DIS Abroad in Copenhagen May 28, 2026
By A student (Neuroscience and Biology, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/15/2026 to 05/14/2026 with
DIS Copenhagen: Semester
I gained the ability to cook for myself, how to create a routine, and how to be an adult in a different country. It was extremely worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Classes weren't easy, but they weren't hard either. It was easy to balance 5 classes with weekend travel, and I had few assignments until the end of the semester. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
DIS gives so much support to all students. All questions are answered quickly, and problems are taken care of fast. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I liked my housing location. I had a single near the city center, but I wish DIS had put people who were similar, even if they're in singles, in the same housing location. I didn't really make friends with people who lived on my floor because we were so different. |
| * Food: |
I cooked for myself for the majority of the semester. All DIS-sponsored meals were delicious, and we were given a grocery card with a $600 stipend for the semester. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
DIS has many opportunities for culture integration - I just didn't really take them. I felt most integrated in my Danish class, where I learned some of the Danish language and culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
DIS helped us get Danish health cards, which we could use for the semester if needed. I didn't use mine, but did go to an urgent care while traveling. The health cards, unfortunately, only give us health insurance in Denmark. |
| * Safety: |
Copenhagen is so safe. I never felt unsafe in the city, even while walking alone at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
DIS is the best program. The amount of support they give you is insane, and no other program is taking students on two trips during the semester. When comparing with friends, I think we all agreed that my program sounded the best out of the rest. |
Finances
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* 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 depends on how much you travel. Otherwise, the DIS grocery card takes care of most food expenses (at least for the first few months) so it's pretty easy to be frugal in Denmark |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
There was some encouragement, but there wasn't a requirement to use it |
| 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? | In Danish? 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? | Try to use Danish to order coffee or ask for help at the grocery store. Danes are pretty nice, so they'll generally be kinder to those who try to order in their language! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Copenhagen is a lot more expensive than you think. Save up; a simple iced latte can cost up to $9. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Medical Biotechnology & Drug Development |
| Course Department: | Biology |
| Instructor: | Kim Jacobsen |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Was challenging, interesting, and incorporated interesting hands-on learning opportunities. There was one group test, a group paper, a final, and three presentations. The class took us to Western Denmark and London, England. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
