Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Well-run program that gives a great taste of Danish life Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/12/2019 to 05/12/2019 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
More confidence and independence, as well as flexibility when it comes to making plans or adjusting to changes.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

DIS is very well-run, and the classes are different enough from my home institution while still being rigorous enough to keep me engaged.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The Student Life seemed a bit discombobulated at times, or its members didn't communicate with each other, but everyone was generally responsive to the students' needs.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was lucky to get a great location near DIS, and generally everyone I lived with (10 other American students) got along great once we communicated ground rules and divided up chores.

* Food:

We had to buy and cook our own food; living in the Green LLC, though, it was a bummer to be told we had to trash all of our food, even our condiments, without being given an option to donate or even lead behind non-perishables for the next occupants.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

When you live in an LLC or the like you have to make your own effort to get to know Danes, who can be quite insular unless you have an 'in'. I know a lot of flatmates who joined sports teams. I had a visiting host family (DEFINITELY recommend) and interacted with local Danes through my photojournalism class.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

DIS's website makes it very clear who and how to contact your health care provider, and what is and isn't covered. I went three times and found it to be convenient and efficient.

* Safety:

DIS has a prompt alert system in the event of a safety issue, which happened once (but was a false alarm). Copenhagen saw some protests but we were notified well in advance where and when they'd be.

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

Made so many great friends within my housing and in classes, had the chance to take classes I wouldn't have otherwise, and got to see new and interesting parts of Europe. It felt safe and very thought-out.

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)

Copenhagen is an expensive city, and I came abroad with a capped budget from babysitting money. After my grocery card ran out (around halfway through the semester, depending on where you shop) my biggest expenses per week was groceries and filling up my Rejsekort (public transportation pass).

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? ~$100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make a budget for each month and divide into categories (Groceries, Travel, Public Transport, Clothes/Personal Care, Eating Out, Coffee, etc.). I tried a bunch of apps but just ended up making a chart in my Notes app; it's a pain to write down every purchase but it encourages you to be more careful with little unnecessary expenses.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

Pretty much everyone acknowledges that it's extremely difficult to learn usable Danish in

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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Study Tours and Travel Weeks
  • Great professors and guidance
  • Lot of time off
* What could be improved?
  • Communication with Student Life Office
  • Threatening $100 fines for the whole floor to clean up when in reality it's the 2-3 people who are there on the last day who are responsible for cleaning the whole house
  • Departure procedures not made super clear
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Depending on what classes you have you might not have as much free time as you anticipated, but you should also learn when it's okay to loosen up a bit and choose to go out and experience the city instead.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!