How do you become a hairdresser in Denmark?

Preface

You do not need to train as a hairdresser to open your own salon or call yourself a hairdresser. “Hairdresser” is not a protected title. Even so, most people choose to take the training, partly to improve their craft and partly because “the four-year programme” still serves as a validation stamp for many customers and colleagues.

Do you even need to take the training?

That is entirely up to you. Ask yourself: do you need it? Will it make your working life easier? If your answer is yes, take it.

The 4 pathways into the 4-year vocational education programme as a hairdresser

Have you made up your mind? Great. Here are the four pathways in, and how to find the one that suits you.

First pathway: Basic Course 1 (GF1)

GF1 is for you if you are coming directly from 9th or 10th grade. Have you needed a short break? Don’t worry—you simply need to have completed 9th/10th grade less than 14 months before the school year starts. GF1 lasts 6 months and combines practical training with theory.

Some people skip GF1 altogether. If you have a signed apprenticeship agreement before the school year starts and have passed your 9th/10th-grade exams, you can go directly on to GF2.

Second pathway: Basic Course 2 (GF2)

After GF1, you continue on GF2. It lasts 20 weeks and gives you a basic understanding of the hairdressing profession.

Third pathway: New apprenticeship

If you start with a new apprenticeship, you replace GF1 and GF2 with an apprenticeship at a real salon instead—isn’t that more exciting? You still need to have passed your 9th/10th-grade exams and complete three theory subjects along the way. If you are nervous about the theory subjects, GF1/GF2 may still be the safer route. Just because a shortcut exists does not mean it is the right one for you.

Fourth pathway: EUX

EUX combines the hairdressing programme with an upper-secondary qualification, giving you access to further education at the same time. The programme lasts 5 years and 6 months—longer, but a good safety net if you later discover that life as a hairdresser is not for you after all.

Hairdressing schools in Denmark

1. NEXT Copenhagen
2. EUC Zealand, Næstved
3. Southern Denmark Business School (SDE) in Odense
4. TechCollege in Aalborg
5. Hansenberg in Kolding
6. Rybners, EUD in Esbjerg
7. EUC South in Aabenraa
8. Aarhus Tech
9. Tradium in Randers
10. Herningholm EUD in Herning
11. Struer State Upper Secondary School

What the programme looks like along the way

The first year is about the basics: cutting, colour theory and design principles. It may sound dry, but this is where you build the speed and confidence you will later rely on in front of a paying customer. You also learn how to handle chemicals safely—remember, this is real chemistry, not a toy.

The part that surprises most people comes during the main course: psychology. I often meet hairdressing students who are shocked by how much the profession is about people rather than technique. The best hairdressers I know are not necessarily the ones with the sharpest scissors—they are the ones customers trust.

The programme ends with an exam where you demonstrate that you can work independently as a hairdresser.

What you are not taught

You learn the practical craft during your apprenticeship, but you have to be brave enough to ask your master about everything you do not know. On the other hand, you rarely learn much about starting your own business, VAT returns or bookkeeping. That is actually why I write posts like this: to help you understand the things you do not learn at school or at your apprenticeship.

Final words

Could the programme improve your cutting techniques or give you a better understanding of how to interact socially with customers? Then sign up. Even if it is only for the title, sign up. You should feel at ease when you go to work, and if an education can give you that, it is worth it.

If you are already dreaming of having your own salon one day, call me. We have helped hairdressers with decisions like these for more than 30 years, and I am happy to answer questions long before you are ready to buy anything.