Tips for Studying Abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark

My first tip is to come prepared with sufficient clothes for Denmark. When I first arrived in August, the weather was sunny in the 60s - 70s. By December, it was rainy most days with a few hours of sunlight and in the 30s. It also snowed for several days. I would recommend bringing some thermal shirts and pants, especially if you are going to Denmark for the Spring semester (starting in January/February) since January is even colder than December. Uniqlo is great for finding winter essentials since they also have a location in Copenhagen. I introduced all of my international friends to Uniqlo and they all loved the heattech thermals. I would also recommend waterproof boots for the rain and snow and a good umbrella for the wind and rain.

The next tip is to attend the social events that CBS hosts. Before the semester, the exchange team sets up social events so exchange students can get to know one another. They have fun activities like parties, scavenger hunts, and a canal cruise, and also helpful events such as a Danish Language Program. I met most of my exchange friends at these events and it was nice to have something to do before the semester started.

The third tip is to take advantage of the Danish public transportation system. Denmark has a great and expansive public transportation system (this is especially great if you don't know how to ride a bike like me). The metros typically come every few minutes which is convenient and you can travel all around Denmark with them. You can get a Rejsekort card that you load money onto to pay for rides. It works on the bus, metro, and trains. You can also buy tickets on the DOT app.

The fourth tip is to get a Danish phone number/data plan early on in your semester. I personally had T-Mobile so I when I went to Denmark, I was only allowed to use my American phone number and data for 30 days. I ended up buying an eSIM that gave me a Danish number and data for Europe for the remainder of my time (I used Holafly for my eSIM). I would recommend doing this at the beginning of the semester rather than a month in since it was tedious to do in the midst of classes. I would also recommend getting this done because if you have a Danish phone number, you can sign up for memberships/accounts at various malls and stores in Denmark which give you discounts.

My last tip is to take advantage of being in Denmark to travel around Europe. With the light coursework from the classes, it is easy to go on short weekend trips even while you still have classes. I took advantage of the second half of the semester when I had lighter courses and was able to fit in 11 trips to 13 different countries. Some of my favorite memories from exchange were made outside of Denmark and it was well worth it.