📅 Last Updated: 20 October 2026
University of Copenhagen Scholarships 2027 — Master’s Guide
The University of Copenhagen (UCPH) is Denmark’s oldest and largest university and one of the highest-ranked in Scandinavia. For students from outside Europe, the main way to fund a master’s there is the Danish Government Scholarship, which UCPH awards to a small number of outstanding non-EU/EEA students. It can cover full or partial tuition and, for some winners, basic living costs. There’s no separate scholarship application: if you’re admitted, you’re considered automatically. For the September 2027 intake, the master’s application portal is expected to open on 15 November and close on 15 January at 23:59 CET (verify on official website). This guide explains how each faculty awards the scholarship, how high the grade bar really is, and which backup scholarships Pakistani students should consider.
| 🏛️ University | University of Copenhagen (UCPH / KU), Denmark |
| 🎓 Scholarship | Danish Government Scholarships (plus external and country-specific awards) |
| 📚 Level | Full-degree master’s (MSc / MA) |
| 💶 Coverage | Full or partial tuition waiver, and/or basic living costs (varies by faculty) |
| 📝 Separate Application? | No. All eligible admitted applicants are considered automatically |
| 🏆 Selection Basis | Academic achievement only (not financial need) |
| 👥 Who Can Get It | Citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland |
| 🗣️ English Test | Set by each master’s programme (verify on official website) |
| 📅 Application Window | 15 November → 15 January, 23:59 CET (September 2027 intake; verify on official website) |
| 📢 Admission Reply | By 13 March |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistani Students Eligible | Yes. Pakistan is outside the EU/EEA, but awards are highly competitive |
| 🔗 Official Page | UCPH scholarships for full-degree students |
About the University of Copenhagen Scholarships
Denmark charges tuition to students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland. To attract top international talent, the Danish state funds Danish Government Scholarships, and each university hands them out under its own rules. At UCPH the scholarships are awarded “solely on the basis of academic achievement”. Your financial situation is not considered.
The system is simple: when you apply for a UCPH master’s, you’re automatically in the running. Nominated students are notified in the application portal. If you don’t accept your offer by the deadline, the scholarship is withdrawn and given to someone else.
How it compares: unlike Chevening or Erasmus Mundus, which have their own long application forms, essays and interviews, UCPH’s scholarship has no extra paperwork. The trade-off is that you can’t write your way in. Your grades decide it, and the number of awards is small. It’s closer to Sweden’s university-based tuition waivers than to a national scholarship competition.
🏫 How Each Faculty Awards the Scholarship
Each UCPH faculty runs its own allocation. Here is what each one publishes:
| Faculty | What It Covers | How Many / Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Science | Tuition + living costs (22 months) | “Very limited”. You must be admitted to your 1st-priority programme with a GPA above 90%. 2025 winners had a minimum GPA of 98%. Maximum 3 per nationality. 2nd-year renewal needs 60 ECTS by 1 September and a GPA of 11+ (Danish scale) |
| Health & Medical Sciences | Tuition only, or tuition + living costs | “Very limited”, for the most outstanding students. About 2 second-year awards a year (GPA 10+ on the Danish scale) |
| Social Sciences | Not specified | Generally 2–3 a year, September intake only |
| Humanities | Not specified | All eligible non-EU applicants considered automatically; no extra documents |
| Theology | Partial tuition waiver only | Generally fewer than 4 a year. Decided after admission and fee payment; the fee is refunded if you’re awarded |
Note: living-cost scholarships are taxable in Denmark, although some nationalities may be exempt; your award letter will say. UCPH doesn’t publish the DKK amounts (verify on official website).
💰 Scholarship Benefits
- ✅ Full or partial tuition waiver on your UCPH master’s
- ✅ Basic living costs for some winners (the Science faculty covers 22 months)
- ✅ No extra application, essays or interviews for the scholarship itself
- ✅ A degree from Scandinavia’s top university, with hundreds of English-taught master’s programmes
- ✅ Post-study opportunities: Denmark offers a job-seeking residence permit to graduates (verify current rules on official website)
Tuition context: UCPH’s non-EU tuition is substantial and varies by programme. Check the exact figure on UCPH’s tuition fees page (verify on official website). Without a scholarship, you’d need to show proof of funds for tuition and living costs to get a Danish residence permit.
📋 Eligibility
- You must be a citizen of a country outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland
- You must be admitted to a UCPH master’s programme
- You must hold, or be granted, a time-limited residence permit to study in Denmark
- You’re not eligible if you have a legal claim to Danish citizens’ rights or qualify for the Danish State Educational Grant (SU)
- English: each master’s programme sets its own English requirement (usually IELTS, TOEFL or similar). Check your programme’s page (verify on official website)
- Selection is purely academic, so your bachelor’s grades are the deciding factor
🇵🇰 Pakistani students: eligible, but the grade bar is very high. As a rough guide only, a GPA “above 90%” corresponds to about 3.6/4.0, and the Science faculty’s 2025 minimum of 98% corresponds to about 3.9+/4.0. UCPH converts grades in its own way, so treat this as an estimate (verify on official website). Science also caps awards at 3 per nationality, so even top Pakistani applicants compete with each other. If your CGPA is below about 3.7, plan for an external scholarship or self-funding.
✅ Apply if you…
- Are a top-of-class graduate (CGPA around 3.7–4.0)
- Want a master’s in Science, Health, Social Sciences, Humanities or Theology at UCPH
- Can rank your preferred programme as 1st priority
- Have your English test and documents ready before 15 January
- Have a backup plan (Aga Khan Foundation, OFID or self-funding)
❌ Don’t count on it if you…
- Have an average CGPA (below about 3.5). Merit is the only criterion
- Need a guaranteed scholarship before you can accept an offer
- Are an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen (you study tuition-free anyway)
- Want a PhD. This page is for master’s degrees; see our UCPH PhD guide
- Can’t meet the 15 January deadline
🌍 Other Scholarships Listed by UCPH
UCPH also lists external and country-specific funding. The most relevant for South Asian students:
- Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship: postgraduate awards for outstanding students from selected developing countries, including Pakistan. Funded as 50% grant and 50% loan (verify eligible countries on the official website)
- OFID Scholarship Award: for a master’s in a development-related field. Covers tuition plus a monthly allowance (verify on official website)
- Women Techmakers Scholars Program: for women in computer science and related technical fields
- Rotary Scholarship: requires nomination by a local Rotary club
- The Gen Foundation: grants mainly for natural sciences, especially food science and technology
UCPH also lists national schemes for India (Inlaks, J.N. Tata Endowment), Indonesia, Singapore, Turkey, Egypt and others. For US students it points to Fulbright and the American-Scandinavian Foundation. No Pakistan-specific scheme is listed on the page.
📄 Required Documents (for the master’s application)
- Bachelor’s degree certificate and transcripts, in English or officially translated
- Grading-scale explanation from your university
- English test result, as your programme requires
- Passport copy
- CV and motivation letter and any course descriptions, if your programme asks for them (verify on official website)
HEC note for Pakistani applicants: upload HEC-attested degrees and transcripts, and include your university’s official grading-scale letter. Because the scholarship depends only on grades, how your CGPA is read matters a lot. Also get course descriptions (syllabi) ready, since Danish programmes often check specific subject requirements.
🪜 Step-by-Step: How to Apply
- Choose your programme(s) on UCPH’s master’s site. Check the subject requirements and the English test required.
- Prepare your documents in October and November: HEC attestation, the grading-scale letter, course descriptions and your English test.
- Apply when the portal opens (15 November). Rank your best-fit programme as 1st priority, because Science only awards scholarships to applicants admitted to their 1st-priority programme.
- Upload everything before 15 January, 23:59 CET. No separate scholarship form is needed.
- Receive your decision by 13 March. Scholarship nominations appear in the application portal.
- Accept your offer by the deadline (around 18 March), or you lose both the place and any scholarship.
- Apply for a Danish residence permit for study. If you have no full scholarship, you’ll need proof of funds (verify on official website).
📅 Important Dates (September 2027 intake)
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Application portal opens | 15 November 2026 |
| Application deadline (non-EU/EEA) | 15 January 2027, 23:59 CET |
| Admission and scholarship reply | By 13 March 2027 |
| Accept-offer deadline | About 18 March 2027 |
| Programme start | September 2027 |
UCPH’s dates page doesn’t show a year, so check the 2027 dates on the official deadlines page (verify on official website).
⭐ Why Apply
UCPH combines world-class research (it’s associated with numerous Nobel laureates), English-taught master’s degrees, and Copenhagen, one of Europe’s safest and most liveable capitals. Denmark’s strong job market in life sciences, green energy, data and pharmaceuticals is a real draw for international graduates. Even with a partial tuition waiver, a UCPH master’s can be a smart investment.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can Pakistani students get a University of Copenhagen scholarship?
Yes. Danish Government Scholarships are for citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, which includes Pakistan. They’re awarded purely on academic merit, so you need excellent grades, and in Science there’s a cap of 3 awards per nationality.
Do I need a separate scholarship application?
No. All eligible non-EU/EEA applicants who are admitted to a UCPH master’s programme are considered automatically. Nominated students are told through the application portal.
Does the scholarship cover living costs?
Sometimes. Depending on the faculty, it covers full or partial tuition and/or basic living costs. The Science faculty’s award covers tuition plus living costs for 22 months. Living-cost awards are taxable in Denmark, although some nationalities may be exempt.
What GPA do I need?
Science requires a GPA above 90%, and its 2025 winners had at least 98%. As a rough guide, that’s about 3.6/4.0 to 3.9+/4.0. Other faculties don’t publish a cut-off but say the scholarships go to the most outstanding students (verify on official website).
When is the deadline for 2027?
For non-EU/EEA applicants starting in September, the master’s application window is expected to run from 15 November to 15 January, 23:59 CET, with replies by 13 March. Confirm the 2027 dates on UCPH’s deadlines page.
Is IELTS required?
Each master’s programme sets its own English requirement, usually IELTS, TOEFL or an equivalent. Check your programme’s admission page. If you need alternatives, see our IELTS alternatives guide.
🔗 Official Sources
📊 Summary Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | Danish Government Scholarships at UCPH |
| Level | Master’s (full degree) |
| Coverage | Full or partial tuition and/or living costs (by faculty) |
| Application | Automatic with the master’s application |
| Selection | Academic merit only |
| Deadline | 15 January 2027, 23:59 CET (verify) |
| Results | By 13 March 2027 |
| Backups | Aga Khan Foundation, OFID, Rotary, Women Techmakers |
| Pakistani Students | Eligible (very competitive) |
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