Next stop Denmark - First thing school search.
Moving to Denmark?- Congratulations! You can now look forward to be joining a community of over 1/2 a million happy citizens of foreign heritage living here already. Statistics report that 90% of expats are happy with their life in Denmark. Work-life balance and career and opportunities are the top two factors for accepting a job in Denmark. Another added and very important value is that many International schools here are affordable or even free, and Danish public schools are accessible.
When moving around your global mobile family - first thing in a new country is to look for the right school, not a house, or a car - but a school - and the right school.
Denmark is known for a progressive school system, and thereby you will find that the majority of the students at the International Schools have a similar global mobile background situation as you, where the wast majority of the Danish students are attending the local Danish schools.
With a few exceptions, the International schools in Denmark tend to be smaller with an average size of about 500 students. Class sizes are also attractive, averaging approximately 18 students per class, but maximum of students can run up to 24 or even 32 in some schools.
You will find both private, and public International schools in Denmark. Fees vary from one school to the other, from free (yes!) 0DKK to 177.000DKK depending on the school and grade level.
The lower end of the fee scale is significantly lower compared with the tuition fees charged by International schools in other cities in Europe, such as Brussels, Zurich, London and Geneva, where the school fees at the very top of the scale match those cities. All schools in Denmark receive a subsidy from the Ministry of Education per child enrolled in the school. Private schools require fees/tuition from parents on top of the subsidy. Public schools operate only on the basis of the subsidy.
There are 35 International Schools throughout Denmark. 20 of these schools are IB schools where 18 of them offer only the PYP program, or the PYP and the MYP or the Pre-IB and DP programs. Two schools in Denmark offer the entire range of the IB’s three programs (PYP, MYP and DP). There are 7 schools offering the Cambridge curriculum through to the IGCSE exam. A-levels are not offered in Denmark as a full program though there are schools offering the A-level exams as single subjects during a school year. The first public International Primary bi-lingual school is to open on Lolland-Falster in August 2021. Some International Schools are independent, private entities and some are an integrated part of a Danish public or private Primary and/or Secondary school.
Of the 35 Internationals Schools 13 of them are in the area of Copenhagen and Greater Copenhagen. 22 International schools are located outside Copenhagen, and located on Sjælland on Fyn and in Jutland.
All international schools in Denmark are co-ed with a Monday - Friday teaching schedule. The academic year in Denmark runs from mid August to late June and is comprised of approximately 180-200 student-teacher contact days. Only a few schools offer students to wear uniforms. Some of the schools offering the International Pre-IB and the DP program also offers boarding, one of these are in the area of Greater Copenhagen, the others are outside this area on Sjælland, Fyn and in Jutland.
Living outside of Copenhagen
Denmark has been booming in recent years amid an influx of internationals securing jobs on an individual basis, a shift from the past traditional "expat" style as part of a global company relocation. As the demand for International school places has risen the past 10 years the supply has followed - this applies also to the housing market though the prices here are less elastic and can be a determining factor where its better to live depending on the choice of school fee structure that suits your economy.
With accommodation in the center of Copenhagen becoming increasingly expensive many locals and foreigners have been looking to nearby towns for better options. Excellent transport infrastructure means it’s quite reasonable to live outside the city and commute to Copenhagen for work.
Living outside Copenhagen will unfortunately not expand your options for International Schools significantly, but it will give you more room in the budget when it comes to rent and lifestyle.
You will find two International private independent schools (British curricula) outside Copenhagen - one north and one south of the capital, which combined with living there will give you a fairly easy access to working in the city and less constrained rent expenses. In addition you will find two DP schools, one in Næstved and one in Holbæk both offering boarding in addition to the day program.
Looking at the island of Funen (Fyn) where a new “Silicon Valley” area for robot technology is emerging, you will find both an international division at a Danish school as an option (British curricula) and an IB DP school, the latter also with boarding facilities. It is possible to commute for work on a daily basis from Fyn to the capital on Sjælland, but it should be considered carefully.
In Jutland (Jylland) you will find an IB PYP & MYP school in Billund and in Aarhus, an IB PYP program school in Esbjerg, and an English division option at Danish school in Viborg offering a Cambridge curriculum. In Ikast-Brande and Sønderborg you will find two independent private International schools offering the Cambridge curriculum. In total there are 9 IB DP schools in Jutland in combination with Danish college preparatory schools (Gymnasiums).
Enrolling in a local Danish school
You may also choose to enroll your children in local schools rather than at International schools. This decision may be motivated by availability of school spaces, cost, a desire to have your child fully immersed in to the Danish language and/or better integrated with the children in the local community, or other factors. What you need to keep in mind when pursuing a Danish school is, if the content of the Danish curriculum and the values within the Danish educational system is transferable to the school systems where you might move next time.
The public local schools are governed by the commune and spaces will be allocated to you as you register at your address. Some public schools offer special integration programs to support the language transition. Private Danish schools rarely have spaces available unless you have registered at the time of the birth of your child.
The Danish curriculum has little resemblance with other foreign programs except for the Scandinavian, and it should be carefully considered, if this is a long term viable option if, or when, your family is transitioning onward to another country.
For the primary years, and in the case that you are deciding to stay for a considerable amount of time, it can in some cases make sense to chose this option for a shorter time or even permanently. If however your stay is of short time duration and your children are entering Secondary / Middle school or even High School this should be carefully considered.
Choosing the right school for your child.
Finding a school in a new city can be daunting and a big decision to make on behalf of your child.
Make sure your decision is not based on haste and first and foremost is a conscious decision after a careful consideration of the programs on offer. Expert advise is a good start.
Schooling Denmark will assist you during the process and ensure you are fully informed about all options and possible outcomes, prior to signing up your child for their educational journey - in Denmark.
International Primary, Middle and High Schools outside the Copenhagen area on Sjælland, Fyn and Jylland
