According to new figures from the Immigration Ministry, the government’s decision to reinstate free Danish classes has had a considerable impact on the number of people learning Danish.

During the second quarter of 2021, there were 18,707 active students taking the  Danish Education (‘S-kursister) course – a 78 percent increase (10,499) from the first quarter of 2020. 

“I’m pleased to see more foreigners taking Danish courses. Learning Danish is imperative for successfully integrating,” said the immigration minister, Mattias Tesfaye.

“It affords them more opportunities to speak with colleagues, neighbours and their kid’s coach in the local football club – in short, it makes it easier to become part of the community.”

READ ALSO: Danish government to heavily reduce English-language course availability

COVID-19 curbed further growth
To be able to register for free Danish courses one must be a newly-arrived foreigner over the age of 18. 

So it is available to refugees and foreigners who come to Denmark to work or study. 

From 1 January 2018 and up until 1 July 2020, when the new law came into effect, participants had to pay 2,000 kroner for every module started. 

Now it’s free, although there is a 2,000 kroner deposit that is reimbursed once the module has been completed. Read more about the details here. 

The spike in people taking the classes could have actually been much higher, but the figures were likely curbed by restrictions and curbed immigration relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.