Three types of guidance units exist: Municipal youth guidance units, Study and Career Guidance Denmark, and eGuidance. 

For more information on guidance in Denmark, please consult chapter 11. 

Guidance counsellors in municipal youth guidance units and eGuidance

Guidance practitioners working in the municipal youth guidance units and eGuidance are required to have completed the diploma or master’s programme in educational and vocational guidance or the bachelor’s degree programme in public administration. 

Alternatively, guidance practitioners with extensive experience in the field can apply for assessment and recognition of their competences and prior learning. 

Guidance counsellors in Study and Career Guidance Denmark

Guidance counsellors working in Study and Career Guidance Denmark are required to have completed one of the programmes below or be able to document equivalent guidance competences:

• The diploma programme in educational, occupational, and career guidance;

• The master’s programme in guidance;

• A higher education programme with at least 30 ECTS within guidance theory and methods.

If it is not possible to employ an applicant that fulfils the educational requirements, Study and Career Guidance Denmark can employ applicants that attend continuing education and training after having taken up the position as guidance counsellor. In such cases, Study and Career Guidance Denmark must have a scheme that states when all their guidance counsellors are expected to fulfil the educational requirements.

Conditions of service for guidance counsellors

The conditions of service for guidance counsellors, including salaries, working hours, pensions, etc., are primarily regulated by collective agreements between the employer and the organisation representing the guidance counsellors. 

The legislation covers specific areas such as health and safety, holiday entitlement, sickness benefits, equal treatment, equal pay and maternity/paternity leave.

References

Bibliography

Ministry of Higher Education and Science, 2020: Guidance in Education - the educational guidance system in Denmark. [Accessed 5 January 2026]

Legislation and official policy documents

Legal Information (Retsinformation), 2018: Ministerial order on Study and Career Guidance Denmark (Bekendtgørelse om Studievalg Danmarks vejledning om valg af videregående uddannelse), BEK no. 827 of 22/06/2018. [Accessed 4 December 2024]

Legal Information (Retsinformation), 2024: Circular Letter on Collective Agreements for Guidance Counsellors in Study and Career Guidance Denmark and the Institutions of the Prison and Probation Service (Cirkulære om organisationsaftale for vejledere ved Studievalg Danmark og Kriminalforsorgens institutioner), CIR1H no. 9458 of 26/06/2024. [Accessed 4 December 2024]

Legal Information (Retsinformation), 2025: Ministerial Order on guidance of young people about choice of youth education and occupation etc. (Bekendtgørelse om vejledning af unge om valg af ungdomsuddannelse og erhverv), BEK no. 512 of 20/05/2025. [Accessed 21 July 2025]