Information for new students

Health insurance

EU/EEA citizens should bring the blue EU health insurance card. If you have a Danish residence permit and are registered with the municipal civil registration office, you are covered by the Danish health insurance scheme 6-8 weeks after your arrival. We recommend that you arrange for health insurance until then. Note, that while Danish health insurance covers any treatment by a general practitioner or hospital, it does not cover medicine, dentistry and medical evacuation to your home country.

Other insurances

In addition to health insurance, it is advisable to make sure you have accident insurance to cover financial consequences of accidents, a third-party liability insurance to cover expenses if you have to pay compensation to a third-party and a home insurance to cover your personal belongings.

Whether you are an exchange student for one term or are taking a full degree at VIA, one of the first things you should do after you are admitted is to start looking for a place to stay. Read more about housing and the options in each of VIA's campus cities here.

It is also a good idea to find out how to get from your place of arrival (e.g. airport or train station) to your place of residence and from there to campus. 

Visa

Residents from the Nordic countries and the EU do not need a visa. However, residents from other countries should check the Danish Immigrations Service’s website, nyidanmark.dk, or with your local Danish embassy or consulate, whether they need one. 

Residence permit

Rules vary depending on home country:

• EU/EEA citizens – Do not need to apply for residence permit, but must instead apply for an EU residence document at SIRI (Agency for International Recruitment and Integration/Styrelsen for International Rekruttering og Integration). They visit some campuses to help new students with the application. At other campuses, you have to apply on your own. Ask your International Coordinator or Student Counsellor for more information.
• Nordic citizens – As a citizen of the Nordics you are allowed to live in Denmark without a residence permit. Go directly to Citizen Services/Borger Service in your local municipality to obtain a CPR number and health insurance card, if you are staying in Denmark for more than 3 months.
• Non-EU/EEA citizens – You have to apply for residence permit and the process can take up to 60 days. As soon as you have paid the tuition fee, VIA will initiate the online application process.

CPR number

A Civil Registration number (CPR) is required to obtain a health insurance card and open a bank account. Go to Lifeindenmark.dk for more information on how to get a CPR number. As with residence permits, some campuses get a visit from Civil Services (Borgerservice), who helps new students obtain a CPR number. Ask your International Coordinator or Student Counsellor for more information. Note that you can only get a CPR number if you are staying in Denmark for more than 3 months.

Make sure to consult public websites on visa, residence permit and CPR number as rules and procedures change continuously.

VIA’s Onboarding Camp takes place in the weeks just before study start and is a unique opportunity to prepare for your studies, life and future career in Denmark. Join the camp for the best beginning to your new everyday-life in Denmark, get ahead academically, while getting to know your new city and fellow international students.

Read more here

VIA's campuses fully open.

Go here to learn more about VIA's contingency plan for coronavirus, the newest updates, teaching, study start, practical matters and much more - Information about coronavirus

If you want to know more about what it has been like to be an international student at VIA watch this Q&A video in which a panel of four current international students share their experiences on the restrictions in Denmark, student- and social life during the pandemic.

The Danish parliament has decided that from Autumn 2022, Danish university colleges and business academies are not allowed to offer as many study places at English language study programmes as has been the case up until now. Unfortunately, this means that VIA has to close some of our study programmes taught in English.

However, all current international students and new students starting an international programme in 2021 will be able to complete their programmes.

Read more in our FAQ

Getting used to life in a new country can be hard. Everything is different - the language, the weather, the people - and you may experience culture shock. But if you prepare and keep an open mind everything will work out.

Here is a useful guide for future international students:

• International Students' Survival Guide to Life in Denmark - a guide for students, written by students. You can also check out their blog with lots of useful information on student life in Denmark: Studentsurvivalguide.dk

Once you have accepted your offered study place in NemStudie, you are ready to become a student at VIA. Congratulations! We look forward to welcoming you.

We will welcome you with an e-mail sent to the e-mail address you used when applying at optagelse.dk or nemStudie. In this e-mail you will find your VIA ID, an autogenerated sequence of numbers and an instruction to complete VIA Start (start.via.dk).

It is important that you complete VIA Start, as this will give you access to VIA’s IT systems and services. More on how to complete VIA Start in the ‘Get access to VIA’s IT-systems and services’ below.

Study start August/September

Please note, that it may take as much as eight days from confirming your study place until you receive further information.

You will not receive a new mail regarding completing VIA Start if you have recently been enrolled in a programme at VIA, or, if you are enrolled at another programme at VIA at the present time. You will maintain the VIA ID that you have previously been issued. Once you start the programme, you will be assigned to your current programme at VIA's new study portal MitVIA (MyVIA).

Used Studienet previously?

VIA's for study portal Studienet is being closed down. Therefore you are not able to use the study portal as before. From 16 December you will get access to the new study portal MitVIA. Keep an eye on your inbox - you will receive a notification when you can log on to MitVIA.

Not received an e-mail? Please check you spam filter or "unwanted mail" folder.

To get access to VIA’s IT-systems, you have to complete VIA Start (start.via.dk). You log on to VIA Start with the VIA ID you received in your VIA Start e-mail as username and your CPR-number as password the first time you log on.

During the process, you have to upload a picture for your student card, confirm that you have read the IT regulations, change your password and consider whether you want to allow VIA to send text messages to your phone.

Once you have completed VIA Start, you will have access to VIA’s IT-systems and services within 24 hours. You will e.g. have access to VIAmail, Itslearning (VIA’s digital platform for teaching), OneDrive, download of the Office suite and much more. Your courses will be visible on Itslearning 30 days before study start.

Unfortunately, you are not able to access information about your study programme at VIA's study portal currently, as we are switching to a new and improved portal. You will get access to VIA's new study portal MitVIA 16 December 2022. We will send you an e-mail once you are able to log on, so keep an eye on your inbox.

Not received an e-mail? Check your spam filter or the "unwanted mail" folder.

In need of further assistance?

If you need help getting access to VIA’s IT-systems, you are more than welcome to contact VIA’s IT department. Send an e-mail to viaservice@via.dk or call at +45 87 55 12 12. Opening hours are Monday-Friday 7.30 am to 3.30 pm.

Normally, you would find a link to our study portal along with a logon guide here. But, as we are currently switching to a new study portal, you are unfortunately not able to access your schedule, finformation on campus, the canteen, important dates, etc. at the moment.

VIA's new study portal MitVIA.dk will open 16 December and you will be able to log on as soon as it has been launched. We will send you an e-mail once you are able to log on, so keep an eye on your inbox. Not received an e-mail? Check your spam filter or the "unwanted mail" folder.

MitVIA is VIA's primary communication channel to students. This is also where you find general information on e.g. exams, student counselling, international opportunities, study administrative rules, IT, canteen, library, facilities on campus and much more. Your campus and your study programme will also post news for all students at your campus and study programme here.

Study start, schedule etc.

The programmes at VIA have different dates of study start – most are around 1 September and 1 February.

See when to start at your programme 2022/2023 (pdf)

All other relevant information about your study start and programme you can find at MitVIA. This goes for e.g. when to meet the first day, introduction programme, books, schedules etc. Note! You cannot find this information anywhere else than at MitVIA. They will not be sent to you on e-mail. Therefore it is very important that you log on to MitVIA before study start.

To get access to your VIAmail, log on to post.via.dk. Logon with your VIAmail-address and the password you chose in VIA Start.

The digital student card

To get a digital student card, you must order the student card online. It is free.

You will subsequently receive an e-mail from ISIC. In the e-mail, you will be guided to create your profile for use in the app "ISIC" from ISIC Global.

Student discounts

VIA cooperates with ISIC, which means that you always have an internationally recognised discount card/study ID at hand. If you order a digital student card, as described above, you will have access to online and local student discounts with your smartphone via the app.

As a student at VIA, you can order a physical VIA access card that gives you access to VIA's addresses.

You can order a VIA access card online (the card is free of charge)

Normally, you must be a Danish citizen to be entitled to SU (State Educational Grant). In some cases, international students are eligible for SU if you fulfil specific conditions.

Read more about SU for foreign citizens.

If you are a Danish citizen, you can read about SU here.

You can apply for SU one month before you begin your programme at the earliest.

Have questions about SU?

Fill in the contact form or call VIA's SU counsellors at 87 55 10 45, office hours: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 AM to 12 noon.

Students at VIA need to bring their own computer. 

You will need your computer at class and when writing assignments. If you are about to buy a new computer, we recommend that you wait until after you have started your programme. This way, it will be easier for you to make sure that your new computer has the needed capacity to run e.g. study-related software. 

We recommend that you buy a laptop with a long battery life. 

Please note, the technical programmes at VIA may have specific demands regarding hardware. Check your programme's website for more specific information.

Contact your student counsellor or the IT department at your campus if you have questions about hardware or software. 

Special educational assistance (Danish acronym SPS) is support intended to ensure that students suffering from a physical or mental disabilities are able to get an education on an equal footing with other students at VIA University College. 

Frequently asked questions about SPS

In order to apply for SPS, please contact the SPS-responsible at your campus and ask for a meeting.

Find contact information for VIA's SPS counsellors here.

Are you an elite athlete and want to study too? VIA Elite Sports supports students performing sports at elite level to enable them to pursue an education while following athletic ambitions and careers.

VIA Elite Sports has contact persons at all of VIA's campuses who helps study programmes ensure that the students/athlete fulfils the needed requirements, as well as helping them schedule their training and competitions to make room for exams and and other study activities.

Examples of how VIA Elite Sports helps:

• Putting together a study plan based on clear and realistic goals for both academics and sports
• Administrative assistance, e.g. in relation to moving to a new address, changing an exam, dispensations, merit etc.
• Personal support or establishing additional teaching

Go here for guidelines and contact information on VIA Elite Sports

The study start course is a help for you to prepare yourself for the life as a student. There are 4 online modules and you can take one or more depending on what suits you. It is completely voluntary.

Module 1: Becoming a student
This module is about a safe transition to becoming a student at a higher education.

Module 2: Study life and study habits
This module is about habits and study techniques and what works for you.

Module 3: Sustainable motivation
This module is about what motivates you and how you can build and maintain motivation.

Module 4: Collaboration and the learning community
This module is about what you can do to be part of creating a well-functioning community.

If you need help to gain access to VIA's IT systems or if you have any questions regarding the above, you are welcome to contact us. 

Send an email to viaservice@via.dk or in urgent cases please call +45 87 55 12 12. 

You can contact us Monday to Friday from 07:30 a.m. until 03:30 p.m.

Do you need social and psychological aid or counselling? You can contact the Student Counselling Service (Studenterrådgivningen):

Student Counselling Service

T:  70 26 75 00. (Open Monday to Friday 9 AM -12 noon)
Learn more at www.srg.dk

You can get help from the Student Counselling Service at all VIA's campuses

Contact your local student counsellor (therapist), if you need help during your time as a student.

• Campus Aarhus N. E: viaaarhusn@srg.dk
• Campus Aarhus C. E: viaaarhusc@srg.dk
• Campus Viborg. E: viaviborg@via.dk
• Campus Holstebro. E: viaholstebro@via.dk
• Campus Herning. E: viaherning@via.dk
• Campus Randers. E: viaranders@via.dk
• Campus Silkeborg. E: viasilkeborg@via.dk
• Campus Horsens. E: viahorsens@via.dk

'Alliance for a good student life' - free expert counselling

Four organisations who offer free counselling to students at institutions of higher education have formed the Alliance for a good student life. The aim of the organisation is to help students who feel that covid-19 have made it harder to cope with their student lives. The four organisations each offer free counselling to make the lives of students easier during hard times.

Read more about the free offer at the organisations' own websites:

• www.headspace.dk
• www.sr-bistand.dk
• www.ventilen.dk
• www.srg.dk

If you as a student wish to file a complaint concerning an exam, test or anything else related to your studies, you can do so by following VIA's complaint guide.

Find the complaint guide here (PDF).