Kickstart your career in Denmark
Are you looking for a job in Denmark after graduating? Or perhaps you want to get a head start with a student job during your studies?
The University of Copenhagen (UCPH) is more than just education. UCPH wants to secure the future for graduates and believes that studies go hand in hand with applying your knowledge in a job.
Keep in mind that:
- Most degree programmes offer the opportunity to do an internship and earn credits
- Internships may result in a career-promoting student job
- Writing a project or your master’s thesis together with a business often leads to a full-time job after graduation.
The UCPH Job & Project Portal helps bring students and businesses together. Students can also draw upon faculty-based or external talent programmes and services.
After graduation, your study permit allows you to stay 3 years to look for full time employment. However, do not forget to apply to the immigration services for a proper work permit as soon as you get more than 20 hours of employment, which is the limit on your student permit.
Prepare for a career in Denmark while studying at UCPH
Graduates with practical experience are attractive to employers.
Here are a few suggestions for you to consider, if you want to prepare for a career in Denmark while being a student at UCPH.
Projects during your studies
Writing master’s thesis and projects together with a company
In Denmark, many students choose early on to focus on their job and career opportunities by writing their master’s thesis or a project assignment in collaboration with a business or an organisation. This gives students the opportunity to learn about life at a workplace and dig into the company's challenges and potentials.
Research shows that collaborating with or working in a business often leads to permanent employment after graduation, which goes for both Danish and international students. The close collaboration may also provide insight and knowledge that benefit other businesses in Denmark.
Collaboration with private and public companies
You can collaborate with both private and public companies, organisations, NGOs etc. You can ask your lecturers for suggestions or specific ideas on what to write about.
It is your responsibility to find a company, organisation, or NGO to collaborate with. Unless you have received specific suggestions or ideas from your professor or lecturer, your master’s thesis/project assignment must relate to your courses and comply with the academic rules and regulations.
Talk to your lecturer or professor at your faculty or department about your ideas when you are enrolled in a course. Start planning early.
Student job and internships during your studies in Denmark
How to find a student job
There are multiple ways to find a student job during your studies in Denmark. Pay attention to job portals and keep an eye on bulletin boards around campus
Among others, Head Start aims to help international students in the Greater Copenhagen area to find relevant student jobs during their studies in Denmark. It can be a good idea to get a student job if you want to prepare for a career in Denmark later on.
Head Start has online campaigns and a portal where the goal is to make it easier for qualified international students to find inspiring jobs in Denmark.
Internship during your studies
In Denmark, it is popular to do an internship. An internship is a unique opportunity to get experience and develop your skills. In some cases, internships can result in permanent employment. When doing an internship, you can often earn credits as part of your degree programme while also getting the experience of using your skills in the real world before graduating.
You can look for internships online at UCPH Job & Projects and on Graduateland. You can contact companies, organisations and NGOs yourself or get help from a staff member in your department.
Career services at UCPH
UCPH does not have a central career service centre. Many activities are based at faculty or programme level.
This means that as a student you will get different information from KUnet (the UCPH intranet) and news depending on what you are studying. You must be enrolled to see offers that are relevant for you.
- The Faculty of Social Sciences announces career events for international students on their Facebook page. Topics: CV writing, ‘Stand Out in the Crowd’, meet with employers, unions, etc.
- The Faculty of Science offers several career events for all their students within areas such as how to get a student job, project collaboration, LinkedIn, ect. Students also have the possibility to book an individual career guidance session.
You can get an overview on the website of Faculty of Science. Some programmes also offer programme-related activities - one such example is at Computer Science.
Career support at UCPH faculties
Career programmes for international students
Greater Copenhagen Career Program
The Greater Copenhagen Career Program is a free-of-charge six-month mentor and networking programme for international students in their last year of graduate studies.
The Greater Copenhagen Career Program prepares you for joining a professional Danish working environment through a combination of job-search seminars, a personal career mentor, networking events with Danish professionals and a personal Garuda Profile (personality test).
Most of the activities take place in Business House Copenhagen near Valby Station.
Sign up for Greater Copenhagen Career Program
Career Kick Start
Are you an international student at UCPH looking to jump-start your career in Denmark?
The Career Kickstart programme, hosted by International House Copenhagen, is designed exclusively for full-degree international students in their first year or Master’s degree programme. The programme offers you the tools and guidance to navigate the Danish job market, build your professional network, and develop essential skills for your future career. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and connect with potential employers.
UCPH Project & Jobs: UCPH's own jobportal
Use UCPH Project & Job, UCPH's job portal, exclusive to students and alumni from UCPH.
Meet UCPH Alumni - Danish Career portraits
My Danish career - Andrea Gravrilescu
Meet Andra Gravrilescu - a former student at our MA program in Film and Media Studies. Listen to Andra's story about how to build a career in Denmark after graduation.
My Danish career - meet 5 of UCPH's former international students
Meet five of UCPH's former international master students and listen to their stories about how to build a career in Denmark.
My Danish career - Claire Joyce
Meet Claire Joyce - a former student at our MA program in IT & Cognition. Listen to Claire's story about how to build a career in Denmark after graduation.
Job search tips for international alumni
Finding a job after graduating can feel challenging, especially when navigating a new country's job market. As an international UCPH alumni, you may face unique opportunities and obstacles. Below, you’ll find helpful video tips to guide you through the job search process, from writing goof job application and a networking with companies to perfecting your pitch, tailored to help you succeed in Denmark.
Networking tips
Networking is important when looking for a job in Denmark. Mainly because many positions in private businesses are not advertised. Instead they are filled through personal contacts. This may be good to bear in mind if you meet someone when doing sports, picking up your children from day-care, attending an event etc.
Networking is an important part of job searching, and you should always use the opportunity to talk to others at an event; they could be the path to your first or new job in Denmark.
How do you network with companies and organisations that you are interested in collaborating with? What are the tools for professional networking? How do you contact companies and what are the do's and don'ts of networking? We have asked 5 career experts and counsellors about how to network with companies.
How to perfect your pitch? How to present your skills and motivation? And how to write a good job application for the Danish labour market? Watch the videos to find out.
Bring your family to Denmark
Can I bring my family to Denmark?
If you are offered a work and residence permit, you can bring your partner and your children (if they are under 18 and still live at home).
Childcare and schools in Denmark
In Denmark, most children between the ages of 0 to 5 are enrolled in day-care centres before they start primary school. Read about childcare facilities in Denmark.
Work permit in Denmark
Post-study work rights in Denmark
Do you want to get a job and career in Denmark after graduation? The study permit allows you to do so for 3 years on a part-time salary. However, when you get more than 20 hours work per week, you must apply for a work visa. The application fee is € 100.
Unemployment insurance funds
Academic trade unions
Trade unions in Denmark for academics offer courses, life-long education, resources for finding and changing jobs, mentor/mentee relations etc. Unemployment insurance funds also arrange events on how to land your first job, write good applications and a CV that matches the Danish labour market. They can help you get started with a job and career in Denmark.
Trade unions advise their members on the rules and opportunities in the labour market and help secure the best possible pay and working conditions for each member of their organisation by negotiating agreements with the employers.
There are plenty of Danish academic unions to choose from. The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC - Akademikerne) is an umbrella organisation for its member organisations. On their website, you can find the union that matches your academic career. They also run a job bank.
Find a relevant trade union in Denmark
Unemployment benefits during your job search
If you are unemployed for a shorter or longer period in Denmark, you may, as a graduate in Denmark, be entitled to unemployment benefits (Your unemployment insurance fund can tell you what you need to know about the conditions for obtaining unemployment benefits. (“dagpenge” in Danish). Since May 2023, one of the conditions for obtaining unemployment benefits has changed. One of the new rules is that you must know and speak the Danish language at the level of "Dansk 2". Read more about the changes here.
Unemployment funds, along with unions, are great sources of help to finding a job. They offer online and in-person events, online guidance and much more.