As an administrator at a Danish high school, Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. A time of unwritten potential — sure to bring its share of both triumphs and challenges.
I enjoy seeing the familiar faces of colleagues and students, while learning the new names and personalities of our incoming classes. I especially love being in a Danish environment that has a particularly international flair. It’s unique, it’s fun, and — believe it or not — it’s a public school.
I know it sounds too good to be true: a Danish high school that offers an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma (which is a 2-year diploma fully in English) — and because it’s a tax-funded public school — it’s free!
But here’s the catch: there are only about a dozen schools like ours in the entire country.
Now, to be sure, Denmark has its share of excellent private schools that offer programs for international students in languages other than Danish. But it’s not for everyone.
At my school, this means that we receive many applications each year, and unfortunately, we can’t admit everyone who applies.
As an international parent myself, it pains me to have to turn people away, especially when there are so few public Danish schools in Denmark that include this type of program. You can find a complete list of all private and public Danish schools that offer the IB Diploma Programme on the Danish Ministry of Children and Education’s website.
In my time as an administrator, I’ve noticed common mistakes that internationals often make when applying to our school that actually diminish their chance of getting admitted. As an international, who is now deep in the process of deciding where to send my own teens after 10th grade, I wanted to share some effective tips that will get your teen’s application reviewed and off on the right foot.
1. Apply on time
Most schools set their deadlines in early spring, between February and March. So, for all the internationals that move to Denmark in the summer — unless they’ve done their due diligence and talked to schools far in advance — they are already a good five months behind when they arrive.
This can put them at a major disadvantage and can leave them scrambling to find a school in English, sometimes with very little luck. Most international upper secondary schools are already full by that time, though we always recommend calling around to the different international schools, just in case.
So, if you are considering moving to Denmark within the next year, make sure to keep an eye on school deadlines. It’s better to search earlier than later.
2. Make sure to apply through the right platform
Most public Danish high schools that offer the IB diploma require students to apply directly through their own website. However, a couple of them also require a second application to be submitted through the website of the Danish Ministry of Education, optagelse.dk.
Since the IB Diploma Programme is outside of the typical Danish education, the Ministry doesn’t really have influence on where those students go, which is why most schools only use their own online applications.
To make matters slightly more confusing, Pre-IB is under the umbrella of the Danish Ministry of Education because the courses offered are the equivalent of the first year of a Danish high school. When applying to Pre-IB at any public Danish high school, you must fill out an application on both optagelse.dk and on the school’s own website.
It’s always a good idea to double-check the application requirements on each school’s website to ensure that you don’t miss a key step in the application process. This will save you a lot of frustration.
3. Understand that fitting the admissions criteria doesn’t guarantee your child a spot — but it helps
There is a baseline that we have for students to be eligible for our program: things like age and years of school completed. These are the basic elements of eligibility. This means that as long as they fit that criteria, their application will get an honest evaluation. If they are over the age limit (in their 20’s, for instance, or below 15), then we can’t consider their application.
When reviewing the pool of qualified candidates, we narrow it down. We start by
reviewing the list of students who have chosen us as their first priority on their application. However, this does not mean that they will automatically get admitted. Other factors are taken into consideration, such as school grades, the need for an international education, and the distance to our school. All of these can affect their chance of admittance.
Sometimes students have contacted me requesting the exact distance from the school they’re allowed to live in order to be admitted, and it’s not an exact science. There isn’t a set number. But our experience tells us that students commuting more than an hour to get to our school struggle to keep up. Since the IB is an academically challenging program, we want to give students their best chance to succeed from a very practical place.
4. Always have a back-up plan
Where I come from, we say “Don’t put your eggs all in one basket.” This means that if the basket drops, all your eggs will be broken. This also applies to schools.
I’ve met with many prospective families who have had their hearts set on attending our school — and only our school. So, when they fill out an application, they don’t bother applying anywhere else.
While this can be seen as a sign of true dedication and commitment, it can also run the risk of looking irresponsible.
I’ve seen the devastating situation where students have applied only to our school, but have not been admitted. Understandably, this was surprising and deeply upsetting for them. But they didn’t have a back-up plan. And then they are left desperately calling around to different schools to see if they can get a spot.
Whenever I consult with prospective parents and students, I emphasize that even if our school is the one that they want to attend, and even if they meet the admission criteria, they must apply to multiple schools. This is the best way to set themselves up for success.
5. If you’re applying late, request an appointment
As a parent, I understand the temptation to want to show up in person to make a case for your child. There is something to be said for face-to-face interactions and not merely being a name on a list. You are your child’s best advocate. It shows that you care.
Something to bear in mind is that, in a Danish context, showing up unannounced can come across as more aggressive than intended and actually have the opposite effect. Calling and requesting a meeting or even a phone consultation is more conducive to a Danish environment.
I’ve seen many families who have just arrived in Denmark show up at our school, sometimes going so far as refusing to leave until they have received an audience with the IB Coordinator. Most of the time, this doesn’t produce the desired result – especially if the application deadline has been missed and classes are already full.
There isn’t anything we can do at that point, except to add your student to our waiting list or recommend that you call other schools.
If that doesn’t happen, then you need to speak with the youth advisor (called an UU vejleder) in your municipality. It’s their job to ensure that all young people living in their area have an education. In some cases, when all schools are full, the student will get an offer to attend an “entry class,” where they are taught Danish and mathematics for that year, and then they can re-apply next year.
When applying late, I’ve found that the approach of the parents either helps or harms their child. The most useful approach is one of humility: “We realize we missed the deadline. (Sometimes unique life circumstances are worth mentioning at this point). Is there any possibility of admission — or to be placed on a waiting list? If not, then what can we do this year to prepare our child to apply again next year?”
When students (and parents) listen to the advice we give them, even if they’re disappointed in that moment, these are the types that we are more inclined to admit, should we get a last-minute opening. The approach truly matters.
As parents, we want what’s best for our children. We want them to have a successful future, and much of that starts with a good education. Living in another country with different rules and requirements can be overwhelming, even if, like me, you’ve lived here a long time. The process can feel unclear and confusing at times, but we do have options.
Ultimately, school administrators like me are here to assist. We can’t promise admittance to everyone, but we will give you the best advice we can to help you get started on the right foot. We’re in your corner.
