Political reform of the Danish educational system and VIA Design and Business  

The Danish educational system is currently under political reform, which will affect our programmes at VIA Design and Business. Here is what we know and do not know yet

Danish professional bachelor and academy profession degree programmes are currently under political reform with the purpose of enhancing the quality and academic level of educational programmes. 

Because of the ongoing reform, the current 1.5-year top-up degrees will be phased out. This includes VIA’s top-up Design and Business, which will not admit new students from the summer of 2028. How will this affect the options for taking an education in the fashion- and lifestyle fields at VIA in the future? Here is what we know now, and what we do not know yet. 

Current students will be able to take top-up degree

The last classes of the current design and business top-up will start in August 2027. This means that you will be able to apply for the top-up if you have started your design, technology and business AP degree or similar in the autumn of 2025 and graduate without delay.

You will still be able to study Design, Technology and Business 

Even though the top-up degree will be phased out, you will still be able to take the 2-year academy profession degree programme, Design, Technology and Business. You will also have the option of further educating yourself with a new 1-year degree. However, to apply to the new postgraduate degree it is required that it has been at least two years since you graduated from your AP degree. The purpose is to ensure that you have had amble time in the intervening years to test your skills in practice and get some hands-on experience from the industry. It will be possible to start the new postgraduate degree in the autumn of 2030. It will be possible to study full time or part time, and students are eligible for SU. An AP degree + at least 2 years of work experience + the new postgraduate degree will give you a professional bachelor’s degree.  

New 3-year bachelor’s degree is on the table 

VIA may be able to offer a new 3-year professional bachelor's degree aimed at the fashion- and lifestyle industries from the autumn semester 2028. The Educational institutions and the relevant governmental authorities are currently working together to design a more flexible and future-proof educational system. A 3-year professional bachelor’s degree is a part of this work, but the final decision will not be made until the spring of 2026. We do not yet know the content of a future professional bachelor's degree and are at this point unable to say whether it is possible for current students at our AP degree or similar study programmes to transfer credit.

Note!

The Danish Parliament has not yet adopted the final amendment laws regarding the Education Reform.

FAQ about the reform

  • If you started your studies at Design, Technology and Business in 2025 or earlier, you will still be able to apply for admission to the Design and Business top-up degree, providing that you complete your studies in the stipulated time. The last chance to apply for admission to Design and Business in the 2027 intake. 

  • If you are considering applying to Design, Technology and Business in 2026, you need to be aware that you will be able to add the new 1-year postgraduate degree to get a professional bachelor’s degree, instead of the current top-up degree. To apply to the new postgraduate degree, it is required that it has been at least two years since you graduated from your AP degree. In these two years, you are able to get some industry experience with the aim of strengthening the connection to the industry and give graduates hands-on experience. 

  • If you start your studies at Design, Technology and Business in the autumn of 2026 or autumn of 2027, you will not be able to take the Design and Business top-up degree as it is today. VIA may get the opportunity to offer a 3-year professional bachelor’s degree aimed at the fashion- and lifestyle industries from the autumn of 2028. However, the final decision on this will not be made until the late spring of 2026. 

  • Irrespective of whether VIA will be able to offer a 3-year professional bachelor’s degree, you will be able to complete your AP degree. We do not know whether you will be able to transfer your credits or start over if you want a professional bachelor’s degree.  

  • When negotiations between educational institutions and relevant authorities are completed in the late spring of 2026.  

  • In this case, we expect to be able to offer a 2-year academy professions degree, a 1-year postgraduate degree and a 3-year professional bachelor’s degree. 

  • We do not know yet, but our expectation is that we will be able to offer the 1-year postgraduate degree.

  • We do not know yet.

  • We do not know whether there will be any requirements in this direction yet, but if you are planning to work in the fashion and lifestyle industry in the future, we recommend that you look for jobs relevant to the industry.

  • The top-up degrees will be replaced with new, 1-year postgraduate degrees, which are also at professional bachelor’s degree level. At least 2 years of work experience after graduating from the AP degree are required, before it is possible to start the new 1-year postgraduate degrees. This is meant to strengthen the connection to the industry.  

FAQ for international applicants

  • Yes, it is possible to find work in the fashion- and lifestyle industries with an AP degree – typically assistant positions in fashion or branding/marketing/PR depending on your speciality. You can increase your chances of finding a job after graduation by taking your internship in Denmark to get experience and build you network and by learning some basic Danish. In collaboration with Sprogcenter Midt, VIA offers free Danish lessons for international students.

    Learn more about the free language course here.

  • The rules vary depending on your country of origin:

    Nordic countries

    Students from the Nordic countries are free to reside, study and work in Denmark. No visa, residence- or work permits are required.

    EU/EEA/Switzerland

    Are allowed to stay in Denmark up to 6 months under the rules regarding the free movement of people and services. It is possible to extend your residence document under certain circumstances. Learn more here.

    Non-EU students

    Students originating from non-EU countries and who have completed an AP degree at VIA Design can apply for a 6-month residence permit at SIRI (Styrelsen for International Rekruttering og Integration/Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration) to look for a job. Go to SIRIs website for more information on the terms and how to apply.

  • All top-up degrees in Denmark have the last intake in the autumn semester of 2027. Starting 2030, you will be able to take a 1-year top-up degree. However, the 1-year top-up degree can be started 2 years after graduation your AP-degree at the earliest. We recommend getting some industry-related experience in the break.  

  • If VIA is granted permission to offer the new 3-year professional bachelor's degree, this will provide access to continuing your studies with a master's degree on the same terms as the 3.5-year professional bachelor's degree does today. The same is true if you complete the AP degree plus the 1-year top-up degree.

  • Yes, we do. VIA’s Career Centre offers student-centred career guidance in the form of CV workshops, company dating events and one-on-one career counselling. Our Career Centre collaborates with local businesses and organisations in and around Herning and extensive experience with guiding international students towards a career in Denmark.

    Learn more at VIA's Career Centre here!

  • The options for credit transfer depends on the institution and the specific programme you are applying to. You should contact the institution directly to learn about their credit transfer policies. VIA can provide documentation of your completed courses and ECTS credits to support your application. 

Learn more