This year, 95 percent of the young people who have applied to high schools have been allocated a spot at their first choice, which is in line with last year’s figures, where 94 percent achieved the same. This is according to a new report from the Ministry of Children and Education. At the general high schools (stx), 93 percent of applicants have received their first choice, while at the technical high schools (htx) it is a full 100 percent. This distribution is based on the applicants’ own prioritized wishes, and if a high school has more spots than applicants, all applicants get a place. However, if there are more applicants than spots, the applicants are allocated based on the travel time from their home to the high school. This is the second year where the applicants have been centrally allocated by the ministry and regions, after a previous agreement that included parents’ income in student distribution was scrapped in 2023. This earlier agreement was criticized for forcing students to choose high schools they did not want. Differences in the regions show that in the Capital Region of Denmark, 89 percent got their first choice, while in the North Denmark Region and Zealand Region it was 97 percent. For HHX (Higher Commercial Examination Programme) applicants, 87 percent got their first choice last year. According to Mikkel Høst Gandil, a researcher at the Rockwool Foundation, there is a difference between getting your first choice and your favorite high school. Only 78 percent actually get their favorite high school. This is because many young people think strategically and choose high schools that are closer to home to increase their chances of admission. This strategic approach can lead to young people ending up at a high school they did not originally want if they do not get their first choice, as the subsequent prioritized choices may be taken by other applicants.

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