06 - Denmark - Admission requirements

Access to higher education in Denmark varies from programme to programme. Admission to most study programmes depends on the fulfilment of both general requirements and specific requirements. In the following the general and specific requirements for admission to higher education will be presented.

Short-cycle higher education

The short-cycle programmes basically build on to a vocational education and training or a general upper secondary education qualification. There are three types of admission requirements depending on the type of educational programme chosen:

• A completed vocational (technical, commercial or agricultural) education and training programme (for programmes with a specific professional aim and with the point of departure in specific craft skills);
• A completed general upper secondary education programme Gymnasium, HF, HHX and HTX (for programmes with a general professional aim and with the point of departure in analytical skills); this route may be chosen by skilled craftsmen if they take supplementary single-subject courses at general upper secondary level;
• Differentiated admission: for skilled craftsmen as the main target group but also with a possibility of admission for students with a completed general upper secondary education. For both groups, relevant supplementary subjects will be integrated into the introductory part of the programme (for programmes with a broad professional aim and which aim at broad job functions).

Some schools, e.g. the film school and the school of journalism have their own aptitude tests. But in general, students are granted admission on the basis of the average mark obtained at the final examination at upper secondary level.

Finally, there may be a number of special requirements regarding certain subjects at high level, work experience etc.

Long cycle higher education

The general admission requirement for all programmes at Bachelor level is the completion of one of the qualifying examinations at upper secondary level:

• the studentereksamen
• the Højere Forberedelseseksamen– HF the HHX the HTX Admission to a specific Bachelor program requires in addition to the general admission requirements stipulated above certain courses at level A, B or C (secondary school) and/or a practical test specified by the university. The specific admission requirement for each Bachelor program is stipulated by The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation after recommendation by the university.

The specific requirements for admission to Bachelor programmes will be changed from 2008.

Admission to a Master program is a relevant Bachelor program or other relevant Danish or foreign education on the same level. The admission requirements are stipulated in the study program by the universities.

In general the universities are responsible for regulating the size of the student population themselves, including the specific number enrolled at each Bachelor and Master program. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation can however determine the maximum number of students on a given Bachelor or Master program.

Den koordinerede tilmelding is responsible for coordinating the admission to the universities. Students are admitted to Bachelor programmes on the basis of two quotas. Admission through quota 1 depends exclusively on grades. Admission through quota 2 (kvote 2) depends on a number of different criteria, such as grades and working experience. The universities stipulate the criteria themselves.

Admission to the adult education system

The adult general education and vocational education and training system offers three types of education on higher education level:

Advanced Adult Education comparable to the level of short-cycle higher education

• Diploma programmes comparable to the level of medium-cycle higher education
• Master programmes (e.g. MBA) comparable to a long-cycle higher education level.

Most programmes consist of 2 years of part-time study, equivalent to 1 year of full-time study (60 ECTS points). Admission requirements are: Relevant educational qualification and at least 2 years of work experience within a relevant profession.

Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe