About Roskilde
Skt. Josef’s International School is situated in the historic centre of Roskilde, close to the Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and surrounded by beautiful parks. Roskilde's history goes back more than 1000 years and is famous for the Vikings that ruled the fjord. Later on the kings and queens of Denmark chose Roskilde Cathedral as their burial church.
Roskilde is an historic but vibrant city and every year hosts Scandinavian’s biggest music event - Roskilde Festival. Roskilde was recently voted the best commercial centre and the best town for youth in Denmark.
Roskilde Vision For Education
Roskilde has a high density of primary, secondary, high schools, technical colleges and further education institutions, all within a five-kilometre radius. The city is also home to Roskilde University (RUC), Denmark’s Technology University (DTU), University College Sjælland (UCSJ) and the new green-tech Risø Business Park. Roskilde Kommune has a vision to make the city an international education centre of excellence.
Roskilde University in particular is an excellent study option following secondary school at Skt. Josef’s. It has a diverse range of bachelor’s degree course offerings including:
Humanities (Communication Studies, Cultural Encounters and Social Psychology).
Natural Sciences (Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Molecular
Biology, Environmental Biology).
Social Sciences (Business Administration, Business Studies, International Studies).
Masters’ degree and exchange programs are also available.
Between Skt. Josef’s and the various post-schooling study options available, Roskilde can cater to all of your child’s current and future educational needs.
Roskilde or Copenhagen?
You don’t have to choose one or the other. You can have the best of both worlds!
Experience the wide-open, casual, youth and family-oriented lifestyle of Roskilde and still be close to Denmark’s capital city of Copenhagen. Roskilde was recently voted as Denmark’s best town for youth, so why wouldn’t you want your child to be immersed in all that it has to offer?
Roskilde is only 30 kilometres west of Copenhagen. Your public transport options to get to Copenhagen from Roskilde include:
Danish Railway trains running every 10 minutes (a 30-minute trip).
Taxi/Uber services or your own family car. It’s only about a 25-minute drive in normal traffic conditions.
Movia buses running 5 times a day (a one hour, 20-minute journey).
“Obviously, the location was right for us. Roskilde is known to be one of the best places to raise a family on Sjæland. It is a city with a provincial feel, plenty of green spaces and it borders the natural countryside. Roskilde has plenty of places to run, bike, go horseback riding, go sailing and to do other activities to allow us to have a rich family life."
Pierre Kary Parent
Expat Community
Denmark has a large expatriate community with the most recent statistics indicating that over 600,000 Danish residents are expats.
And if you think you’ll be lonely living as an expat family in Roskilde, think again. Roskilde’s idyllic lifestyle has ensured that it has developed a very strong and vibrant expat community.
Accommodation in Copenhagen is much more expensive than Roskilde, so it’s little wonder that more and more expats are choosing it as the place to be in Denmark.
Moving to Roskilde
Skt. Josef's International School appreciates that many internationals, expats and newcomers have no idea where to start in terms of living in Roskilde and even in Denmark. A good place to find out is Roskilde Kommune. Their 'Just arrived-where to start' page will assist you in easing into life in and around Roskilde.
Alternatively, a relocation service can provide professional assistance with setting up your life in Denmark. If you are interested in a relocation service, Skt. Josef’s School recommends Lene Minshall at Copenhagen Expats.
Other useful websites:
New to Denmark: The official portal for foreign nationals who wish to visit, live or work in Denmark.
International House Copenhagen: A checklist for international newcomers.
Internationals in Roskilde: A public Facebook group for internationals in Roskilde.
Popular Roskilde Events
Roskilde Festival is an annual music festival that has been running since 1971. It is the largest music festival in Northern Europe. Each year it features a diverse range of well-known and cutting-edge bands and other musical acts. Festival-goers can camp onsite throughout the week-long event.
The Ildi I Gilden Festival is a three-day annual event that focuses on folk music.
FC Roskilde matches
Football is a popular sport in Denmark, and FC Roskilde is the local team that plays in the annual Danish First Division competition.
Roskilde FAQs
What is the population of Roskilde?
According to the latest statistics from Statistics Denmark, the population of Roskilde is just over 51,000.
What is the weather like in Roskilde?
Roskilde has a cool to cold climate. The average temperature in summer is 17° and the average temperature in winter is 1°. The wettest month is August.
What is the time zone?
Roskilde’s time zone is UTC + 1 (except in summer when it is UTC + 2)
What are some famous landmarks and venues in Roskilde?
