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THINK, PLAY, PARTICIPATE Danish higher education is all about your ideas, your aspirations, your opportunities. It's about expressing yourself, working with others and applying new knowledge to solve problems smarter.

PhD & research

Danish universities and research institutions welcome international PhD students - either as full-degree students or as visiting students

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Denmark welcomes international PhD students. The duration of a Danish PhD programme is usually three years. The components of the programme are:

  • Independent research under supervision
  • Courses for PhD students (approximately 30 ECTS credits)
  • Participation in research networks, including placements at other, primarily foreign, research institutions
  • Teaching or another form of knowledge dissemination, which is related to the PhD topic when possible.
  • The completion of a PhD thesis

PhD programmes are offered at Danish universities, which all offer excellent research, library and laboratory facilities for researchers and PhD students in addition to joint partnerships with industry.

Admission requirements

The general admission requirement for PhD programmes is that candidates should hold a degree equivalent or comparable to the Danish two-year Candidatus/Master’s degree. In some areas, a four-year PhD programme is offered to students who have completed a Bachelor’s degree as well as one year of study at postgraduate level.

Be aware that obtaining a PhD position in Denmark is highly competitive. For information about admission requirements and application procedures, contact the relevant higher education institution or study the list of available PhD positions

Financing and scholarships

A range of funding options is available:

  • Studentships: PhD studentships are advertised by universities, research institutions, business enterprises and public and private foundations. Employment is usually for a period of three years.
  • Industrial PhD fellowships: These fellowships are offered through joint collaboration between a private enterprise and a university. The PhD programme will be conducted as a research project and the PhD student is to facilitate joint collaboration between the university and the private enterprise. The duration of these fellowships is usually three years. Further information is available at The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education
  • Self-financed PhD programmes: As a self-financed student you will usually be charged a tuition fee, ranging from 10,000 to 16,000 Euros per year.
  • International financial support: You may also be eligible for scholarships or other international financial support either from your home country or from international organisations such as the European Commission’s research programmes.
  • The Danish institution you enrol at may offer a scholarship programme. Please contact the institution of your interest for further information.
  • EU students are under certain circumstances eligible for a Madame Curie Scholarship or other kinds of EU funding. You will find further information at the European Researchers' Mobility Portal
  • Further information is offered at: https://www.workindenmark.dk/researchers

Visiting Students

PhD students enrolled at a university outside Denmark can apply for admission as a visiting PhD student at a Danish university or research institution. You should contact the institution of your interest for further information on possibilities and procedures. Many universities have special application forms.

Useful links

http://my.studyindenmark.dk