Scholarships in Denmark for Nepali Students (2026)
Danish Government Scholarships for developing countries: full tuition + DKK 8,500–9,500/month living stipend, very competitive, apply January–February. DTU Excellence Scholarship: partial to full tuition waiver (automatic with admission). Erasmus Mundus programmes including Danish universities: fully funded (EUR 1,000–1,400/month + tuition). SU (Danish state grant) not available to Nepali students. Without scholarships, Denmark is expensive, target scholarships actively.
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Browse Denmark scholarshipsDanish Government Scholarships for Non-EU Students
The Danish Government provides fully-funded scholarships for students from developing countries, including Nepal, for master's level programmes at selected Danish universities. Coverage: full tuition waiver plus a monthly living stipend of approximately DKK 8,500–9,500 (approximately NPR 14,000–15,700/month), and sometimes return airfare. Administered through individual universities, not through a central application portal.
Participating universities: Aarhus University, University of Copenhagen, DTU, SDU, and CBS have historically offered Danish Government Scholarships to Nepali and other developing-country students. The scholarship is embedded in the regular master's admission process, when you apply to the master's programme, indicate your interest in the scholarship. Shortlisted candidates may be asked for an additional statement or interview.
Key requirements: strong academic record (GPA 3.5+/4.0 or equivalent, approximately 75%+ in Nepali system), a compelling motivation statement explaining why Denmark and this programme specifically addresses a development challenge in Nepal, IELTS 6.5+, and relevant professional experience. Deadlines align with the January–February master's application window.
| Scholarship | Coverage | Apply by |
|---|---|---|
| Danish Government Scholarship | Full tuition + DKK 8,500–9,500/month stipend | January–February (with admission) |
| DTU Excellence Scholarship | Partial to full tuition waiver (automatic) | By admission deadline (apply early) |
| Erasmus Mundus (Danish partner) | Full tuition + EUR 1,000–1,400/month | October–January |
| Funded PhD position | Full salary DKK 36,000–44,000/month, no tuition | Year-round (when advertised) |
University-Specific Scholarships
DTU Excellence Scholarship: DTU automatically evaluates all international applicants for merit scholarships. The Excellence Scholarship provides partial to full tuition waiver for the highest-ranked international applicants. No separate application required, assessed with admission. Typically awarded to top 5–10% of admitted international cohort. Combine with part-time work income (DKK 11,200/month) to cover living costs.
Aarhus University Scholarship: partial tuition reduction of 25–100% for exceptional non-EU master's applicants. Assessed during admission review, no separate form. GPA 3.5+/4.0 and relevant programme alignment improve eligibility. KU (University of Copenhagen) offers the KU International Scholarship for outstanding master's applicants, similar partial tuition waiver. CBS Excellence Scholarship: DKK 60,000–80,000 applied against tuition for top MSc applicants.
AAU (Aalborg University) offers some partial scholarships for non-EU master's students from certain partner countries and institutions, check whether your Nepali university (TU or KU) has a bilateral agreement with AAU. Bilateral agreements sometimes include scholarship provisions or fee waivers for exchange students.
DTU Excellence Scholarship in Detail
The DTU Excellence Scholarship is the most structured automatic scholarship at a Danish university. DTU ranks all international applicants by academic merit (GPA, relevance of bachelor's to the master's programme, and quality of motivation letter) and awards tuition waivers to the top applicants. Full waiver (DKK 85,000–120,000/year): 2–5 students per programme. Partial waiver (50%): 5–10 additional students per programme.
To maximise DTU Excellence Scholarship chances: apply by the earliest possible deadline (November–December, not waiting until the February 1 deadline). A strong motivation letter addressing your specific research interests in DTU's programme (name specific courses, research groups, or faculty members), combined with strong GPA (65–70%+ in engineering or sciences), is the primary differentiator.
DTU also offers the DTU Doctoral Scholarship for PhD: full tuition waiver plus DKK 36,000–44,000/month salary during a funded PhD project. These are advertised on dtu.dk/job when supervisors have funding available. Applying for funded DTU PhD positions is a strong strategy for academically excellent Nepali students in engineering, computer science, or life sciences.
Erasmus Mundus Programmes Including Denmark
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degrees (EMJMD) are fully funded by the European Union for non-EU students: EUR 1,000–1,400/month living allowance plus full tuition waiver at all partner universities. Several EMJMD programmes list Danish universities (DTU, KU, AAU, CBS) as partner institutions. Students spend one or more semesters at the Danish partner university as part of the multi-country programme.
Examples of Erasmus Mundus programmes with Danish partners: ALGANT (algebra, geometry, and number theory, includes University of Copenhagen), COMET (computational mechanics, DTU partner), Offshore and Ocean Technology, DTU partner, Smart Systems Integration, multiple European partners including Danish universities. Search erasmusmundus.eu and filter by Danish partner institutions.
Erasmus Mundus application timeline: applications typically open October–November, close January. Results announced March–April. These are separate from regular Danish university master's applications, you apply to the Erasmus Mundus programme directly, not to the individual university. Acceptance rates are 5–15% for non-EU students in competitive programmes. Multiple programmes increase your chances, apply to 3–5 EMJMD programmes simultaneously.
Research Assistantships and PhD Funding
Funded PhD positions are advertised on Danish university job portals: vacancies.ku.dk, dtu.dk/job, aarhus.dk/jobs, job.aau.dk. PhD candidates in Denmark receive a full salary (DKK 36,000–44,000/month gross, approximately DKK 28,000–34,000 net after tax), not a stipend, but an employment contract. This makes Danish PhD positions among the world's best-paid doctoral positions.
To secure a funded Danish PhD: contact potential supervisors 6–12 months before intended start with a specific, well-developed research proposal aligned with their published work and current projects. Read their 3 most recent papers. Identify a specific research gap. Write a 1–2 page research proposal addressing that gap and explain why their group at DTU/KU/AAU is the right place to do it. Strong proposals from TU or KU engineering or science bachelor's graduates with relevant research experience are competitive.
Master's research assistant positions (RA): DTU, KU, and Aarhus frequently hire master's students as student research assistants (studenterjob as RA) at DKK 150–200/hour. These are in addition to the 20 hrs/week work allowance if structured as a formal employment contract within the student worker framework. Ask your thesis supervisor about RA possibilities in their research group.
Application Strategy: Making Denmark Affordable
The only way Denmark is financially realistic without family wealth is combining scholarship + work + affordable university. Target strategy: apply for Danish Government Scholarship through AAU or SDU (slightly lower competition than DTU/KU for the same scholarship) + apply for DTU Excellence Scholarship simultaneously + plan to work 20 hrs/week throughout your studies. If you secure the Danish Government Scholarship, your effective annual cost drops to near zero, just living costs already covered by the stipend.
University choice matters financially: AAU Aalborg (DKK 60,000/year tuition, lower Aalborg living costs) is significantly more affordable than DTU Copenhagen (DKK 100,000/year tuition, higher Copenhagen costs). An AAU master's in Engineering with 20 hrs/week work can be effectively self-funded. A DTU master's with the same work hours requires NPR 1–2 lakh/year family contribution, manageable with an education loan.
Apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes with Danish partners as a parallel track. A funded Erasmus Mundus position at a programme including DTU or AAU as a partner gives you time at a Danish university fully funded, building Danish industry contacts and potentially leading to employment after the programme, all without the full Danish tuition cost.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fully funded scholarship to study in Denmark?
Yes, the Danish Government Scholarship for developing country students covers full tuition plus DKK 8,500–9,500/month living stipend. Very competitive. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degrees with Danish university partners are also fully funded (EUR 1,000–1,400/month + full tuition). Funded PhD positions at Danish universities provide a full salary (DKK 36,000–44,000/month). These are the three fully funded pathways. University tuition waivers (DTU Excellence, Aarhus Merit, KU International) are partial funding, valuable but not sufficient on their own.
What is the Danish Government Scholarship?
The Danish Government Scholarship for students from developing countries provides full tuition waiver plus a living stipend of approximately DKK 8,500–9,500/month for master's programmes at participating Danish universities (DTU, KU, Aarhus, SDU, CBS). Applications go through the university's admission process, apply January–February for September entry. Very competitive: typically 3–10 slots per programme for all eligible nationalities combined. Strong GPA (75%+), IELTS 6.5+, and a development-focused motivation statement are essential.
Can I get an Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Denmark?
Yes, several Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degree programmes include Danish universities (DTU, KU, AAU) as partner institutions. These are fully funded for non-EU students: EUR 1,000–1,400/month living allowance plus full tuition at all partner universities. You apply through the specific Erasmus Mundus programme website (not directly to the Danish university), with applications opening October–November and closing in January for the following year's intake. You spend the programme period across 2–3 European countries, including time at the Danish partner. Acceptance rates are competitive at 5–15% for non-EU applicants, so apply to 3–5 programmes simultaneously to improve your chances.
When should I apply for Danish scholarships?
Danish Government Scholarship and university merit scholarships (DTU Excellence, Aarhus, KU, CBS): apply January–February with your master's admission application for September entry, since these are assessed during the standard admission review and share the same deadline. Erasmus Mundus: applications open October–November and close in January for October entry the following year, so begin preparing well in advance. PhD funded positions: year-round, advertised when funding is available, set up job alerts on Danish university job portals (vacancies.ku.dk, dtu.dk/job, job.aau.dk). Apply for all pathways simultaneously, since the required documents (CV, transcripts, motivation letter, IELTS) overlap significantly with your regular admission application.
What GPA do I need for Danish university scholarships?
Danish Government Scholarship: GPA 3.5+/4.0 (approximately 75%+ in Nepali system). DTU Excellence Scholarship: effectively top 10–15% of the international applicant pool, typically 70%+ equivalent for competitive engineering programmes. Aarhus and KU university scholarships: 65%+ (2:1 equivalent). CBS Excellence: strong GPA plus relevant internship experience. For Erasmus Mundus, merit thresholds vary by programme, typically 65–70%+ overall with strong alignment to the programme's specific research area.
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