State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme (SU and SU-lån)

The Danish students' Grants and Loans Scheme

Tuition at Danish public and most private educational institutions is free for Danish students and for EU/EEA students as well as for students participating in an exhange programme. All other students have to pay a tuition fee. Society lends students a helping hand in covering living costs for a great variety of courses and studies. 

Over 474.000 (2020) Students benefit from these two types of educational support every year. The annual budget amounts to 28,7 billion Danish Kroner, around 1,2 per cent of Gross National Product.

There are two main support programmes

For people over 18 following a youth education program i.e. a general upper secondary, vocational upper secondary or vocational education and training program. Students must attend classes, sit examinations and in other ways demonstrate that they are active in their educational programmes. No time limits are placed on this type of support. Students are eligible for support for any number of courses, with the exception of certain upper secondary programmes. Until students are 20, their grants depend upon their parents' income. When that exceeds a certain amount the grants are reduced on a sliding scale, ending in a minimum grant.

Student enrolled in a full-degree programme is entitled to a number of monthly grants if they fulfil the general conditions. When the student starts his or her education, we grant SU corresponding to the education’s prescribed duration in months. If the student is admitted to his or her first higher education course no later than two years after his or her first completed qualifying exam, the student receives SU to the prescribed duration of the education + 12 extra grant portions. Inside a maximum of 70 grants students can change from one course to another. If the student is studying at a higher education course and has used all his or her grant portions, the student can some times receive a completion loan in the last year of his or her studies.

All students (1 and 2) living with their parents are supported with a lower grant than students living in lodgings. Students under 20 enrolled in a youth education program are supported as if they are living with their parents whether they do so or not, but may apply for an exemption.

Students who accept support in a year in which their private earnings exceed a set amount have to repay some of the grants and loans received that year plus 7%. However, they have the option of not accepting support for a period of time thus enlarging the set amount.

Students in higher education (under a time limitation) have the choice of using these grants later, to prolong their studies (for instance, to prepare for re-examination after a failed exam).

In particular situations - mainly sickness and childbirth - students can apply for extra monthly grants. New mothers, fathers and legal co-parents are eligible for 9 extra monthly grants, with certain stipulations.

Altogether the rules make for a flexible system. Students have the option of organising their studies according to their personal preferences and earning possibilities. At the same time, however, they incur a measure of personal accountability for managing their financial situation.

SU and internship

If you are to participate in a paid internship, you are not entitled to SU in the months in which you get paid.

If your higher education includes periods of unpaid internships or project-oriented courses, you can receive SU in these months if you meet the general conditions.

The host company of your internship is allowed to give you a token of appreciation in the form of a small amount. Read more about the requirements for receiving this token of appreciation in addition to your SU and see how much you are allowed to receive here (in Danish).

All students (1 and 2) living with their parents are supported with a lower grant than students living in lodgings. Students under 20 enrolled in a youth education program are supported as if they are living with their parents whether they do so or not, but may apply for an exemption.

Students who accept support in a year in which their private earnings exceed a set amount have to repay some of the grants and loans received that year plus 7%. However, they have the option of not accepting support for a period of time thus enlarging the set amount.

Students in higher education (under a time limitation) have the choice of using these grants later, to prolong their studies (for instance, to prepare for re-examination after a failed exam).

In particular situations - mainly sickness and childbirth - students can apply for extra monthly grants. New mothers, fathers and legal co-parents are eligible for 9 extra monthly grants, with certain stipulations.

Altogether the rules make for a flexible system. Students have the option of organising their studies according to their personal preferences and earning possibilities. At the same time, however, they incur a measure of personal accountability for managing their financial situation.

In combination with both types (1 and 2) of grants, students are offered supplementary state loans. The loan must be repaid within 7-15 years. Students must start paying back state loans no later than one year after the end of the year in which they graduate or give up their studies.

The interest rate for these loans is set by Parliament.

When students have been awarded an SU loan, they will get a loan plan in minSU. Students must approve their loan plan and accept the terms of the loan (see the terms here), before the Agency can pay the SU loan. 

You can find more information regarding State Education Loans here.

Danes can obtain support for studies abroad. Courses of study have to meet the same conditions for recognition as Danish ones. Furthermore, the qualifications acquired must be usable in Denmark.

For studies in the Nordic countries support is awarded for the prescribed duration of the chosen study (plus 12 months, if the student is admitted to his or her first higher education no later than two years after the first completed qualifying exam). For studies in other foreign countries, students are supported for four-year courses or for the last four years of longer ones.

Support granted for studies in Denmark can be used to finance studies abroad when they are accepted as part of a study program at a Danish institution.

As a rule, foreign students enrolled in Danish courses of study are not eligible for educational support. Exceptions are made on the basis of specific conditions for refugees and relatives of refugees and for other foreign citizens provided - among other stipulations - that they have been living and working in Denmark long enough.

As far as EU rules and regulations make it possible, EU citizens can gain support from the Danish system.

You apply for SU in the self-service system "minSU". You must have a MitID in order to log on minSU from the front page of su.dk.

You can at the earliest receive SU from the month where you apply for SU and you cannot receive SU with retrospective effect. You can read more about the conditions for receiving SU here (in Danish).

The final date for applying for SU is the last day of the month. If, for instance, you want SU from the month of August, you must apply for SU in minSU on 31 August at the latest. The final date for applying for SU in a year is 5 December. If you apply after 5 December, you can at the earliest receive SU in January the year after.

For more guidance about SU, please contact your place of education. See contact information here.

Schools and universities - receive applications in minSU for support from students, check them and pass them on to the agency. They offer general and personal information and guidance to students. They check that students observe study requirements.

Prepares amendments of the scheme, registers applications, pays out grants and loans, offers guidance and information to the educational institutions, deals with complaints and appeals (which are decided by a Board of Appeal), draws up budgets and collects statistics for the use of the Ministry.

Presents bills providing for amendments to the scheme and is responsible for overall planning and budgeting for grants and loans.