The Best International Schools in Denmark: Understand, Compare, Choose

Published on January 27, 2026 and written by Cyril Jarnias

Denmark cultivates an image as a happy, egalitarian country deeply committed to the quality of its education system. Behind the robustness of the public Folkeskole, a dense network of international and bilingual schools has developed within a few decades. There were barely three international schools about fifteen years ago; today there are around twenty-two at the strictly “international” level, and a total of 26 international primary schools and 21 international upper secondary schools recognized by the Ministry of Children and Education.

This article provides an in-depth overview of the best international schools in Denmark, based on factual data from reference texts and institutional documents. The goal is not to create an arbitrary ranking, but to provide solid benchmarks for understanding the options and making an informed choice.

A Rapidly Growing International Educational Landscape

The internationalization of education in Denmark is recent but spectacular. In about fifteen years, the number of international schools has grown from a handful to over twenty. Today, there are two main categories recognized by the ministry:

– 26 international primary schools, covering elementary and lower secondary education.

– 21 international upper secondary schools, public or private, offering a foreign or international diploma.

Alongside these institutions, public schools of European or bilingual type have become established, such as European School Copenhagen or Lolland International School. They intelligently blur the line between public and private by offering free instruction in several languages, while remaining integrated into the Danish system.

Denmark has also structured this sector: the DISN (Danish International Schools Network) coordinates schools, organizes conferences twice a year, while DISNAC (Danish International Schools Network Athletic Conference) oversees some inter-school sports competitions. This network strengthens the coherence of a very diverse whole.

Highly Varied Programs, One Common Goal: Access to Higher Education

While Danish international schools adopt different pedagogical approaches, they share a common imperative: offering programs that allow access to higher education in Denmark and abroad. The authorities particularly require that upper secondary level curricula (gymnasium) grant admission to Danish universities.

Thus, within the same country, one finds a condensed version of the major “families” of international diplomas:

The following table provides an overview of the main international upper secondary diplomas available in Denmark and their key characteristics.

This diversity gives families great latitude: enrolling a child in a predominantly English-speaking IB-oriented environment; placing them in a Franco-Danish or Germano-Danish track; opting for a trilingual European model; or choosing a Cambridge school for IGCSE before switching to IB for upper secondary.

Copenhagen, Capital of International Schools

The majority of Danish international schools are located in the Copenhagen area. There are 16 international schools in the capital, plus international sections integrated into Danish schools. The choice is particularly wide, both for primary and secondary education.

Copenhagen International School: The Historic Heavyweight

Copenhagen International School (CIS) is arguably the best-known international institution in the country. Founded in 1963, this private, non-profit school was one of the seven founding schools of the International Baccalaureate program in the late 1960s. It is now fully authorized by the IB to offer the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme, and the Diploma Programme.

Since 2018, CIS has been housed on a sustainable 25,000 m² campus in Nordhavn, accommodating approximately 900 to 930 students aged 3 to 19 representing over 80 nationalities. The building, designed by C.F. Møller Architects, comprises four towers of five to seven stories, three gyms, a theater, rooftop greenhouses, and design, ceramics, and visual arts workshops.

Instruction is entirely in English, with significant importance given to Danish, which is mandatory from grades 1 to 9, and additional languages (French, German, Spanish) from grade 6. Secondary students follow the MYP from grades 6 to 10, and then the vast majority pursue the IB Diploma in grades 11 and 12. Additionally, all students prepare for an American high school diploma accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), simultaneously opening doors to North American and European universities.

IB exam results and graduate trajectories attest to its level: students gain access to the most selective universities in the UK (Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, LSE, Imperial College…), North America (MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, NYU…), and also continental Europe (TU Delft, UBC, Copenhagen Business School, Danish universities, etc.). CIS is accredited by the European Council of International Schools (ECIS), NEASC, and the Council of International Schools, and recognized by the Danish Ministry of Education.

The school also stands out for a very structured child protection policy, based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and a meticulously guided college counseling culture (students are encouraged, for example, to limit university applications to 10–12 to maintain application quality).

European School Copenhagen: The Public, Trilingual Option

Another major player in the capital, European School Copenhagen is distinguished by its status: it is a publicly accredited school within the European Schools system. It offers free schooling from kindergarten (nursery class) to the 7th year of secondary, with three language sections – Danish, English, French – and awards the European Baccalaureate.

The school is located in Carlsberg Byen, at the heart of a rapidly transforming district. It enrolls over 1000 students, with a strong focus on social skills (curiosity, respect, cooperation, empathy) and student well-being through a homeroom teacher program, study cafes, talent pathways, and a school counseling system.

The major advantage of this school lies in combining three elements rarely found together: free tuition (as it is a municipal institution), European recognition, and a truly multilingual environment. For European families settled in Copenhagen, it is often a very attractive alternative to traditional private schools.

Lycée Français Prins Henrik and Sankt Petri Schule: National Excellence in a Bilingual Version

Copenhagen is also home to two major international institutions anchored in the French and German educational systems.

Lycée Français Prins Henrik Copenhague is an accredited French international school by the French Ministry of National Education and a member of the AEFE network. It enrolls about 800 students, from kindergarten to high school (terminal), from over 40 nationalities. Instruction is in French, with a strong French-Danish bilingual dimension, making it a crossroads between French culture and Danish society. The school prepares students for the French baccalauréat and offers a binational variant, the Danish/French Baccalauréat (DFB), in partnership with Danish authorities.

Sankt Petri Schule, on the other hand, is the oldest German school abroad, with over 450 years of history. It offers a German-Danish bilingual curriculum, drawing on both German and Danish programs, and leads to the Deutsche Internationale Abiturprüfung (DIAP), a diploma granting access to universities in Germany, Denmark, and the European Union. The school emphasizes values of curiosity, shared learning, well-being, and intercultural encounter.

These two institutions particularly interest French-speaking or German-speaking families wishing to maintain a close link with their national system while benefiting from local integration and diploma recognition in Denmark.

International School of Hellerup, Rygaards, Bjørn’s, Montessori, Viking… A Flourishing Ecosystem

Beyond the “big names”, Copenhagen and its region host a myriad of international schools, each with its own pedagogical identity.

Rygaards International School, in Hellerup, combines an English-speaking international section (English National Curriculum, IGCSE) and a Danish section. A Catholic school under Danish law, it welcomes children aged 4 to 16, from about fifty different nationalities, with classes of about 24 students. The model is interesting for families wanting a possible bridge to Danish schooling.

Bjørn’s International School, in Copenhagen, presents itself as a small independent school of about 160 students from over 50 countries. It has a Danish section preparing for the Danish leaving certificate, and an English section leading to Cambridge IGCSE. Classes often operate on two age levels, allowing flexible student tracking.

International Montessori School Copenhagen, inspired by Montessori, targets children aged 3 to 12. The focus is on independence, exploration, creativity, and social development in an English-speaking setting.

Viking International School, finally, is a bilingual English–Danish institution, with English as the main language but deeper integration of Danish from the early years. It draws on international curricula (notably the International Primary Curriculum – IPC) and aims to be resolutely international while facilitating a later transition to a Danish lower or upper secondary school.

The table below summarizes some characteristics of key institutions in the Copenhagen area.

*Precise amounts vary by level and year; figures are indicative based on ranges mentioned in sources.

Beyond Copenhagen: Aarhus, Billund, Esbjerg, Viborg, Sønderborg…

Although the capital concentrates most of the options, major provincial cities also have solid international schools, often supported by a dynamic economic fabric (industry, innovation, headquarters of international companies).

Aarhus International School: IB at the Heart of Jutland

Aarhus International School (AIS), located in Højbjerg, south of the city, is an IB institution for children aged 3 to 16. Founded in 2011, the school offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the Middle Years Programme (MYP) in English. It is recognized by Danish authorities and caters to both expatriate families and Danish families seeking an international education.

The school is expanding: new unified campus, new building for Early Years classes, library modernization, extension plans. It features a rich school life with events like a charity run Motionsdag for cancer campaigns, participation in national academic competitions, a Danish reading week, and civic initiatives (student petitions to the city council to reopen an ice rink).

International School of Billund: The Creative DNA of LEGO

International School of Billund (ISB), in Billund, was founded in 2013 with support from the LEGO Foundation. Also an IB World School, it offers PYP and MYP for students aged 3 to 16. Its uniqueness lies in a philosophy strongly marked by play, creativity, and design thinking. The idea is to make play a serious learning vector, aligned with the corporate culture that shaped the city.

Esbjerg International School, Sønderborg International School, Viborg International School

On the west coast, Esbjerg International School offers an English curriculum for students aged 5 to 16, based on the Cambridge curriculum and/or IB depending on the section. In Sønderborg, southern Jutland, Sonderborg International School follows the British curriculum in a fully English-speaking school, from kindergarten to early secondary, while offering solid Danish training for local integration.

Viborg International School, finally, well illustrates the model where the international section is integrated into a private Danish school. This school is a certified Cambridge International Examinations center, offers IGCSE, and welcomes students aged 5 to 16 in an environment described as “active, positive, and nurturing.” Again, English is the main language of instruction, but Danish plays a structuring role.

The following table illustrates some examples of international schools located outside the capital.

International Upper Secondary Schools: A National Network for IB Access

At the upper secondary level, Denmark has a particularly structured network of schools offering the IB Diploma Programme in English. There are 21, some private and some public.

Among private institutions, one can cite: private schools, training institutes, and private universities.

– Copenhagen International School (Hellerup / Nordhavn) – IB in English.

– Herlufsholm Skole og Gods (Næstved) – IB in English in a historic boarding setting.

– International School of Hellerup (Copenhagen) – IB in English.

– Nordsjællands Grundskole & Gymnasium (Hørsholm) – IB in English.

– Deutsches Gymnasium für Nordschleswig (Aabenraa) – combination Danish diploma (stx) and German Hochschulzugangsberechtigung, in German and Danish.

– Prins Henriks Skole (Frederiksberg) – Franco‑Danish Baccalaureate (DFB) in French and Danish.

– Sankt Petri School (Copenhagen) – DIAP (International Abitur) in German and Danish.

In the public sector, many gymnasiums offer the IB:

Several of these schools combine boarding and IB, like Nyborg Gymnasium, Viborg Katedralskole, Birkerød Gymnasium, or Struer Statsgymnasium, attracting both Danes and foreign students wishing to follow an IB in a Nordic setting.

Example: Nyborg Gymnasium, a Public IB with Boarding

Nyborg Gymnasium well illustrates the Danish formula. As a public school, it charges no tuition fees for the IB. It welcomes students from over forty countries, offers a pre-IB year in English aligned with the first year of Danish gymnasium, then the IB Diploma over two years.

Danish students leaving 9th or 10th grade must go through the pre-IB; foreigners can sometimes enter the IB program directly if they already meet admission criteria in their home country. The boarding facility, on campus, houses nearly half of the pre-IB and IB students and offers a rich community life (sports, music, theater, Model UN, organic food…).

Example: Birkerød Gymnasium, a Very Cosmopolitan IB

Birkerød Gymnasium, near Copenhagen, has offered pre-IB and IB since 1991, alongside Danish STX and HF programs. Over 300 students follow this path, representing 50 to 60 different nationalities, with about sixty residing in the boarding house. The pre-IB corresponds to the first year of Danish upper secondary (1.g), the IB to the final two years (2.g and 3.g). This is again a public institution, thus free of tuition, combining strong international openness with integration into the national system.

For a student aiming for university in Denmark, these public IB schools offer an attractive compromise: internationally recognized diploma, free tuition, campus life, and fine-tuned adaptation to Danish admission criteria (automatic conversion of the IB grade to the 7-point scale, understanding specific prerequisites in math, Danish, sciences, etc.).

The Bilingual Offensive: Public Schools and “Dual Immersion” Models

Parallel to strictly international schools, Denmark has been developing ambitious bilingual models in recent years. Lolland International School, in Maribo, is presented as the country’s first public international school, with a bilingual program covering grade 0 to 9. The model is based on a dual curriculum and balanced immersion: subjects are split equally between English and Danish.

Lolland International School and Institut Sankt Joseph are not only symbolic. They are part of a movement documented by decades of research on bilingual education. Studies conducted in Denmark, like the “Tegn på sprog” project, have shown that allowing bilingual students to use their first languages in class could strengthen their engagement and overall learning. International literature, notably by researcher Ellen Bialystok, emphasizes the cognitive (mental flexibility, problem-solving ability, better academic results, possible delay of cognitive decline) and identity benefits of early bilingualism.

In this context, Danish international and bilingual schools can be seen as true laboratories for “value-added education.”

Research on Value-Added Education

Costs, Public Funding, and Scholarships: A Hybrid System

Financially, Danish international schools span a wide range. Some very prestigious schools like Copenhagen International School display annual fees that can exceed 140,000 to 190,000 Danish kroner depending on the level. Many others range between 30,000 and 80,000 DKK per year, sometimes less for regional institutions or international sections integrated into heavily subsidized schools. The dollar ranges mentioned in reference documents roughly vary between 15,000 and 25,000 USD per year, with extreme cases exceeding 30,000 USD.

Some regional international or bilingual schools, like Odense International School or International School of Billund, implement payment assistance schemes, with state subsidies reserved for families whose income does not exceed a certain threshold, or targeted reductions for kindergarten. Other institutions (like internationally oriented efterskoler) allow access to public boarding subsidies, calculated based on parental income.

Besides tuition fees per se, one must consider:

– often non-refundable registration fees (typically 1,500 to 3,000 DKK),

– security deposits (often two months’ fees, refunded under conditions),

– additional costs (school trips, extracurricular activities, materials, possibly uniforms),

– and, where applicable, after-school care fees (SFO / After‑School Care), sometimes included, sometimes charged extra.

Families should therefore carefully examine each school’s fee structure and check possibilities for public or private aid.

Admissions: Flexibility, Priority for International Families, and Reasoned Requirements

Admission procedures vary from school to school but follow fairly similar logics. Most operate with rolling admissions as long as spots are available. In larger cities, some highly sought-after schools have waitlists, encouraging parents to register children very early (sometimes at birth for some private Copenhagen schools).

International schools emphasize a few key principles:

Concretely, the application typically includes:

– the application form,

– previous school reports and records,

– any recommendation letters,

– tests or assessments in English and mathematics for more advanced levels,

– sometimes an interview with the student and parents.

Schools preparing for the IB or Cambridge IGCSE often verify a minimum level in English and mathematics, but the idea is not to select an elite: many claim “open access” policies for the IB program, like Copenhagen International School where 95% of the class of 2025 are candidates for the full diploma.

How to Choose: Length of Stay, Child’s Age, Integration, and University Future

Faced with this abundance of options, the central question remains: how to choose the “best” international or bilingual school for your child in Denmark? Expatriate testimonials and expert analyses generally converge on several criteria.

The planned duration of stay is decisive. For families staying one to three years, enrollment in an English-speaking international school (IB, Cambridge, sometimes American) is often the most coherent: it avoids double linguistic transition (to Danish upon arrival, then back to the home country) and ensures learning continuity within a globally recognized curriculum.

The child’s age also plays a big role. Younger children (kindergarten, early primary) generally acquire a new language very quickly; many accounts show that a child aged 5 to 7 can become comfortable in Danish within six to twelve months of immersion. For a teenager close to upper secondary, the step is higher. In these cases, an English international school (IB or Cambridge) limits the risk of disengagement due to the language barrier, even if Danish classes remain recommended for daily life.

Finally, the school’s profile – size, atmosphere, level of rigor, weight of extracurriculars, college counseling support, educational culture (IB inquiry‑based, Cambridge more structured, Montessori, Steiner…) – must be weighed against the child’s personality. Large cosmopolitan institutions like CIS or European School Copenhagen will appeal to families seeking a very international environment; smaller schools like Viborg International School, Odense International School, or Skt. Josef’s International School Roskilde will offer a more familial, close-knit setting.

A Highly Regulated System, Backed by Quality Guarantees

It is important to emphasize that, despite the diversity of approaches, international education in Denmark operates within a demanding regulatory framework. International primary schools must obtain approval from the Ministry of Children and Education, which monitors academic level, compliance with national requirements (e.g., teaching Danish), governance solidity, and internal quality assurance.

The international programs themselves, whether IB, Cambridge, the European Baccalaureate, or Franco-Danish and Germano-Danish diplomas, impose regular audits and visits. Teachers undergo specific training, like IB professional development workshops. This overlay of national and international controls limits potential drift and contributes to the overall reputation of the Danish system.

In Conclusion: A Country Disproportionately Rich in International Options

For a country of about six million inhabitants, Denmark offers a remarkably wide choice of international and bilingual schools, ranging from the small urban Montessori school to the vast ultramodern IB campus, from the public upper secondary offering free IB with boarding to the trilingual European Baccalaureate of a municipal school.

The challenge for each family is to turn this abundance into an opportunity rather than a headache. By taking the time to analyze the length of their stay, their children’s age and profile, their university ambitions, and by visiting several institutions – in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Billund, Viborg, or elsewhere – it becomes possible to find, within this highly regulated and diversified landscape, the school that will offer their children not only a solid education but also a profoundly international life experience.

Cyril Jarnias

Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.

On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.

Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.

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