Become a migrant close to Germany and the Baltic Sea
Move to Sonderborg in Southern Denmark
Sonderborg is an attractive place to live, work and explore. The municipality is located in Southern Denmark and has a unique location on the Baltic Sea, just a few kilometers from the Danish-German border. The area attracts both Danish and international immigrants who want a high quality of life, good job opportunities, an active everyday life and a safe environment.
Welcome to Sonderborg Municipality
Sonderborg Municipality stretches from the island of Als to the South Jutland mainland and is known for its coastal nature, international businesses and active local communities. It combines the South Jutland lifestyle with European proximity and a global outlook.
Newcomer Service Sonderborg – one entrance to a good start
Newcomer Service Sonderborg is a free offer for those of you who are considering moving here or who have already moved to the area.
We help both Danish and international newcomers get off to a good start – before, during and after your move.
Contact us for free and non-binding guidance – regardless of whether you live in Denmark, Germany or another country.
Newcomer Service provides information about:
- Practical information
- Job and education guidance for potential immigrants and accompanying spouses
- Housing options – rent, buy or build
- Offers for families with children – daycare, schools and leisure activities
- Social networks, volunteering and leisure activities
- Danish courses and conversation cafes for international immigrants
More information for those of you who are newcomers
Practical information
Job assistance for accompanying partners
Housing options
Information for families with children
Social networks
Learn Danish if you come from abroad
Events especially for newcomers
Why move to the Sonderborg area?
In the Sonderborg area you can find the perfect job, cultural and city life and still have space and time for your family. We give you five good reasons to choose Sonderborg as your new home.
Good career opportunities for recent graduates and job seekers
In Sonderborg Municipality, unemployment is very low, and we have some of the country's largest, global industrial groups as well as a multitude of small and medium-sized companies within a wide range of industries that are of great interest to engineers, skilled workers, transport and logistics employees, healthcare professionals and academics.
Good educational opportunities from ABC to Ph.D.
In Sonderborg, all forms of education are within reach.
On University of Southern Denmark in Sonderborg Students from more than 50 countries are educated, making the campus Denmark's most international. A unique interaction between the university, the vocational education programs and the area's global business community gives the programs in areas such as engineering, languages, business communication and economics particular weight.
Furthermore, as an engineering student at SDU in Sonderborg, you will receive a "first-job guarantee", where after completing your education you are guaranteed a job at one of our local companies for at least six months.
More house for the money and good standards
Housing prices make Sonderborg Municipality a particularly attractive place to live, with prices below the regional and national average. Furthermore, we have good standards in our daycare institutions compared to the national average.
Bilingual upbringing at the gateway to Europe
Due to our location close to the rest of Europe, we have for generations looked beyond the country's borders and even have a German minority with German schools, which enables a bilingual upbringing. Our global companies also employ many internationals, which is why you will also find an international school and kindergarten in Sonderborg. Read more about our schools here.
In Sonderborg and the surrounding area, you are never far from the big cities. If you miss the hustle and bustle of the big cities, it only takes 30 minutes to fly to Copenhagen from Sonderborg Airport and only two hours by car to Hamburg or Aarhus.
The Sonderborg area has it all close to you
Sonderborg has everything a city should have – rural idyll and the pulse of the city centre. Here you will find magnificent nature with beautiful forests and a long stretch of coastline that invites you to a variety of water activities.
Sonderborg is in many ways a distinct student cityThis applies to both big and small things – from student discounts on café menus, shopping opportunities, a festive nightlife to an active and exciting study environment characterized by professional, cultural and social networks and events.
And whether you're into sports, tango, art or jazz, you'll find that in Sonderborg you're far from alone with your interest. More than 700 voluntary associations and sports clubs support you and give the whole family plenty of opportunities to develop themselves.
Find everyday life close to nature
but still close to the cities
Copenhagen
Aabenraa
Flensburg
Kolding
Odense
Kiel
Vejle
Immigrant stories
I moved from Skovby in Sydals to Zealand in 2007, and shortly after I met Peter, who is from Herlev in Zealand.
In 2012, we had our first child together and therefore wanted to move out of the rented apartment, so we investigated the possibilities of buying a house. Since prices were very high in Greater Copenhagen, we started to consider whether we should move further away, and since my family all live on Als, it made a lot of sense to look for a job in and around Sonderborg. I was lucky enough to get a job at a Hørup Central School from August 1, 2016, and because it was a permanent position, I said "yes please". I then moved, together with our daughter, back home to my parents.
We therefore got busy looking for a new job for Peter, and he managed to get a job at the Danish Environmental Protection Agency in Copenhagen, in a department that was to be moved to Augustenborg at the turn of 2017.
In addition, we had to start looking for a place to live. We therefore spent a lot of time going to open houses and looking at homes for sale when Peter drove over to our house on the weekends. However, it was through a colleague that we found the house we now live in. We signed in December 2016 with moving in on April 1, 2017. We also chose to get married in November 2016, so we had a very busy autumn.
Unfortunately, Peter's move to his new job was postponed time and again, and he therefore started looking for something else in Southern Jutland. He managed to get a job at Energinet in Erritsø from March 1, 2017, and he therefore had a long drive to work, but fortunately he is happy with it and still works there.
When Peter moved to Sydals in March 2017, we chose to move into my parents' summer house in Skovmose for a month until we could get the keys to our new house and start getting it ready to move in. After 7 months apart, it was nice to finally live together again. It was a particularly hard time for our daughter.
In Hørup, where we live now, there are traditions of both summer parties and Christmas celebrations, so we have quickly gotten to know the neighbors, which is really nice. The good neighborliness is something that I missed while we lived in Zealand. In addition, Peter has started playing football in the local club, where he has met some new local people with a common interest. It has also helped him feel at home in Sonderborg Municipality. We enjoy going for walks with the dog and the family in the beautiful nature around the city. And we are happy that we have got a nice house that has not cost nearly as much as if it had been located in the Copenhagen area.