Student Cities in Denmark

The students in Denmark are often hesitant to choose a city in which to receive their education. Since they will spend the next few years there, it is important to carefully evaluate each option. Which is better – to be a student in a smaller or a bigger city? Maybe something in the middle? Or why not Copenhagen? This is not an easy decision. However, thanks to our own life experience in the country, our observations from all the students we have sent to Denmark, will give you our objective guidelines!

At the very beginning, a lot of students and their parents, considering higher education in Denmark, wonder which are the universities in Copenhagen. As the capital and largest city in Denmark, this is perhaps the most logical question. Indeed, the main comparison here must be made between Copenhagen and all other cities in Denmark. But is Copenhagen really the right choice? The answer to this question is strictly individual and we will try to give you the information you need to make the right decision for your own future. We should mention that worldwide some of the most prestigious universities are located in much smaller towns – Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard. This is by no means accidental, as it gives the students a greater opportunity to concentrate on their education, as long as they want to, of course:

1. The accommodation expenses are significantly lower in smaller cities. You have to plan an amount of 250-300 euros per month, and this amount can be significantly less if you play your cards correctly and submit documents for student dormitories earlier than everyone else. In contrast, in Copenhagen, a price of 500 euros per month is quite normal. We have dedicated a very detailed page to the accommodation in Denmark.
2. The process of finding an accommodation. The bigger the city, the greater the demand for accommodation, both from foreign students in Denmark and from everyone else. When you do not live in Denmark, securing your first accommodation is a slightly more complicated process. The bigger the city, the higher the possibility of getting cheated (scammed) if you do not follow the necessary recommendations!
3. Expenses – the bigger the city, the more expensive the life gets. This applies both to the prices in the shops and to any services you may want to use – hairdressers, beauty studios, mechanics, repair shops, locksmiths, etc. As students in Denmark, this may really burden your budget, especially in the beginning, when you have not yet found your part-time job, which will be enough for you to support yourself on your own.
4. Distance – a huge advantage of the small towns is that almost everything is 15 minutes by bike from you, in the worst case. This automatically excludes your public transport costs, which you will have in the other case! We should also mention the inconvenience of Copenhagen with the huge distances that often prevent students from seeing each other – lack of time and money… It can take more than an hour to get to the center from some of the districts in the capital. Furthermore, the public transport in Copenhagen is not the cheapest with a starting price of 2 EURO for 2 zones! For reference, Copenhagen is spread over 8 zones!
5. United community – this is probably the most important factor to adapt as a newly arrived student in Denmark. Every new beginning is difficult and finding good friends to spend time with is irreplaceable. The smaller cities offer to the international students in Denmark the opportunity to feel a part of a large family. This is quite difficult to achieve in the capital. On the weekends, you will have fewer places to relax, which means that you will almost always find one of your friends (or a whole group) wherever you go. If you want to have a party, be sure that you will not be left alone! Do not think that you will be bored – in every city there are enough student organizations and activities that will fill your time quite quickly, as long as you really want that.
6. Of course, the big city has its advantages and the biggest of them is the significantly larger number of businesses, which means more job opportunities. Finding a job in Copenhagen is much easier than anywhere else in Denmark. However, we should remind you that 95% of the international students in Denmark work regardless of their city.
7. Opportunity for professional development – logically, over 90% of the international companies are located in the capital Copenhagen. After completing their education, many students move to Copenhagen to start working in their field. Usually, this is due to the fact that they have not invested in learning the language. However, those who speak Danish are able relatively quickly to find their new job and do not have to deal with the higher competition, the noise, the new environment, high prices and the crowds of the big city.

Below you can read about each of the student cities in Denmark!