Education

Danish Students Protest Proposed Cuts to Long‑Standing Student Allowance Scheme

By Al Jazeera Staff

Thousands of Danish students marched from Copenhagen’s city hall square to parliament on Monday to protest a government plan to cut student stipends under a decades‑long allowance scheme. Organisers said up to 13,000 students joined the rally, which carried the banner “Enough is Enough.” The demonstration was part of a broader wave of youth unrest across Europe, echoing student protests in France that have expanded into wider grievances over the cost of living and housing crises.

Student associations reported that about 40,000 students were on strike at 57 schools nationwide over the proposed cuts. Since 1970, all students aged 18 or older in Denmark have automatically received the student allowance regardless of parental income. Current stipends amount to 1,154 kroner ($173) a month for students living with parents and 7,426 kroner ($1,116) for those living independently.

Under the new proposal, the allowance would be abolished for students whose parents earn more than 700,000 Danish kroner ($105,248) a year. Students whose parents earn between 419,589 kroner ($63,087) and 700,000 kroner would still be eligible, but stipends would be staggered according to income.

Copenhagen police maintained a heavy presence during the demonstration. Protesters chanted “Broken Promises” and displayed signs reading “Save SU” (the Danish acronym for the student allowance), “Less Support, Less Educated” and “Don’t Cheat the Young.”

Oscar Tonsberg Hoffmann, president of the Danish High School Students Association, told AFP that dismantling the allowance would undermine “one of the world’s strongest educational systems.” 23‑year‑old agronomy student Kieran Hindshaw said he felt betrayed by the government, noting that the new policy would cut welfare for young people while the government pursues corporate tax reductions and warfare funding.

The Higher Education Ministry estimates that around 14,000 students will lose their stipends entirely, and about 8,000 will see reductions. The government has also proposed that unemployment benefits for recent university graduates be paid only to those who have worked during 18 of the last 24 months of their studies. Industry Minister and Social Liberal Party leader Martin Lidegaard has described the cuts as “not pleasant decisions.”