Denmark Introduces Junior Master Apprenticeships for 8th and 9th Graders

From the 2025/2026 school year, students in 8th and 9th grade in Denmark will have the option to participate in the Junior Master Apprenticeship program, a new initiative designed to combine school-based learning with practical work experience. The scheme allows students to spend 1–2 days per week at a company, vocational training program, FGU (Preparatory Basic Education and Training) institution, or municipal youth school, while continuing their academic education on the remaining days, focusing at a minimum on Danish and mathematics.

Each municipality is responsible for creating a locally adapted model for the program, and schools can use a template for internship agreements to outline responsibilities for students, parents, and internship sites. The school principal must approve the agreement, ensuring the internship meets the program’s educational standards and expectations. Municipalities and schools are encouraged to coordinate with students, parents, and companies to align expectations, plan activities, and define supervision and support needs.

Students in the program will follow a teaching distribution of up to four-fifths of the total 1,400 hours on Danish and mathematics, and up to two-fifths in internships or practical courses, ensuring they receive a comparable amount of instruction to students not in the program.

Upon completion, students will take the primary school leaving exam with a Junior Master Apprenticeship certificate. To pass, students must achieve a minimum grade of 2 in Danish and mathematics and participate in a final evaluation interview regarding their apprenticeship experience. This certificate provides access to vocational education pathways, though it does not grant access to EUX programs that combine vocational and upper secondary education.

The main aim of the initiative is to create more flexible and diverse educational pathways in Denmark, offering a hands-on alternative to the traditional academic track and supporting those who are more practically inclined.