Engineering student Marius Youbi was told by the Recruitment and Integration Authority (Styrelsen for International Rekruttering og Integration) that he must leave Denmark by January 8th for working too many hours in his part-time job.

The Cameroonian was found to have spent 16 and a half hours a week in a cleaning job, taking him around an hour and a half over the limit permitted for international students. As a result, Youbi's residence permit was revoked and he was asked to leave the country.

After Aarhus University agreed to move the student's exams forward, Youbi was then faced with three tests in one day, and 48 hours to prepare. All three exams resulted in a '12' grade, the Danish equivalent of an A.

“It feels great. I hope it can be used as evidence that I can and want to do this [engineering degree],” Youbi told state broadcaster DR in fluent Danish after exiting the last of the three exams.

“I hope the authorities will take this on board and let me finish my studies,” he continued.

“It is usually not up to us to reschedule exams, but both the university and I felt that this situation is entirely unfair, a completely disproportionate punishment for working too hard. That's why we wanted to make an exception. He's the best student we have,” department leader Per Lysgaard of Aarhus University's Herning campus told DR.

“He has paid to study here, so I also think he should be allowed to take his exams.”