Context

Denmark is a strong, consistent performer on international education assessments, including the OECD’s PISA tests, on which it has outperformed the OECD average across the three tested areas since 2000. Denmark is also notable for the equity of its students’ performance—socioeconomic status has less impact on performance than in most other OECD countries, and gaps between high and low performers are not only less than in other systems, but have also narrowed in recent test administrations. The country has also demonstrated improvement in literacy and numeracy for adults over the span of their lifetimes.

Denmark’s commitment to equity is the hallmark of its system. It is the first country to have a comprehensive mass education system, which was put in place in the early 19th century. The folk school movement also emerged at that time, rooted in the idea that schooling should dignify rural life and encourage mutual respect among different communities. The movement led to the creation of schools across the country that provide practical, hands-on education to Danes of all ages; these schools are still in place and continue the strong tradition of lifelong learning.

Today, Denmark’s Folkeskole—compulsory school for grades one through nine, which translates to “the people’s school”—provides comprehensive basic education for all Danes. There is also a guarantee of highly subsidized child care and preschool for all children; virtually all are enrolled in public preschool from age three. Beyond this, Denmark provides extensive health and social support for children of all ages, from school-based health screenings to free school lunch. The aim is to ensure equity of opportunity and social cohesion for all young people.

Denmark’s vocational education and training (VET) is built on a long-standing apprenticeship system, modernized to offer both practical and theoretical education and, more recently, pathways to both advanced professional and university education. It has unified the training system for learners of all ages, offering multiple paths, entry ramps, and exit ramps. Denmark has also put in place, since 2000, a lifelong learning system focused on upskilling workers that includes a modularized system of courses to sit alongside informal folk schools.

Denmark extends a high level of autonomy to its almost 100 municipalities, allowing local- and school-level leaders to make decisions that build responsive school systems in alignment with the needs of the local community and employers. School leaders and teachers, guided by a national framework, are trusted to make decisions about how to organize their schools and instruction.

Denmark is not without its challenges. It has an aging population and faces a shortage of skilled workers in a range of fields. It has struggled to maintain the appeal of vocational education for young people, resulting in declining enrollment and high rates of noncompleters. In response, Denmark launched reforms aimed at modernizing its system, with new programs in emerging fields like green technologies and artificial intelligence (AI), and providing accelerated entry into work-based learning. It has also focused on enhancing support for student well-being and including more working professionals in the VET teaching force to make classroom learning more engaging and relevant. An ongoing shortage of fully qualified teachers has also prompted the government to raise teacher salaries to better compete with other sectors, to issue guidelines to make teacher preparation more practice-based and responsive to needs in classrooms, and to better support teachers once in classrooms.

Quick Facts

Roles and Responsibilities

The Danish Ministry of Children and Education oversees early childhood, primary, secondary, vocational, and adult education. It develops national curricular requirements, known as the Common Objectives, for the early childhood, primary, and secondary levels, and is also responsible for designing, approving, and administering the national testing program at the primary and lower secondary levels. The Ministry also sets national education policy and regulations, including for vocational programs; supervises schools to ensure compliance and quality; and approves new private primary and secondary schools.

The Ministry collaborates with the National Agency for Education and Quality, which operates under its authority, to monitor and guide municipalities and schools in their efforts to meet national objectives and quality standards.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Science oversees and regulates higher education and adult training in Denmark, as well as shapes policies that support science and research-based innovation. The independent Danish Accreditation Institution is responsible for accrediting higher education institutions and programs.

The two Ministries are further supported by

• the Danish Evaluation Institute (EVA), an independent state body that conducts evaluations and research to promote quality assurance across all levels of education, and
• the National Agency for IT and Learning (STIL), which promotes digitalization in Denmark’s education system and is primarily responsible for the development of digital infrastructure and tools.

Denmark’s primary and secondary education system is organized into five regions, which cover almost 100 municipalities. Each municipality has the primary responsibility of administering and managing early childhood education, as well as primary and lower secondary public schools (which are combined into a single school, called Folkeskole). Municipal councils also approve Folkeskole-level curriculum, which is designed by the schools within national guidelines. Each school has a board, composed of student, parent, and teacher representatives, that is responsible for approving budgets, establishing rules of conduct, and proposing school-level curricular changes, which are subject to the approval of the municipal council.

Upper secondary schools in Denmark operate independently. Each school is governed by a board that typically includes the principal, a representative of the teacher association, selected teachers, and, for vocational schools (called colleges), industry partners. This board makes decisions regarding school management and administration and approves a school-level curriculum, which is designed to meet national objectives and guidelines.

Goal Setting and Planning

Denmark’s overall education goals for each level of education are laid out in law in the Folkeskole Act, the Act on General Upper Secondary Education, and the Act on Vocational Education. The Ministry of Children and Education sets policies to implement and amend these laws. It does not issue an annual strategy, but periodically proposes new goals and policies. One mechanism it uses to do so is green papers, which are used to propose reforms based on evaluations and monitoring of the system. For example, in 2023, the Ministry issued a green paper that proposed increasing the time students spend in practical instruction, expanding students’ choice of subjects to study, and heightening school autonomy to make decisions about learning organization. This was presented to practitioners, stakeholders, and government leaders for feedback, and led to a set of new initiatives for the schools with buy-in from a broad range of partners already established.

The Ministry of Children and Education relies on individual schools to design their own annual plans in alignment with the Common Objectives and other national guidelines. Schools are required to participate in an annual planning and dialogue process with municipal leadership, focusing on curricular updates and quality assurance.

There are some specific areas where Denmark has shaped a national strategy with key goals for education. One is the digital transformation of its education system, as outlined in its Joint Government Digital Strategy for 2022–2026, which aims to develop accessible, user-friendly public digital services and promote digitalization throughout Danish society. This strategy, which builds upon national plans for digital growth released between 2010 and 2019, is founded on five guiding principles: inclusive benefits from digital solutions; security and ethics; public-private collaboration; public data as a common good; and Denmark’s role in shaping digital development on a global scale. It seeks to strengthen students’ digital skills by integrating digital literacy components into the Folkeskole curriculum and supporting teachers’ professional development in digital literacy and artificial intelligence (AI). The National Agency for Education and Quality has also created recommendations to inform schools’ use of generative AI for teaching and learning in primary and lower secondary schools.

Another key area of the country’s national education goals is lifelong learning. Denmark introduced its lifelong learning strategy in 2007, with follow-up implementation plans put in place since then. This included the creation of a qualifications framework for all academic and vocational certifications and degrees, which unified systems for the initial and continuing education of upper secondary students and adults, both skilled and unskilled. The framework is linked to the European Qualifications Framework.

Accountability

Quality assurance policies vary for Folkeskole and upper secondary schools. Municipalities are responsible for monitoring Folkeskole; they submit quality reports on their Folkeskole networks every two years to the National Agency for Education and Quality. These reviews provide an overview of achievement across a broad range of goals, as well as describe planning across the system. In addition, the National Agency conducts an annual data screening to ensure that each school complies with regulations and that students are reaching established achievement benchmarks.

Upper secondary schools—as self-governing institutions—are required to conduct their own annual self-evaluations and submit those to the National Agency. The Agency reviews the evaluations, with a particular focus on students’ achievement and well-being.

If schools at any level do not meet quality standards, the National Agency collaborates with them—in partnership with municipal councils for Folkeskole—to determine next steps. If performance does not improve, the Agency may appoint an observer to the school board to monitor governance and decision-making.

Additionally, the Danish Evaluation Institute periodically conducts large-scale evaluations of Folkeskole and upper secondary schools, focusing on specific themes, such as the transition to upper secondary school or academic performance in specific subject areas, to inform broader national education policy.

The Danish Accreditation Institution accredits higher education institutions through its primary body, the Accreditation Council. Higher education institutions are also required to establish an internal quality assurance system.

Financing

Folkeskole in Denmark receive approximately 75 percent of their funding directly from municipalities. The state also allocates a sum to each municipality, which it distributes to schools for use within designated categories, such as staff or operations. The state fully funds upper secondary schools and higher education institutions. Each school receives performance-based funding tied to specific measures of success, such as its number of graduating students. Schools may also receive additional support for core expenses, including infrastructure, through basic grants, and for special initiatives through targeted research and development funds.

Additionally, adult educational centers, vocational schools, and folk schools are primarily funded by the government, though tuition fees may apply.

Approximately 15 percent of primary and lower secondary schools in Denmark are private. These schools (often referred to as “free” schools) receive state subsidies that cover approximately 80 percent of operating costs, with families responsible for the remaining tuition fees. Denmark has very few private secondary schools.

Preparing for Long Life Learning: Preschool to Secondary

Preschool

For the preschool years, families enroll their children in daycare centers (which serve children up to age six) or kindergarten, which serves children ages three to six. About 25 percent of kindergartens are privately managed, but all function under municipal authority. Municipalities cover at least 75 percent of costs for all programs, while families pay the remainder through a fixed monthly fee set by each municipality. Fees are fully subsidized for families below a designated income threshold. Although attendance is not compulsory, almost all children participate. Ninety-seven percent of children aged three to six participated in early childhood education in 2022.

The Act on Day Care Facilities establishes learning objectives and themes, aligned with the Common Objectives for Folkeskole, to guide all early childhood education programs. These programs include the versatile development of the child; social development; language and communication; body, senses, and movement; nature, outdoors, and science; and culture, aesthetics, and community. Each early childhood program has the autonomy to design its own curriculum and pedagogical approaches, provided they align with these national requirements.

Municipalities also offer a pre-primary program during the three to five months preceding the start of Folkeskole to ensure a smooth transition to compulsory education. The program aims to familiarize children with the formal classroom environment and the structure of a typical school day.

Primary and Secondary System

Structure

Compulsory school in Denmark starts at age six and extends to age 16. Students attend Folkeskole (translated as “people’s school”) from grades one through nine. Students are organized into cohorts and assigned a class teacher who remains with them through sixth grade, at which point they are assigned a new class teacher who stays with them through ninth grade. The aim is to build a sense of community within each student cohort.

After Folkeskole, students move on to upper secondary education. They choose among a set of general education programs or work-based vocational education and training (VET). During the last two years of Folkeskole, students have opportunities to explore different career areas and upper secondary programs. Municipality career guidance centers are required to organize visits and even short internships for students, as well as spend time with them to develop individual education and career plans. About three-quarters of students choose general education programs.

There are four general upper secondary education programs, each of which lasts two to three years. Two are offered in general upper secondary schools (gymnasiums)—one prepares students for professional and applied degree programs, and one for university. The other two programs are specialized, with one focused on business fields and the other on technical fields, both of which prepare students for all higher education pathways. These programs are offered in distinct specialized upper secondary schools, referred to as business and technical colleges. Each program leads to a different graduation certificate.

Vocational education and training (VET) is offered in over 100 different professional areas. Students take coursework at the same business and technical colleges that serve students in upper secondary general education programs, but spend about half of their program time as paid apprentices. Programs are generally four years long. Students who wish to go to university can complete the necessary pre-requisite courses while also pursuing their apprenticeship.

Danish students also have the option to complete a tenth year before enrolling in upper secondary school; about half of students do so. This additional year allows students to strengthen specific academic skills, explore options for upper secondary school, or focus on personal development. Programs are offered in Folkeskole as well as other institutions, including technical and vocational colleges and a network of Efterskoler, which offer alternative learning experiences for students with significant free choice. Efterskoler, many of which are residential, charge fees, but they are heavily subsidized by the government. The Danish government has recently taken steps to sharply reduce participation in tenth-year programs, however, in order to promote a more direct transition into general upper secondary and vocational education pathways.

Standards and Curriculum

The Ministry of Education and Children sets curricular requirements for Folkeskole. Compulsory subjects are divided into three areas: humanities, practical skills, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

• Humanities subjects include Danish, English, and religion (all grades), history (grades 3–9), German or French (grades 5–9), and social studies (grades 8–9).
• Practical subjects include physical education (all grades), music (grades 1–6), visual arts (grades 1–6), wood and metalwork design (grades 3–6), and home economics (grades 5–6).
• STEM subjects include math (all grades), natural sciences and technology (grades 1–6), geography (grades 7–9), biology (grades 7–9), and physics and chemistry (grades 7–9).

The Ministry sets a required number of instructional hours for each subject and year. Schools are free to organize those hours as they see fit. The Ministry requires additional topics, including road safety, health and sexual education, and career exploration. Municipalities or schools can offer additional optional subjects as they see fit.

The Ministry also sets the core curriculum for upper secondary education. Requirements for each of the four general education programs differ:

• Higher General (STX): STX is a three-year program that prepares students for university. All students take Danish, history, math, English, a second foreign language, physics, physical education, art, classical studies, religion, social science, and choose among biology, chemistry, or information technology. Most of their courses are at an advanced level. They also take specialized courses within a chosen focus area.
• Higher Preparatory (HF): HF is a two-year program that prepares students for higher professional education. All students take Danish, English, physical education, math, history, religion, social science, biology, geography, chemistry, and art. Only Danish is required to be taken at an advanced level. They also complete practice or internships related to at least three courses, called their trainee courses.
• Higher Commercial (HHX): HHX is a three-year program focusing on economics, marketing, international business, and foreign languages. Graduates are qualified for further study at all types of higher education institutions. Compulsory subjects for all students include Danish, English, math, marketing, commercial law, a second foreign language, international economics, history, business economics, social science, and informatics. Danish, English, and either another foreign language or math are required at an advanced level. Students choose a field of study from among 16 areas—the common ones are marketing, entrepreneurship, languages, and global business—and take specialized subjects within that field.
• Higher Technical (HTX): HTX is a three-year program focusing on technical sciences, natural sciences, and informatics fields. Graduates are qualified for further study at all types of higher education institutions. All students are required to take Danish, technical science, math, English, physics, chemistry, technology, communications and IT, biology, social science, and history of technology. Danish and technology courses are required at an advanced level. Students specialize in one of 18 subject areas and are also required to do an independent cross-disciplinary project.

Up to 20 percent of coursework in upper secondary education can be done virtually.

The Ministry of Children and Education also sets curriculum requirements for the general education courses in vocational education programs, which include Danish and IT; other specialized subjects vary depending on the program and follow the regulations set by national trade committees in each area. VET is structured in two stages: a basic course focused on classroom-based general education, which introduces students to a chosen broad area of focus during the first year; and a main course that alternates between specialized coursework in a chosen profession and on-the-job practical training during the remaining three years.

In 2025, Denmark announced changes to the system. Key among these are the addition of a new Junior Master Apprenticeship program for eighth- and ninth-grade students, which permits learners to participate in hands-on internship opportunities and/or practical training courses. The program culminates in a Folkeskole leaving certificate and an assessment of their apprentice experience, helping students transition more easily into vocational education upon completing compulsory school. Each municipality has the flexibility to adapt the program to meet local needs. Another key reform will be the replacement of the HF upper secondary program with a new program (called EPX), which will provide a more direct path to professional opportunities by combining general education with sector-specific training.

Assessment and Credentialing

Students in Denmark are periodically assessed by their teachers and take national examinations across subjects during grades nine and twelve. Throughout Folkeskole, students are evaluated by their classroom teachers and receive formal grades on a seven-point scale, typically twice per year. Each student receives a “message book,” which serves as a communication tool with the school and their parents to promote open dialogue about their progress toward academic goals.

Students must pass a total of eight examinations to graduate from Folkeskole. The first examination, taken at the end of eighth grade, is in either a practical or creative subject (such as music, art, food science, design, or craft). The remaining seven exams are taken at the end of ninth grade and include Danish, English, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and geography. The format of these exams varies: written and oral exams in Danish, a written exam in mathematics, and oral exams in English, physics/chemistry, biology, and geography. In addition, students take two additional exams drawn at random from among the humanities, the sciences, or practical subjects.

Students are also required to complete and present an interdisciplinary project, which is assessed by a team of teachers who provide feedback on the content, working process, and presentation.

Students also participate in the mandatory Danish National Test program, which assesses skills in Danish (grades two, four, six, and eight), math (grades three and six), English (grade seven), and science (grade eight). The tests generate data for national monitoring purposes, but also provide individual student data to support teachers’ instructional planning. Results are publicly available at the school, municipal, and national levels.

The national testing system—an adaptive system implemented in 2010—is currently being revised after concerns about its accuracy. An interim test is in place until 2026–27, when the new system is expected to be implemented. The new system will not be adaptive, and the test’s timing will shift earlier in the school year in order for teachers to use test data to inform their instructional planning. The system will also provide focused data on core skills, including reading and mathematics.

In upper secondary general education, students are awarded a leaving certificate upon graduation if they achieve the minimum grade point average and pass a series of final examinations by subject. All programs include a Danish exam, but other exams vary based on a student’s program. Exam formats vary; some are written exams, some are oral, and some are specialized study projects. Denmark has recently permitted students to use AI tools when preparing for the oral component of the English examination. Examination results are considered in admissions decisions at higher education institutions.

For secondary vocational education programs, students must pass exams at the end of the basic program, as well as an apprenticeship exam at the end of their programs. The apprenticeship exams usually include a variety of formats, including oral exams, written exams, and project work.

Since 2014, the Ministry of Children and Education has conducted annual national well-being surveys (Nationale trivselsmålinger) for all students enrolled in public Folkeskole, as well as for those attending special schools. Students are asked questions such as “Do you like your school?” and “Do you feel lonely?” as well as ones designed to assess students’ sense of safety and views on the classroom environment and social relationships. The survey informs school-level monitoring and provides data for local and national policy development.

Digital Resources

The Ministry of Children and Education supports the National Education Platform (EMU), a digital learning portal that provides curriculum-aligned texts, lesson plans, and interactive exercises for all school levels. The Danish Broadcasting Corporation, Denmark’s primary public service media organization, runs the Ultra:bit project, an educational initiative that provides students with a “micro:bit” device for coding, designed to promote technology integration, robotics skills, and computational thinking. Approximately 90 percent of Danish schools participate in the program.

In Denmark, students, parents, and teachers also use UNI-Login, an online system that streamlines access to EMU and a wide variety of digital educational resources, including platforms for higher education, apprenticeship applications platforms, parent-school communication platforms, and others.

Although digital resources are widely used in Danish classrooms, the Ministry has recently reintroduced physical textbooks to schools in response to the growing concern about the negative effects of over-digitalization on students’ literacy skills and concentration. In 2023, DKK 540 million (approximately $78 million USD) was allocated over the following decade to fund new educational materials, specifically printed textbooks, to be delivered annually to all public schools.

Additionally, in 2025, the National Agency for Education and Quality issued recommendations on the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms, guiding municipal councils, school leaders, and teachers on integrating digital technology into their instructional practices.

Learning Supports

Struggling Learners

Denmark requires schools to provide targeted support for struggling learners. Each municipality is equipped with a Pedagogical-Psychological Service unit (PPR), including specialized staff who advise parents and schools on whether a student requires specific learning supports. These units also work closely with municipal career guidance centers, which assist students in their transition from compulsory education to upper secondary education, vocational training, or employment by developing individualized education plans and providing personalized guidance. In 2015, the Ministry of Children and Education introduced a national screening test to identify students with dyslexia beginning in third grade. Students diagnosed with dyslexia receive an “IT backpack,” which includes a computer equipped with literacy-supporting software and a scanner that converts printed texts into audio formats.

Immigrant students receive targeted supports at the early childhood and Folkeskole levels to facilitate their integration into the formal education system. Municipalities typically offer language programs for students and families, and Folkeskole offer courses on Danish as a second language when there are at least 12 children in a school who need instruction in that language. The courses teach Danish language skills, but also aim to develop students’ knowledge of their native language and culture.

To better support students at risk of leaving school without a Folkeskole or upper secondary certificate, the Ministry of Children and Education created three types of preparatory programs (EGU) to help students transition into the workplace, further education, or vocational programs. These programs include basic education for those who aim to enroll in upper secondary vocational programs; work-based programs (called production schools) to help young people develop work readiness skills and basic vocational skills, enabling their preparedness to find and succeed in employment; and internships to bolster students’ experience in different vocational fields, helping them select a program they would like to enroll in. There are also robust career guidance services in these programs, which are free and last up to two years.

Special Learning Needs

Denmark places a strong emphasis on inclusive education. Students who require special instruction for fewer than nine hours per week receive supplemental support, such as mixed-ability group work, dual-teacher arrangements, and classroom assistants, but remain in the mainstream classroom. Students with more significant needs, or those who require additional educational support for more than nine hours per week, may be placed in special classes or in a limited number of regional special schools, including those serving students with hearing and/or visual impairments. The municipalities maintain all other special schools.

In the 2023–24 school year, almost 18 percent of students received some level of support in the mainstream classroom. Despite Denmark’s commitment to inclusive mainstream classrooms, the number of students enrolled in special educational settings (which include separate classes or schools) is rising, with the share of students receiving special education services outside of the mainstream classroom reaching seven percent in 2023–24. Only a very small number of students are served in special schools.

Advanced Learners

In 2022, the Ministry of Children and Education developed a checklist tool to help identify student giftedness in the early grades of Folkeskole, as well as guidance on adapting instruction for students with the capacity to accelerate—for example, through differentiated instruction and accelerated curriculum. This system aims to expedite the timely identification of gifted students and provide them with the necessary support to develop their potential. Currently, there are no required special programs or courses for gifted students.

CTE and Long Life Learning

Secondary and Postsecondary CTE

Development of the System

Denmark’s modern vocational education system was put in place in the mid-20th century, when a dual system of practical learning in the workplace and classroom-based theoretical learning linked to the profession was introduced. In the 1970s, a basic education component was added to apprenticeships.

In 1989, the Vocational Training Act shifted the management of programs from the central government to vocational colleges, where the classroom-based portion of apprenticeship took place, with the goal of adapting programs to better align with local needs. The colleges, managed by industry-led boards, were granted the independence to do this. Colleges were also encouraged to adopt practice and problem-solving learning approaches for the school-based component of apprenticeships. At this time, the vocational education and training system served about half of upper secondary level students.

By 2000, concerns about falling enrollment in VET—which was about 30 percent of the cohort—led to another major reform. Apprenticeship standards were revised to be competency-based, and the 83 different programs were grouped into seven clusters with a common introductory phase to allow students ample time to select a specialized path. In addition, a path from apprenticeship to professional higher education was introduced, as was an apprenticeship route with earlier introductions to the workplace. This reform aimed to ensure broad access and create more flexible pathways to accommodate a broader range of students.

By 2015, VET enrollment had still not recovered, and there were rising concerns about the rate of students leaving VET programs before graduation. In response, entry standards were raised to ensure that students were prepared to succeed; preparatory programs for students who were not ready for initial vocational education to help them explore different apprenticeship options and build any skills necessary for their application were expanded; access was simplified by reducing major professional areas, this time from seven to four; and a new pathway to university was added, with students able to combine apprenticeship experiences with university preparation coursework.

System Structure

Today, there are three major VET pathways for initial level certifications in over 100 areas for secondary school-age students as well as older students, and each can vary from three to four years long. All VET programs include a basic course, lasting six months to one year, before students start their apprenticeship. The basic course for students entering a VET program after Folkeskole has two components: the first focuses on foundational skills and helps students determine their area of specialization, and the second is an introduction to their chosen field of study. The basic course for older students only includes the second component. This is followed by a three-year program alternating between classroom-based instruction in a vocational college and practical training in a workplace, where students are paid apprentice wages.

Below are the three programs:

• Erhvervsuddannelse (EUD): The EUD program serves students who directly transition from Folkeskole. Students take a final exam to qualify as skilled workers in their specialized trade, and can progress to higher technical or professional bachelor’s degrees if they choose.
• Erhvervsuddannelser for voksne (EUV): The EUV program is designed for adults aged 25 and older with relevant work and academic experience. Each applicant is assessed to recognize prior learning and work experiences, and follows one of three program paths depending on their employment background and prior knowledge. It provides the same certifications as the EUD program.
• Erhvervsfaglig studentereksamen (EUX): The EUX program provides students with a vocational certification along with a general upper secondary certificate, which allows them to apply to higher academic or professional bachelor’s programs. Students study general academic subjects alongside their apprenticeship. Enrollment is open to students coming directly from Folkeskole as well as adults.

Students are expected to find their own company apprenticeships, although the career guidance service provides assistance to those who struggle with finding a placement. Employers taking on multiple apprentices or ones in high-priority areas receive bonuses from the government. In addition, significant time is spent in Folkeskole introducing students to upper secondary programs, including VET. Students in eighth and ninth grade often have opportunities for week-long internships or exploration opportunities. It is the responsibility of municipal councils to work with schools to provide these opportunities. Many of the business and technical colleges partner with Folkeskole to do this.

Students who do not meet the entry requirements for VET programs or have trouble finding an apprenticeship position can access a broad range of supports. There are preparatory programs (EGU, see above) that help students build basic education and work readiness skills they may need either for VET programs or for an apprenticeship position. They can also access internships to help them decide on a specialization, if they are not sure. In addition, the municipal career guidance units are tasked with providing additional support in finding appropriate apprenticeship positions.

In 2024–25, the Danish government announced the creation of three new vocational colleges that will specialize in green technology and function as knowledge centers for these skills. There are also plans to create new vocational education specializations in these areas across the system. It also announced reforms aimed at reducing the persistent high dropout rate from vocational education programs. Vocational colleges will receive additional flexible funding to design programs that better align with community and student needs; a key component is to develop more social and well-being support for VET students and a more engaging learning environment in schools. The Ministry will also fund programs to strengthen vocational education teacher training, as well as to encourage more working professionals to take on teaching roles.

Joining Forces to Ensure All Learners Thrive

Supports for the Well-being of Young Children and Families

Denmark has extensive financial supports in place to support parents with young children. Mothers are entitled to four weeks of paid leave before childbirth. Additionally, each parent is entitled to 24 weeks of paid leave following childbirth, which can be transferred between parents within the first year. In 2025, the Danish government extended paid leave to one full year for parents of hospitalized newborns. Denmark also provides free healthcare services for all young children, and public health nurses conduct home visits during the first year.

Families receive an allowance for each of their children until they reach age 18. The amount each family receives depends on the ages of their children, how long a family has been receiving Danish family benefits, and their total income. For example, the base amount in 2023 varied from 4746 DKK per child aged 0–2 per quarter to 986 DKK per child aged 15–17 per quarter. Additional funds are granted to single parents, those with children from a multiple birth (twins, triplets, etc.), or students.

Starting from six months old, families can send their children to subsidized daycare. Participation rates are high, with over 60 percent of children under age three in care. Children between the ages of 26 weeks and two years old can attend daycare at municipality-run nurseries, which focus on early socialization and motor skills. Parents pay no more than 25 percent of daycare costs, which are largely funded by the municipal government.

Parents of young children can apply for home-based care (called “child-minding” in Denmark), in which an approved child-minder looks after a small number of children at home. Child-minders are compensated directly by the municipality. In certain cases, some municipalities provide subsidies for parents to care for their own children from 26 weeks to the beginning of Folkeskole.

Families receive regular home visits from municipality-provided trained health professionals for children from birth until age one. Children are also entitled to seven free healthcare examinations by a general practitioner from birth until the age of five. Additionally, Denmark’s Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB) is a national initiative that aims to systematically assess infant socioemotional development through home visits.

Supports for the Well-being of School-age Children

Under Denmark’s national insurance scheme, all schoolchildren receive free preventative health exams conducted by general practitioners. Municipalities provide school nurses in public Folkeskole to conduct regular screenings and coordinate vision, hearing, dental, and vaccination check-ups.
In 2025, the Danish government approved a school meal pilot scheme, which provides free meals to schools that apply for the benefit. Almost all primary and lower secondary schools in Denmark participate in the Danish School Milk scheme, which provides daily fresh milk to students and encourages the development of healthy eating habits.

Schools coordinate with municipalities to provide school-based counseling, psychology services, and preventative mental health programs for all students who need them. Students can also access additional pedagogical-psychological (PPR) services for any mental health issues. Many schools throughout Denmark participate in the Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM) pilot program, a five-week intervention for ninth-grade students that focuses on improving mental health literacy and fostering self-harm prevention.

School principals may offer specialized Danish as a second language courses for immigrants and students who are not native Danish speakers. Some students in Folkeskole may receive mother tongue tuition to receive additional schooling in their native language alongside instruction in Danish.

High-Capacity Educators

Teachers

Recruitment and Retention

Denmark has long nurtured a reputation for strong teachers and views teachers as playing key roles in fostering equity, citizenship, and social mobility. Teachers are highly regarded by Danish society. In 2024, over 80 percent of teachers reported feeling valued by both parents and students, higher than the average across OECD countries.

Despite this, teacher recruitment and retention have become increasingly challenging since 2013, when Denmark experienced a multi-day teacher lockout following disputes between educators and municipal leaders over working conditions, salaries, and hours. While the working relationship between educators and municipal leaders has improved over recent years, the Danish education system continues to grapple with an ongoing shortage of qualified teachers, as the number of applicants to teacher preparation programs has declined, particularly in areas like mathematics and information technology, where young people can obtain higher-paid positions in other fields. To supplement the shortage of qualified teachers, Denmark has increasingly relied on teachers who are not yet fully qualified; for example, many schools opt to hire university students taking a sabbatical year from their studies. In 2022, nearly 20 percent of all educators in Denmark’s public schools were not fully qualified to teach.

In response, the government has introduced wage reforms as well as other measures to make teacher preparation and working in schools more attractive. In 2024, the teachers’ unions and the government announced an eight percent raise for all teachers, as well as a provision to ensure that salaries keep pace with private sector jobs in Denmark going forward. This was a key issue, as teacher salaries in Denmark have lagged behind those of comparable professions; 2022 OECD figures estimate Danish teacher salaries to be about 17 percent lower than those of comparable professions. The 2024 agreement also extended family leave for teachers by three weeks and required school employers to track working hours to ensure teachers maintain a balanced work schedule.

Teacher salaries in Denmark are determined through collective agreements between the government and teachers’ associations. For teachers at the Folkeskole level, salaries are negotiated between Local Government Denmark (KL), a membership-based interest group comprising representatives from all of the country’s municipalities, and the Confederation of Teachers Unions. For upper secondary educators, negotiations take place between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish National Union of Upper Secondary School Teachers. Teachers’ salaries increase at regular intervals, after four, eight, and 12 years in the profession.

Preparation and Induction

In 2007, teacher education programs in Denmark were moved from teachers’ colleges into the university college system. Academic standards were raised, and a practicum was added to the program. Today, teacher preparation programs are offered by six university colleges. Those preparing to teach at the Folkeskole level complete a four-year professional bachelor’s degree in education. Upper secondary school teachers must earn a master’s degree, with a specialization in two teaching subjects at the bachelor’s or master’s degree level. They also complete one year of professional post-graduate training in a specialized subject area. Pre-school teachers pursue a three-and-a-half-year bachelor’s degree in social education, also offered at university colleges.

VET educators who teach general subjects must have qualifications comparable to those required of Folkeskole teachers, as well as a minimum of two years of relevant work experience. Those who teach specialized vocational subjects must have completed a VET program in their field and possess at least five years of relevant work experience. Typically, specialized VET teachers also hold higher education degrees in the same field. Teachers who have not completed a training course must, within four years of employment, obtain qualifications at the vocational teacher’s diploma level.

Admission to teacher preparation programs—like other degree programs—divides applicants into a priority applicant group based on grades from upper secondary school, and a second group that considers additional criteria, such as extracurricular involvement and work experience. Students are first admitted from the priority group; if there are additional spaces, they are then admitted from the second. The percent of applicants admitted varies by school and by program specialization; the required grades for the priority group are quite high.

Programs for Folkeskole-level teachers include foundational education courses. Students also complete a teaching placement and a capstone project. The Ministry of Children and Education recently implemented reforms to increase the focus on practice and also better prepare teachers to engage with increasingly diverse student populations. In 2023, the government required bachelor’s programs in primary and lower secondary education to devote at least 20 percent of the curriculum to practice placements and to add more practical topics to the curriculum. It also required all educators to take a course on instructing students with special learning needs and teaching Danish as a second language.

Early childhood education preparation programs typically last three and a half years and include a teaching placement and a culminating project.

The Merit-Pedagogue Training Programme (Meritlæreruddannelsen) is an accelerated teacher education pathway designed for individuals transitioning into the teaching profession from other careers. The two-year program admits applicants who have already completed a bachelor’s, master’s, or vocational degree, and have at least two years of relevant work experience, or alternatively, four years of general work experience.
Municipalities are responsible for hiring teachers at the early childhood, primary, and lower secondary levels through an open recruitment process. They may also delegate hiring authority directly to individual schools. Upper secondary schools, which are self-governing, employ their own teachers.

Denmark does not require schools to have induction programs for new teachers, nor do they provide guidance on what induction might include. Many municipalities and schools organize their own induction for teachers, including mentors or orientations. Local Government Denmark (KL) published a catalogue written by the Danish Evaluation Institute that includes guidance on how schools and municipalities can support newly qualified teachers in their transition to the classroom.

Roles and Career Progression

National legislation does not outline specific leadership roles for public school teachers, apart from serving on the school board, to which each municipality may appoint up to two teachers. Experienced educators may serve as mentors to new teachers, though this is typically an informal practice organized at the municipal or individual school level.

Teachers may apply for leadership positions, such as Head Teacher, Department Head, or Pedagogical Coordinator, depending on their experience and ability to meet criteria established by the municipal council and school leadership.

Evaluation and Professional Learning

There are no national requirements or set guidelines for teacher evaluation. It is developed at the discretion of school principals. The process tends to be informal, with principals relying on locally developed practices; for instance, some principals choose to conduct classroom observations, while others do not.

There are no national regulations that guide teacher professional learning. Municipalities generally allocate funding for professional development, which is usually optional for teachers and self-initiated. University colleges and professional organizations offer a wide variety of courses, and teachers often receive funding or fee waivers to attend.

Upper secondary teachers are required to have an individual competency development plan, created in collaboration with the school principal. Professional learning opportunities vary, but are typically offered through short courses designed to update teachers’ qualifications. Some upper secondary schools organize their own school-based professional learning.

Leaders

Roles and Responsibilities

The 2021 Free School Act defines the responsibilities of school principals in Denmark. Principals are primarily responsible for ensuring that the quality of education aligns with the school’s overarching goals, as they also propose the school’s curriculum. In addition, principals are required to establish guidelines for and monitor student well-being, as well as promote a culture of collaboration with teachers and other school-based staff.

Recruitment, Preparation, and Development

While there are no formal education requirements for principals in Folkeskole, most hold at least a bachelor’s degree in education and have prior classroom teaching experience. Principals of upper secondary schools, however, are required to hold a master’s degree. All principals must be certified under the provisions of the 2021 Free School Act, which requires teaching qualifications, as well as demonstrated proficiency in written and spoken Danish.

For the primary and lower secondary levels, the school board, largely composed of parents, is responsible for evaluating and recommending a candidate to the municipal board, which makes the final appointment to the principalship. Candidates must complete a two-year probationary period before receiving a permanent contract. At the upper secondary level, the school board is responsible for appointing principals.

Principals typically take a leadership course prior to assuming their duties. Leadership courses are offered by municipalities, universities, and other independent organizations. Some may be part of a diploma or a master’s degree. The majority of principals have master’s degrees, either as part of their teaching certification for upper secondary school or in educational administration.