This page compares the education systems of South Korea and Denmark.
Education System Overview
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Public/private mix; mixed governance combining national policy and standards with decentralized local education administration. The Ministry of Education operates at the national level, while 17 Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education oversee local education. [Korea MOE] | 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] |
| Governing Body | Ministry of Education (MOE); 17 Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education; and local Offices of Education. [Korea MOE] | 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] |
| Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) | 5.4% (2022). [World Bank] | 6.4% of GDP in 2022, the latest value in the World Bank/UNESCO UIS government-expenditure series. [World Bank] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | Approximately age 6 to age 15, covering six years of elementary school and three years of middle school. [Korea MOE] | 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] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | 9 years: 6 years of elementary education plus 3 years of middle school. [Korea MOE] | 10 years: one compulsory preschool class, known as Grade 0, followed by Grades 1–9. Grade 10 is optional. [Ministry of Education] |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | Optional; enrollment among children aged 3–5 was 95.7% in 2023. [OECD] | Optional before compulsory preschool class. Participation is high: 94.7% of 3-year-olds were enrolled in early childhood education in 2023. [OECD] |
| Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years) | 6 + 3 + 3: six years of elementary school, three years of middle school and three years of high school. The broader system is commonly described as 6-3-3-4 when the standard four-year university stage is included. [Korea MOE] | 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] |
| Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%) | 14.9% Vocational / 85.1% General (2023). [OECD] | 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] |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | March. The first semester begins in March. [Korea MOE] | August |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | February, following the second semester and winter vacation period. [Korea MOE] | June |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | — | Approximately 40 weeks in the most common Folkeskole calendar. [Ministry of Education] |
| Instruction Days per Year | At least 190 days per school year for elementary, middle and high schools, subject to limited statutory reductions in specified circumstances. [Korean Law] | Approximately 200 days in the most common school-year arrangement. [Ministry of Education] |
Grading System
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | Assessment varies by school level. Middle-school achievement commonly uses A–E achievement levels. For students entering high school from 2025, the former nine-grade internal ranking system was replaced by a five-grade system under the 2028 university admissions changes. [Korea MOE] | 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] |
| Higher Education Grading Scale | Institution-specific; 4.5 and 4.3 GPA scales with letter grades are commonly used. | The same 7-point scale is used across state-regulated higher education, with pass/fail assessment also permitted in specified courses. [Danish Agency] |
Language of Instruction
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | Korean is the main language of instruction in the national school system. | Danish is the main language of instruction in ordinary public schooling. |
| 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. |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | Primary: approximately 98% / Secondary: approximately 72% (2024). [World Bank] [World Bank] | 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] |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 standard tuition for public elementary and middle education; nationwide free high-school education was extended to all grades from 2021, covering admission fees, tuition, school operation support fees and textbooks within the statutory scheme. [Korea MOE] | $0. Municipal Folkeskole education is free of charge. [Ministry of Education] |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes. Public schools operate nationwide under the metropolitan, provincial and local education administration system. [Korea MOE] | Yes. Municipalities are responsible for providing public compulsory education throughout Denmark. [Ministry of Education] |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | Primary: approximately 2% / Secondary: approximately 28% (2024). [World Bank] [World Bank] | 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] |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | — | Nationwide, with free private schools operating in both urban and regional areas. |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | 45 government-listed foreign/international K–12 institutions: 38 foreign schools, 3 foreign educational institutions at elementary/secondary level and 4 Jeju international schools. [ISI] | 26 recognized international basic schools in the Ministry's official category. [Ministry of Education] |
| Number of IB World Schools | 134 schools are listed by the International Baccalaureate school finder for the Republic of Korea. [IB] | 20 IB World Schools currently offer at least one IB programme in Denmark; 17 offer the Diploma Programme. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | International Baccalaureate (IB), American, British, Canadian and other authorized foreign curricula, depending on the school. [ISI] | International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge International and school-specific British, American or bilingual programs. |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | A recognized teacher qualification certificate is required. Standard Grade 2 regular-teacher routes are completed through approved university-level teacher education with prescribed major and teaching coursework; public-school recruitment also follows the applicable appointment process. [Korean Law] | 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] |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | 18.6 students (2026). [KEDI] | Approximately 19 students in 2023. [OECD] |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | 24.5 students (2026). [KEDI] | Approximately 20 students in 2023. [OECD] |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | 23.1 students (2026). [KEDI] | — |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation Years | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] |
| PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 526 / 514 / 519 [OECD] | 509 / 501 / 493 |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 527 / 515 / 528 [OECD] | 489 / 489 / 494. [OECD] |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 522 / 501 / 526 [OECD] | 471 / 460 / 478. [OECD] |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | Korea has participated in every PISA cycle since 2000. Between 2022 and 2025, mathematics and science performance was about the same, while reading was lower. Compared with a decade earlier, mathematics and science were about the same in 2025, while reading was lower. [OECD] | 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] |
| Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2025) | Science — 526 points. [OECD] | Science — 478 points. [OECD] |
Higher Education System
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | 416 higher education institutions (2026). [KEDI] | 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] |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 188 general universities in the official 2026 higher-education classification. [KEDI] | 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 | 126 junior colleges (2026). [KEDI] | 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] |
| Main Institution Types | General universities, universities of education, junior colleges, graduate-school universities, cyber universities and other specialized higher education institutions. [Korea MOE] | Universities, university colleges, business academies and architecture/art institutions, alongside additional specialized tertiary providers. |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | Public: 20.3% / independent private: 79.7% (2023). [OECD] | Public institutions: 99.6% / government-dependent private institutions: approximately 0.3% / independent private institutions: approximately 0% in 2023. [OECD] |
| 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) | 4 in QS 2027: Seoul National University (#38), Yonsei University (#42), Korea University (#=52) and KAIST (#65). [QS] | 1 in QS 2027: University of Copenhagen (=90). [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | 17 South Korean universities are ranked within the top 500 in QS 2027. [QS] | 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] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | 31 South Korean universities are ranked within the top 1000 in QS 2027. [QS] | 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] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | Korean University Accreditation Institute (KUAI), affiliated with the Korean Council for University Education, is the recognized institutional accreditor for four-year universities. [KCUE] | Danish Accreditation Institution (Danmarks Akkrediteringsinstitution), which conducts accreditation work within Denmark's higher education quality-assurance system. |
| International Students (Total) | 307,464 foreign students in higher education (2026), including 223,191 degree students and 84,273 non-degree students. [KEDI] | Approximately 30,000 international tertiary students in 2023, the latest OECD internationally comparable total. [OECD] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | 10.0% in 2026 (307,464 foreign students among 3,072,261 higher-education students). [KEDI] | 9.9% in 2023, down from 10.7% in 2018. [OECD] |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | Approximately $3,180 average annual undergraduate tuition at national/public universities, based on the official national/public average of KRW 4,265,841.8. [Study in Korea] | $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 | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms |
General Overview (Narrative)
| Category | South Korea | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | South Korea uses a 6-3-3-4 education structure with national policy led by the Ministry of Education and local administration carried out through 17 Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education and their local offices. Elementary and middle school provide nine years of compulsory education, while free high-school education has applied nationwide across all grades since 2021. The school year begins in March, and elementary, middle and high schools normally provide at least 190 instructional days. Korean is the main language of instruction. The system includes general and vocational high-school pathways, with vocational programmes accounting for 14.9% of upper-secondary enrollment in 2023. In PISA 2025, Korea scored 522 in mathematics, 501 in reading and 526 in science, with science recording the highest of the three scores. Higher education included 416 institutions in 2026, while the number of foreign students reached 307,464. Current school changes include the High School Credit System, the five-grade high-school internal ranking system for cohorts entering from 2025 and revised credit-completion rules from 2026. The Ministry is also expanding AI-related teaching support in schools and funding general AI curricula at selected universities. | 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. |