Language Requirements

Applicants for English-taught programmes at the Royal Danish Academy must have proficiency in English equal to the level English B in Danish secondary school.

The following requirements are in full accordance with Danish legislation introduced in January 2022 by The Ministry for Higher Education and Science.

The Academy accepts the following proofs of English proficiency and does not make exceptions to these requirements:

  • Language test. See list of accepted tests below
  • High school degrees from Nordic countries and IB. See list of required levels below
  • High school degrees from English-speaking countries. See list of countries below

The Academy does not accept

  • A Bachelor degree or similar with English as language of instruction
  • English test that is not on our list of approved tests

It is not possible to apply for a dispensation for this requirement, and the Academy cannot offer individual assessments of English qualifications.

Approved language tests and test scores

  • TOEFL iBT, Home and Paper Edition: 83 (minimum score in each section must be 20)
  • IELTS Academic and IELTS Online: 6.5
  • Cambridge English C1 Advanced: 180
  • Cambridge English C2 Proficiency: 180 

TOEFL; valid for 2 years and must be valid at the time of applying. We will accept a scanned copy of the official test result allowing us to validate the result in the test providers database. Make sure to inform the TOEFL test center of our institutional code: 6398. 

IELTS; valid for 2 years and must be valid at the time of applying. We will accept a scanned copy of the official test report allowing us to validate the result in the test providers database.

Cambridge English C1 and C2; does not expire - please make sure to include Candidate's ID number and secret number (appears on your Confirmation of Entry) when applying with us allowing us to validate the result online.

High school degrees from English-speaking countries
A high-school degree with English at the highest level from one of the following English-speaking countries will waive a language test: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UK, USA. We would have to stress that an undergraduate degree from one of these countries is no longer accepted as a test waiver.

High school degrees from Nordic countries and IB
Applicants with a high school degree from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland or an International Baccalaureate who have passed the equivalent of English at B-level in Denmark, must submit diploma and transcript. Applicants, who do not have the required level, must take a language test.

The following levels of English are considered the equivalent of English at B-level in Denmark:

  • Finland
    Ylioppilastutkintotodistus/Studentexamensbetyg
    minimum 8 courses in A or B English
  • Iceland
    Studentsprof with 15 einigar in English
  • IB
    English B (SL)
  • Norway
    Vitnemål with Internationalt engelsk (SPR3008+3009)
    or Vitnemål with Engelsk 1 (Spr3029+SPR3030)
  • Sweden
    Slutbetyg
    English kurs C (before 2014) or English steg 7 (after 2014)
     

Danish taught programmes at the Academy
Admission to a Danish taught programme requires Danish language proficiency at an academic level. Applicants must document Danish language qualifications corresponding to Danish at A-level, either from a Danish upper secondary school exam (high school), or by successfully completing the Danish proficiency test 'Studieprøven i dansk' with a minimum grade of 2 in each discipline