All adult aliens residing in Denmark are offered the opportunity to take Danish language courses. In addition to the Danish language, you will learn about Danish culture and society. If you do, you will have better opportunities with respects to jobs, education, and as a resident of Denmark in general.
Courses in Danish as a second language to adult foreigners - Click here for information in English
In the following, you will get general information about the Danish courses. In the places section of this article, you may click through for information about where you may take the courses in your region, as well as a rerun of the information in this article.
Places
In the places section of this article, you may click through for information about where you may take the courses in your region, as well as a rerun of the information in this article. Read more.
In the following, you will get general information about the Danish courses.
Admission
In order to be admitted to the Danish language learning programmes, you must:
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Be a foreign national, and at least 18 years of age.
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Have a residency permit, and be registered with the national registration office in Denmark
Note: If you commute into Denmark – i.e. work here, but don't live here – you may also sign up for the Danish language learning programmes, provided you are a citizen of a country in the EU or the EEA (European Economic Area), or of Switzerland.
The schools offer 3 distinct learning programmes. You should enrol in the one that best matches your educational background. The school will help you figure out which one is right for you..
Enrolment
To enrol in the Danish language learning programme, get in touch with your municipal authority, who will then refer you to a school or training provider.
If you have special requests regarding the place of learning, your municipal authority will attempt to match the school to your requests.
You should be offered a place in the language learning programme no later than one month after applying for acceptance into the programme, being referred to the programme, or moving to that particular municipality.
If you are financially independent, and receive no payments or benefits from any public institution, you may freely choose where to enrol in the programme.
The programme
There are three distinct Danish language learning programmes. You should enrol in the one that best matches your educational background.
Language learning programme 1 is intended for people who neither read nor write the Latin alphabet.
Language learning programme 2 is intended for people who have a brief schooling or education from their country of origin.
Language learning programme 3 is intended for people who have a medium-length to long education.
All three programmes consist of 6 modules. In order to advance to the next module, you will need a passing grade in the preceding one. There is a final exam for the programme in its entirety.
Module 1 and 2 will teach you:
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to speak and understand Danish
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about your local community
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about working conditions in Denmark
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about rights and obligations
Module 3-6 will teach you:
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Basic proficiency in the Danish language
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about Danish culture and society
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about the Danish labour market
Read more about the individual modules in the Danish language learning programme here.
Throughout the programme, you will be working in both couples, groups, and as a class. IT-tools may also be employed. You are obligated to take an active interest in classes, and in the accompanying work and activities.
Your place of education will be monitoring your participation and reporting to your municipal authority.
Duration
Each of the three programmes have a prescribed duration of 1.2 years of full-time study activity. However, because the Danish language learning programmes are often taken in conjunction with work or other educations, you will have a fixed time of 3 years to complete the programme. The three years begin when you are first offered the opportunity to begin a language learning programme.
An extension of the 3-year period may be sought under certain circumstances, such as pregnancy etc.
Examinations
All exams will have both a written and an oral section.
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Danish Exam 1 (Prøve i Dansk 1) concludes Danish language learning programme 1
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Danish Exam 2 (Prøve i Dansk 2) concludes Danish language learning programme 2
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Danish Exam 3 (Prøve i Dansk 3) concludes Danish language learning programme 3 after the fifth module
Higher education aptitude test (Studieprøven)
Learners in Danish language learning programme 3 may, after completing Danish Exam 3, take the higher education aptitude test, which will ensure that you meet the language requirements for enrolling in higher education in Denmark. Note that individual institutions of higher education often have further requirements for admission that you must meet before applying.
Right of Citizenship
Applicants for Danish citizenship may use Danish Exam 3 to document their sufficient knowledge of Danish language and society. You will, however, still have to pass the Danish citizenship test. Read more about the requirements for citizenship, and the approved examinations, on the homepage of the Ministry of Integration Affairs.
Note: The examination known as “Danskprøve 3” (Test of Danish 3) is not the same as Prøve i Dansk 3 (Danish Exam 3). “Danskprøve 3” is a privately run examination, offered by Studieskolen i København, and a requirement for admission into certain higher education programmes.
Financing
The Danish language learning programme is offered free of cost if you:
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are included under the Danish Law of Integration, or
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are a citizen of Greenland or the Faeroe Islands, residing in Denmark, or
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are a Danish expatriate returning home, or
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are the child of a Danish expatriate, and a minimum of 18 years of age
Your municipal authority may charge a fee if you are financially self-reliant, or you don't otherwise live up to any of the above prerequisites. If in doubt, ask your local municipal authority.
Cost of living and transportation
You may get social benefits towards covering your living expenses if you are included under the Law on Integration, the Law on Unemployment Insurance, the Law on Active Employment Policy, or the Law on Active Social Policy.
Under current rules, you may also be eligible for transportation allowance.
Danish language learners may be eligible for SVU (Statens VoksenUddannelsesstøtte – State grants for adult education), provided you are at least 25 years old, currently employed, and meet the additional requirements. Furthermore, you must have only a shorter educational background, or be in possession of a degree not recognized in Denmark.
If you are currently unemployed, you have a right to grants from SVU for up to 6 weeks in an educational programme of your choosing within your first 12 months as unemployed (6 months if you are below the age of 25).
Learners with special needs
Some learners have a particularly hard time with the Danish language learning programmes. This may be due to physical or psychological handicap, dyslexia, or traumas resulting from war experiences or torture.
The place of education may offer these learners with special needs language instruction in smaller classes, or, in exceptional cases, may offer individual tuition. In certain other cases, you may be eligible for instruction under the provisions of the Law on Special Education for Adults, or for actual professional treatment options. Danish language learning and education under the Law on Special Education for Adults may be combined to supplement each other.
Other options for learning Danish as a second language
Among other places, you may receive tuition in Danish as a second language at:
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General adult education centres (AVU – Almen VoksenUddannelse)
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Upper secondary /high school preparatory courses for non-Danish speakers (GIF – Gymnasialt Indslusningskursus for Fremmedsprogede)
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Some folk high schools (folkehøjskoler)
- Labour Market Education centres (AMU – ArbejdsMarkedsUddannelse)
Source: UddannelsesGuiden.
Published April 8th, 2009.
