Look Inside the Guide
Living in Denmark – Study, Work & Settle is organised into ten practical chapters that follow your journey through life in Denmark - from planning your move and completing your first registrations to studying, finding work, building a family life, and understanding permanent residence and Danish citizenship.
Each chapter brings together clear practical guidance, real-life insights, and direct links to trusted official Danish resources, with useful worksheets to help you along the way.
Take a look inside and see what the guide covers.
Chapter 1 - Life in Denmark
Start with the basics of living in Denmark and get a feel for how everyday life works.
This chapter gives you an introduction to Danish society and some of the key areas you’ll encounter when building a life here - from language, education and healthcare to housing, work, taxes, and family life.
Inside This Chapter:
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Welcome to Denmark
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Danish language & everyday life
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Education in Denmark
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Healthcare & the welfare system
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Housing & cost of living
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Working in Denmark & taxes
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Family life in Denmark
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Permanent residence & Danish citizenship
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What to expect as a newcomer
Chapter 2: First Steps (Registration)
Your first days in Denmark come with a few important things to organise.
This chapter walks you through the essential registrations and practical steps after arriving - from getting your CPR number and choosing a doctor to setting up MitID, a bank account, Digital Post, and your Danish tax card.
Inside This Chapter:
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First steps after arriving
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CPR registration in Denmark
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Choosing a General Practitioner (GP)
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Getting a Danish mobile phone number
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Opening a Danish bank account
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Setting up MitID, NemKonto & e-Boks
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Accessing Digital Post
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Applying for a Danish tax card
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Using Borger.dk & other essential online services
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Enrolling in Danish language classes
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A Note from Experience
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Downloadable worksheet
Chapter 3 - Student Life
Planning to study in Denmark? This chapter takes you through the practical side of student life - from choosing a university and applying for admission to understanding SU, finding student housing, working alongside your studies, and managing everyday life.
Whether you are preparing to study in Denmark or already here, it will help you understand your options and make the most of your student years.
Inside This Chapter:
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Studying in Denmark
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Danish universities, degree programmes & applications
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Foreign qualifications, credit transfer & internships
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The Danish State Educational Grant (SU)
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Student housing, financial support & transport discounts
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Student jobs, taxes & unemployment insurance
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A Note from Experience
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Downloadable worksheet
Chapter 4 - Housing and Work
Finding a home and building your working life are two big parts of settling in Denmark.
This chapter takes you through the practical side of housing and work - from finding a place to live and looking for a job to understanding taxes, unemployment insurance, pensions, transport, and buying property in Denmark.
Inside This Chapter:
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Housing in Denmark
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Finding a job in Denmark
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Tax cards & the Danish tax system
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Unemployment insurance & trade unions
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A-kasse for graduates & working professionals
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Pensions & retirement savings
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Everyday transport & mobility
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Registering & owning a vehicle in Denmark
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Buying property in Denmark as a foreigner
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A Note from Experience
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Downloadable worksheet
Chapter 5 - Family Life
Building a family life in Denmark comes with its own systems and practical things to understand.
This chapter takes you through some of the key stages of family life - from getting married and having a baby to parental leave, childcare, financial support, healthcare, and understanding parental rights and responsibilities.
Inside This Chapter:
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Getting married in Denmark
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Changing your name after marriage
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Giving birth in Denmark
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Parental leave & parental leave payments
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Child health services & vaccinations
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Childcare & the Danish education system
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Child benefits & family financial support
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Divorce, custody & parental responsibility
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A Note from Experience
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Downloadable worksheet
Chapter 6 - Permanent Residence & Danish Citizenship
Planning to make Denmark your long-term home? This chapter helps you understand the rules and requirements for permanent residence and Danish citizenship, including the application process and some of the important conditions that can affect your status.
It also shares practical insights and common things to be aware of when planning your future in Denmark.
Inside This Chapter:
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Permanent residence in Denmark (EU & non-EU citizens)
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Maintaining & losing permanent residence
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Applying for Danish citizenship
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The 22-Year Rule
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A Note from Experience
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Downloadable worksheet
Chapter 7 - To Leave or Stay?
Sometimes the question isn’t only how to build a life in Denmark, but whether you want to stay.
Whether you are planning your future here or thinking about moving somewhere else, this chapter looks at some of the practical and financial things to consider before making that decision - including permanent residence, pensions, banking, A-kasse, and family benefits.
Inside This Chapter:
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Practical steps before leaving Denmark
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Keeping your permanent residence
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Accessing your pension when moving abroad
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Closing your Danish bank accounts
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A-kasse rights when leaving Denmark
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Child benefits & other family considerations
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A Note from Experience
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Downloadable worksheet
Chapter 8 - 16+ Years Living in Denmark
What is it really like to build a life in Denmark?
Through personal stories, reflections, and lessons learned over more than 16 years of living here, this chapter looks beyond the practical rules and explores the more personal side of immigration - from the excitement of arriving and adapting to a new culture to balancing studies, work, family life, and the emotional challenges along the way.
Inside This Chapter:
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Arriving in Denmark
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Adapting to a new culture
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Balancing work, studies & family life
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Building stability
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The emotional side of immigration
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Reflections after 16+ years
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Lessons learned
Chapter 9 - Essential Glossary
Danish systems come with plenty of terms, abbreviations, and official language that can be confusing when you are new to the country.
Organised by topic, this glossary gives you a quick place to look things up as you move through the guide - and helps you understand some of the words and concepts you’ll come across while living in Denmark.
What’s Included:
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Identity & Digital Services
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Work, Income & Taxes
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Studying in Denmark
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Housing & Transport
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Immigration & Danish Citizenship
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Healthcare & Family
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Essential Danish Terms & Abbreviations
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And many more useful terms
Chapter 10 - References & Resources
Need to find the official source? This chapter brings together key Danish government portals, public authorities, and useful online services in one convenient place.
Whether you need to register with an authority, find an official form, check benefits, or simply verify information from the guide, you will have direct access to useful official resources without having to search for them yourself.
What’s Included:
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Official Danish government portals
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Civil registration & digital services
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Healthcare & social services
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Education & student support
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Employment, unemployment & integration
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Housing & public benefits
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Family, children & social services
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Transport & mobility
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Residence & Danish citizenship
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And many more useful resources with direct links