Most foreign students in Denmark are now concentrating their academic pursuits in Copenhagen.
Title: International students flood Copenhagen as English programs slashed elsewhere
Wanna know more about this topic? Check out these interesting facts:
- Discover why Copenhagen's prestigious universities and high standard of living might be attracting international students.
- Uncover how government policies, scholarships, and economic factors play a role in the trend.
Copenhagen now serves as the hub for international students in Denmark, leaving the rest of the country in the dust, according to recent data from Copenhagen Municipality.
while over 40% decline in international students across the rest of Denmark over the past decade, Copenhagen experienced a nearly 50% surge, expanding from 2,500 students in 2012 to 3,700 in 2022!
This paradigm shift could be linked to previous administrations' controversial decision to drastically cut English-language courses in 2017, 2018, and 2022, negatively impacting the provinces and boosting Copenhagen's popularity among international learners.
Take VIA University College, which was once the top enroller for foreign students in 2012, boasting 691 students. By 2022, it had tumbled to 7th place with only 274 students, while flagship institutions like DTU Technical University of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, and Copenhagen Business School nearly doubled their enrollment, surpassing VIA.
Recent developments offer a glimmer of hope for regional universities. Last October, the government pledged to establish an additional 400 English-speaking spots on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) programs to offset the tuition costs.
Fast forward to today, and VIA has managed to attract over 1,000 international students across nine English-language courses on its website.
Another significant change is the sharp increase in part-time employment of international students in Copenhagen. In 2012, three out of five international students in Copenhagen worked part-time during their studies, compared to three out of four in 2022. The top fields for these side gigs include hotels, restaurants, education, and travel agents or cleaning services.
International students in vocational education programs took on an average workload of 24 hours a week for 8.5 months annually, while their counterparts enrolled in bachelor degrees averaged a 12-hour weekly workload for 6.4 months annually.
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Stay informed and keep the conversation going!
- The surge of international students in Copenhagen over the past decade, while a decline was seen in the rest of Denmark, could be attributed to the city's prestigious universities, high standard of living, and the removal of English programs elsewhere.
- The drastic cut of English-language courses in 2017, 2018, and 2022 in the provinces might have boosted Copenhagen's popularity among international learners, as Copenhagen's flagship institutions like DTU Technical University of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, and Copenhagen Business School nearly doubled their enrollment.
- Recently, the government has pledged to establish an additional 400 English-speaking spots on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) programs to offset tuition costs, indicating a potential shift in government policy that could benefit regional universities and attract more international students.
