Summer Study Abroad Programs in Denmark

4 Summer Study Abroad Programs in Denmark
CIEE College Study Abroad
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CIEE offers the most extensive network of internship programs. Are you a U.S. college student looking to study and intern abroad? We have full-time and part-time placements across 40+ locations worldwide and in diverse fields, from AI and engineering to public policy and business administration. Fi
See All 3 ProgramsDIS - Study Abroad
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2 cities. 6 sessions. 100+ courses. 40+ study tours in Europe. How will you build your summer? Whether you need to fulfill additional credits, want to explore a topic your home university does not offer, or just want to study abroad to get to know a new culture, there are numerous ways to create yo
How to Study Abroad in Denmark in Summer
Why
During summer in Denmark, you’ll get the best of both worlds: a fine education and the best summer of your life. Summer is the best time of the year to study abroad in Denmark, because the weather is warmer than other seasons (but relatively cool) and the sunshine lasts longer, so you’ll be able to make the most of every day.
Danish professors offer high-quality education, and truly value hands-on learning and putting concepts into practice, so you’re sure to explore the outdoors without worrying about it getting dark at 4 p.m. Most summer study abroad programs in Denmark are also flexible with course choices in the summer, from architecture to gender studies to environmental science, and you can choose to study in Denmark for a couple weeks or for the whole summer.
English is the de facto second language of Denmark, so you won’t need to worry too much about a language barrier. However, seriously cultured students might choose to participate in a summer Danish language course, nothing wrong with feeling worldly! A little bit of Danish slang can go a looooong way, especially when you attend one of Denmark’s summer music festivals with your new Danish buds!
Locations
With more islands making up this country than the number of times it’ll take you to properly pronounce rødgrød med fløde (sweet fruit dish), you can easily hop on a canal boat to spot the infamous Little Mermaid statue or lie on the beach in the warm summer sunshine. But where should you hit the books during your summer in Denmark?
Copenhagen. Denmark’s bicycle-friendly capital city will make you feel like you’re immersed in a storybook land, thanks to its watercolor-hued townhouses, network of cobbled streets, and church and castle towers. Once the bell marks the end of the day, have a whirlwind of fun at Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. It has a century-old roller coaster (Bonus: you can attend free rock concerts here in the summer evenings!). If you’re feeling adventurous, you’re just a ferry ride away from Oslo, Norway, and a train ride away from Sweden and Berlin, Germany.
Located northwest of Copenhagen and north of Hamburg, Germany, the harbor town of Aarhus will have you in awe. Its picturesque fishing villages and architectural styles range from Renaissance to Nordic classicism. The Aarhus International Jazz Festival is a summer experience you don’t want to miss; this eight-day festival offers talented musicians from local areas and around the world.
After some exploration and relaxation, meet up with your classmates at an outdoor café and discuss the mysteries of the world while sipping a hyldeblomst saft (elderflower drink). Wherever you choose to spend your summer studying in Denmark, you’ll soak in the sights and smells of this sophisticated country.
Travel Tips
Slow down there, you ugly duckling! Keep in mind a few tips for your summer program in Denmark (we’re not actually calling you ugly, we just wanted to throw in a Hans Christian Andersen reference!). Trade in your sea legs for a good pair of shoes because the best way to explore this country and embrace the sunshine is on foot. Commuting to and fro campus is common as well; ride your bike to feel the salty, summer ocean air or ride clean, punctual public transportation to take a rest.
Choose from a variety of housing options for your summer abroad in Denmark. Living in kollegiums, or co-ed residential buildings, offer you the chance to meet other Danish and international students. Living in student housing can be a bit pricey, however, so explore the option of a homestay experience, which will help you not only save money on food with home-cooked meals, but also practice your Danish and learn more summer tips from locals.
Come hungry for strawberries! These juicy, red jewels (though tinier than what you’re probably used to) come alive in the Danish summer. These can be enjoyed any time of day, and that’s a good thing, considering there are days when the sun doesn’t set until after 10:30 p.m. Don’t take those extra daylight hours for granted!
Scholarships
Before you venture off to study in Denmark during summer term, consider that it is quite an expensive European country and take some time to reel in some kroner. Summer is a busy tourist season in Denmark, which means higher airfare, but summer study abroad scholarships are available to help you “afjord” the costs.
- DIS offers summer scholarships up to $1000 based on financial need, merit, and diversity. The scholarships require a personal statement and a letter of recommendation, and while you can apply at any time, preference is given to those who apply by March 1st.
- If you’re interested in taking Danish summer language courses, you can consider applying for a summer study abroad scholarship through the Ministry of Higher Education and Science. The selection criteria is strict and requires a recommendation letter, but accepted students can receive free room and board and tuition. Pretty soon it will be raining Øre!
Every bit counts, so be sure to request scholarship information from your summer study program in Denmark. You can also go to GoAbroad.com’s Scholarship Directory to find lots of available Denmark summer study scholarships. Just be sure to meet all those deadlines!
Benefits & Challenges
Summer study abroad in Denmark guarantees short-term courses and small class sizes, so you’ll be able to have more one-on-one time with your professors and other students. Pour a well-chilled koldskal as you meet locals and gain European perspectives that will come in handy for future job interviews. Employers will be impressed with the international knowledge you gained from your summer abroad in Denmark.
While Danes may be in an even better mood than usual in the summer, being polite, blending in, and avoiding superficiality is standard etiquette. Danes favor neutral or black clothing even in the summer, but if you’re okay with standing out in the crowd on your class excursions, you can wear bright, colorful clothing. You do you!
From stuffing your face with your pre-class Danish breakfast pastry all the way til you clink Carlsbergs with your classmates at night, you’re bound to feel hyggelig (coziness) while experience that sweet Danish summer.
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Latest Program Reviews
Hear what past participants have to say about their experiences
Swedish Summer 10/10!
October 09, 2026by: Tina Lee - United StatesProgram: DIS – Summer Courses
My time in Stockholm during the summer of 2026 was one of the best moments of my life! The entire program was well organized, and I always felt informed, prepared, and supported throughout the process. Academically, the opportunity to learn in a different educational environment, gain new perspectives, and connect what I was learning in the classroom to experiences outside of it. The courses were engaging and gave me the chance to grow both academically and personally. As someone studying abroad alone in a new country, I also felt safe and comfortable navigating the experience. This was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will always be grateful for, and I would absolutely do it again if given the chance!
A really amazing experience
October 23, 2025by: Kaia V.Program: CIEE Summer in Copenhagen
I had a really amazing experience and would definitely recommend this program to a friend! I loved Copenhagen and I made some amazing friends here! I also thought that the housing situation was great and it was really easy to adjust to life here!
Amazing Recommendations that helped us fully integrate
September 05, 2024by: Juliana W.Program: CIEE Summer in Copenhagen
I think the program had a really good onboarding program, provided students with an amazing support system, and did a great job of providing us with activities to fully integrate ourselves into the city. I also think the overall younger support staff (student-assistants in particular) were able to give us amazing recommendations that really allowed me to enjoy my time here outside of the classroom as well.
Tremendous staff!
July 04, 2023by: Christopher A.Tremendous staff. Environment is like none other and they accommodate well. For Seville, the city has been tremendous and CIEE gives you a proper introduction to this magnificent city. Whether an intern or a student during one of the sessions, you can get along with everyone and overcome the anxieties of a new city
Opportunities to explore
July 03, 2023by: Catherine F.I would be very likely to recommend CIEE Study Abroad to a friend because this program gives you many opportunities to explore the city you are in as well as the surrounding areas. All of the employees are very kind people who will be their to uplift and support the students who are abroad.
I have had a great…
January 30, 2020by: Maeve G.I have had a great experience, it is organized and comes at a good cost. The staff on-site is very supportive and helpful (as well as Brooke in Portland), but we had an emergency situation and the Portland higher-ups didn't handle it well, nor did anyone answer the emergency number provided to us.
I would be likely to…
January 14, 2020by: Holly S. - United StatesProgram: CIEE Summer in Copenhagen
I would be likely to recommend the program because I think it was really well set up for us to succeed. You put us in great apartments and offered enough structured activities to help us get a feel for the city but also gave us lots of free time.
My first experience abroad and I love it here
November 19, 2019by: Alberto R.I feel that CIEE tries to have activities for us and I really do feel that I am learning a lot here. Also everyone here seems really nice and I feel that though we are different a lot of the students seem to have the same mindset and its a good chance to network.
I would be likely to recommend the program
August 05, 2019by: Holly S. - United StatesProgram: CIEE Summer in Copenhagen
I would be likely to recommend the program because I think it was really well set up for us to succeed. You put us in great apartments and offered enough structured activities to help us get a feel for the city but also gave us lots of free time.
Well staffed
April 24, 2019by: Taylor K. - United StatesCIEE is very well-staffed and they do everything they can to make sure you have the best experience possible. Everyone is friendly, the rules and guidelines are laid out for you, and the excursions CIEE plans are a blast!!
Fun Program
April 23, 2019by: Sofia H.This has been the best summer of my life. Everything about CIEE has blown me away. Virginia Niera has been an extremely attentive and helpful program director. She and Antonio Romero were both quick to offer help with any issues I might have. The professors, Amador Fernandez and Antonio Rodriguez, taught with enthusiasm and care. Each class genuinely excited and intrigued me. They graded fairly and truly cared about students understanding and learning. We took informative, fun, and interesting trips. They were all well-planned and extremely enjoyable. The tour guides we had, Adrian and Alicia, were knowledgable and made the tours very meaningful. The trip to Morocco really opened my eyes to other cultures and ways of life. Finally, my homestay could not have been better. I really got close to my host family, and I felt like I had a place in Seville where I could be totally comfortable. I have already recommended this program to two of my friends, and I plan to encourage more to do it if they w
Great Experience
March 14, 2019by: Alberto R.My first experience abroad and I love it here. I feel that CIEE tries to have activities for us and I really do feel that I am learning a lot here. Also everyone here seems really nice and I feel that though we are different a lot of the students seem to have the same mindset and its a good chance to network.
Amazing Experience
March 14, 2019by: Sierra D.Study abroad is something that everyone needs to be apart o at least once in their lifetime, and CIEE was a great way to do it. I think I would recommend this because we’re given a place to reside in a foreign country with people who have no problem helping you at the drop of a pen. The CIEE community becomes your family and makes you feel like you’re at home and always offer things to do for free or at least help to make your study abroad experience as great as it can. It’s also nice that you can choose from different programs and either be a student for half and an intern for the other half, be an open campus student and stay for an entire semester, or every 6 weeks choose a new home. It’s an amazing experience for a reasonable price but an opportunity and of a lifetime.
Danish Summer
May 22, 2015by: Sam - TucsonProgram: DIS – Summer Courses
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.
If looking for cultural immersion, can be hit or miss
July 23, 2014by: EYProgram: DIS – Summer Courses
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
Absolutely Recommend!
December 18, 2013by: Alison JoyceProgram: DIS – Summer Courses
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.
Amazing experience!
September 18, 2013by: KelseySProgram: DIS – Summer Courses
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.
Make it your own
April 19, 2013by: Hillary KingProgram: DIS – Summer Courses
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 lets you make your abroad experience what you want it to be.
April 18, 2013by: Kelsey KleinProgram: DIS – Summer Courses
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.
Best summer ever
December 10, 2012by: Olivia TigheProgram: DIS – Summer Courses
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.
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