Copenhagen Guide to Living!

Why did you choose to go to Copenhagen, Denmark?

Well, I somehow ended up here.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

Half a year, 365 per month, the money still didn't arrive, but to be honest I took my time doing the necessary paperwork.

What is the student lifestyle like in Copenhagen?

That might differ a lot from student to student. The university is beautiful and the different campuses around the city are quite big and modern. You can learn a lot, if you want to. But the workload you actually do depends a lot on your mindset. There is a tradition of going for a beer or coffee after class in one of the infamous student bars. Also almost every book you'll ever use has been uploaded to the university library-website, which is pretty neat.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Copenhagen to other students?

Yes. I like the rain and the dark pubs and the lively music scene. There runs a lot of water through the city and the architecture is quite stunning. Also, I havent been to any scandinavic city with such a big cultural offer as Copenhagen.

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What is the food like?

I only eat bread and cheese right now, but thats due to my mentioned lack of money... The food you get in the supermarkets and restaurants is top notch though. A few of the worlds best restaurants are situated here (-NOMA)

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Copenhagen?

Yeah! Dude, that was so tough! Start that early, dont make my mistake! Its hell. I slept on a guys floor for a few weeks and ended up couchsurfing, living in a hostel, having interviews with facist scumbags, (kinda not completly legally)sharing a room etc...

In the end it worked out and the flats are really modern and nice. But if you want to have a decently priced room, you should check that out as early as you can. Check out facebook, there are a lot of "housing in Copenhagen" like pages (BEWARE of Scammers! )

How much does it cost to live in Copenhagen?

Well, I am from Berlin, so for me it was a lot. My friend here don't care, they come from Norway and Switzerland. I guess it depends on your perspective. As mentioned, I was late in finding housing and I am paying around 740 Euros. That is ok since I have my own room in the middle of the city sharing an apartment /view and balcony/ with a cool danish guy. Most of the exchange students I know live in student dorms though. I think if you are early you should be able to get a decent room (not a shared one) for around 550-600 Euros.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

Danish is pretty close to german. Grammarwise its actually a lot easier, pronounicationwise on the other hand its quite troublesome. I did a 6 weeks intensive course before starting my studies and due to that I not only connected with a lot of other exchange students, it also formed the foundation of my upcoming danish friendships. The basics of the language are easy to grasp and you'll be able to order a beer or buy groceries pretty fast. Also, most of the danes are a lot more approachable and friendly when you at least try to say something in danish.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Copenhagen from your city?

Flixbus. I pay around 36 Euros for a trip back and forth to Berlin. But you take the fairy on the way (included in the ticket) and one way takes around 7-8 hours. If you book early, you should find some flights for around 30 euros each.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Copenhagen?

Norrebro. Nicest neighbourhood, multicultured, lots of art and interessting food. The best bars in town are there! All the bars in the center feel pretty much like overpriced tourist traps and if you want to meet real danes then better go to a place like kronborggade 3 or norrebodega (open till 5 / tab-beer 20 kronas). A personal favorite of mine is the HBF in Copenhagen. The best place to play some tablesoccer and get cheap drinks and a nice chat. Also great are the norrebrosession and the operasession in christiania. ice musicians and a good vibe. Avej is by far the best of the fridaybars. Nice clubbing you might find in vega, if you are into the berlin-kind of dark industrial techno and some nice mid-sized concerts.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Copenhagen?

Right next to the opera and the Copenhagen contemporary is the food market. You should stroll through there at least once. Coming from norreport station there is a place called smagsloget, a pretty decent sandwichplace. Best shawarma and falafel in town is definetly the sheik shawarma. In Norrebro they hold a competition once a year to find the best falafel and shawarma in the city. You can be a judge so dont miss that!

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Lousiana is far away but worth the trip. I also like the copenhagen contemporary a lot. If you like older stuff, the glyptoteket is nice. I liked the stanley kubric exhibition a lot. The cinematheque is just the biggest of a lot of small interesting cinemas. The blue planet was nice but imo too expensive. Pride parade is crazy! Distortion turns each neighbourhood of Copenhagen into a huge party... In the middle of christianshavn you'll find a big golden spiral kinda church. You can climb that tower all the way and have a fantastic view! Also great: buy a cheap ticket for the world-famous opera and when the lights go out check for empty seats! I did that on a danish students recommendation and enjoyed it a lot!

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Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Copenhagen in the future?

Have fun, buy a bike, don't think too much in ECTS, do what you want, dont end up only hanging around exchange students. They are nice but youll miss something!