Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST TIME AND I HAVE NO REGRETS Past Review

By (Business Administration, Communications, Trinity University) - abroad from 08/21/2013 to 12/13/2013 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to interact with other culture different from mine. Also, I learned how to utilize public transportation by myself (I'm from Texas, so this was a big deal). This experience made me more independent, self-reliant, and confident. I wouldn't change a thing about my experience and absolutely think it was worthwhile. I got to study information in a European setting, which the teachers used to their full advantage.

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.

They offer a lot of courses! It's really interesting how you join a core course (like if you're a Business major, they had two core courses that was directed at that). But it sometimes feels limited if you don't like the core course they offer for your manager, but I think it usually worked out for people.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were pretty organized and worked hard to keep students informed. They planned the trips you take very well! However, there was a HUGE storm one day and they didn't cancel classes, transportation went down and many students were stuck at the DIS building overnight and couldn't go home. This was very annoying.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I absolutely loved my host family. They treated me like part of the family. However, I had a very long commute (1 hr 20 min) which was very hard on me because I had early and late classes everyday.

* Food:

Denmark has a variety of different foods. Ranging from traditional Danish dishes to Middle Eastern food. The hotdogs were delicious and can be found everywhere!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt integrated into the culture mainly because of my host family. They taught me a lot about the Danes and Denmark. I wouldn't say it's super easy to meet locals because Danish people are a bit stand-offish at first.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Free healthcare in Denmark, 'nuff said.

* Safety:

I felt extremely safe in Denmark, even when walking home alone in the pitch black at 3am. My host family was also very concerned about my safety while I was there.

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)

Since I lived with a host family, my food costs were a lot lower than other students who chose different living situations.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $10-15
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Copenhagen is expensive, so if you want to keep costs down, consider the host family. They provide all the food for breakfast and lunch and cook you dinner! Students who chose to live in dorms or apartments had to spend more money than expected and the stipend given to them didn't cover them fully. Also, a lot of places in Copenhagen offer student discounts; DIS has a list of these available.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The course trips
  • A lot of freedom and free time
  • My host family
* What could be improved?
  • Integrating students who lived father out
  • Bringing more Danish culture to the students
  • Telling the housing arrangements sooner than a week before leaving
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew more about my commute before going; all they gave me was an address. I think personal help beforehand would be helpful. Also, I wish they would explain more about the core course and that you cannot change it once you're there!

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.