Welcome to Bornholm Folk High School
Bornholm is a Baltic island where dramatic cliffs, rich nature, and creativity meet. Known for its arts, crafts, and sustainable lifestyle, it’s an ideal place for those drawn to both creativity and outdoor life.
At Bornholm Folk High School, we learn differently. Inspired by N. F. S. Grundtvig, we offer an exam-free environment focused on shared ideas, personal growth, and community. It’s “learning for life”—a balance between freedom and responsibility.
Here, you don’t just study—you live, create, and connect.
The English Track includes:
– Arts & Crafts
– Outdoor & Adventure
– Sustainable Land & Building Practices
– Danish Culture & Language (2 hours/week)
This is for you if you:
– feel comfortable working in English
– are curious about Danish culture
– can handle not understanding everything
– want to contribute your own perspective
– enjoy both participating and observing
If you want a fully English-speaking programme, this may not be the right fit. But if you’re looking for a more immersive and reflective experience, this offers something unique.
Language & learning
Danish is the main language of daily life. Not everything is translated, and you won’t always understand everything—and that’s part of the experience.
We see your stay as a kind of everyday cultural exploration: learning through presence, reflection, and gradual participation.
English level
You should be able to understand, speak, and work independently in English. Taking responsibility for your own learning is essential.
The glass workshop
A Unique Spot in Nature
Located in Almindingen Forest, Bornholm Folk High School is surrounded by forests, fields, and cliffs. The campus offers a calm, cozy base—while beaches, coastlines, and small harbor towns are never more than 10–15 km away.
Learning shaped by Bornholm
Teaching is rooted in the island’s nature, culture, and craft traditions. Subjects like ceramics, glass, outdoor life, and foraging connect directly to the landscape around you.
For some, this leads to further studies at Royal Danish Academy – Glass and Ceramics School. For others, it’s a space to explore creatively and slow down.
Outdoor life
Join climbing, kayaking, and mountain biking in some of Denmark’s most unique natural settings. Bornholm’s cliffs offer rare opportunities for adventure.
Sustainable Agriculture
Work hands-on with building shelters, growing food, and foraging. Learning happens through doing—close to nature and in rhythm with the seasons.
A different way of living
We use local materials, cook from what we find, and engage directly with the landscape. It’s practical, creative, and grounded.
Language
Daily life is in Danish, but key teaching is supported in English. A good level of English is important to participate fully.
The Ceramics workshop
Outdoor
Part of the Conversation
At Bornholms Højskole, we are closely connected to the local community and take part in debates, cultural events, and Folkemødet. You’ll help create events and projects that engage with the island, making your stay active and meaningful.
Sustainable and Local
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We work with organic, local food, often vegetarian, and integrate ecological thinking across subjects. You’ll also take part in developing more sustainable practices at the school.
A Local College with a Global Outlook
We welcome a small group of international students each year, creating a diverse and open learning environment. Everyday life is mostly in Danish, but key shared activities are translated into English, making it easy to connect and collaborate across cultures.
Some Subjects Require Danish
A few subjects are taught only in Danish, especially those focused on reflection and dialogue, such as Body and Mind, Dream Interpretation, and Norm Critique. These require a shared language for deep conversation, but there are many other courses open to all students.
Social Policy
At Bornholms Højskole, we create a safe and inclusive community where everyone is different — but belongs. The stay begins with conversations about happiness, boundaries, and how we want to live together. We build a shared space based on respect, care, and responsibility, with staff ready to support if needed.
Learn About the World – and Yourself
Here, ideas meet and opinions are challenged. Courses connect art, philosophy, history, and current social debates, helping you find your own voice. Outdoor learning brings nature and body into play, making education both reflective and lived.
Building the School Together
You actively shape the school through your presence, ideas, and engagement. Together we practice “freedom under responsibility”-living freely while taking care of each other and the community we create.
Life at the school is informal and social, with space for both activity and calm. You’ll find everything from games, music, and sports to fires, crafts, and quiet corners for reflection. The community is always alive, day and night.
Community Life
You’ll share a double room with a roommate, with the option of a single room when available. Each weekday starts with breakfast, cleaning, morning assembly, and singing before classes begin. Days include teaching, shared responsibilities, and time together—while evenings are shaped by community life, activities, and social events.
Your Schedule, Your Choice
You have 25 weekly teaching hours and build your own schedule by choosing A, B, and C subjects. This allows you to shape your stay based on your interests and direction.
Facilities and Equipment
he school hosts between 40–80 students or guests, depending on the semester, with spaces for workshops and teaching across all courses. Room types range from shared facilities to private bathrooms, and the campus includes workshops for crafts, outdoor activities, ceramics, and creative work, as well as connections to local entrepreneurs.
A Unique Campus
Our buildings, from 1893 to 2012, combine history with modern facilities. Surrounded by nature, the campus offers inspiring spaces for learning, making, and community life.