Danish students join European protest wave against education funding cuts
News Source
β’Wed, 04 Nov 2026 17:54:48 +0000
π° What Happened
Thousands of students marched through Copenhagen on Monday against government plans to cut student grants. Organisers said up to 13,000 people walked from the city hall square to parliament under the banner βEnough is Enoughβ. Student groups said about 40,000 students were on strike at 57 schools across Denmark.
The proposal would remove the grant for students who live with parents earning more than 700,000 kroner a year. Denmark has paid the allowance to every student over 18 since 1970, whatever their family earns. Students get 1,154 kroner a month at home, or 7,426 kroner if they live alone.
The rally follows protests in France that spread across Europe in recent weeks. Those marches have grown into wider anger about living costs and housing.
π The Backstory
Denmark's student grant, known as SU, is one of the most generous in the world. It lets young people study without depending on their parents. Danes often call it a main reason their society is more equal than many others.
European governments are spending far more on defence. After Russia's full invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO countries promised to lift military budgets. Denmark has raised its targets sharply, and ministers must find the money somewhere.
At the same time, rents and food prices have risen faster than student grants. That has left many young Danes feeling that the system that helped their parents no longer works for them.
π― Why It Matters
Cuts to student aid decide who can afford to study. When grants shrink, poorer students often drop out or take on debt that follows them for years.
Thousands of students marched through Copenhagen on Monday against government plans to cut student grants. Organisers said up to 13,000 people walked from the city hall square to parliament under the banner βEnough is Enoughβ. Student groups said about 40,000 students were on strike at 57 schools across Denmark.
The proposal would remove the grant for students who live with parents earning more than 700,000 kroner a year. Denmark has paid the allowance to every student over 18 since 1970, whatever their family earns. Students get 1,154 kroner a month at home, or 7,426 kroner if they live alone.
The rally follows protests in France that spread across Europe in recent weeks. Those marches have grown into wider anger about living costs and housing.
Denmark's student grant, known as SU, is one of the most generous in the world. It lets young people study without depending on their parents. Danes often call it a main reason their society is more equal than many others.
European governments are spending far more on defence. After Russia's full invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO countries promised to lift military budgets. Denmark has raised its targets sharply, and ministers must find the money somewhere.
At the same time, rents and food prices have risen faster than student grants. That has left many young Danes feeling that the system that helped their parents no longer works for them.
Cuts to student aid decide who can afford to study. When grants shrink, poorer students often drop out or take on debt that follows them for years.