How to apply

If you are a Nordic citizen you are free to reside, study and work in Denmark without any further documentation. You should, however, bring a valid form of identification (such as your passport, driver's license or bank card) and register at the citizen service centre to get a personal identification number.

EU citizens and EEA/Swiss nationals may also reside freely in Denmark under the EU rules of free movement, for up to three months without any kind of permit or documentation other than your national identification card/passport. If you wish to stay for a longer period than 3 months, you must apply for a registration certificate.

The registration certificate can be obtained through one of the Regional State Administrations in Denmark and must be applied for within three months after your entry into Denmark. In addition, this certificate makes it possible to obtain a personal identification number and a health-insurance card. You just have to bring the registration certificate and your passport/national identification card to the citizen service centre.

We advise you to register at the Regional State Administration even if you are only staying in Denmark for a short period (less than 3 months). In most cases, your school will help you with the registration once you have arrived.

To learn more on how to apply for a registration certificate please visit this website

If you live in a country outside the EU/EEA you must be granted a residence permit in order to enter Denmark and follow a course at a folk high school. Thus, you need to apply for and obtain your residence permit prior to your travel to Denmark. You can apply for a residence permit at the Danish embassy or consulate in your home country once you have been accepted for admission by the folk high school, and all the administration work has been completed including paying the school fee, administrative fees etc. Upon payment of your school fee, the folk high school will send you the so-called ST-1 document which you will need when applying for the residence permit.

How to apply

A residence permit must be obtained before entering Denmark. An application for a residence permit is submitted in the applicant's home country, usually by a Danish representation, i.e.. an embassy or a consulate general or at a representative office Denmark has an agreement with.

Read here where you can submit your application for a stay

Step by step:

1. The student applies for admission to a Danish folk high school. The school might ask you for a Skype interview in addition to a written application.
2. The school sends an 'acceptance letter' to the student and an invoice.
3. Once the school has received payment from the student, it can send an 'enrollment letter' together with the ST1 form that the student must complete.
4. The student meets at the Danish Embassy with the documents and submits biometrics (image, signature and fingerprints) and interview.
5. All of this is sent to The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) who will handle the case. SIRI has a 60 days service goal starting the day they have received all the relevant documentation, so make sure to start your application process at least 3 months prior to the start of the folk high school semester.
6. If your application is approved, you will be granted a residence permit for the duration of the course.

The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) handles applications for 'residence permits for studies' for citizens outside the EU.

You can read the specifics concerning the application process at their web page 'new to denmark'

If you are in Denmark on a "Working Holiday"-visa you don't need to apply for a separate visa if you wish to attend a Folk High School, as long as the course you wish to attend begins and ends within your visa's duration period.

Denmark has "Working Holiday"-agreements with the following countries:
Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.