How to Work as a Teacher in Denmark
There are two quite different ways to work as a teacher in Denmark, and which applies to you decides everything. For a permanent post in the public folkeskole you need your qualification formally recognised and you must teach in Danish; in an international school you teach in English on your home licence. This guide covers both, plus upper secondary, the language reality and how to apply.
Overview
Teaching is one of the more accessible regulated professions for newcomers – partly because the international-school sector gives English-speakers a way in that does not exist for, say, nurses. The catch is that the two routes barely overlap. To work as a teacher in Denmark in the public system you need formal recognition and real Danish; to do it in an international school you mostly need your existing licence and good English. Decide which world you are aiming for, then follow its rules.
Public folkeskole: get your qualification recognised by the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science, and teach in Danish. International schools: teach in English on your home teaching licence, with the school sponsoring your permit if you are non-EU.
Two routes
The deciding question is the language of instruction. The folkeskole and other state schools teach in Danish and require recognised teaching qualifications for permanent posts. International schools teach an English-language curriculum (IB, Cambridge and the like) and hire on the strength of your home credentials. A third, lighter option exists in the public system: substitute teaching.
The folkeskole route
For a permanent teaching post in the municipal primary and lower secondary school, you need professional recognition from the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science. You apply with your diploma, transcript, proof of nationality and any certificate of your right to teach, plus translations where needed. The Agency then either:
- Recognises your qualification outright – you receive a letter saying you may apply for folkeskole positions; or
- Gives conditional approval – you complete a compensation measure first, such as one or two subjects at a teacher-training college, or (for EU/EEA citizens) an adaptation period of up to two years – then ask for final approval.
Importantly, you can take substitute (vikar) jobs without any recognition, which is a common foot in the door while you sort out the formal process.
International schools
If you would rather teach in English, the international-school sector is the route. Schools typically want a valid teaching licence from your home country (QTS, state certification or equivalent) plus a couple of years’ experience, and they generally sponsor the work and residence permit for non-EU teachers. No Danish or Agency recognition is needed. Hiring tends to peak in spring (around March to May) for an August start. Our guide to the school system has the wider picture.
Upper secondary
To teach in upper secondary (the academic gymnasium and its HF/HHX/HTX variants), recognition again runs through the Agency, and the usual Danish route requires a master’s degree plus the teaching qualification (pedagogikum). If you trained abroad, the Agency will assess how your qualifications map onto that standard.
The language reality
This is the honest dividing line. The folkeskole and state schools teach in Danish, so without strong Danish the public route is effectively closed to you – which is exactly why many international teachers head for the English-language schools. If the public system is your goal, treat Danish as the central task, not a formality.
How to apply to work as a teacher in Denmark
- Pick your route – state school (recognition + Danish) or international school (home licence + English).
- For the folkeskole, apply to the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science with your diploma, transcript and translations.
- Complete any compensation measure the Agency sets, then request final approval.
- For international schools, apply directly to schools; the employer sponsors your permit if you are non-EU.
Finding work
Substitute and subject-teacher demand in the folkeskole can be a useful entry point while you build Danish and recognition. International schools recruit on a clear annual cycle. Either way, a concrete offer makes the permit and paperwork side far smoother.
Questions and answers
Do I need my qualification recognised to work as a teacher in Denmark?
For a permanent post in the public folkeskole, yes – via the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science. International schools hire on your home licence, and substitute (vikar) work needs no recognition.
Can I teach in Denmark without speaking Danish?
In an international school, yes – teaching is in English. In the public system, no – the folkeskole teaches in Danish and you need strong Danish.
What if my qualification is only partly recognised?
The Agency may give conditional approval, requiring a compensation measure – extra subjects at a teacher-training college, or (for EU/EEA citizens) an adaptation period of up to two years – before final approval.
When do international schools hire?
Mostly in spring, around March to May, for an August start. They usually sponsor the work and residence permit for non-EU teachers.