Student Housing in Denmark: Kollegier, Waiting Lists and Deposits

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

A study place in Denmark does not come with a room. You find housing yourself, and the hardest months are July, August and September, when new students arrive. Start as soon as you apply.

Kollegier and youth housing

A kollegium (plural kollegier) is a hall of residence for students; ungdomsboliger are youth housing flats for young people in education. Most are open to students of any institution, though at some a particular university or field of study has priority. Rooms are usually let unfurnished.

Places are allocated through shared waiting lists:

Copenhagen: Kollegiernes Kontor i København (KKIK) and S.dk, with more than 11,500 student homes between them, according to the University of Copenhagen.
Aarhus: UngdomsboligAarhus, covering almost all the city's kollegier.

Registration is free.

How the KKIK waiting list works

Apply up to 3 months before your studies start; seniority counts from your wished move-in date.
You must be at least 18 and admitted to a programme that qualifies for the Danish state grant, SU (the programme must qualify, not you personally).
Upload proof of admission once you have it.
Renew your application every month. An unanswered offer counts as a refusal.

Waiting times vary: KKIK flags kollegier with waits over 18 months and lists others where a room usually comes within 1 to 2 months. Apply for several.

University housing foundations

Some universities work with a housing organisation for international students. At the University of Copenhagen it is Housing Foundation Copenhagen:

Newly admitted students are invited to an online booking round: late June for autumn, late November for spring. Rooms go first come, first served, with no waiting list.
Stays last from one semester to 2 years.
It typically houses about half of those arriving in autumn, so have a plan B.
Fees apply on top of rent; read its fee list before booking.

At other universities, ask the international office.

What it costs

Copenhagen: the University of Copenhagen says rents range from DKK 4,000 to 10,000 a month (about €535 to €1,340), and higher.
Aarhus: rooms listed as vacant on UngdomsboligAarhus on 20 October 2026 cost about DKK 2,600 to 3,200 a month (about €350 to €430), with a deposit of roughly three months' rent.

For total living costs and the funds SIRI asks non-EU students to show, see how much it costs to study in Denmark.

The private market, deposit and prepaid rent

Otherwise, students rent rooms in shared flats or sublet. Under the Danish Rent Act (lejeloven, § 59), a landlord can ask for:

a deposit of at most 3 months' rent, and
prepaid rent of at most 3 months, which is then used for the last months of the tenancy.

So you may pay up to six months' rent before moving in; the University of Copenhagen calls this common practice. Budget for it, and sign a written contract.

Housing benefit and registration

Students on a residence permit for study may not receive housing benefit (boligstøtte); SIRI says it can cost you the permit.

Once you have a home, register your address and get a CPR number. Put your name on the mailbox: the health insurance card and the residence card are posted there. See student visa for Denmark.

Avoiding scams

The University of Copenhagen warns of students who paid large deposits for flats that did not belong to the advertiser. See the room before signing, pay through a bank, never in cash, and distrust urgent deals on social media. More in finding student housing in Europe without being scammed.

Tips

Register with KKIK, S.dk or UngdomsboligAarhus three months before you start.
Look beyond the centre: in Copenhagen, Vanløse, Brønshøj, Valby and Ørestad are easier.
If you arrive without a room, take a short sublet first. In Copenhagen, Startup Housing offers temporary beds for up to 2 weeks at the start of studies.

Where to look next

Official sources

University of Copenhagen: housing
Kollegiernes Kontor i København (KKIK): waiting lists for kollegier in Copenhagen
Housing Foundation Copenhagen
Danish Rent Act, § 59: deposit and prepaid rent

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.