DIS - Study Abroad

DIS was the most organized academic program I've ever experienced (even better than normal university administration). All of the paperwork is taken care of for you so the only thing you have to worry about it having a great time. Because there are so many students that go to DIS (around 1200 per semester) it's like being on a small campus, it's great to meet new American students all the time. However, the best part was meeting the Danes. I would recommend living in a kollegium (a Danish resident hall similar to an apartment style dorm), although some are better than others (with more Danes and social activities). Biking around the city is the best way to get around, it's easy and safe and a huge part of Danish culture. Biking aside, the public transportation is great too with easy buses, metro, and trains. The Sustainability program itself was good, and is broken into three sections, so your experience will most likely depend on the teacher of your section. For the most part the workload is very manageable, and the best part is that much of the learning is hands-on via excursions and fieldtrips in Copenhagen, and elsewhere on the study trips. The experience was so amazing that I'm planning on returning to Copenhagen as soon as possible, and potentially to settle down there in the future.

I really loved my time in Copenhagen studying Human Trafficking through DIS. I wish that I had stayed for the second session! I loved the housing and would recommend living not in the city but the outskirts. Also, the class that I took was definitely eye opening and informative.

I was looking mostly for cultural immersion in my study abroad experience, and because of my housing situation--living in a "folk high school" with many Danes--, this program was perfect for me. But many students in other housing arrangements got to know very few locals. Living at the folk high school (which are residential schools, so you will eat and hang out a lot with Danes around our age if you want to) was by far the highlight for me, and allowed me to learn a lot about certain parts of Danish culture and form really strong friendships with locals. Some say that they were worried about the hour-plus commute to classes, but in my opinion it was totally worth it, especially because some/many DIS students live and spend almost all of their time surrounded by American students, which seems strange to me while studying in a place away from home. My biggest complaint would be about the other DIS students, many of whom did not seem interested in classes or in meeting Danes and learning about their culture (taking short trips to other cities most weekends, for example). I thought classes were pretty good overall: I liked that there were so many interesting options to choose from, and that field trips were included in the syllabi to add to what's learned in the classroom, but again it felt sort of weird taking classes with all American students. There are some University of Copenhagen classes that you can choose, but at least in the one I took the majority of students were DIS students. So overall, I think it was a good program that is very well organized and offers many great opportunities, but also risks limited cultural immersion. Academics: I liked that there were so many interesting options to choose from, and that field trips were included in the syllabi to add to what's learned in the classroom. I had some good teachers, also...not all were professors, but some were working in the area they were teaching about and had a lot to say about it. But again, it felt sort of weird taking classes with all American students while studying abroad. There are some University of Copenhagen classes that you can choose, but at least in the one I took the majority of students were DIS students. I would definitely recommend taking Danish class if you are interested in learning about Danish culture Living Situation: I lived in a højskole ("folk high school" in english), a unique residential school that doesn't exists in the US, and am so happy I did. The really special thing was that over the course of the semester I could spend so much time and really get to know a group of Danish students. All the food we needed and more was provided (I almost always ate breakfast and dinner with the Danish students at the school and packed a lunch to take to class in Copenhagen). On other housing options: I have heard good things from many people who stayed with host families and from some who lived in Danish kollegiums. I have heard from some people who lived with only American students in DRC's or themed housing that it was very difficult to meet Danish people. Cultural Immersion: I think living at the højskole was an A+ in this, but becuase of what I heard about some students' experiences in more popular housing options like DRCs I'll give it a B. DIS also provided other ways to do this for example by joining local extracurricular clubs like sports ones, but I can't really speak to it because I didn't do any and I didn't hear much about them from the people I talked to. Program Administration: The program is very organized, and the staff was really nice and always helpful

I had a great time skiing at Switzerland. My stay abroad was really an exciting, easy but unique experience.

We attended classes and was offered to travel for 3 weeks. I was a bit scared at the same time thrilled! I got to know people from all over the world.

Loved it! The classes are easy but that’s what you want for a semester abroad. You can get as involved as you want but DIS provides an organized, user-friendly school that is dependable.

Everything about this program was fantastic. I felt so welcomed into Denmark since I was at a school for study abroad students instead of being an international student. I learned so much during my time abroad through all the hands on opportunities at DIS. While the course load was easier than that of my home university, I still felt like DIS was my best college semester. The teachers were professionals who were very knowledgable in their fields. Staff were also helpful. During my interview at graduate school, my interviewer was very interested in what I had to say about my time in Denmark...I believe it is a huge part of why I was accepted to the school.

I had a fantastic experience studying at DIS and living in Copenhagen with a phenomenal host family. I studied child development while being immersed in to the culture of childhood in Scandinavia with work in a preschool and field experiences around Europe. I left with a home in Denmark.

DIS is a wonderful program that provides numerous opportunities and resources for students to customize their own experience and level of cultural immersion. From living situations to clubs, the program is really what you make of it - whether that be hanging out with Americans in the city and having a great time or getting out and meeting Danes/other international students. Academics are more difficult than other abroad programs, but not as challenging as my home institution. Even so, the wide variety of classes is an advantage of DIS.

DIS was fantastic. The program gives you a lot of options so you can customize your abroad experience however you like. It does a great job of immersing you in Danish culture as well as letting you explore other countries. I would definitely recommend DIS, especially the host family living option.

Academics teach you nothing and the grading is arbitrary. DIS staff in Minnesota aren't helpful or easy to deal with. I would strongly recommend looking for another program within Denmark. Academics: Grades are arbitrarily assigned in a couple of classes. Professors in some classes make no attempt to get to know you, which makes it interesting when it is time to give out participation grades. DIS is overloaded with a bunch of students from tiny private schools who are different than what I am used to. It reminded me a lot of high school. Also, it is tough to be in a group when half of people are pass/fail and youre fighting to get an A.

The program is HUGE (around 600 students). Academics are decent. Great study tours & field trips. They allocate a very generous amount of time for you to travel on your own. A variety of housing options (dorms or host families, etc.) It was very pricey (tuition & cost of living). If I could study abroad again, I would not go through DIS.

I loved DIS. They were really great and helped with financial aid & all problems that came up. Copenhagen was an amazing city with wonderful people. I really loved that they offered classes that were "out of the box" for study abroad. I was able to spend my summer in a Danish hospital instead of learning a beginning language.

The most amazing thing about this program was the hands-on learning. Classes meet Mon, Tue, Thurs and Fri, and every Weds was set aside for field trips that directly related to what we were studying. For example, my photjournalism class got to visit Copehagen's biggest newspaper and meet with the photojournalists there. In addition, each core class spent a week in another country to do related field. I was studying communication and media, and my class went to London for a week to meet with top communications professionals at major companies like Bloomberg and Al Jazeera. Finally, DIS gives you a 2 week spring break and offers many trips that they organize, including a surf trip to Portugal that I went on.

I really enjoyed my abroad experience. The program offers a variety of options from course of study to living arrangements, and possible travel trips. DIS organizes a lot of travel opportunities I never would have been able to on my own. The program is well organized and planned around the student's desire to experience other cultures.

Copenhagen is an amazing city to get to know. DIS does a great job of allowing you to explore Denmark in a very special, unique, way. They basically force you to explore & travel and I will never look at bike riding the same way.

Fantastic experience, great living opportunities, lots of options for cultural immersion

Overall a very good program. The classes weren't as challenging as my home institution but more challenging than many study abroad programs, I think. They had a variety of housing options - I chose a host family, which was great. If it weren't for the homestay aspect, though, I wouldn't have gotten much cultural immersion at all, since most of my classmates were also American.

DIS is AMAZING.

DIS exceeded every expectation I had. Was enrolled in the International Business program and lived in downtown Copenhagen. I want to go back NOW!