Primary and lower secondary education

Denmark has a single-structure school system. Primary and lower secondary education is compulsory for ten years and consists of:

• One year of pre-school;
• Nine years of primary and lower secondary education;
• A one-year optional tenth form.

On the national level, the primary and lower secondary education is regulated by the Act on the Folkeskole, which provides the overall framework. The framework contains a shared and common aim for all municipal primary and lower secondary schools, standard requirements regarding the subjects, and standard regulations regarding the organisation of the school system.

The individual municipality owns and operates the public schools (Folkeskole). The municipality has the overall responsibility for running the public schools within the framework provided by the Act on the Folkeskole. Among others, this includes deciding on the content of the school policy and securing that all children in the municipality receive the education they are entitled to cost-free. The headmaster is responsible for the administrative and pedagogical management of the school.

For information on alternatives to the public school, please visit chapter 5.4.

The Ministry of Children and Education is responsible for the primary and lower secondary education.

Upper secondary education

Upper secondary education programmes are divided into:

• General upper secondary education programmes;
• Vocational upper secondary education and training programmes.

There are four general upper secondary education programmes, which primarily prepare students for higher education:

1. The three-year Higher General Examination Programme (STX);
2. The three-year Higher Commercial Examination Programme (HHX);
3. The three-year Higher Technical Examination Programme (HTX);
4. The two-year Higher Preparatory Examination Programme (hf).

Vocational education and training (VET) programmes are combination programmes in which theoretical and practical education alternates with practical training in an approved company or organisation. The VET-system offers more than 100 different types of vocational education programmes. Furthermore, the VET-system offers a VET programme combining general upper secondary education with vocational education and training (EUX).

Multiple actors are responsible for the operation of upper secondary education. The schools have a board of directors, which is responsible for the operation and development of the institutions as well as the implementation of political objectives. The responsibility for the daily operation lies with the headmaster. Moreover, the students can influence their education and school through the students’ council.

Upper secondary schools and vocational upper secondary education and training schools are self-governing institutions under the auspices of the Ministry of Children and Education.

Higher education

Five types of higher education institutions offer higher education programmes:

1. Business academies offering professionally oriented short and first cycle degree programmes;
2. University colleges offering professionally oriented first cycle degree programmes;
3. Maritime education and training institutions offering professionally oriented short and first cycle degree programmes;
4. University level institutions offering first, second, and third cycle degree programmes in subject fields such as architecture, design, music, and fine and performing arts;
5. General and specialised research universities offering first, second, and third cycle degree programmes in academic disciplines.

The higher education programmes include academy profession programmes, professional bachelor’s programmes, maritime education programmes, fine arts programmes, and university study programmes (Bachelor’s programmes, Master’s programmes, and PhD programmes).

National legislation regulates public higher education institutions regarding degree structures, teacher qualifications, and examinations.

Most of the higher education institutions are state-funded autonomous institutions. The Ministry of Higher Education and Science regulates most of the higher education institutions, while the Ministry of Culture regulates a number of higher artistic education institutions.

Adult education and continuing training

Adult education and continuing training programmes can be divided into the following categories:

• General adult education: FVU, AVU, and hf;
• Vocationally oriented education: AMU and EUV;
• Adult and continuing higher education: Academy profession (part-time) programmes, Diploma programmes, and Master’s programmes;
• Non-formal adult education: Evening classes, Day Folk High Schools, Folk High Schools, and university extension courses;

Three ministries share the responsibility for adult education and continuing training. The Ministry of Children and Education is responsible for general adult education and vocationally oriented education, while the Ministry of Higher Education and Science is responsible for adult and continuing higher education, and the Ministry of Culture is responsible for non-formal education.

References

Bibliography

Ministry of Children and Education, 2018a: About the Folkeskole. [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Children and Education, 2018b: The Aims of the Folkeskole. [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Children and Education, 2019: Vocational education and training in Denmark. [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Children and Education (Børne- og Undervisningsministeriet), 2021a: Board of governors (Skolens bestyrelse). [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Children and Education (Børne- og Undervisningsministeriet), 2021b: Students’ council and student democracy in general upper secondary education (Elevråd og elevdemokrati i de gymanasiale uddannelser ). [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Children and Education (Børne- og Undervisningsministeriet), 2021c: The headmaster (Skolelederen). [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Children and Education (Børne- og Undervisningsministeriet), 2021d: The municipality’s responsibility (Kommunens ansvar). [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Culture (Kulturministeriet), 2020: Youth and adult education (Folkeoplysning). [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Higher Education and Science, 2020: Danish higher education system - short description. [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Higher Education and Science, 2021: The Danish Education System. [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Higher Education and Science (Uddannelses- og Forskningsministeriet), 2022a: Administration and responsibility (Styring og ansvar). [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Ministry of Higher Education and Science, 2022b: Upper secondary education. [Accessed 19 July 2022]

Legislation and Official Policy documents

Legal Information (Retsinformation), 2024: Act on the Folkeskole (Bekendtgørelse af lov om folkeskolen), LBK no. 90 of 29/01/2024. [Accessed 1 February 2024]