Secondary education programmes
There are four different upper secondary education programmes in Denmark:
- stx
- hhx
- htx
- hf
The stx and hf programmes consist of a broad range of subjects in the fields of the humanities, natural science and social science.
The hhx programme focuses on business and socio-economic disciplines in combination with foreign languages and other general subjects.
The htx programme has its focus on technological and scientific subjects in combination with general subjects.
The subjects
Each of the education programmes has its specific range of compulsory subjects that are common for all pupils taking the programme. In stx, hhx and htx, in addition, each school offers a number of different specialized study packages (packages normally containing three subjects) and elective subjects for the pupils to choose between. In HF the pupils make their choices among the electives offered by the school.
IMPORTANT:
Pupils who have not attended a Danish school may be admitted following a concrete assessment of whether they have qualifications corresponding to the requirements that must be fulfilled by pupils who have attended a Danish school.
They may be required to take an admission test.
Preparedness for further study
All the education programmes also contain multi-subject courses, among other things with the object of strengthening the pupils’ preparedness for further study. This includes the ability to apply knowledge and methods from several subjects to illustrate interdisciplinary themes and problems and the ability to compare the subjects’ knowledge and methods.
To be admitted to one of the three-year upper secondary education programmes (stx, hhx, htx), a pupil must have completed nine years of Danish basic education or have received corresponding teaching, and have taken the compulsory final examination of the primary and lower secondary school.
To be admitted to hf, a pupil must have completed ten years of Danish basic education and have taken examinations in Danish, English, mathematics, a second foreign language (French or German) and physics/chemistry.
An admission test
A pupil must take an admission test if he/she has not taken the examinations required for admission to stx/hhx/htx or hf. A pupil may be required to take an admission test if the basic school has recommended this.
State Educational Grant (SU) for secondary education programmes
You can receive SU if you are over 18 years of age and you are following a secondary education programme.
As a rule, foreign students enrolled in Danish courses of study are not eligible for educational support. However, exceptions are made on the basis of specific conditions for refugees and relatives of refugees and for other foreign citizens provided – among other stipulations – that they have been living and working in Denmark long enough. As far as EU rules and regulations make it possible, EU citizens can gain support from the Danish system.
The student must attend classes, sit examinations and in other ways demonstrate that they are active in their educational programmes. No time limits are placed on this type of support. Students are eligible for support for any number of courses, with the exception of certain upper secondary programmes. Until students are 20, their grants depend upon their parents’ income. When that exceeds a certain amount the grants are reduced on a sliding scale, ending in a minimum grant.