Foreign Students Want to Work Alongside Their Studies

Even though she doesn’t yet speak Danish, Manisha Magar has managed to get her foot in the door of the Danish job market. She prepares food at Japanese Kitchen – Sushime, located in Vejle. She works there in her spare time, as she has traveled from Nepal to study at the IBA International Business Academy, where she is pursuing a master’s degree in International Business.

“I came to Denmark in September. At first, it was a bit difficult to settle in because everything was so new. I didn’t even have a bank account at that time. But now, luckily, things have fallen into place, and Denmark is a really nice place to be,” says Manisha.

She will live in Kolding until April 2026. Of course, she could have pursued her education back home in Nepal, like her siblings. But the 22-year-old Nepali chose to come here because she wanted an education with a stronger international profile.

“In Nepal, education is very theoretical. In Denmark, there is a strong focus on the connection between theory and practice. That appeals to me a lot. And at the same time, I get plenty of experience living in a completely different part of the world,” she explains.

Many foreign students pursue higher education at the IBA, which means they stay in Kolding for up to three years. A large number of them come from countries like India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. They pay for their education and their stay in Denmark themselves, which is why they are very interested in working during their free time.

The IBA helps students in many ways with their job search, including assistance with writing a proper CV. This help has been invaluable, says Manisha.

“In Nepal, CVs are not written the same way as in Denmark. So it’s really good to learn everything from scratch when applying for a job here,” she says.

Manisha has experience from a bakery in Nepal. She found her job in Vejle herself through Jobindex, the country’s largest job site. She handed in her CV to the owner and got the opportunity to work as a kitchen assistant. At the restaurant, she speaks English with both colleagues and customers.

“In Nepal, we’ve had English since first grade, so it’s very easy for us,” she explains.

The IBA encourages companies to write job postings in English if they have open positions. All international students at the IBA have at least a high school diploma, and many have also completed a bachelor’s degree before coming to Denmark. IBA regularly forwards job postings to students through their social media channels.

“I’m really happy that I’ve managed to get a job alongside my studies. I’m 22 years old and have to take care of myself while studying here in Denmark,” Manisha concludes.