A Semester in Copenhagen Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/16/2016 to 05/13/2016 with
DIS Copenhagen: Semester
It definitely was worthwhile in that it taught me how to exist in a new place and be adaptable to change.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Some core courses were challenging, but the work differential between different courses was huge and the standards for classes were very inconsistent. For most electives, minimal work was required and neither the students or professors were very engaged. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
DIS staff at housing and the front desk were very helpful and supportive, and regular email reminders went out to remind students about required tasks and logistics like transportation passes. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Because of the wide range of housing options, it was initially difficult to choose one--the experiences varied hugely. DIS is good about letting you switch housing. |
| * Food: |
Most students had a grocery card that worked at the large chains worth around $600. It was convenient and covered about 2/3 of meals. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
DIS is somewhat like a party program since it's 1000+ American students transplanted into a 2-block radius in downtown Copenhagen. Seeing as all your classes are with American students and people go out at all the same places, you honestly can probably go the entire semester without using any Danish or interacting with a Dane other than professors and cashiers. If you're looking for cultural immersion, this probably isn't it. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
It was pretty easy to go see a doctor--they'll assign one near where you live and my friends who had to see one never had any issues. |
| * Safety: |
Copenhagen in general is very safe and I never felt in danger walking alone at any hour of the night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Though I don't regret choosing this program for what it taught me, I would probably choose a more challenging and immersive program if I could do it all over again. |
Finances
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* 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) |
Copenhagen is an expensive place in general, not matter what you're trying to do. There are certain ways to save on food and miscellaneous expenses, but it all comes at a trade-off of social experiences. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150-$175 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make a realistic budget after the first 2 weeks. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Depending on the professor, they will encourage you to converse with Danes, but the program does not really facilitate much interaction with Danes in general. Also, Danes will usually initiate with English. |
| 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? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| 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? | Get involved in classes or events at KU (Copenhagen University) or live in a folk high school if you really want to be immersed and learn culture/language. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew how wide the range of experiences were for this program--because there are so many options for core courses and living arrangements, I really recommend people to evaluate what they most want out of the program before they commit to any choices. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
