SPS Denmark: Special Education Support at Gymnasium and Upper Secondary Schools

When a child moves from primary school (Folkeskole) to upper secondary education in Denmark — whether that's Gymnasium, HF, or a vocational pathway — the entire special education support system changes beneath their feet. The municipal PPR, the handleplan, the school-level accommodations negotiated over years: none of it automatically transfers. In its place is a centralized national system called Specialpædagogisk Støtte, or SPS.

For expat families who've spent years working within the folkeskole framework, the SPS system is a significant and often surprising shift. Here's what it actually means for your child.

What Is SPS?

SPS stands for Specialpædagogisk Støtte — Special Educational Support. It is the national system that provides accommodations and support for students with disabilities at:

• Gymnasium (STX, HHX, HTX)
• HF (Higher Preparatory Examination)
• Vocational training programs (EUD/EUX)
• Some other post-compulsory educational programs

Unlike the folkeskole system, which is administered locally by each of Denmark's 98 municipalities, SPS is run centrally by the Ministry of Children and Education. Applications are processed by the SPS-sekretariater (SPS secretariats) attached to the educational institutions.

The Critical Difference from Folkeskole: Diagnosis Is Now Required

In the folkeskole, support is theoretically based on demonstrated educational need, not strictly on a formal medical diagnosis. A child can receive a støttepædagog or be referred for a PPR assessment because their teachers observe behavioral struggles — even without an ADHD or autism diagnosis.

SPS works the opposite way.

To qualify for SPS, a student must present official documentation of a disability or diagnosis. This is not negotiable. The types of acceptable documentation include:

• Clinical psychiatric reports for ADHD or ASD
• Dyslexia test results from a certified specialist
• Audiological reports for hearing impairment
• Ophthalmological documentation for visual impairment
• Medical records for physical disabilities

A letter from a previous international school, a parent's verbal account of struggles, or a foreign IEP or EHCP will not suffice as documentation for SPS.

This is one of the most common points of system failure for expat students transitioning out of international schools or the folkeskole. The clinical work that should have happened during primary school years — formal diagnosis through the BUP (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry service) or through a certified private practitioner — needs to be completed before the transition to upper secondary. If a student arrives at Gymnasium without a formal diagnosis, they will be denied SPS, regardless of their actual needs.

What Does SPS Actually Provide?

Depending on the student's documented disability, SPS can provide:

• IT equipment: Specialized reading and writing software (such as IntoWords or AppWriter) for students with dyslexia
• Extended exam time: Additional time during written examinations
• Reader/scribe services: For students with severe dyslexia or physical limitations
• Sign language interpreters: For hearing-impaired students
• Specialized mentor support: Structured academic and organizational coaching for students with ADHD or ASD
• Ergonomic equipment: For students with physical disabilities
• Note-taker support: For students with processing difficulties

SPS is not a one-on-one aide system in the folkeskole sense. It provides specific accommodations and tools, not constant individualized adult supervision.

The Application Process

1. Gather your documentation. This must be official clinical or specialist documentation in Danish, or accompanied by a certified translation. Private assessments from English-speaking clinics in Copenhagen (such as Aleris-PP, Alethia, or Bemerk in Aarhus) are accepted.

2. Apply to the SPS secretariat at the educational institution. Each gymnasium or HF program has its own SPS contact. The student (or parent, for students under 18) submits an application directly to this office.

3. The institution forwards the case. For some types of support, the institution applies to the national SPS administration on behalf of the student.

4. Support is granted and reviewed annually. SPS must be renewed each academic year. If a student's needs change — or if documentation lapses — the support can be discontinued.

Expat-Specific Considerations

If your child has a foreign diagnosis: A clinical diagnosis from another country (US, UK, Australia, Canada) needs to be formally reviewed and ideally supplemented by Danish clinical documentation. Private clinics in Copenhagen and Aarhus that work in English can conduct assessments that meet Danish administrative standards. Don't assume that an American neuropsychological report will be accepted as-is — check directly with the institution's SPS secretariat.

If your child was in a Danish folkeskole: If they received support through the PPR and the handleplan process, ensure their PPR records and any relevant BUP (child psychiatry) documentation are in order before the transition. The folkeskole PPR cannot automatically transfer records to the SPS system; this is the family's responsibility to coordinate.

Timing: SPS applications should ideally be submitted before the academic year begins, or as early in the year as possible. Late applications can mean gaps in support during key examination periods.

BUP waitlists: If your child is on a BUP waitlist for a formal diagnosis and the upper secondary transition is approaching, this is urgent. Patient advocacy organizations report that up to 85% of children in Denmark wait longer than the legal 30-day assessment guarantee. In Capital Region and other major regions, actual wait times frequently extend to 12–24 months. If you haven't already, explore private assessment options to avoid a support gap at the gymnasium level.

STU: A Different Pathway for Students Who Cannot Complete Standard Upper Secondary

For students with more significant intellectual disabilities, severe autism, or multiple disabilities who cannot realistically complete standard Gymnasium or vocational training, there is an alternative: the Særligt Tilrettelagt Ungdomsuddannelse (STU).

STU is a three-year, specially organized youth education program for young people typically aged 16–25. It does not result in an academic diploma. Instead, it focuses on developing personal, social, and vocational skills to prepare the young person for supported employment, sheltered workshops, or greater independence in adult life.

STU placement requires a municipal visitation decision — not the SPS process. In major cities like Copenhagen, admission typically happens twice a year. If STU is potentially the right pathway for your child, the conversation with your municipality should begin during the final years of primary school.

If you're navigating the transition from folkeskole to upper secondary — or trying to understand whether your child qualifies for SPS — the Denmark Special Education Blueprint covers both the folkeskole PPR system and the SPS transition in detail, including what documentation you need and how the two systems connect.

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