This page compares the education systems of Denmark and China.
Education System Overview
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Public/private mix with decentralized municipal delivery. National legislation sets the main rules for compulsory education, while municipalities operate the public Folkeskole system and publicly supported private schools provide an alternative. [Ministry of Education] | Public/private mix; governance is centralized at the national policy level, with provincial and local education authorities responsible for implementation and administration. |
| Governing Body | Ministry of Children and Education for school and upper-secondary education; municipalities for public primary and lower-secondary schools; and the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Digital Affairs with the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science for most tertiary education. [Danish Ministry] | Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China (MOE), together with provincial and local education authorities. [China MOE] |
| Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) | 6.4% of GDP in 2022, the latest value in the World Bank/UNESCO UIS government-expenditure series. [World Bank] | National fiscal expenditure on education was 4.02% of GDP in 2024. [China MOE] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | Compulsory education normally begins in August of the calendar year in which a child turns 6 and ends after completion of Grade 9, normally around age 16. Denmark requires education rather than attendance at a particular type of school. [Ministry of Education] | Children normally begin compulsory education at age 6; local authorities may permit enrollment at age 7 where conditions require it. The nine-year compulsory cycle normally continues to about age 15. [China MOE] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | 10 years: one compulsory preschool class, known as Grade 0, followed by Grades 1–9. Grade 10 is optional. [Ministry of Education] | 9 years of compulsory education, generally six years of primary school followed by three years of junior secondary school. [China MOE] |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | Optional before compulsory preschool class. Participation is high: 94.7% of 3-year-olds were enrolled in early childhood education in 2023. [OECD] | Optional before compulsory schooling; the national gross pre-primary enrollment rate reached 92.9% in 2025. [China MOE] |
| Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years) | 1 + 9 + 3 is the common general route: one compulsory preschool-class year, Grades 1–9 of compulsory school and usually three years of general upper-secondary education. An optional Grade 10 is also available. Vocational routes have different durations. [Ministry of Education] | 6 + 3 + 3: six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary education and three years of senior secondary education. |
| Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%) | Approximately 19% vocational / 81% general among 15–19-year-old upper-secondary students in the latest directly comparable OECD distribution. Danish VET students are often older than students in general upper-secondary education, so this age-based measure does not represent all VET participation. [OECD] | Approximately 26.9% vocational / 73.1% general in 2025, based on 11.19 million secondary vocational students and 30.40 million regular senior-secondary students. [China MOE] |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | August | September |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | June | July |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | Approximately 40 weeks in the most common Folkeskole calendar. [Ministry of Education] | Compulsory education typically includes 35 teaching weeks plus two weeks available for school-arranged activities; regular senior-secondary programs generally provide about 40 teaching weeks plus a social-practice week. |
| Instruction Days per Year | Approximately 200 days in the most common school-year arrangement. [Ministry of Education] | — |
Grading System
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | 7-point scale: -3, 00, 02, 4, 7, 10, 12. Grades 02, 4, 7, 10 and 12 are passing grades when a pass requirement applies. [Ministry of Education] | No single national grading scale applies to all school assessments. Numerical scores, achievement levels and letter-based systems are used according to examination, province and school level. |
| Higher Education Grading Scale | The same 7-point scale is used across state-regulated higher education, with pass/fail assessment also permitted in specified courses. [Danish Agency] | Institution-specific; universities commonly use percentage scores and GPA or letter-grade conversions, but there is no single national GPA scale. |
Language of Instruction
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | Danish is the main language of instruction in ordinary public schooling. | Standard Chinese (Putonghua/Mandarin) is the principal language of instruction in most schools. |
| Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12) | German is used in recognized German-minority schools in Southern Jutland. International and bilingual schools may teach partly or fully in English or another language. | Minority languages are used alongside or instead of Standard Chinese in some ethnic autonomous areas and bilingual education programs. English is widely taught as a foreign-language subject. |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | At compulsory-school level, approximately 82% of pupils attend the municipal/public sector, based on the Ministry's reported 18% share attending free private primary and lower-secondary schools. [Ministry of Education] | Based on official 2024 enrollment totals, approximately 93.1% of compulsory-education students and 79.9% of regular senior-secondary students were outside the non-government school sector. [China MOE] [China MOE] |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | $0. Municipal Folkeskole education is free of charge. [Ministry of Education] | $0 tuition and miscellaneous fees during the nine-year compulsory education period. [China MOE] |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes. Municipalities are responsible for providing public compulsory education throughout Denmark. [Ministry of Education] | Yes; the state guarantees compulsory education for school-age children and adolescents nationwide. [China MOE] |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | Approximately 18% of compulsory-school pupils attend a free private primary and lower-secondary school. These schools receive public subsidies and may charge parental fees. [Ministry of Education] | In 2024, non-government schools enrolled approximately 6.9% of compulsory-education students and 20.1% of regular senior-secondary students. [China MOE] |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | Nationwide, with free private schools operating in both urban and regional areas. | — |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | 26 recognized international basic schools in the Ministry's official category. [Ministry of Education] | — |
| Number of IB World Schools | 20 IB World Schools currently offer at least one IB programme in Denmark; 17 offer the Diploma Programme. [IB] | 322 IB World Schools currently offer at least one IB programme in China. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge International and school-specific British, American or bilingual programs. | International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge International/A Levels and Advanced Placement (AP), depending on the school. |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | For the standard Folkeskole teacher pathway, a four-year Professional Bachelor's degree in teacher education totaling 240 ECTS, including teaching practice. Upper-secondary teacher qualification requirements differ. [Danish Agency] | A recognized teacher qualification is required. Statutory minimum academic requirements vary by level: primary teachers require secondary normal-school education or above; junior-secondary teachers require higher normal-college or other two- to three-year college education or above; senior-secondary teachers require a four-year normal-college or university education or above. [China MOE] |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | Approximately 19 students in 2023. [OECD] | Approximately 38.7 students per class in 2025, based on 101.78 million primary students and 2.63 million classes. [China MOE] |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | Approximately 20 students in 2023. [OECD] | Approximately 46.4 students per class in 2025, based on 55.09 million junior-secondary students and 1.19 million classes. [China MOE] |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | — | Approximately 48.5 students per regular senior-secondary class in 2024, based on 29.22 million students and 602,532 classes. [China MOE] [China MOE] |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation Years | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] | 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2025. Participation represented regional Chinese cohorts rather than a national sample; Shanghai participated in 2009 and 2012, the 2015 cohort covered Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Guangdong, and the 2018 and 2025 cohorts covered Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang (B-S-J-Z). [OECD] |
| PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 509 / 501 / 493 | 591 / 555 / 590 for B-S-J-Z (China). [OECD] |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 489 / 489 / 494. [OECD] | — |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 471 / 460 / 478. [OECD] | 612 / 527 / 597 for B-S-J-Z (China). [OECD] |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | Performance was lower in 2025 than in 2022 in mathematics, reading and science. Mathematics declined by 19 points, reading by 29 points and science by 16 points. OECD reports that 2025 performance in all three subjects was lower than in any Danish PISA assessment conducted before 2022. [OECD] | Direct comparison of the full B-S-J-Z cohort is available from 2018. Between 2018 and 2025, mathematics performance was higher, reading was lower, and science was about the same. Earlier Chinese PISA cycles used different regional samples and should not be treated as one national time series. [OECD] |
| Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2025) | Science — 478 points. [OECD] | Mathematics — 612 points for B-S-J-Z (China). [OECD] |
Higher Education System
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | 25 core institutions across the main state-regulated categories: 8 universities, 7 university colleges, 7 business academies and 3 architecture/art institutions. Additional specialized institutions fall under other administrative arrangements. [Danish Agency] | 3,167 higher education institutions in 2025, excluding 234 research institutes authorized to train postgraduate students. [China MOE] |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 8 universities: University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, University of Southern Denmark, Roskilde University, Aalborg University, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen Business School and IT University of Copenhagen. [Danish Agency] | — |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | 7 university colleges and 7 business academies. Denmark does not use a single formal “University of Applied Sciences” category equivalent to some other European systems. [Danish Agency] | 87 vocational undergraduate institutions and 1,554 higher vocational/junior colleges in 2025. [China MOE] |
| Main Institution Types | Universities, university colleges, business academies and architecture/art institutions, alongside additional specialized tertiary providers. | Regular undergraduate institutions, vocational undergraduate institutions, higher vocational/junior colleges and adult higher education institutions. [China MOE] |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | Public institutions: 99.6% / government-dependent private institutions: approximately 0.3% / independent private institutions: approximately 0% in 2023. [OECD] | Among regular and vocational undergraduate/short-cycle students in 2025, 27.04% were enrolled in private institutions and approximately 72.96% in non-private institutions. [China MOE] |
| English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total) | 500+ English-taught higher education programs across Danish institutions. [Study in Denmark] | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%) | — | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%) | — | — |
| Main Global Ranking Used | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking) | 1 in QS 2027: University of Copenhagen (=90). [QS] | 6 mainland Chinese universities in QS 2027: Peking University (#13), Tsinghua University (#14), Fudan University (#26), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (#36), Zhejiang University (#47) and Nanjing University (#=90). [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | 5 in QS 2027: University of Copenhagen (=90), Technical University of Denmark (105), Aarhus University (=128), University of Southern Denmark (=283) and Aalborg University (=329). [QS] | 38 mainland Chinese institutions in QS 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | 5 in QS 2027. Roskilde University is ranked in the 1001–1200 band, while Copenhagen Business School and IT University of Copenhagen do not have an overall QS World University Ranking position in this edition. [QS] | 64 mainland Chinese institutions in QS 2027. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | Danish Accreditation Institution (Danmarks Akkrediteringsinstitution), which conducts accreditation work within Denmark's higher education quality-assurance system. | Higher Education Evaluation Center, Ministry of Education (HEEC), operating as an affiliated institution of the Ministry of Education. [China MOE] |
| International Students (Total) | Approximately 30,000 international tertiary students in 2023, the latest OECD internationally comparable total. [OECD] | 271,064 international students were enrolled in Chinese higher education institutions in 2024. [China MOE] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | 9.9% in 2023, down from 10.7% in 2018. [OECD] | — |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 for Danish students and generally for eligible students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland in public higher education. [Study in Denmark] | — |
| Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency) | Typically $8,000–$21,000 per year for fee-paying full-degree students, equivalent to the official published range of DKK 45,000–120,000. Exact fees are set by institutions. [Study in Denmark] | — |
| Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 for eligible EU/EEA/Swiss students; generally $8,000–$21,000 per year for other full-degree students. [Study in Denmark] | — |
| Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency) | — | — |
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms |
General Overview (Narrative)
| Category | Denmark | China |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Denmark has a decentralized public/private education system in which municipalities operate the public Folkeskole within national legislation. Compulsory education lasts 10 years, beginning with preschool class in the year a child turns six and continuing through Grade 9. Municipal schools provide free education, while about 18% of compulsory-school pupils attend publicly supported free private schools. General upper-secondary programs and vocational education provide the main routes after compulsory school. Danish is the principal instructional language, with German-minority and international-school provision also available. In PISA 2025, Denmark scored 471 in mathematics, 460 in reading and 478 in science; all three results were lower than in 2022. Higher education includes eight research universities, seven university colleges and seven business academies, with 99.6% of tertiary students enrolled in public institutions in 2023. Current school changes include greater local flexibility, fewer compulsory leaving examinations and revised subject plans, while a new epx upper-secondary route is being prepared for introduction in 2030. | China operates a centrally directed education system with provincial and local authorities managing implementation. The standard school structure consists of six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary education and three years of senior secondary education. The first nine years are compulsory and tuition-free. Pre-primary participation reached a gross enrollment rate of 92.9% in 2025, while senior-secondary students were divided between general and vocational routes. Public provision accounts for most school enrollment, although non-government schools operate at compulsory and upper-secondary levels. China's PISA results represent participating regions rather than a national sample. In PISA 2025, Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang (B-S-J-Z) scored 612 in mathematics, 527 in reading and 597 in science. The higher-education system contained 3,167 institutions in 2025, including regular undergraduate institutions, vocational universities and higher vocational colleges. Official 2024 statistics recorded 271,064 international students. Current changes include the Preschool Education Law, one year of free preschool education introduced in 2025 and the 2026 AI + Education Action Plan. |