Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Worth going February 09, 2023

By (Film and Legal Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/17/2022 to 12/16/2022 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
100% worth it and it was awesome being able to travel all over the place and meet new people. Highly recommend.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The overall education experience was good. It was interesting having classes with people from different universities. I also loved traveling with my core course and being able to learn from my classmates. Overall it was great and I recommend.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

DIS does a great job in having everything ready for you. They are super helpful and have an app that works pretty well in making sure everyone stays informed. I wish they had a bit more activities to meet people during the first week but other than that I have no complaints.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had a great living experience in Mønten Kollegium. I lived in a loft style apartment on the ground floor with a little kitchenette. The neighborhood was safe and had a million coffee shops in the area. Access to the bus and metro was also super easy. My only complaint is that I had no oven in my apartment which made it hard to cook and caused me to eat out more than I wanted to.

* Food:

The food in Copenhagen is amazing. They have the best coffee shops and pastries. I ate amazingly almost everywhere I ate and the people and service was super great. The only problem was that food is expensive, but going into Copenhagen one should know it is an expensive city.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I did not feel integrated into the local culture because I clearly was not danish to the rest of the population.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I heard great things, luckily never needed anything. But bring your own cold meds and over the counter meds because they don’t have a great selection.

* Safety:

The safest city. As a 20 something year old girl I felt super safe walking alone everywhere and taking public transportation. Danes are very kind and helpful.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I would pick a warmer city but I loved Copenhagen. The food was great, loved the going out scene, DIS was great, courses where interesting, but it was really expensive.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

It’s an expensive city and traveling is expensive.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? None
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? AP SPANSIH
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? You will be fine. Danish is very easy.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Traveling
  • Independence
  • People
* What could be improved?
  • Social activities
  • Integration
  • Classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.