VIA's campuses closed until 13 April 2020

The Danish Government has decided to close all institutions of higher education at least until 13 April as a preventative measure. As such, all VIA’s campuses are physically closed for students, staff and guests. Student access cards have been disabled and the on-campus libraries are closed (but can be accessed through Remote Access). 

 

Follow official guidelines

VIA’s contingency plan and recommendations will follow the official guidelines from the Danish authorities. For general information on the coronavirus outbreak in Denmark, the strategy and recommendations of the Danish Ministry of Health or guidelines on travels to and from Denmark, we recommend that you stay updated by visiting the official site on coronavirus from the Danish authorities. It is also possible to call the Joint Danish Authority Hotline on +45 7020 0233.

Students may also benefit from visiting the Q&A by the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

 

Important information for current full degree students outside Denmark

As part of the new travel restrictions, you must have a valid purpose for entering Denmark. International students enrolled at a Danish educational institution, where teaching is currently not physically taking place at the institution can expect to have their entry rejected, unless they can document residence in Denmark. As such, you should not travel to Denmark until teaching recommences on campus, unless you can prove that you have residency.

 

Staff

If you are an employee at VIA, go to the employee portal to find more information about working/teaching from home, travles, IT safety etc.

 

 

Contact VIA

If you need to get in touch with VIA, you can contact our taskforce: T: +45 87 55 14 99 (in urgent matters) E: international@via.dk 

While all campuses are physically closed, each programme will make use of alternative teaching formats and online instruction. VIA will endeavour to carry out exams as planned. Be aware that VIA has suspended all study trips until the end of April 2020.

As a student, it is very important that you stay updated on Itslearning and check your VIA e-mail several times each day for information from your programme. If you have questions related to classes, projects, exams or similar, you must contact your programme representative.

 

Guidelines for oral exams via Skype

During the current lock down of VIA's campuses and other locations, oral exams will take place via Skype. Although VIA has other digital facilities available for meetings etc., all oral exams are conducted with Skype for Business.

The rules will remain the same whether they take place on Skype or as a regular oral exam at your place of education. But there are a few exceptions and special points of attention if your exam takes place on Skype.

Read more about the guidelines for exams VIA Skype.

 

Online counselling for students

Many students feel that it can be difficult to structure their day and keep up motivation at home without the possibility of meeting lecturers and fellow students face-to-face. Therefore, VIA offers student chat counselling. Find more information here.

Important information for students abroad

As part of the new travel restrictions, you must have a worthy purpose for entering Denmark. International students enrolled at a Danish educational institution, where teaching is currently not physically taking place at the institution can expect to have their entry rejected, unless they can document residence in Denmark. As such, you should not travel to Denmark until teaching recommences on campus, unless you can prove that you have residency.

 

VIA students abroad

For current VIA students abroad, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends all Danes currently abroad to return to Denmark. As a student on a longer stay abroad, you fall between the two categories of traveller and permanent resident as defined by the Ministry. Therefore, there is no simple answer as to what you should do. You have to decide for yourself whether you want to stay or return to Denmark. If you feel unsafe, we recommend that you come back to Denmark.

If you consider staying abroad, the Ministry of Higher Education and Science recommends that you consider:

• How long is your stay? The less time remaining, the less reason to stay.
• Will you be able to participate in classes?
• Are there any local measures that makes it impossible for you to stay? E.g. cancellation of visa.
• The quality of the local health care system.

If you need advice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a global hotline which is open 24/7 - call (+45) 3392 1112 or send an e-mail to bbb@um.dk. If you need to get in touch with VIA urgently, you can call us at (+45) 8755 1499.

Remember to stay updated on the recommendations of the Danish authorities – they change all the time.
 
If you choose to return to Denmark and cut your stay abroad short, please be aware that VIA will work hard to help you solve any challenges you may face. If possible, we will do our best to ensure that you do not have to extend your total period of study at VIA. If you are in doubt in terms of whether or not it is possible for you to enter Denmark, please see our general information section for guidelines.

If you have already returned to Denmark or your home country and cut your exchange semester short please contact your educational programme to learn more about your options for alternative teaching.

 

Incoming students

If you are an incoming student or considering an exchange semester at VIA, please be aware that we continue to accept nominations for the autumn 2020/ spring 2021 semesters. Learn more about our exchange opportunities.

 

Students

Students currently doing an internship or starting their internship period during the next couple of weeks must follow the guidelines and recommendations of the companies or organisations, where they are completing their internship. Discuss your options with your manager or contact the internship counsellor from your programme at VIA if you need help or have any doubts.

If you as a student have been forced to end your internship period prematurely, please be aware that VIA will work hard to help you solve any challenges you may face. If possible, we will do our best to ensure that you do not have to extend your total period of study at VIA. We recommend that you contact your internship counsellor. This also goes for students in paid internships, who may be challenged financially.

If you are sent home from your internship, you MUST contact your educational programme to discuss alternative options. If you are unsure whether you have been sent home, please contact your internship host for clarification. Some students who have been sent home from their internship will now be offered other assignments, while we are still awaiting a solution for others. VIA is working hard to find a solution for everyone. In this, we depend on the other Danish university colleges as well as the Ministry of Higher Education and Science. We will update this page as soon as we have news. 

 

Companies/internship hosts

VIA recommend all companies or organisations with interns from VIA to contact the students and ensure that they are aware of which guidelines to follow. VIA is closed until 13 April 2020, but students currently away on their internship must follow the guidelines at their host organisation. This means that they have to be in attendance if the workplace continues to remain open - even if VIA is shut down.

 

Financial compensation in general

VIA is working hard on finding the best solutions for all our students, who have been forced to return to Denmark, and who may find themselves in need of financial compensation. Please stay updated on this site.

In general, we recommend that you contact your insurance company to find out if it is possible for you to have some of your additional expenses covered by your travel insurance. Your coverage will depend on your insurance policy and their current guidelines related to covid-19.

If you have been abroad with the Erasmus+ scholarship, please see our guidelines further below.

 

SU and student loans

The Danish Government is aware that many students may lose their student job as a consequence of the coronavirus situation. This has made it possible for you as an EU student to maintain your SU (The Danish students' Grants and Loans Scheme) and obtain extra SU-loan as a temporary measure. Stay updated on the SU guidelines here 

 

Erasmus+ scholarship

Students who have been awarded an Erasmus+ grant for studies or internship abroad should first of all stay updated on the Danish authorities’ current recommendations concerning travels abroad as well as restrictions applying to the country you will be travelling to. Read more under the “Exchange students abroad and incoming” tab for general recommendations from VIA.

If your classes at the host university are cancelled due to the coronavirus, and you are not able to follow online classes, and/or if you are staying in a country where the virus is spreading, you may want to end your stay. If this is the case, you may be able to keep your Erasmus grant in full or in part due to force majeure. Below you can find the general guidelines in cases of force majeure from The Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education.

 

• If the Erasmus+ stay abroad has been terminated without an offer of attending online classes as a replacement for the physical classes, force majeure makes it possible for you as a student to keep your grant in full for the planned duration of your mobility period, so that you may cover your expenses such as prepaid rent for an apartment.
• If the Erasmus+ stay abroad has been terminated prematurely in a way where the total period abroad does not fulfil the minimum requirements for Erasmus (internships 2x30 days, study abroad 3x30 days), force majeure makes it possible for you as a student to keep your grant in full from the first day of your mobility period until the day your return home.
• If your mobility period abroad is able to continue virtually in stead of physically, this is not considered force majeure. If there are no additional expenses, there is no reason to consider force majeure, as it is considered possible to complete the full mobility period. This goes both for students who are attending online classes from their home in Denmark or another country.

 

If you consider yourself entitled to request force majeure, please contact us at VIA, as VIA will collect information from all students in question and send a request for force majeure to the Danish Erasmus Agency, who will evaluate the individual cases.

Please feel free to contacts us at VIA, if you still have any questions concerning your Erasmus+ scholarship on e-mail int.national.erasmus@via.dk.

The deadline for international applicants to VIA’s full degree programmes was 22 March and admissions 2020 is now completed. If you have a Danish upper secondary school diploma, you are able to apply until 5 July 2020.

Follow the processing of your application on optagelse.dk or contact the admissions office if you have questions. More about admissions and contact information 

Admissions office still working

VIA’s Admissions Office is continuing to work at full speed. We are aware that the coronavirus is also affecting other countries, and that this might cause delays in getting verification forms, transcripts and diplomas from the high schools and language courses. VIA is working on finding a solution for this. In the meantime, it is important that applicants do the following:

 

• Fill in the application on www.optagelse.dk.
• Upload all the relevant documentation that you already have.
• Upload a list (it can be a word document) with the documents you do not have and the reason why you do not have them and, if you know, when you expect to send them.
• Print, sign, scan and send the signature page to apply@via.dk no later than 22 March at noon.

 

Admission assignment for VIA’s design programmes

The admission assignment was released 23 March, 7 days later than planned. Therefore, the deadline was also postponed 7 days to 6 April at 12 noon.
Download the assignments on the programme websites: Design Technology and Business or Design and Business. Find information on how to hand in your assignment on optagelse.dk

 

Admission interviews

 

Questions about your application?

So far, all courses offered by VIA Summer School will take place in August as planned. The application deadline is 1 April 2020.

Find more information on Admissions and VIA Summer School