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Student visa for Denmark, for students from Nigeria
As a citizen of Nigeria you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Denmark before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Denmark without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- DKK 7,426 a month (2026 level), at most DKK 89,112
- Visa fee
- DKK 3,060
- Work while you study
- 90 hours a month from September to May, full time in June, July and August
- Stay after you graduate
- Job-seeking permit of 3 years for most state-approved degrees, 6 months in some cases
DKK 89,112 is the ceiling for programmes longer than a year. Proof that you have paid the first semester's tuition is accepted instead.
SIRI: New to Denmark, checked 2026-09-24
Residence permit processing fee, paid to SIRI before you submit the application.
SIRI: New to Denmark, checked 2026-09-24
State-approved programmes only. Students on non-state-approved programmes who applied after 2 May 2025 have no work rights.
SIRI: New to Denmark, checked 2026-09-24
Same 90-hour work limit, unless you apply for an unrestricted work permit, which lets you work full time from the day you apply.
SIRI: New to Denmark, checked 2026-09-24
The visa
Denmark does not issue a study visa as such. You apply for a residence permit for a higher educational programme from the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI), through New to Denmark. The fee is DKK 3,060. Before you submit, you create a case order ID and pay the fee; the application is not processed until the fee is paid.
Biometrics. You must have your photo and fingerprints taken. If you apply online, this must happen within 14 days of submitting, at a Danish mission or service provider abroad or in Denmark.
The money. You must document a disposable amount of DKK 7,426 a month (2026 level). For programmes longer than a year the maximum you need to show is DKK 89,112. Acceptable proof:
- A bank statement in your own name, no more than 30 days old when you apply, showing the date, your full name, the balance and the currency
- A scholarship or student loan confirmation
- Proof that you have already paid the first semester's tuition, which SIRI accepts on its own as documentation of sufficient funds
SIRI does not accept accounts in other people's names, restricted shares, bonds or investment portfolios.
Processing. SIRI's stated normal processing time is two months, up to three months if it needs more documents. Your university must first submit its part of the application, so start as soon as you accept your place.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Denmark that covers Nigeria, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: nyidanmark.dk · nyidanmark.dk · nyidanmark.dk · studyindenmark.dk · ku.dk · international.au.dk. Checked 2026-09-24. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Questions students ask
Do students from Nigeria need a visa to study in Denmark?
As a citizen of Nigeria you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Denmark before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Denmark without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
How much money do I need to show for a Denmark student visa?
DKK 7,426 a month (2026 level), at most DKK 89,112. DKK 89,112 is the ceiling for programmes longer than a year. Proof that you have paid the first semester's tuition is accepted instead. (source: SIRI: New to Denmark, checked 2026-09-24).
Can I work while I study in Denmark?
90 hours a month from September to May, full time in June, July and August.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.