Self Discovery in a new country September 17, 2025

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The vast majority of my classes were quite light in terms of the workload, especially in comparison to what I was used to coming from Brandeis. I had pretty positive experiences with most of my professors and they were always approachable. I particularly loved my core course and the supplementary class that went along with it, all of my instructors were amazing and I learned a lot from them. Another really special thing about DIS is the field studies that you have with all of your classes. Of course some were more exciting than others but it was so much fun to incorporate exploring Copenhagen with whatever the class subject was.

On-site administration of your program

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I feel quite split about my living arrangements. I lived in Base Camp Solvgade, which location wise was fantastic. I was far enough away from DIS to get a transportation pass but close enough that I could walk - it was very central. However I did not like my room itself. I lived in a very small room with another girl, our beds were no more than a few feet apart. It was very tight and we didn't get along very well which made it sometimes a very tense living situation. Additionally, I wish there were more communal spaces in the building. It really was just hallways of individual rooms and it was difficult to meet other people in the building, this was especially apparent to me after visiting other DIS living locations.

Going out to eat in Copenhagen is expensive, but I was near a lot of grocery stores so overall it was fine, bakeries of course are a must.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

DIS is all American students so you are only taking classes with other Americans which doesn't exactly help with the cultural integration but some of my instructors were Danish. I didn't meet all that many Danes, more so in passing or briefly. A lot of integration came from just observing the locals.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

My classes were about healthcare but I didn't personally (thankfully) have to use any of my personal healthcare.

This is one of my biggest takeaways from Copenhagen, just how safe it is. I would walk home alone at like 2-3am and it was completely fine every time, nothing ever happened. Also, I have left things of mine outside overnight and gone back the following day(s) and found them, which I can't envision happening anywhere else.

The main reason I chose this program was because it was one of very few study abroad programs that had courses for STEM majors, specifically in what I wanted to do which was medical oriented.

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

You can definitely make it work, but Copenhagen is an expensive city so that involves a lot of resisting temptation. A good thing to look out for is anything with student discounts or specific DIS discounts. The grocery stipend is definitely not enough if you are planning on eating primarily on your own.

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

There was a lot of encouragement to use some Danish but in Copenhagen pretty much everyone speaks English quite fluently so I never had to, I tried a few times but it's not necessary.

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• Dorm

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• Americans
• International Students

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• Americans

• Small, friendly classes
• VERY walkable city
• Accessible transportation

• Living situation

The Outright Urbanite