary to complete at least another first year of university. In addition, there is an additional entrance exam-competition for creative specialties in certain areas - for example, art, music.

In order to prepare for admission to Danish universities, you can take a special preparatory course that exists at university centers in Denmark. Here, firstly, you can learn Danish, which will still be useful to you for life in the country, and secondly, at the end of the preparatory course, you can take the special Higher Preparatory Examination, with which you will definitely be taken to any Danish university.

There are three types of higher education institutions in Denmark:

- universities. As a rule, these are higher educational institutions with a large number of faculties and profiles, with a wide selection of study programs in a wide variety of fields. Universities in Denmark are located in large cities, the levels of education are standard, but the terms of study are slightly different from those generally accepted in Europe. So, a bachelor's degree in Denmark can be done in 3 years, and not in 4, as in most universities. Master's - standard, 2 years, and doctoral student - 3 more.

The most prestigious universities in Denmark are the University of Copenhagen and the University of Southern Denmark - they both have well-filled websites where you can find all the necessary information about the admission rules and the curricula and exchange programs that exist in them.

- colleges. These higher educational institutions, as a rule, train narrow-profile specialists - but, unlike Russian technical schools, they still provide higher education, plus practical knowledge. Studying in colleges in Denmark lasts 3-4 years, depending on the specialty, in most cases, after 3-4 courses, students undergo practical training and only then write a diploma.

- professional academies. This type of higher education institution in Denmark prepares students for specific professions, even for the needs of a specific region. The difference from colleges is that the curriculum here is designed for 2 years.

After you have decided on the type of higher education institution in Denmark in which you would like to study, Business Times recommends choosing 2-3 specific universities, preparing and sending complete sets of documents there - most often, foreign universities require notarized copies of documents, so you you can apply to several universities at once and wait. After receiving confirmation that you have been accepted for study, you can contact the Danish embassy in Moscow to apply for a temporary residence permit, the details of obtaining which BusinessTimes wrote in our previous material.