Community Engagement Opportunities for Semester Students

Semester community engagement

Meeting locals as a semester student

Whether you’re in Stockholm or Copenhagen, you will find plenty of opportunities outside DIS to dig into the local culture.

Sign up for our Visiting Host program

Want to engage in Scandinavian culture on a deeper level?

While many students meet locals in their housing and day-to-day life, our Visiting Host program creates meaningful opportunities for you to interact with Swedes and Danes.

Visiting Hosts are locals in Sweden and Denmark who come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are interested in intercultural exchange. If you are paired with a Visiting Host, you will meet one to four times a month (depending on your host’s availability) for activities, meals, and more.

Kickstart your semester with new connections

Your first weeks of the semester will be filled with opportunities to explore your new city, meet friends, and get connected with local resources and opportunities.

Activity Fair
At the beginning of each semester, DIS hosts an Activity Fair where you can find volunteering opportunities, sports teams, clubs, and more.

New in Town Meetups
From board game nights to bonfires and community dinners, New in Town Meetups take place during the first weeks of the semester, providing an opportunity to experience the city with other DIS students and socialize.

Sign up for DIS events or organize your own

Seminar nights and panels
Hear from local professionals about current affairs and their local perspectives. Students often use this as a networking opportunity to connect with professionals in their fields of interests.

Pop-up events
The Student Hub runs various pop-up events throughout the term. You can join a thrift-shopping tour with a local, learn new hobbies, celebrate local traditions, or even attend a local soccer match.

Student-led clubs and events
DIS offers funding for student-initiated events and clubs with weekly activities. From film clubs and pastry tours to open mic nights, there are plenty of ways to join in on the fun.

Find all events on DIS Navigate once you’re here.

Join an affinity group

We have affinity groups led by DIS staff where you can gather, share stories, and connect with other students. These spaces are a forum to discuss personal experiences and gain access to a network of locals who share places, organizations, and community centers relevant to each affinity group.

Stockholm Student Sports Union

Sport and exercise are great ways to meet new friends in Sweden. DIS subsidizes the cost to join group classes with SSIF, the Stockholm Student Sports Union, so you and friends can meet locals your own age while playing sport, doing yoga, or taking part in a wide range of other fitness activities.

Read Naia’s blog on finding friendship with SSIF and her run club.

JENSEN collaboration

DIS collaborates with JENSEN gymnasium, a nearby high school, offering several ways to engage with local students. We host a “cultural mingle” event early each semester so you can learn more about Stockholm and share your perspectives. There is also the opportunity to volunteer by mentoring JENSEN students on particular academic topics or tutoring them in English.

Create Space workshops

These creative workshops provide a space to relax and meet students from both DIS and local universities while you get creative through canvas painting, knitting, or other activities.

Volunteer at Studenterhuset, the student-run café

Copenhagen students can take advantage of Studenterhuset, a popular café that caters especially to students studying at the many different schools and universities around Copenhagen.

You can volunteer to work behind the bar, where you will practice your barista skills and meet a diverse group of local and international students. Volunteering also gives you special discounts and access to concerts, trivia nights, and many other kinds of events.

Gathering of Muslim Students

Led by a local Muslim students and the Student Hub, the Gathering of Muslim Students is a safe space for Muslim students to connect, share experiences, and find community.

Volunteer at a farmers market

Several students have volunteered at Grønt Marked, a local farmers market that focuses on building space for community members to come together over locally grown and sustainably produced goods.

Read Sophia’s blog about her time with Grønt Marked.

Dig into the local art scene

An art history major, Betsy (Vassar College) found an internship with an up-and-coming gallery in Stockholm–and realized she wanted to do similar work in the future.

Read about Betsy’s journey.

Build connections to your community

Determined to get involved as soon as he arrived, Tim (Northwestern University) joined the Christian Student Union and a panel with local Danish high schoolers about American high schools.

Read about Tim’s experience.

Reach out and take initiative

April (Haverford College) found her soccer team through a simple but effective route: Googling ‘soccer clubs in Copenhagen.’

Read April’s blog.

Take a chance on yourself

Like many other DIS students, Priya (Cornell University) volunteered at a student-run bar-café called Studenterhuset in Copenhagen. There, she learned how to take orders in Danish and met students from all over the world.

Read Priya’s letter to future students.