Humanities applications fall, international students rise

The number of undergraduate students wanting to study humanities and languages at Danish universities has continued to fall, but there has been a rise in applications from international students, particularly those from outside Europe, according to the latest statistics.

The statistics also suggest that students are not applying for the courses favoured under the government’s new masters reforms, meaning thousands could end up not getting onto the course they applied for come September.

New reports on the higher education sector in Denmark have shed light on student applications and what is attracting students to study in the country.

The Danish Ministry Yearly Statistics on Application Numbers reveals that the number of students applying for humanities, and particularly German and French, has fallen by 42% in the past decade, with the trend continuing into 2025.

At the same time, applications from international students have grown by 8% to 8,588, an increase of 3,533, or nearly 70%, since 2022. The biggest rise has been in non-European students, up 110%.

The report found that fewer applicants were choosing to apply for a language programme and that, out of the more than 85,000 students applying for a study place – a slight increase on last year – only 61 had applied for German or French, a 13% decrease compared to last year. Overall, only 5,138 had applied to study humanities, a fall of 42% over the past decade.

The report also shows that bachelor’s degree programmes in the caring professions were among the most sought-after. However, there is a decrease of 8% and 2% in nursing and social work programmes, respectively, and a small increase of 3% and 1% in elementary school teacher and pedagogue programmes, respectively.

Overall, 19,877 people applied for STEM subjects, an increase of 1%, and 8,546 applied for IT-related courses, a decrease of 4%.

The total number of applications for higher education this year includes 8,588 foreign applicants, comprising around 10% of the total number of applicants.

Retaining English-speaking graduates

Meanwhile, the Statistics on Danish Universities DU 2024 report highlighted that the number of English-speaking students admitted to a masters degree has been increasing.

“In 2014 3,900 English-speaking students were admitted, while the number in 2024 had risen to 6,243, a 60% increase,’’ says the report. “The increase is particularly high in 2023 and in 2024, and especially in the social sciences, technology, and the natural sciences, which attracted the most international students.

“In 2024, 89% of the English-speaking students were accepted in natural sciences, social sciences or technological sciences.”

The retention of English-speaking graduates taking masters degrees at Danish universities increased significantly in 2020. The proportion retained increased from 36.6% of the 2019 cohort to 44.1% for the 2020 cohort, an increase of 7.5%.

Danish universities have been collaborating with Danish Industry, the Chamber of Commerce, The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne) and the National Union of Students, to hang on to 40% of international graduates to meet workplace demands,

Another report highlighting trends in higher education in Denmark is the White Paper of the Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, “The internationalisation of Danish research and education – From quantity to quality”, which promotes the attraction of ‘quality’ students over quantity.

What HE minister Egelund said

Christina Egelund, minister of higher education and research, said: “I am pleased that so many people have chosen to apply for higher education again this year. But I am concerned that the number of applications for language courses is falling from an already low level, in a new geopolitical reality where we need to become better and not worse at understanding each other.

“It is important that young people improve their skills in European languages and cultures, because it broadens our cultural horizons and understanding. European cooperation and community are crucial for Denmark. I will therefore look at how we can strengthen language courses and at the same time give more students the opportunity to acquire language skills as a supplement to their core academic skills.

“The combination of strong professionalism and practical language skills is attractive to many companies – regardless of whether it is the engineer who can speak German or the lawyer who can do well in French.’’

Engelund added: “The Royal Academy White paper strongly endorses more highly qualified international students and the development of more attractive English-taught degrees to attract international talent.

“At the political level, it is recommended to remove the SU [student funding] limit for international students and to work purposefully to increase international awareness of Danish education programmes and research environments. This will make Denmark more attractive as an education and research destination and strengthen the country’s position in the global knowledge economy.

“We need a more nuanced approach to international cooperation in a time of geopolitical tensions. Denmark has a strategic focus on recruiting talented international researchers who can contribute to the future development of society.”

At the launch of the White Paper on May 12, Engelund said that the push for more international students was being replaced with greater consideration about “who comes, what they bring with them, and whether they stay”. She added that statistics showed that international graduates who remained in Denmark contributed significantly to the Danish economy.

‘’Retention is increasing – not least thanks to targeted efforts from universities, industry and organisations,’’ Egelund said.

Language learning

Speaking about the Danish Ministry Yearly Statistics on Application Numbers, Professor Lars Grassmé Binderup, vice-dean of the faculty of humanities at the University of Southern Denmark and a member of the 2023 Universities Denmark taskforce on the humanities, told University World News: “The only way to strengthen German and French at university level is to improve the popularity of languages in elementary and high school.

“Unfortunately, this is not easily achieved since language learning is generally, but mistakenly, perceived as difficult and as not leading to attractive careers.

“We have to work on the way we teach languages but also on making young people understand that there are great careers to be had with languages and humanities in general.”

Meanwhile, Christoffer Rosenkvist, chair of the National Union of Students in Denmark, told University World News that the fall in language applications was “concerning”.

“In our age, where we see increased political instability alongside worrying rises in nationalism across the globe, ensuring that students acquire knowledge of foreign languages to foster intercultural understanding and international cooperation is absolutely essential,” he said.

“The fall in applications to the humanities should serve as a stark reminder for politicians to refrain from under-prioritising and devaluing the humanities. At a time of multiple crises and challenges, it is essential to remember the importance, value, and insights of the humanities and ultimately to invest in humanities research, as well as programmes that are attractive and relevant for both students and societal stakeholders.’’

The university masters reform

The new statistics suggest students are not responding to the government’s published priorities for higher education, which have been enforced despite sharp criticism.

The reforms involve reducing the number of students at Danish universities by 10% between 2025 and 2030 in a process known as ‘sector-dimensioning’.

Rosenqvist said: “While the intention was to push more young people to take welfare-orientated bachelor programmes, applicants have applied to universities this year in largely equivalent numbers to previous years. As the reforms will come into force in September, that means thousands fewer students will be accepted to their dream programmes.

“Besides seemingly not achieving the political aim of the agreement, it will result in further social inequality in the uptake of students at higher education institutions, as well as raising the pressure on applicants by possibly raising the minimum grade point averages for admission by a notable margin.”