FAQs
Studying Abroad at DIS
Copenhagen & Travel
Where's Copenhagen?
What is Copenhagen all about?
Is it easy to travel from Copenhagen to other spots in Europe?
Is there enough time to travel?
Academic & Admissions
What are the program requirements?
How do I apply?
What are the application deadlines?
Are the DIS programs approved by my school?
What if my school is not listed as a partner?
How many credits do students take?
How do credits transfer back to my home university?
Will studying with DIS delay my graduation?
For how long do most students study at DIS?
When does the program begin and end?
What should I expect academically?
Is there a language requirement?
Will I be attending the University of Copenhagen?
Student Life
What are my housing options?
How do I choose a housing option?
How will I meet locals and Danish students?
What is the campus like?
Financial
How much does it cost?
Are scholarships and financial aid available?
Copenhagen & Travel
Where's Copenhagen?
Copenhagen is the capital city of Denmark and is the most visited city in Scandinavia. Its location makes it the gateway from central Europe to Scandinavia. The Øresund bridge links Copenhagen with Sweden, with central Malmø just 35 minutes from Copenhagen's main station. More on Copenhagen.
What is Copenhagen all about?
Founded in 1167, Copenhagen is the capital of a modern, affluent, democratic society, and a study in contrasts:
- Old-world charm combined with the hustle and bustle of a super-efficient modern economy
- Pedestrian-only walking streets with outdoor cafés, combined with an extensive public transportation system that is clean, safe, and reliable
- A sparkling European metropolis of 1.5 million people offering an abundance of culture and entertainment, yet projecting an inviting small-town atmosphere of friendliness, intimacy, and safety
- A university dating from 1479, yet a modern educational center now with several universities and colleges both in and outside the city center, thousands of students, and a vibrant youth culture. Read more.
Is it easy to travel from Copenhagen to other spots in Europe?
Copenhagen is an excellent base from which to travel in Europe. Sweden is a short train ride away, while Copenhagen airport is the biggest in Scandinavia, with hundreds of daily departures, and trains, buses and ferries ready to take you to all the major European destinations. Prices vary, but great deals are available to anyone with a little flexibility. Copenhagen transport and travel.
Is there enough time to travel?
Yes! There is a travel break during the semester. During this time you can either travel completely on your own or with friends, or you can join one or two of the many DIS optional study tours and outdoor adventure trips – or do a little of both, e.g. do a one-week DIS-arranged tour and a week of independent travel.
You can travel on weekends, but please be aware that the program is academically rigorous and you should plan to spend some of your weekends working in the DIS library or at home to complete your written assignments. Attendance at all classes, field studies, and academic program study tours is mandatory.
Academic & Admissions
What are the program requirements?
Eligible applicants must be enrolled at a college or university in their home country, and have completed at least two years toward an undergraduate degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Recent graduates may apply but should be aware that their applications will undergo increased screening to ensure academic motivation comparable to that of enrolled students. In extenuating circumstances, students with a GPA below 3.0 may be considered.
How do I apply?
Fill out the Preliminary Application Form, or check out our list of partner universities to see whether your school's study abroad office can admit you directly into DIS!
What are the application deadlines?
Each of our partner universities has slightly different deadlines, so check for your school in the partner university list. If yours is not a partner university, DIS' preferred deadlines are as follows: November 15 for spring semester, April 15 for summer session 1 and 2 (later for Architecture and Design programs), and May 15 for fall semester and full-year applications.
Are the DIS programs approved by my school?
Check with your study abroad office to learn whether DIS is an approved, affiliated, sponsored, or partner program. Every university's policies and procedures are a bit different, so your study abroad staff/faculty are the best resources to help you get abroad, take your financial aid along, and bring your credits back home with you. Learn about your institution’s relationship with DIS.
What if my school is not listed as a partner?
You can still enroll at DIS! Check with your study abroad office about how to gain approval to go abroad. For more information about the application process, complete a Preliminary Application Form or call or email our North American Office at dis@umn.edu for helpful advice on applying to DIS from a non-partner university. Full details.
How many credits do students take?
Students must take at least 12 credits and may take up to 18, including no more than five three-credit classes (or three three-credit and one six-credit). Most students take two to three courses in their major or a related field, and one or two courses from a completely different discipline.
Summer programs vary in length (three, six or seven weeks) and credit hours depending on your program of interest; see specific programs for more information.
How do credits transfer back to my home university?
DIS' curriculum is designed so that you can bring all of your credits home with you, however the policies of your university will dictate whether the courses can count toward your major/minor/distribution requirements, as well as whether your grades earned abroad will appear on your home transcript and/or count into your GPA. Check with your study abroad advisor and major/minor advisors for specific course transfer information. They may request syllabi for the courses you intend to take at DIS - you can download them all from the DIS study abroad courses page. Please also visit credit transfer from study abroad.
Will studying with DIS delay my graduation?
The DIS course and credit structure is adapted to the North American one. In a regular DIS semester, you take four or five courses, typically earning three credit hours per course. If your courses have been pre-approved from home, all credits will transfer, and you shouldn’t fall behind. The DIS summer programs offer fewer credits - like summer terms in general.
For how long do most students study at DIS?
75% of our students enroll at DIS for at least one semester, while 25% choose a six to nine week summer program.
When does the program start and end?
The DIS calendar matches a typical U.S. university semester calendar - the fall semester runs from late August until late December, spring semester from mid-January until mid-May, and summer programs of various length may begin as early as mid-May and end as late as the end of August. Semester. Please see the DIS study abroad calendar.
What should I expect academically?
You should expect to work as hard as you do on your home campus. Our academic philosophy is not to get in the way of your cultural immersion and horizon-broadening while abroad, but to complement them. Our integrated approach to education means that your classwork will go beyond the walls of the classroom and into museums, prisons, parliament, oceans, labs, corporations and around Europe. You will get to know your professors and learn from them in and out of the classroom. Expect to work hard, and to be inspired; to be self-motivating and to explore work and ideas on your own that you can then bring to class with you. Be independent in your studying so that lecture sessions are richer for you and build on the reading and preparation that you are doing. See work that is set for each class as progress towards a holistic understanding of a subject, and not just something that you will need to know for an examination or test. Teaching at DIS shares the mission of the whole organization in wishing to develop the leaders of tomorrow, and address the burning issues of our time. Your role as a student will be to maintain focus in your field of study, and to take advantage of the diversity of educational experiences being a student at DIS will give you.
Is there a language requirement?
All courses are taught in English, with the natural exception of Danish Language classes. While Danish is the national language of Denmark, Copenhagen is among the most English-friendly cities in the world, and you will find that almost all Danes speak fluent English.
DIS strongly recommends that you take Danish Language & Culture as one of your four or five courses while in Copenhagen. You may not end up being fluent - but learning Danish opens a window on Danish culture and society.
Will I be attending the University of Copenhagen?
DIS is a specialized study abroad institution that allows you to take upper-level university courses abroad in English. While DIS has joint classes at other Danish universities and educational institutions, you will not be directly enrolled in nor directly attending the University of Copenhagen. Students at Danish universities are expected to do many outside readings and to educate themselves beyond the lectures; to be more independent in your studying than you may be used to being. These readings are often not discussed in class but they are important for the overall understanding of the topic, and you will be expected to draw on these readings in your term paper or presentations. You will be rewarded for doing so, because it will show your investment in the subject. Though these courses are open to DIS students, DIS has no influence on the grading, or on their exam schedule or deadlines. We can only advise you. We cannot ask these institutions or their professors to make exceptions for you.
Student Life
What are my housing options?
You can choose to live (1) with a Danish Host Family, (2) in one of the Danish student residence halls - kollegiums, (3) in an apartment with a Danish roommate, (4) in a Folkehøjskole with young Danes, (5) in a DIS Residential Community, (6) in a Living and Learning Community, or (6) independently, if you are interested in finding your own accommodation and your home institution allows it. Study abroad housing options.
How do I choose a housing option?
It's a personal choice. If you are unsure about which housing option is best for you, feel free to call or email the DIS North American Office for advice. It may be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the housing policy of your home institution as some have certain restrictions. No matter your choice, expect a commute of between 10-60 minutes - it's all part of the adventure!
How will I meet locals and Danish students?
While in Copenhagen you have the chance to immerse yourself in the host culture. You can meet young Danes in cafés, nightclubs, bars, parks or at concerts, or you can join one of the DIS Immersion Programs. You will also have a varying degree of immersion through your housing, depending on where you live. The Danes may seem a bit shy at first, but approach them and they will open up immediately – remember that you are the only one who is responsible for the choices you make while abroad.
What is the campus like?
Most European universities do not have campuses in the American sense - there is no quad or student union, no dorms with Student Residential Advisors (SRAs) and hall directors. Rather, they are city universities. DIS is located in the very center of medieval Copenhagen, adjacent to many University of Copenhagen buildings and beside the central City Hall Square and the main shopping street Strøget. The DIS building dates back from 1798 and houses staff offices, a library, student lounges and computer labs, architecture studios, and a couple of classrooms. Read about DIS in Copenhagen.
Financial
How much does it cost?
Many factors contribute to your final, out-of-pocket costs for a semester, summer or year at DIS. View our full Tuition & Fees information, and keep in mind the support services, study tours, travel opportunities and other cultural activities - some included in our fees, some optional at an additional cost - that will be part of your DIS experience. Our tuition & fees, once published, are NOT subject to change.
Are scholarships and financial aid available?
YES! First, visit your study abroad office to determine which elements of your current financial aid package can be used toward your time at DIS, and to see whether you are eligible for any special scholarship moneys to help defray the cost of studying abroad. If you need additional assistance, download our scholarship application, keeping in mind deadlines and maximum allotment amounts. Study abroad scholarships at DIS.
