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Before and when you arrive

Before you arrive at SDU, there are some practical matters you must attend to. We have collected some information to help you prepare for your arrival at SDU and your first couple of weeks in Denmark.  

Residence in Denmark

Studies over three months require a residence permit.

Nordic citizens

Citizens of Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden are free to enter, reside, study and work in Denmark. They do not need a visa, residence or work permit. Nordic citizens must go to the National Register (Borgerservice) to obtain a civil registration number (CPR) upon arrival in Denmark if staying in the country for more than 6 months. See more below.

EU/EEA or Swiss Citizens

Citizens of an EU country, an EEA country or Switzerland who intend to stay in Denmark for more than 3 months must apply for a certificate of registration at the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).  You will be informed about the registration process once you have been enrolled.

Non EU/EEA citizens

As a rule all non-EU/EEA citizens need a student residence permit (ST1) to study in Denmark, however, there are some who are exempted from having to apply for a student residence permit.

  • Students who hold a temporary residence permit "with a view to/possibility of" being granted permanent residence in Denmark do not pay tuition. Your residence permit must state: "mhp. varigt ophold" or "mmf varigt ophold".
  • Children of workers from non-EU/EEA countries having been granted a residence permit pursuant to Section 9M of the Danish Aliens Act and whose parents have been granted residence permits pursuant to Section 9A of the Danish Aliens Act.
  • Students with a residence permit granted on the basis of family reunification (if the permanent residence is in Denmark)
  • In order to obtain a student residence permit you must be fully admitted into a programme at SDU – either as an exchange student or a full degree student (Bachelor’s or Master’s degree). This means that the student residence permit application process cannot be commenced until after you have received confirmation of your admission. Full degree students must have paid the tuition fees before SDU starts the process.
  • The process starts when SDU fills in the first part of the online ST1 form. You cannot start the process yourself. SDU sends an e-mail to you with username/password and further instructions to fill in part 2 of the ST1 application.
  • Besides the online form, you must have your biometrics recorded at a diplomatic mission or application center within a set deadline after the application submission. See SIRI’s website for more information.

The condition for extending a residence permit is, first and foremost, that you continue to meet the conditions for your original residence permit.

you can submit your application for a extension 4 months before your residence permit expires. It is crucial that you submit your application for an extension before your current residence permit expires.

You are allowed to remain in Denmark while your application for an extension is being processed.

If you submit your application after the date your residence permit expires, you should expect your application to be rejected. This means that your application will not be processed unless special circumstances apply, such as, if you cannot be blamed for the delay, or if Denmark's international obligations warrant it. If your application is rejected, you will have to leave Denmark and apply for a new residence permit in your country of origin. Such an application will be regarded and processed as an entirely new application for a residence permit, i.e. it will be processed in accordance with the rules that apply to first-time applications. In other words, you will lose the right to an extension of your previous residence permit.

Please note, that you have to pay an application fee. You can see all the requirements at the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).

As a Bachelor student, contact tuitionfee@sdu.dk to get started your ST3 application to prolong your visa. As a Master student, contact optagelse-UKOT@sdu.dk.

Even if you already have obtained a residence permit for the 3 or 3.5 years of your studies, you have to apply for a 'full time work permit' for an internship if you want to take an internship during this time. The application is called ST4.

the internship must be part of the study programme or award you with ECTS credits transferable to the study programme. It is also required that the place of the internship is recognised by SDU.

SDU completes part 2 of the application form, afterwards, the student must fill in part 1 and submit the application.

There is no fee for submitting the ST4 application.

Contact us via tuitionfee@sdu.dk to get started the process.

 

Tuition fees

Full degree students from a non-EU country, must pay tuition fees before arrival. Read more about tuition fees and payment conditions on our Tuition Fees page.

 

Civil Registration Number

Any person staying in Denmark for more than three months must apply for a Civil Registration Number, referred to as CPR number in everyday speech.

Therefore, all international students regardless of nationality must apply for a CPR number once they have received their residence permit. However, Nordic citizens only have to apply for a CPR number, if they are staying in Denmark longer than 6 months.

The procedure for obtaining a CPR number varies from campus to campus. You will be informed of the procedure at your respective campus once you are enrolled at SDU.

 

Study start at SDU

At SDU every student needs a Student Card. You must order your Student Card online, and you will receive information on how to order it once you have been accepted to SDU.

Your Student Card is a plastic card with your exam number printed on it and serves as your Student ID. The Student Card serves several purposes:

  • Identification during exams
  • Key to the campus after hours as well as a key to facilities related to your study field e.g. labs and IT facilities
  • Your username and password to the Student self-service are connected to your Student ID
  • Copy and printing at SDU
  • Discounts in the University bookshop as well as several shops and cafés in town

For more information about the Student Card and where to collect it at our campuses, please visit the MySDU - Student card page.

Full degree students: You are responsible for registering for the courses you would like to follow. Therefore, you need to explore which courses are available for you. Depending on your study programme, you may have compulsory courses as well as electives. You sign up for courses through the Student Self-Service system.

Exchange/fee-paying guest students: The registration process varies and you will receive the relevant information directly.

All students are automatically registered for the exam once they are registered for a course.

For more information regarding course registration check out the study programme site at MySDU

When you have been registered at SDU and have received your student ID, you will also receive information on how to access our Student Self-Service system.

It is very important, that you get access to the Student Self-Service system since it is used for many important academic matters such as:

  • Registering for courses and exams
  • Exam results, and printing of them
  • Access to e-learn
  • Connection to your student email account, where you will receive general information regarding the University and your studies

For more information regarding the Student Self-Service, please check out the study programme site at MySDU.

We look forward to welcoming you to SDU. To give you a proper welcome to SDU and ease your stay here, we have arranged a welcome programme for you.

Here you can hear more about how to register with the authorities, life in Denmark, and need-to-know information about your student life at SDU. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to participate in the orientation days.

We have orientation days at all of our campuses. You can keep yourself updated on the introduction program and activities relevant to your campus at the MySDU - Introduction Days.

 

 

SDU International University of Southern Denmark

  • Campusvej 55
  • Odense M - DK-5230
  • Phone: +45 6550 2264

Last Updated 07.06.2023