Frequently asked questions
Get answers to frequently asked questions about practical things regarding life in Denmark
We hope that the FAQ list covers most of the questions you may have about Denmark. Should there be others, please contact us and we will be pleased to extend the list.
If you are a citizen of a country outside the Nordic countries
or the EU/EEA, you must hold a residence permit in order to
reside and study in Denmark.
If you wish to apply for a residence permit as a student,
both you and the educational institution in Denmark must
supply information for the processing of your application.
After you get admitted to a programme and pay the tuition
fees for the first semester, UCN will begin its part of the
student visa procedures.
You must obtain the permit before you arrive in Denmark,
so please note that the processing time at the Danish
Agency for International Recruitment and Integration is
two months.
EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can live, work and study in Denmark
under the EU regulations on freedom of movement and
do not need a visitor’s visa, residence or work permit.
However, they should obtain an EU residence document
(registration certificate) from the State Administration after
arrival.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit www.newtodenmark.dk, which is the official web
portal about the rules for entering and residing in Denmark,
run by the Danish Immigration Service and the Danish
Agency for International Recruitment.
As a student in Aalborg, you are entitled to up to 3 years of free* Danish language tuition provided by the local authority in their specially set-up language schools.
Please read more on the website for Sprogcenter Aalborg and for EUC Nord.
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* Please note that you need to pay a deposit.
Yes, most Danes have a very good command of English with only few possible exceptions: Elderly people and small children.
The CPR number is a personal identification number that is given to all citizens residing in Denmark.
You will be able to see your CPR number on your Danish yellow card.
After you obtain your study permit, you need to register at Aalborg municipality in order to obtain a 10-digit number. The first six digits of your CPR number are made up of your date of birth (ddmmyy-xxxx).
Your yellow Health Insurance Card (sundhedskort or the yellow card) entitles you to treatment in Denmark.
You will need the Health Insurance Card as proof of identity at your doctor’s, at libraries and in many other contexts. We therefore recommend that you always carry your yellow Health Insurance Card with you.
If you lose your card you must order and pay for a new one by contacting your local Citizen Service Center.
EU students
EU students need to bring a document from their home country stating that they are covered there by a medical insurance before going to Denmark - normally the blue EU health insurance card.
Non-EU students
It is a requirement that international non-EU students have medical insurance for duration of their stay and studies at UCN.
Remember to bring an insurance policy from your home country. However, after having received the yellow card from Aalborg municipality, you are covered by the Danish state on the same conditions as Danes.
EU students
On your arrival, you will be covered by the Danish Health Care System provided you bring the blue EU health insurance card. Health care (doctors and hospital) in Denmark is free - dentists and opticians make charges.
On receiving the yellow card (health insurance card), you can register with a doctor, open a bank account, get a job, etc.
Non-EU students
You will be covered by the Danish Health Care System after you receive your CPR-number (personal registration number) and yellow card (health insurance card).
When you receive the yellow card (health insurance card) you can register with a doctor. Health care (doctors and hospitals) in Denmark is free – dentists and opticians make charges.
Please bring subscribed medicine necessary for you. Only a limited range of medicines, e.g. painkillers and pills to relieve flus/colds, diarrhea, etc., can be purchased in the pharmacies without prescriptions.
To purchase other sorts of medicines, you do need a prescription from your general practitioner (GP). Once you have been registered in Denmark, you will be appointed a GP.
Compared to some other European countries, Denmark might seem a bit more expensive.
However, there are always ways to save money, namely: Sales are very common in Denmark - prices drop by up to 70 %, grocery shopping at discount supermarkets, using telephone cards and Internet calling (e.g. Skype), and eating and drinking out at the student-friendly locations.
Yes, you can. Please check the regulations regarding this on the website, New to Denmark.
Yes, you can, but there are different rules regarding how long you will stay in Denmark. Please go to the website for SKAT - the Danish tax service for more information.
In Denmark, a two-wired plug with two round prongs is generally used. It is popularly known as "the Europlug". Denmark uses 220/230 volts.
Yes, in Denmark it is safe to drink water from the tap. You can also purchase bottled water in Denmark.
Denmark is in the Central European Time Zone which is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).
In Denmark, the tone can best be described as informal, since Danes mostly address one another with the familiar "du" (=you) or by using the person's first name.
When addressing a teacher or professor it is not common to use the person's title (professor) or last name, but instead you call them by their first name.
