DIS - A Comfortable and Cozy Introduction to Denmark Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Workload was light with the exception of my studio course in Urban Design. Teachers were more apt to let students go at their own pace and did not set as many deadlines as my American professors. I rarely received any grades, which was also odd compared to my normal experience.

On-site administration of your program

DIS is oriented to providing a study abroad experience that is as close to the traditional American college experience as possible while still maintaining an element of cultural exposure and accommodating for limitations dictated by the host country (Denmark). For some this is either a tremendous benefit or weakness depending on one's personal convictions. I did not expect the program to be so structured, but was pleasantly surprised that so many resources were available with respect to IT support, library resources, and facilities. The program was also large enough to provide many potential friends and acquaintances.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The program arranged my housing and it was ideal. The family was amazing, generous, and very courteous. The house and room were comfortable and relatively close to the city compared to other host families. I would have liked to commute less, in fact that was the biggest disadvantage to living in a host family, however I was very lucky compared to other students.

Danish food is interesting for about one month, then it becomes heavy and monotonous. My host family was great at showing me new foods and local delicacies which was much appreciative. Don't go to Denmark for the cuisine. Eating out is too expensive to be a daily or even weekly occurrence.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

DIS put together some fun events like trivia nights, mid-term parties, and of course the field study tours, which were great opportunities to socialize with like-minded students.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Copenhagen is one of the safest places you could study. Healthcare is free. Need I say more?

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

Joining the DIS buddy networks, living with a host family, and seeking out club sports would have been immensely helpful in language acquisition. Even then, Danes are hesitant to speak Danish to Americans given the difficulty of pronunciation and their proficiency at English. This makes it exceptionally easy to navigate the city but may prove an obstacle to those wishing to master Danish. But then again, as most Danes will tell you, mastering Danish is about as useful and speaking fluent Latin.

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family

• Extensive Comfort
• Provided Structure and Activity

• Better professors