Great Program Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/16/2019 to 12/14/2019 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Absolutely worthwhile. I learned a lot about Danish culture and I look forward to returning one day.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I was honestly very impressed with my academic experience at DIS. While I often hear of study abraod students going abroad and having absolutely no work, DIS was the perfect balance for academics. I found myself having to write essays, take tests, give presentations, and work on group projects, but never found this to be so overwhelming I could not enjoy any free time. I was also highly impressed with the caliber of the professors. Each professor I had, especially in the sciences, was passionate and well regarded in their field.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved living in Nimbusparken Kollegium but DIS stuck me in a tiny single room converted into a double. There was barely any space to walk and absolutely no space to put our things. My roommate wasn't even given a pull out drawer for clothes under her bed because her closet had to block half of the bed side, so she stuffed her clothes into our desk drawers. I was lucky that I liked my roommate or it would have been very uncomfortable to live there. I didn't hear of any other people in Nimbus with this living arrangement. Everyone else seemed to have very spacious rooms, and the other double with DIS students in our apartment was about 3 times the size of our room.

* Food:

The $600 was not enough money for us to cook healthy, full meals. I tried to make my card last the semester and ended up eating pasta most of the time because it was a cheap option. People who regularly bought vegetables and meat ran out of the stipend very quickly.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was very happy to live in a kollegium with other danes and have a visiting host family. Other than that, there was very minimal interaction with locals.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I ran out of medication and was easily able to make a an appointment with my CPR card and get more at a very cheap cost.

* Safety:

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

Loved DIS and Copenhagen. I think every program has pros and cons but I am very happy with my choice.

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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • DIS did many things for us like purchase a metro card, get us a visa, give us cleaning supplies etc that made things very easy for us compared to other programs.
* What could be improved?
  • Facilitate more interaction with Danes our age
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Danes are not super friendly.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Glaciers and Human Impact: Iceland Case Study

Course Department: Science
Instructor: Susanne Buchhardt
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Loved Susanne! She was involved in some amazing Greenland research and was able to share her experience and knowledge with us. 3 exams, Iceland field journal, and 20 min oral final.
Credit Transfer Issues: