Residence permit for students

If you have been admitted to a study programme in Denmark and you come from a country outside the EU/EEA, you need a residence permit as a student – often called a student visa. The permit is granted by SIRI (the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration) and is tied to your specific programme.

We help with the application itself and with cases where SIRI has opened a check – for example about work beyond the permitted hours or lack of study activity.

Requirements for a student residence permit

• You are admitted to a full-time higher education programme in Denmark
• You have the language skills needed to follow the teaching
• You can support yourself: DKK 7,426 per month (2026 level) for the study period, up to a maximum of DKK 89,112 – tuition paid for the first semester can count
• You pay a fee of DKK 3,060 (2026) when you apply

SIRI normally processes the application within 2 months, but it can take up to 3 months if more information is needed.

Working while you study

As a student in higher education you may work up to 90 hours per month and full-time in June, July and August. During a mandatory internship you may work full-time. Working more than permitted is illegal work – even if your employer asked you to.

When SIRI checks your student permit

SIRI continuously checks that the conditions for student permits are met. The checks typically happen in three ways:

• Register matching: SIRI compares information about students with income registers to see whether anyone has worked more than permitted.
• Reports from the institution: Your educational institution must notify SIRI if you are no longer study-active – for example due to high absence, missing exams or leave.
• Random and targeted checks: SIRI also selects cases at random or based on specific information.

What can a check lead to?

• Warning: For minor violations – for example if you worked only a few hours too many – SIRI can issue a warning. A warning is valid for 2 years. If you work illegally again during that period, SIRI can revoke your permit.
• Revocation: If you have worked too much to a significant extent, or you are not study-active, SIRI can revoke the permit immediately.
• Fine: Illegal work can also be punished with a fine – for both you and the employer.

How we help if SIRI has contacted you

Before SIRI makes a decision, you will normally receive a letter and a chance to comment (consultation). The deadline is often short, and your answer can have a major impact on the outcome. We review the letter, your payslips, time records and study documentation, and help you with a reply that presents your case correctly – for example if the hours in the income register include holiday pay, back pay or work in the summer months. If you have already received a decision, we assess whether it should be appealed.

Family and residence after your studies

If you attend a state-approved programme, your spouse, registered partner or cohabiting partner and your children under 18 can apply for residence as accompanying family members. For programmes that are not state-approved, this is not possible for applications submitted from 2 May 2025.

When you have completed your studies, you can apply for a 6-month job-seeking permit – or an establishment card of up to 3 years, depending on the level of your education.

Remember

• The permit lapses if you give up your residence in Denmark or stay abroad for more than 6 consecutive months.
• If you change programme, you must apply for a new permit.
• Apply for an extension in good time – at the earliest 4 months before, and no later than before your permit expires.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours can I work as a student in Denmark?

Students in higher education may work 90 hours per month and full-time in June, July and August.

How does SIRI detect illegal work?

Among other things, by matching information about students with income registers. In addition, institutions report students who are not study-active, and SIRI carries out random checks.

I received a letter from SIRI about too many working hours – what should I do?

Reply before the deadline and get help reviewing the hours. The registers can show more income in a month than you actually worked, for example because of holiday pay or back pay. Contact us and we will go through the letter with you.

Can I lose my residence permit if I fail exams?

The permit requires you to be study-active. If you have high absence or do not pass your exams, the institution can report it to SIRI, which can revoke the permit.

Last updated September 2026. Sources: nyidanmark.dk – Study, nyidanmark.dk – Warning for illegal work. Amounts and rules change regularly – we always check the current requirements in your case.