A good semester in Europe Past Review

By (Economics., Wellesley College) for

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Yes it was worthwhile. It satisfied my academic/intellectual interests (urban studies). It provided a good break from the stressful environment at Wellesley and gave me a good perspective moving forward. I also value my travel experience in Europe very much. Opened my eyes to a lot of things and will serve as a source of inspiration for a long time.

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.

DIS tries to imitate the American system in terms of grading and assignments, so on principle it was not that different. The workload was ok, but sometimes class assignments were not well thought out and grading was not thorough. Class choices are kind of hit-or-miss. Some were very interesting, others not.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I felt that DIS was very well-organized for the most parts, especially considering the size of the student population. They were helpful whenever I had questions or problems. I don't have many complaints.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I chose to live in a kollegium (college student dorm) that had other international students. However, I didn't end up making friends with those students. And the dorm was very far (on another university campus 30 minutes by train outside of Copenhagen). It felt very isolated and commuting became a hassle. The dorm was about 15 minutes from the train station, which I could get to either by foot or bike. It didn't feel very safe because most students commuted to the university and at night it could get deserted. I would have chosen another living arrangement that was in the city if I could do it again.

* Food:

Food was very expensive, as a result I felt that the quality of the food I had was not great (worse than at Wellesley/at home).

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Trips to attractions inside and outside of the city

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

We could go see a local doctor if we were sick, and it was covered under insurance. However, to do that you needed to have a local ID and throughout the semester I never got my ID. (It was supposed to come in the mail but it didn't.) But luckily I didn't get sick. If I did it would have been a problem. Copenhagen is very safe overall, but pickpocketing is a problem. Many DIS friends of mine got their wallets pickpocketed. Far-away dorms could felt unsafe. A girl's room got broken into and all of valuables were stolen. I HIGHLY recommend living in the city.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? We were given "shopping cards" to shop at local grocery stores so I only spent my own money when I ate out. Probably about 200-300 DKK per week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Living costs are VERY VERY high. There's no choice but just to be prepared for it. Try not to eat out too many times. I'd rather save for traveling.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

Acquiring Danish language skills was not my priority. Most people spoke English.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Opportunity to travel
  • A good place to learn about urban studies
* What could be improved?
  • Diversity of student population and how DIS handles diversity
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Denmark is an interesting country with many things you could learn from (I was/am interested in urban studies and planning so Copenhagen was great). It has progressive policy in many areas. DIS is extremely well-organized as a whole. It's also GREAT if you want to travel.