Student Life
DIS is located in the very center of Copenhagen. Within walking distance students will find the main universities and research libraries of the country; parliament, government offices, European Union agencies, and Denmark's Central Bank; superb art collections and national museums; the national research hospital; the Royal Theater; the national media; and Danish and international company headquarters.
Copenhagen is a bustling metropolis of 1.8 million people. It is the capital of Denmark and the center of the Danish-Swedish Øresund Region with a transnational population of 3.8 million. Yet Copenhagen still projects an inviting small-town atmosphere of friendliness, intimacy, and safety – but things never get dull. A dense network of car-free walking streets, town squares and picturesque waterfront areas cover the old downtown area where DIS is located. Denmark may be one of the most efficient and economically competitive nations on earth (voted the world’s Best Country for Business by Forbes Magazine, 2008 and 2009), but the Danes also know how to relax and have fun. Students will truly enjoy the cozy atmosphere of this effervescent European capital.
Immersion Opportunities
DIS offers students many different opportunities to get involved with the local community. During the Arrival Workshop, DIS holds an “Immerse Yourself” Fair, comparable to activity fairs found on many US campuses. Over 40 organizations are usually present to share information with our students. The organizations varied from sports teams to religious organizations and volunteer groups.
In addition to the fair, we also coordinate several other programs and activities to help students get out and meet the Danes!
- Visiting Family: this program allows students opting out of the host family housing option to still experience family life in Denmark by occasionally spending time together
- Danish Buddy Network: this program matches DIS students with Danes their own age
- Volunteer: through our resources, we are able to place students in organizations throughout the greater Copenhagen area. These volunteer placements ensure that students are able to engage in meaningful service experiences, while at the same time giving something back to the Copenhagen community
- Sports: DIS is in contact with sports clubs across the greater Copenhagen area, and there are numerous opportunities for participating in local Danish athletics. DIS will help students facilitate participation in a number of different sports.
Social and Cultural Programming
Outside of class and the opportunities mentioned above, DIS also keeps students busy with optional weekend and day trips for a nominal fee. These trips allow students to meet more DIS students and see other parts of Copenhagen, Denmark and Scandinavia. Past trips have included castle tours, Louisiana Museum for Modern Art, LEGOland, rock climbing in Sweden, etc.
One of the unique aspects of DIS is that each student is able to have a completely different experience. Each student is able to craft their own study abroad term, from what they wish to study and where they wish to live to how they will spend their time outside of class.
