Children of workers from non-EU/EEA countries

Children of workers from non-EU/EEA countries who are exempt from payment of tuition fees for higher education

On 18 June 2009, the Danish parliament adopted Act no. 590. The Act exempts the children of some foreign workers from paying tuition fees for higher education in Denmark.

According to Act no. 590, children who have accompanied their parents from non-EU/EEA countries to Denmark are exempt from payment of tuition fees for higher education if they have been issued a resident permit pursuant to section 9c of the Danish Aliens Act, and if their parent(s) have been issued a resident permit as a consequence of employment in Denmark pursuant to section 9a of the Danish Aliens Act. Taximeter subsidy linked to these students' completed activity will be allocated to the educational institutions in which these students are enrolled.

Act no. 590 applies to students who fulfil the residency permit requirements, and who either begin a degree programme at a Danish institution of higher education after the Act has come into force, or who were already enrolled in a degree programme at a Danish institution of higher education when the Act came into force. At the time of admission, the students must have - or have had - a residency permit issued pursuant to section 9c(1) of the Aliens Act, as the accompanying child of a foreigner with a residency permit issued pursuant to section 9a of the Aliens Act. Students who meet these criteria - from 1 July 2009 - are exempt from paying tuition fees.

The educational institution's duty of disclosure and obligation to refund

Institutions of higher education have an obligation to inform students from non-EU/EEA countries - who fulfil the criteria for exemption from paying tuition fees at the time of admission - that they are exempt from payment as from 1 July 2009.

Students - who are eligible for exemption from the tuition fee requirement, and who have paid tuition fees for the second half of 2009 or later - are entitled to receive a full refund of this amount from their institution of higher education.