Teacher training sees rise as foreign student numbers drop

Denmark’s teacher education programmes have recorded a rise in admissions this year, reversing a years-long decline in welfare sector enrolments, according to figures from the Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

At midnight, 58,673 applicants received confirmation of admission to higher education, with 79% securing their first-choice programme. Over 20,000 were rejected, half for failing to meet entry requirements. Total first-choice admissions saw a slight decline, reflecting a small drop in overall applications compared to last year.

More than 16,000 study places remain unfilled across various programmes, though individual institutions decide whether to reopen applications.

Primary school teacher training led the increase among the four major welfare programmes—teacher, pedagogue, social worker and nurse—with a 7% rise in admissions. However, combined intake for these programmes remains below 2024 levels, and 2023 saw higher teacher training admissions than this year.

Foreign student admissions to English-taught programmes fell by 10%, with sharp declines from Bangladesh (70% drop) and Nepal (42% drop). The ministry attributes this to tightened rules for third-country students, introduced after concerns that some were using study permits primarily to access the Danish labour market rather than to study.

Admission quotients for this year will be published after midnight, once applicants have been notified.