DIS Blog

Student Blogger Digest

Housing in Copenhagen: How students found home abroad

Homestay

The Homestay is a popular housing option among DIS students, and for good reason! An exceptional avenue to meet local Danes, find community while abroad, and enjoy a supportive home base, it gives students the ultimate opportunity for cultural immersion. Hidy and Tim describe moments of bonding with their Homestay hosts, from a bicultural birthday celebration to a weekend road trip.

Hidy, Fall ‘22

“Soon after this sneak peek at the breakfast table, the other members of my host family knocked on my door with Danish flags in hands, offered me two, and we tiptoed silently into my host sister’s room, where we erupted into two birthday songs: first Danish (when I smiled and clapped as enraptured audience), then Chinese (my host family has had experience living in China for 3 years!), starting a day filled with traditional and untraditional birthday fun.”

Visit Hidy’s blog for the rest of his story.

Tim, Fall ‘22

“This road trip [to Møns Klint] is a microcosm of that transition into familiarity with my hosts, and while I can still feel like an outsider sometimes, I’ve found ways to contribute meaningfully to the family space. Of course, I would not be here without the generosity of my host family, and they’ve been nothing short of incredible to me — including how they offered to bring me on this day trip to the cliffs knowing that it was on my bucket list.”

Head to Tim’s blog to hear more about his Homestay experience.

Living & Learning Community

The Living & Learning Community housing option is a space for students particularly interested in living with people who have shared interests and passions. Intended for those who crave a tight knit community and are happy to commit extra time to weekly activities, the LLC attracts a select group of individuals. Lily reflects on how living in an Outdoor LLC enhanced her study abroad experience.

Lily, Fall ’22

“The Outdoor LLC has been one of the greatest things about my DIS experience. Returning home to my housemates at the end of each school day made life in a new country much smoother and simpler, and I did many things I wouldn’t have at home. For example, I tried capoeira and went on a 25 mile weekend hike! I also quickly made friends who wanted to explore the city in the same way that I did.”

Kollegium

Kollegiums in Denmark are home to a diverse crowd of university students. An alternative to American dorms, they are a stomping ground for Danes and other internationals to live in apartment-style housing alongside young people from many different cultural contexts. Randall explains the layout of his flat and satisfaction with his placement.

Randall, Fall ‘22

“I live in a Kollegium, which is an apartment building where DIS students live alongside other students (Danish and international) who are studying elsewhere in Copenhagen. Most apartments are shared between DIS students and other students, but I live in a small, 3-person apartment with just two other DIS students.”

Check out Randall’s blog for more information.

Residential Community

Those who choose a Residential Community live with other DIS students, deepening friendships with peers by sharing space with them. Students in a RC are eager to build community with their classmates and proactively find ways to meet locals. Adi recounts a dinner with his roommates that made him feel at home.

Adi, Spring ‘23

“There is no right way to study abroad, and among the new trips and places I was exploring, I felt that I needed a dose of home, right here in my home (away from home). Our dorm’s second hygge dinner was well-timed in that regard, and I’ve included some pictures of our RC’s awesome cooks (shoutout to my roommates) who put together a great potato-leek soup and dessert for the Danish holiday of Fastelavn.”

Take a look at Adi’s blog to learn more.