If you hold a teaching qualification enabling you to teach classes 1 to 10 in the country where you qualified, you can apply to the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science for authorisation to teach in the Folkeskole, i.e. the municipal primary and lower secondary school.
You must fill in this form:
If the agency recognises your qualification at once, you will receive a letter saying that you may apply for teaching positions in the Danish Folkeskole.
In some cases, the agency gives conditional approval. In order to obtain final approval you must then fulfil one of the following requirements:
- Complete one or two main subjects or pedagogical subjects at a teacher-training college/university college.
- Undergo an adaptation period of up to two years (applies only to EU and EEA citizens).
Once you have fulfilled the requirement, you must ask the agency for final approval.
Persons without teaching qualifications
If you do not have a formal teaching qualification, you cannot receive authorisation to teach in the Danish Folkeskole. In that case, you must complete a Danish teacher-training programme.
There are two possibilities:
Meritlæreruddannelsen
An accelerated primary and lower secondary teacher-training programme with award of credit for prior learning. This programme takes up to two years. Information about the programme is available in Danish:
Folkeskolelæreruddannelsen
The ordinary teacher-training programme. You may apply for credit transfer. Information about the programme is available in Danish:
Other possibilities
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You may apply for temporary jobs (as a substitute teacher) in the Folkeskole without any authorisation from the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science.
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Schools may hire persons with relevant qualifications to teach particular subjects (faglærer, in accordance with section 28(2) of the Folkeskole Act), but you should note that schools only do so under special circumstances.
Language
Danish is the language of instruction in the Folkeskole.
Rules and regulations