The practicalities of moving to Denmark
You must have so many questions relocating to a new country. The practical side is just one of the aspects of moving, but it can be quite a big step. We want to give you the best opportunities to make the transition a pleasant one.
Once you have been admitted to your study programme, most of your questions can be answered by their international office or student counsellors. We have listed information to some of your most frequestly asked questions and links to ressources.
On this page:
When you arrive to Denmark
Providing you are here on a stay of more than 3 months you will need to get either an EU residence document or residence permit (non-EU citizens), register an address and get a CPR number.
The ICS
This is where the International Citizen Service centers come in handy. All the public authorities you typically need when moving to Denmark are coordinated and facilitated through these centers.
If the international office at your educational institution has not provided you with all the means for registering, this is where you can go to take care of all your paperwork and find answers to your questions regarding your entry and stay.
International Citizen Services are in all the major cities in Denmark and connect all relevant Danish authorities, so you can get paperwork done in one place.
What is a CPR number and how do I get one?
If you are staying in Denmark for more than 3 months, you need to register for a CPR number.
A CPR number – or social security number – is important for several reasons. For instance, if you need to borrow books in the library, open a Danish bank account, go to the doctor, get insurance or if you get a student job and receive a salary and register for tax purposes.
You can get a CPR number only after you have arrived in Denmark. With the CPR-number, you get a yellow health card about 1 month after registration.
Requirements:
- You are staying in Denmark for more than 3 months
- For EU/EEA or Switzerland citizens: an EU residence document / For non-EU citizens: a residence permit
- A registered address in Denmark
Note that there is a processing time for up to 2 months and for non-EU citizens a processing fee for the residence permit.
For non-EU citizens
In order to obtain a residence permit, you must have documentation ready, such as a passport or ID, documentation that you are enrolled in an educational institution in your home country, and documentation that you can support yourself during your stay in Denmark.
You need to provide information that you are admitted to a higher educational programme in Denmark for a full-time study.
EU and Non-EU citizens
Read more about the requirements on New to Denmark, which is the official Danish Immigration Service and Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).
MitID
MitID is a personal, digital ID. It is not required when living in Denmark, but it can come in handy if you have any interaction with the Danish public sector or financial institutions. Many e-businesses have also implemented it, so you might also come into contact with it when shopping online.
MitID is a secure login system designated to safely allow you to connect with public self-service solutions like tax and health services. With MitID you can do your online banking and private businesses use MitID to verify your credit information when shopping online.
MitID comes as an app you can use on your phone or tablet to confirm your identity when making a purchase or contacting an official service provider. You chose a user ID and password, and every time you use the service, it will ask you to open up the app and swipe in order to accept the transaction or login.
How do I get MitID?
You can get MitID with a valid biometric passport and a smartphone. Simply download the app and follow the steps. The app can read the chip in your passport and confirm your identity.
If you don´t have a biometric passport and/or a smartphone, you can go to a Citizen Service Center. You must book an appointment beforehand and bring valid documentation.
Go to MitID to read more about the service and how to get MitID.
SU
SU (Statens Understøttelse) is the Danish student grant program. It is a financial support granted by the State to help cover basic living costs while studying. The SU grant is not a loan, so it does not require repayment upon graduation, but there are also loan options to top up or extend the grant. All Danish students at an accredited educational institution are eligible to apply for SU. How much you receive depends on your living situation and if you are a parent.
If you are an EU/EEA or Nordic student, you are also eligible to receive SU, however you must fulfill a list of criteria.
Eligibility for SU:
- You are an EU or EEA citizen (or related to one)
- You work at least 10-12 hours a week
- You study at a Danish educational institution full-time (not eligible if you study through an exchange programme)
If you meet these criteria, you need to apply for SU. There are SU offices at your educational institution that can guide you. You can also get further information on how to get SU as a foreign cititzen on SU.dk.
If you receive SU, there is a limit to how much you can earn per year while getting the grant. If you exceed this limit, you are required to pay back some of the grant. Therefore, plan your hours accordingly.
You can check how much your fribeløb (translates to “free amount”) is. This will allow you to find the maximum amount you can earn in your job while receiving SU. Read more about rules regarding employment and private earnings.
The SU will be paid out to a NemKonto on a monthly basis, and should you have applied for SU as a foreign cititzen, your status will be monitored regularly to ensure that you are still eligible for grant subsidy.
NemKonto
If you receive payments from public authorities, you are required to have a NemKonto. This could for example be if you receive SU, have a job that comes with holiday days (these are paid out by a governmental system) or get a tax refund.
NemKonto is simply your own bank account that you choose to assign as NemKonto.
You can use your bank account from your home country, but it is also possible to open a Danish bank account and assign this as your NemKonto.
IDA is partnered with Lån&Spar bank, which means that we have secured a number of benefits beforehand for our members like a 5% interest rate.
You can read more about the IDA+Lån&Spar student account and learn how to open up a Danish student bank account.
Student insurance
It is reccommended to have insurance while studying. You never know when it might come in handy.
When you are a student member of IDA, you get one of the best prices on insurance in Denmark. We make sure to keep affordable prices because we know how important it is to have insurance and also recognise that a student budget does not have much wiggle room.
If you move into your own place you can get a Home Contents insurance for free for the duration of your active student life and a year after graduation? The insurance includes personal liability, theft and legal aid.
Other insurances that are reccommended for students are travel insurance and accident insurance.
If you own a car or bring a pet, you are reqired to have insurance.
NB: remember to cancel you insurances in your home country, if you do decide to purchase an insurance through IDA Insurance – you are not allowed to have two.
SKAT
If you get a student or part-time job in Denmark, you need to apply for a tax card (skattekort) at SKAT.
This way, your employer will know how much tax to deduct from your salary.
You will also need to contact SKAT if you receive Danish scholarships or grants. When contacting SKAT please have information ready about expected earnings, other income and deductions as well as if you need to pay tax in your own country.
The tax card is information about your deductions and allowances. When you have a tax card, you can see your information on your preliminary income assessment (forskudsopgørelse).
Read more about paying tax as a student at SKAT.dk.
