My Exchange at DTU/Technical Denmark
I can say without a doubt that my exchange at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) was an unforgettable experience. I will be discussing my time in Denmark, life at DTU, and everything in between. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get right into it.
I’ll start with accommodation, which was my biggest concern when planning my exchange. I could only apply for DTU student accommodation a few months before the start of my exchange. I ended up securing my first choice, Lundtofte Student Residence, where all the rooms had private bathrooms, and most came with their own kitchenettes. From my experience, students will likely get a place in one of the DTU residences, although it may not be their first preference.
The university campus itself is located in Lyngby, about 35 minutes by bus from the centre of Copenhagen. I thoroughly enjoyed studying and living on campus; there was always plenty to do and many friends nearby. A significant difference from the University of Auckland was that each course had a 4-hour block in my timetable dedicated to both a lecture and a tutorial. These classes were scheduled either from 8am-12pm or 1pm-5pm. Although this was a big adjustment at first, I ended up loving it because it made it easy to have lunch with friends or go to the S-Huset after class to play table tennis and check out the board games on offer.
You have a couple of options for lunch on campus. Similar to Auckland, there are food trucks offering various cuisines. Another option I really enjoyed was the five cafeterias around campus, where you could serve yourself home-cooked meals and pay by weight.
The culture at DTU was great, as it was very welcoming to exchange students, so you definitely don’t need to worry about making friends. The semester starts off with an Intro Week, where you’re placed in a group of 10 students with a buddy who is a full-time DTU student. With your group, you get introduced to DTU clubs, classes, the grading system, cafeterias, and bars, and you even spend a day exploring Copenhagen together.
Since there is a high percentage of international students pursuing Masters degrees, DTU is very English-centric. While it’s encouraged to learn a few basic phrases in Danish, it is very easy to get around with just English.
During the semester, I was fortunate to travel around Europe with the group of friends I made. We looked for cheap RyanAir flights as well as Airbnbs or hostels on Booking.com. My first trip was to Hamburg, where my friends and I took a 5-hour Flixbus.
Overall, my exchange at DTU was an incredible experience filled with learning, new friendships, and exciting adventures.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
Collaborative learning was a highlight of my academic experience. In my engineering classes, we had tutorials that encouraged collaboration, and we worked together to solve problems. In my business classes, there were lots of discussions on case studies and group activities. I even had a class assessed entirely as a group, where we worked on a semester-long project. For our exam, we presented the project to the teacher along with a group report.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Winter swimming! It is very common in Denmark, and I highly recommend trying it. I personally went winter swimming at Bellevue Beach in February. Although the water was absolutely freezing at around 4 degrees, it was incredibly fun. It’s quite typical to follow a winter swim with a trip to the sauna, but this often requires a sauna membership. My friends and I decided to do it without the sauna and still really enjoyed it. My top tip is to bring warm clothes to put on afterwards.
Additionally, I recommend renting a bike with Swapfiets, which offers a monthly bike subscription. I absolutely loved it. It made it really easy to get to campus, buy groceries, and explore the city.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- Make sure to talk to as many people as possible during Intro Week and continue to put yourself out there throughout the entire exchange. Making friends from around the world was the highlight from my exchange.
- Don’t let the cold weather dissuade you from enjoying Copenhagen. There are plenty of museums and neighbourhoods to explore, even when the weather isn’t great. My favourite place to visit was Nørrebro, which had the best cafes and thrift shops.
- Be sure to travel around Denmark itself; there’s so much more to see beyond Copenhagen. Some of my favourite places were Skagen (where the North Sea and Baltic Sea meet), Aarhus, and Helsingør.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
Before I left for Copenhagen, I constantly heard about how expensive it was, and for the most part, I would completely agree. However, it doesn’t have to be too expensive if you’re on a budget. I started out very strict with my initial budget, but halfway through, I realised I was missing out on trying different foods and visiting cute cafes, so I decided to increase my budget.
Personally, I ended up spending $400 NZD per week on accommodation and $200 per week on groceries and dining out.
One important lesson I learned is that weekend trips can be quite costly, even if you find cheap RyanAir flights. The cost of accommodation, food, and activities in each city can quickly add up.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
I discovered how essential it is to have an open mind. Moving to a country halfway around the world, surrounded by a different language and culture, was a significant challenge. However, I learned that navigating life becomes much easier when you are open to meeting new people, trying new foods, and embracing new ideas. This openness not only improves your experiences but also allows you to grow personally.
This spirit of openness is something I plan to bring back to New Zealand. I am eager to explore my own country, to check out its famous hikes, and to visit all the cool towns.
Final Comments
Have an open mind and try new things!
