Denmark Statistics

Capital:  Copenhagen

Area:  43,098 sq km

Climate:  temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Population:  5 551 451 (2010 est.)

Languages:  Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority)

Government-Economy

Government type: constitutional monarchy

National holiday: none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June June (1849) is generally considered the Independence Day

Currency: Danish krone (DKK); 1 DKK = 0.19 US Dollar (USD); 1 USD = 5.38 DKK

GDP: $201.4 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP): $36.700 (2010 est.)

Information for Foreign Students in Denmark

Getting There

If you live outside Europe, the best way to go to Denmark is by plane. You should book in advance a plane ticket to have the lowest prices. If you live in Europe, you can choose to travel to Denmark by train.

Administrative Formalities
Once settled you have to apply for a residence permit and a CPR number. The residence permit is obtained with the passport and the letter of acceptance from your university. Once the residence permit received, you have to apply as soon as possible for the CPR number at the Folkeregistre. It is a kind of social security number which allows you to recover medical and other care fees, but also to open bank account or to obtain a library card or to purchase a mobile phone.

Housing

You could stay in a student hall (Kollegiet), private apartments or in a Danish family. Within the Skjoldhøj Kollegiet, the largest student residence in Denmark, the rooms are grouped usually by 12, with a nice kitchen, a common room and a private bathroom (around 300 euros).

Cost of Living

It is important to know that the cost of living in Copenhagen is particularly high. Similarly, taking the subway is expensive, a single ticket costs 20 DKK (€ 2.70) and a ticket for a night bus costs the double. In return, if you decide to find a student job, wages are very interesting.

Transportation

In general, you will have the choice between a bus and a bicycle. The bicycle is the most popular means of transportation. It is easy to get a cheap second hand bicycle, while a new one would be very expensive. Monthly subscriptions for bus exist, which costs around €40/month.

Opening a bank account
Denmark is not in the euro zone, and 1 euro is equals about 7.5 kroner. We recommend you to open a Danish bank account and to obtain a Danish card. You can choose to open an account at the Danske Bank, in order to avoid paying commissions when you only have a foreign account. Bank cards and visa cards are very rare in Denmark, especially in the supermarkets, post offices and restaurants. But getting a Danish card isn't sufficient, as you should obtain a Dankort with a microchip. The two largest banks in Denmark are the Danish banks Nordea and the Danske Bank: there are branch offices throughout the country (and for Nordea, anywhere in Scandinavia).