New visa restrictions for international students

Students from outside the EU need DKK 30,000 deposit to get in

by Johanne Wenstrup

It is to be harder for students from non-EU countries to get a Danish visa. This is if a proposal by the Danish Minister for Integration Søren Pind is passed into law.

Potential students must pay for a language-test to demonstrate mastery of English. No details about what language test is to be used, and thereby how much it costs is in the proposal.

Secondly, anyone wanting to come to Denmark to study must deposit money in a Danish bank before entry to cover living-expenses for the duration of their stay.

Students need ‘sufficient funds’

»It should not be possible for foreigners - who do not intend to use a visa to study but to work illegally - to use the Danish education-system.« writes Søren Pind (V) in his proposal.

Not all non-EU international students who are here already will be affected by the new rules. University students who have already paid tuition for one semester are exempt.

»It is necessary to make sure, that foreign students staying in this country have sufficient funds to support themselves legally.« writes minister Søren Pind (V).

To vote in July

According to the University of Copenhagen’s own statistics, it had 74 paying students from non-EU countries.

The Minister for Integration forwarded his proposal the day before Parliament breaks for its summer vacation, probably hoping to push the bill through without too much debate.

But Danish law states, that at least 30 days must pass before a proposal can be passed, and the opposition parties were not willing to bend the rules. The parliament must therefore resume for an extraordinary session in the beginning of July to vote on it.

Uni-avis@adm.ku.dk

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