Universities in Denmark

Located to the south of Sweden and Norway, Denmark is a European country known for the happiness of its inhabitants, the birthplace of LEGO and a place of strong community spirit. It also has a cutting edge education system, with its innovation making it a great place to study, with a diverse student body.

The types of University

The 37 higher education institutions of Denmark can be sorted by the following categories:

Public universities – There are 8 publicly funded universities in Denmark, with a focus on research output. They include Copenhagen Business School, Aarhus University and Aalborg University.

University colleges – In Denmark, a university college is an institution that can offer courses up to the level of bachelor’s degree, usually with a focus on preparing the student for a particular profession.

There are 8 such institutions in Denmark, both private and publicly funded, including Metropolitan University College, VIA University College and Danish School of Media and Journalism. 

Arts colleges, schools and academies – These specialized institutions focus on education in the arts, such as music and film, and in architecture. There are 9 institutions of this kind in Denmark, including the Aarhus School of Architecture, The National Film School of Denmark and the Royal Danish Academy of Music.

Business schools and academies – These 9 institutions focus on the tuition of business related subjects, up to the level of bachelor’s degree, and include Business Academy Aarhus, Copenhagen Business Academy and Danish Academy of Business and Technology.

In addition, there are three schools in Denmark with a focus on maritime subjects, including the Aarhus School of Marine and Technical Engineering.

Language of instruction

Whilst Danish is the official language of Denmark, many Danish universities also offer courses taught in English. For example, the University of Copenhagen offers over 50 master programmes taught in English, while Aalborg University offers bachelors and masters degrees taught in English.

Popular cities in Denmark for International students

• Copenhagen – The capital city, on the eastern coast of Denmark, Copenhagen is the country’s most populous city. Copenhagen is a wonderful city to visit thanks to its cuisine, culture and history. It is also a popular destination for students, with excellent universities and transport links, plus the wonderful culture of cycling from place to place. Some of the country’s best education institutions are located here, including the University of Copenhagen, the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and Copenhagen Business Academy.
• Odense – Located centrally in the country, Odense offers visitors wonderful pretty streets to explore and a varied interesting history and interesting and beautiful architecture to enjoy. There are several of the country’s universities and colleges in Odense, including the University of Southern Denmark and the Danish National Academy of Music.
• Aarhus – Situated north of Odense, Aarhus is a small city with a lot to offer, from its food scene, its beaches to its pretty streets and its clever architecture. Aarhus is also home to many of Denmark’s universities and colleges, including Aarhus University, Aarhus School of Architecture, Royal Academy of Music and the Danish School of Media and Journalism.
• Aalborg – Towards the north of the country lies Aalborg, a city that boasts several museums and historic architecture. With a strong food culture and a waterfront that offers a bit of everything, Aalborg is a very pleasant place to visit or stay. It is also home to several of Denmark’s education institutions such as Aalborg University, a campus of Royal Academy of Music and University College of Northern Denmark.

The top universities in Denmark

Denmark is home to some of the most prestigious universities in the world, which is borne out by several world university ranking systems.

Table of the top ranked universities in Denmark

See below for a list of universities and higher education providers in Denmark. Click on universities you are interested in below to read more and to see which courses are available for international students.