Non-employed/guest PhD-students

You can be granted a residence permit in order to follow a PhD-programme at SDU in Denmark, while supporting yourself with your own means during your stay.

Nationality

Nordic and EU/EEA-Citizens

Nordic citizens or citizens from an EU/EEA can work in Denmark without a residence and work permit, but if you are a non EU-citizen you can read more about the requirements below.

Non-EU-citizens

You must apply for a residence and work permit to Denmark. You can read more about the requirements for a residence and work permit by following the links in the menu to the right.

Conditions

In order to be granted a residence permit as a PhD you must document:

that you can speak and understand the language of instruction and have a working knowledge of either Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German
that you have been admitted (the condition of admission is only for full-degree PhD-students) to a PhD-programme at a Danish university without being paid by the university or by a company in Danmark, and that you can support yourself with your own means during your stay. You must document that you have at your disposal an amount equivalent to Danish student grants (SU) for the period of time your residence permit is to cover, with 12 months being the maximum requirement.
The monthly amount (2022 level) is DKK 6,397 making the maximum required amount 12 x 6,397 = DKK 76,764. If you are to pay a tuition fee yourself, you can document that you have paid the tuition fee for the first semester instead of documenting that you can support yourself.
Please note that as a PhD student in Denmark, you may not receive public assistance / benefit payments. This also applies to any accompanying family members.

Duration

If you are to complete an entire programme you will be granted a residence permit for the duration of the programme.
If, on the other hand, you are only to follow part of a programme, the residence permit will be granted for the duration of the part you are to follow.
It is a condition for the residence permit that you are active and enrolled in the educational programme. If this is not the case, the Danish Agency for Labour Market and Recruitment can revoke your residence permit. The educational institution is obliged to inform the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration if you are not actively following the educational programme.

Family members

If you have been granted a residence permit to follow a PhD-programme, you can bring certain family members.
Read more about residence permit for accompanying family members

How to apply

The application process always has to be initiated by the International Staff Office at SDU, so please contact us at iso@sdu.dk for more information or read more about the different kinds of applications in the menu in the right side.
The application fee costs DKK 1,890 (EUR 254).
Read more about how to apply for a residence permit as a PhD student at newtodenmark.dk