Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Once-in-a-lifetime experience, enlightening, challenging, and fulfilling June 18, 2024

By (Environmental Studies & Architecture, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/14/2024 to 05/11/2024 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Very worthwhile. Many challenges and difficult moments, but it all made me gain a better sense of self and I feel more confident in my ability to navigate difficult situations on my own.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The program is dominantly American and there were very few chances to engage with Danish students in an academic setting

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

I think I got a lot of self-growth out of this program and gained a better understanding of what I want to pursue post-grad. Living independently in a city was a great experience and really forced me out of my comfort zone

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)

It was hard to keep on budget, the city is very expensive. But the food stipend helped. I wish they gave more money for the food stipend because I ran out one month before the program ended. 600 for 5 months is not enough to feed yourself well

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $75 in Copenhagen (and I was really trying to budget), $120 when traveling
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try not to eat out too much (especially in Copenhagen)

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

American student program, few chances to practice outside of class

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? Never took danish before
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Try ordering in Danish at a café!

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?
  • How easy it was to get around town
  • Safety of the city
  • ability to travel around Europe
* What could be improved?
  • increase food stipend
  • more opportunities to engage with Danish students
  • more opportunities to engage with other DIS students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? be prepared for a long, cold start to the semester. Denmark in January-March is super cold, rainy, dark, and seasonal depression is real.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

European Urban Experience: Why Cities Matter
Course Department:
Instructor: Regitze Marianne Hess
Instruction Language:
Comments: Amazing course, the professor was engaging and passionate about her work. Experiential and made great friendships
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Danish Language & Culture
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Danish
Comments: Challenging and informative. Great to learn an new language and understand Danish culture on a deeper and insider level. This helped me integrate better into the abroad experince
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Adaptive Re-use Architecture
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Sustainable By Design
Course Department:
Instructor: Charlotte Algreen
Instruction Language:
Comments: Informative discussions and experiential learning. The professor is passionate about what she does and very kind
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Visual Journal
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: Great way to challenge my sketching skills and experience the city through the lens of drawing/making art
Credit Transfer Issues: