Practical Information

Official start date of the autumn semester: 1 September
(Some courses start already in August)

Official start date of the spring semester: 1 February
(Some courses start already in January)

National holidays in Denmark:

• 1 january: New Year's Day (Nytårsdag)
• Maundy Thursday, Thursday before Easter (Skærtorsdag)
• Good Friday, Friday before Easter Sunday (Langfredag)
• Easter (Påske)
• Second day of Easter, Monday after Easter Sunday (2. påskedag)
• Ascension Day (Kristi Himmelfartsdag)
• Whitsunday (Pinsedag)
• Second day of Whitsun, Monday after Whitsunday (2. pinsedag)
• 5 June, Constitution day (Grundlovsdag)
• 24 December, Christmas Eve (Juleaften)
• 25 December, Christmas Day (1. Juledag)
• 26 December, Second Day of Christmas (2. juledag)

Please note that, if you are completing a traineeship facilitated by UCL you may check with your traineeship coordinator to hear if you are off on the abovementioned national holidays.

Finding accommodation in a new country can be difficult and time-consuming. For you to have one thing less to think about before going abroad, we offer you as an exchange student assistance in finding accommodation.

Please note that UCL University College does not provide direct accommodation offers to exchange students. Exchange students that have been admitted for an exchange of minimum 2 weeks can receive guidance on how to find accommodation in Denmark.

How does it work?

If you want our help to find accommodation, you must state that in the application form. Once you have received your acceptance letter from us, we will provide the requested infromation.

Students enrolled in Odense or Svendborg will receive information about accommodation possibilities in Odense. 

Students enrolled in Vejle and Jelling, will receive information about accommodation possibilities in their respective campus city.

It is your responsibility to actively look for accommodation as soon as possible after admission and making sure this is in place before you start your exchange.

Accommodation and Traineeship/Clinical placement

If during your time at UCL you plan to complete a traineeship or clinical placement, you must be aware your placement can be located outside your accommodation area.

In this case, you should budget for extra transportation costs from your accommodation to your placement, in the form of single public transport fares or monthly subscribtion. You can check Rejseplanen for information on routes and prices.

Deposit

In Denmark it is standard to pay a deposit when renting accommodation. It is used to cover any damage or wear caused during your stay, e.g. painting walls, replacing furniture. For your information, part of your deposit will not be refunded at the end of the rental period. This is governed by the Danish law and applies to anyone renting accommodation in Denmark, Danes as well as internationals.

What kind of accommodation can you expect to find?

The accommodation can be in student residence halls or with private landlords. In the residence halls, you may find following type of rooms: either a private room with a private kitchen/bathroom or a private room with a shared kitchen/bathroom.

Typical cost of housing

Prices for student accommodation vary, but are generally between 2500 – 5000 DKK per month for a private room. Although the prices may seem high depending on your home country, the prices are within the norm in Denmark.

Contact

If you have questions about accommodation or the process of applying for accommodation, please contact:

We have a team of Student Buddies guiding you as an incoming exchange students to ensure that you get a good start to your exchange.

As full-time students, the Buddies know a lot about student life at UCL, and they can help you settle in, both academically and socially.

They can also help you with practical matters, e.g. registering for a CPR-number or getting in touch with a doctor.

If you would like a Buddy, we will assign you one as soon as you are accepted at UCL. The Buddy will contact you via email, which gives you an opportunity to ask questions before your arrival in Denmark.

Your Buddy is not only an arrival-service, but someone you can contact throughout your whole stay with us.

If you have any questions about the Buddy service, please contact:

The Code of Conduct is a set of ethical rules that we as an educational institution must live up to. The aim of the Code of Conduct is to formulate and disseminate united and clear ethical guidelines for the recruitments, admission and education of international students.

It is also important you read UCL's Standards for contact and behaviour, which explain what is expected of you during your time as a UCL student.

The cost of living in Denmark is generally quite high, but will vary depending on your lifestyle. It also depends on where you live, e.g. Odense is generally less expensive compared to Copenhagen and Aarhus.

Below, we have stated some typical prices to give you a hint of the cost of living in Denmark.

• Rent: 2300-3300 DKK. The rent depends on your accommodation and if you have a private room or not.
• Bus card: 200-650 DKK. The price is dependent on your choice of bus card. You can buy a card where you pay for every trip or a card where you pay for a month of travelling (the latter requires you have a CPR number).
• Groceries. 1 litre of milk at the supermarket: 9-16 DKK, 500 g of pasta at the supermarket: 8-15 DKK
• Eating out: 250-600 DKK
• Fast food meal: 90-140 DKK
• Coffee at a café: 40-80 DKK
• Beer or soft drink at a café: 40-90 DKK
• Gym card: 400-700 DKK / month. The price depends on the gym and the type of membership.

A CPR-number, also known as a civil registration number, is used to identify you in connection to several services in Denmark. You may for example be asked to state your CPR-number if you apply for a part-time job or get a library card.

If your exchange programme lasts longer than 3 months, you must register for a CPR-number at the Danish Civil Registration System. The registration can be done at International Citizen Service (ICS) once you arrive in Denmark.

Please look at International Citizen Service to locate your nearest ICS. Bring the following documents to ICS:

• Your Danish residence permit
• Your passport/European ID
• A copy of your tenancy agreement

Read more about the CPR-number at Lifeindenmark.dk.

Foreign students enrolled for less than 3 months are not eligible for a Danish CPR number and must have health insurance coverage through their national healthcare system (generally applies for EU and Nordic citizens) or through a private insurance (generally applies to non-EU citizens).

A copy of the applicant's criminal record is required for traineeships under the Social Education programme. 

If you wish to participate in an Erasmus+ student mobility, you need to contact the international office at your home institution.

They can tell you more about the Erasmus+ student mobility programme, the selection procedure, and financial support during your time abroad.

You can study as an Erasmus+ student with us if your home institution and our institution have a valid Erasmus+ exchange agreement.

Erasmus+ recent graduates

You must be enrolled at your home institution during the entire duration of the traineeship or clinical placement facilitated by UCL.

If you are looking for a traineeship as an Erasmus+ recent graduate, please note that UCL cannot facilitate this type of mobility and your application for enrollment at UCL will be rejected.

We use the ECTS point system, which is an abbreviation for European Credit Transfer System. The point system is used to compare higher education in the European Union and to facilitate transfer and progression.  

One academic year corresponds to 60 ECTS credits, equivalent to 1500-1800 hours of study in all countries. For each subject and for each completed education task, the student is awarded a certain number of ECTS points.

ECTS also includes a standard ECTS grading scale. At UCL, we use a 7-point Danish grade scale, which can be converted to the European grading scale consisting of ECTS, and also to the grade scale used in your home country.

You can find the grading scale with the Danish grades, their definitions and their equivalents as ECTS at the Ministry of Higher Education and Science's webpage.

The Danish healthcare system offers equal and universal access for all residents. However, depending on your citizenship, you may have to pay for your medical treatment in Denmark. 

Nordic country citizenship

As a Nordic country citizen, you are entitled to the same medical treatment as a Danish citizen. This means you are entitled to public healthcare services for free with some exceptions such as dental care and physiotherapy.

The medical treatment will be free of charge as long as you can document your citizenship with a passport or an ID.

Even though you as a Nordic country citizen are entitled to free medical treatment, we still recommend that you obtain a health insurance to be fully covered.

EU/EEA or Swiss citizenship

If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, covered by a statutory health insurance, and have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you can access any healthcare service that becomes medically necessary during your stay in Denmark.

This means you will benefit from the same healthcare services offered to residents in Denmark, and the charge of these services will be forwarded to the statutory health insurance service that issued your EHIC.

If you stay in Denmark for more than 3 months, you need to register for a CPR-number. When registering for a CPR-number, you receive a Danish national insurance card, which proves you are entitled to free public healthcare services in Denmark.

The insurance card must be presented at all visits to doctors and hospitals as well as at pharmacists when collecting prescriptions.

Non-EU citizenship

All non-residents staying in Denmark are entitled to emergency hospital care free of charge in the event of an accident, childbirth, acute illness or sudden aggravation of a chronic disease. All other healthcare services must be paid for by you or your insurance company.

If your stay in Denmark is shorter than 3 months, we strongly recommend that you obtain a health insurance in your home country to cover the cost of a visit to a doctor or a hospital.

If you stay in Denmark for more than 3 months, you need to register for a CPR-number. When doing that, you will receive a national health insurance card that proves you are entitled to free public healthcare services in Denmark.

The card must be presented at all visits to doctors and hospitals as well as at pharmacists when collecting prescriptions.

You can read more about the Danish healthcare system, the national health insurance, and the health insurance card at Lifeindenmark.dk.

When studying in Denmark, your Danish educational institutions cannot be held liable in the event of loss of property. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you get an adequate and suitable insurance before leaving your home country.

There are different insurances depending on your country and your insurance company. Therefore, we encourage you to contact your insurance company and get their assistance in finding the most suitable insurance.

You can read more about recommended insurance at Studyindenmark.dk.

MitID is a secure login used by several institutions in Denmark. For instance you need it if you wish to open a bank account or get a student job.

You need a CPR-number to obtain a MitID. You can order a MitID at a local citizen service after you have completed your CPR number application.

MitID requires you to have the MitID app installed on your smartphone at all time. You can read more about it on MitID.dk.

To make your first step into your new hometown easier, we offer a pick-up service free of charge.

When you arrive in your new study town, your Buddy will meet you at the central train or bus station and take you to your new accommodation.

The Buddy will introduce you to your new accommodation and also provide you with practical information you may need, e.g. where to find the closest bus stop or grocery shop.

Before your arrival, your Buddy will get in contact with you either via email or Facebook and set up the pick-up.

The pick-up service is available 08.00-22.00, and your Buddy can only meet you in your new study town. If you arrive later than 22.00, you will have to wait until the following day to be picked up by your Buddy.

If that is the case, we recommend that you book a room at a hotel or a hostel before your arrival.

If you have any questions about the pick-up service, please contact:

In order to study in Denmark, you may have to obtain a residence permit or an EU residence document. This is a document that ensures you have the right to reside in Denmark.

When obtaining a residence permit or an EU residence document, different rules apply depending on your citizenships. Below follows a brief explanation of what kind of residence permit or EU residence document you may need to apply for, depending on your citizenship.

Nordic country citizenship

As a Nordic country citizen, you do not have to apply for a residence permit nor an EU residence document, independent of the length of your stay in Denmark.

Your citizenship and your passport is proof of your right to reside in Denmark.

EU/EEA or Swiss citizenship

As an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, you may stay in Denmark for up to 3 months without a residence permit or an EU residence document.

If you are going to stay longer than 3 months, you need to apply for and obtain an EU residence document as an EU/EEA citizen or a residence permit as a Swiss citizen at the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).

The application can be made once you arrive in Denmark and within 3 months of your arrival.

When visiting your nearest Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) office, bring the following documents:

• Your passport/European ID
• Two passport photos
• Your Letter of Admission

You can find more information about how to apply for a residence permit or an EU residence document and where you can find your closest SIRI at New to Denmark.

Non-EU citizenship

As a non-EU citizen, you must apply for, pay, and be granted a Danish residence permit before your arrival in Denmark. Please note that it takes approximately 3 months to apply for and receive a residence permit.

We can assist you during the application process, and when you receive your Letter of Acceptance, you will also receive guidance for the application process for a student residence permit.

If you wish to learn more about residence permits, we recommend that you have a look at New to Denmark.

You are a student with special needs if you have a physical, mental or health-related condition that can affect your participation in your exchange. It is your responsibility to indicate any condition in your online application or as soon as possible after admission by writing to international@ucl.dk.

Exchange students enrolled at UCL are not eligible for publicly funded Special Educational Support (in Danish, SPS). If you have special needs, we encourage you to inform UCL International Office as soon as possible. We may be able to provide information on third-party providers of SPS services in Denmark. Any purchase or agreement with a service provider is to be drawn directly between the provider and the student. The latter is responsible to cover any expense for the service.

Campus accessibility

UCL campusses are accessible with wheelchairs, as they are equipped with ramps and elevators.

UCL does not provide transportation on campus or to the traineeship placement. There is no special pick-up service for disabled students.

Exams

As a student at UCL, you can make an application to get extra time during your written or oral exams if you are dyslexic, or if you have a physical or psychological handicap or illness. You can e.g. get more time for preparation, writing, more time to finish your written test, deviation from the curriculum, or get the opportunity to bring an assessor at the tests. Talk to your student counsellor well in advance, so that you know about your possibilities to get extra time for your tests/exams.

You can read more about it at this link.

Housing

UCL facilitates accommodation services for incoming exchange students. Unfortunately, the dormitories we can refer to are not accessible for wheelchair users. It will be the student’s responsibility to find alternative accommodation.

Economic support in case of special needs

Students from higher education institutions in Europe and the Nordic countries may be eligible for a special needs/inclusion support grant from Erasmus+, depending on their home university.

Grants for special needs are organised by your home institution. Please contact the Erasmus coordinator at your home institution to see if you are eligible for a special needs/inclusion support grant.