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Eurydice

EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice

Denmark

In Denmark, higher education institutions have the autonomy to organise their academic calendars within the framework of national legislation. While there is no uniform structure mandated across all institutions, common practices have emerged.

The organisation of the academic year 2024/2025 in Denmark is as follows. 

National information

Denmark - School heads' salaries and allowances

School heads' salaries and allowances

  • For school heads at pre-primary education level the remuneration is regulated by the collective agreement and the salary negotiation is done between the employee and the local municipality. For upper secondary level, the collective agreement stipulates that the salary is negotiated between the employee and the schoolboard. For primary and lower secondary education, the decision-making is done by a collective agreement.

  • There are no formal qualification requirements for school heads. However, it is general practice that school heads at pre-primary level have a bachelor’s degree in social education (ISCED 6); at primary and lower secondary. school heads have often completed a teacher education programme and worked as a teacher previously (ISCED 6). In upper secondary the qualification requirement is ISCED 7.

  • Since there is no minimum nor maximum salary, the school heads negotiate their salary progression with the municipality. Decision is therefore taken at the local level.

  • School heads can be employed as civil servants. 

Teachers' salaries

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    National information

    Denmark - Teachers' salaries and allowances

    Teachers' salaries and allowances

    • Teachers’ remuneration is regulated by collective agreement. Decisions on pay scales, grades and steps, payment for pension and general allowances are a part of the agreements. It is also a part of the collective agreements that a part of the total salary has to be decided at school level. Some allowances are collectively agreed upon between the negotiating parties at the national level whilst others are agreed upon at the local level. 
    • The minimum qualification level for teachers is ISCED 6 at all education levels except at upper secondary where the requirement is ISCED 7. In upper secondary general education, the teacher must complete pedagogy (Pædagogikum) course over the first year.
    • The salary progression for teachers depends on number of years in service.
    • The current legislation in force does not envisage a civil servant status for teachers.

    School heads' salaries

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      National Information

      Further readings

      Overview | Eurydice (europa.eu)

      Organisation of the Academic Year in Higher Education

      Objectives and accessibility

      The Act on Day Care Facilities states that it is possible to set up home-based ECEC settings. Home-based ECEC settings are an alternative to the municipal day care offers. They are not part of the ISCED classification.

      Steering documents

      The Act on Day Care Facilities states that all ECEC settings must draw up their own pedagogical curriculum. The curriculum has to describe how the pedagogical learning environment is established. Furthermore, the educational curriculum is to document the learning and development of the 0-6-year-olds. Each ECEC setting decides how to implement the curriculum. Every second year, the curriculum is to be evaluated and the evaluation must be published.

      Admission requirements and choice of settings

      The Act on Day Care Facilities stipulates guaranteed ECEC availability, which entails that municipalities are obliged to offer a place in an age-appropriate ECEC institution to all children older than 26 weeks and until they start school around the age of five/six years.

      Place guarantee to ECEC