The government in Denmark has brought forward rule changes designed to limit the intake of international students from countries outside of the EU.
The rule changes originally planned for next summer, but have been brought forward so that they will affect the uptake of international students from this winter.
The new government measures come after reports in Danish newspaper Berlingske over a rise in international students, specifically from Bangladesh, enrolling onto a business degree at Roskilde University (RUC). Berlingske also reported that RUC made a decision to admit international students motivated by a potential to raise revenue from tuition fees, a claim that was denied by RUC.
The government asserted that a proportion of the students had applied to Danish universities with the primary intention of using their visas to access the labour market, and promised stricter rules.
At least one expert has questioned the method by which the government came to that conclusion. Bangladeshi students have meanwhile spoken to Danish media outlets, saying they chose to study in Denmark because of its reputation for quality higher education and feel stigmatised by the media reports.
But the rules, originally planned to take effect from next year, have been brought forward with a government directive meaning they will now apply to university admissions from this winter, it was reported this week.
The Ministry of Immigration and Integration initially confirmed the measures in a statement in which it said they were designed to stop “studies in Denmark being used as a back door to the Danish labour market.”
The ministry cited statistics which showed an increased number of international students from Bangladesh as well as a “suspicion” that the study permits were being used for labour migration.
The new rules will mean “stricter criteria for admission and removal of the right to bring family members for students from third countries.”
They also mean more stringent methods will be used to verify applicants’ education certificates. Applicants found to have falsified their applications or certificates can receive stronger sanctions.
Additionally, all Danish universities will be required to verify foreign education certificates before offering a place on one of their programmes.
Universities will be allowed to raise requirements for being accepted onto international programmes, including by introducing their own admission exams or language tests.
Once granted a study permit and after entering Denmark, the international students will be subject to more frequent checks to ensure that they are “active” on their study programmes, according to the ministry statement.
“Students who do not follow their study programmes in practice will be sent home sooner,” it said.
Students from non-EU countries termed “third countries” – meaning outside of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Norway – will also be required to pay a larger proportion of their tuition fees upfront when commencing their studies in Denmark.
Existing rules give the family members of study visa holders in Denmark the right to reside and work in the country while the partner or close family member has a valid study permit. That will no longer be the case under the new study permit rules.
International students who graduate from programmes in Denmark will now be given a one-year additional residence permit to allow them to apply for a job in the country. The permit was valid for three years under the previous rules.
In a subsequent statement, the ministry said that the National ID Centre, which already works with immigration authorities and the police to verify identification such as passports and other documents, had been brought in to assist with verification of exam certificates submitted as part of international students’ applications.
It also said that the agency would undertake “technical document examinations” of all currently valid study permits issued to citizens of Bangladesh as well as Nepal.
Immigration authorities will “revoke any residence permits that may have been granted on the basis of falsified documents,” it said.
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