Checklist

• Register for a CPR number and MitID

  CPR number

  When you arrive in Denmark to start your work at SDU, it is important that you contact the relevant authorities in order to register in Civil Registration System’ (CPR) and to obtain a CPR number and a health insurance card.

  You can register at your local International Citizen Service (ICS) centre, where you will find all the services you need in one place.

  When you have registered, you will be issued with a CPR number and you will receive a yellow health insurance card in the mail within 30 days.

  You will be covered by Danish healthcare as soon as you get the CPR number, but you need to make sure that you are sufficiently covered by private insurance or by the blue European Health Insurance Card from another EU country in the period of time until you have registered.

  MitID

  MitID is a commonly used secure login, which is used for public services and online banking.

  You can obtain MitID by presenting yourself in person at a citizen service centre, when you have received your yellow health insurance card. 

  Find more information about MitID here
• Register with the Danish Tax Agency

  The welfare system in Denmark is mainly financed via taxes.

  International employees are usually covered by social security in Denmark, and when you live and work in Denmark you must pay taxes to the Danish State. These taxes contributes to the Danish welfare system which includes healthcare, childcare and education.
  When you have arrived and registered in Denmark, you should therefore register with the Danish Tax Agency.

   

  Read more about tax here
• Open a bank account

  When you arrive in Denmark to start your work at SDU, you need to set up a Danish bank account as soon as possible. This will enable SDU to transfer your salary to you.

  To establish an account at a Danish bank you must first get a CPR number and receive your yellow health insurance card. The bank can then help you set up a NemKonto, which is a public payment system that enables the authorities to transfer money to you.

  Read more about NemKonto here

  If you do not take up residence in Denmark and get a CPR-number you can have your international bank account assigned as a NemKonto.

  You can find the registration form and the instructions here

  How to open a Danish bank account

  There are many different banks in Denmark , and to open a bank account simply contact the bank you find most relevant.

  The following documentation is needed for setting up an account:

  • Passport
  • Tax card
  • Employment contract or enrolment letter
  • Payslip or documentation for scholarship
  • TIN or national identification number.

  Find more information about TIN here

• Digital Post

  If you have a Danish CPR number, you will receive digital post from public authorities in an online mailbox. 

  It is your responsibility to check your digital post frequently.

  Read more about Digital Post here
• Exchange your driving licence

  Driving licences issued in a non-EU/EEA country

  If you have a non-EU/EEA driving licence, you may be required to exchange it for a Danish driving licence within 180 days of arriving in Denmark.

  Driving licences issued in an EU/EEA country

  You do not need to convert a driving licence that was issued in an EU country, Iceland, Lichtenstein or Norway.

  Find more information on exchanging your driving licence here
• Private insurance

  In Denmark the public health care system is tax financed and the vast majority of health services such as hospital services and visits to general practitioners, are free of charge for users.

  However, it is your own responsibility to take out private insurance in certain other areas while you are staying in Denmark, e.g. accident insurance, travel insurance etc.

  Read more about the different types of insurance
• Unemployment insurance

  In Denmark, you can take out unemployment insurance by applying to join an unemployment insurance fund (A-kasse). This is not a requirement - it is optional.

  Read more about unemployment insurance
• Learn Danish

  SDU is a parallel language workplace, where both Danish and English are used as working languages. For this reason, in cooperation with the local language centres we offer our new international employees a variety of special and customised Danish language courses. Our courses are publicly financed but adapted to the needs of university staff.

  If you are interested in learning Danish on arrival, we offer courses in all of our campus cities. Accompanying partners can also attend Danish classes by paying a deposit.

  Read more about Danish courses
• Choose a dentist

  You can choose freely between all practising dentists in Denmark. You are required to cover all dental expenses yourself. However, before you receive your dental invoice, a minor state subsidy is deducted as part of the Danish public healthcare reimbursement scheme.

  Children and young people under 18 years of age are entitled to free dental treatment.

  If you have an accident involving your teeth, emergency dentists are open outside normal opening hours.

  Find contact information for emergency dentist in the Region of Southern Denmark here