Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Copenhagen Exceeded Expectations Past Review

By (Economics and Psychology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/19/2012 to 12/17/2012 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I became more independent and loved the experience of living in a European capital city. Copenhagen is a wonderful city to live in.

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 really enjoyed all of my classes and DIS offers a hugh selection of courses.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Incredibly organized with everything regarding arrivals and orientation. Very well run program and they do a great job with having a lot of different field trips and study tours. Always willing to help out with any problems that may arise.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a DIS residential community which was great. It was a perfect location and gave me the freedom to explore the culture the way that I wanted to

* Food:

DIS gives a stipend to use at the local grocery store and you do all of your own cooking. The stipend they allotted lasted me for about three months. My only complaint is that I wish we could have used the stipend at the local market.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I tried to take advantage of as many cultural events as possible and I think that DIS does a good job giving you the opportunities to integrate with the danes.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I personally never used the healthcare system, however, friends who did said it was very easy and accessible and DIS was always willing to assist.

* Safety:

Copenhagen is one of the safest cities and I never felt threatened at all, even walking home alone at night.

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)

The food stipend that DIS provides does not last for the whole semester but does cover most of it. Copenhagen in general is a very expensive city.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? as long as you are aware of the money that you are spending and avoid eating out, you will be fine

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

The classes are in english but I used Danish as much as I could when doing every day errands

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?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Take the Danish language and culture class

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* 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
  • the city of Copenhagen
* What could be improved?
  • not pairing graded and pass fail students for group projects
  • have some sort of end of semester celebration
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Take advantage of the optional day trips and study/adventure tours that DIS offers

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:

Positive Psychology
Course Department: Psychology
Instructor: Gitte Vonsild
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I really enjoyed this course. It is not offered at Middlebury and since Denmark is frequently ranked the happiest country in the world it was fascinating. Our fieldtrips to Western Denmark and Edinburgh, Scotland were highlights of my semester.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Danish Language and Culture
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: english/danish
Comments: Danish is a very challenging language but DIS does a great job with this course. I highly recommend that anyone who studies in Denmark takes it. I particularly enjoyed learning about aspects of Danish culture and history that I would not encounter in every day life
Credit Transfer Issues: