Semester in Copenhagen
Unique Experiences
Pull up a chair at the Absalon Folkehuset
"People's House" to a unique, über-Danish community dinner experience, replete with homestyle food at shared tables
Discover the world-famous Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
where stunning contemporary art meets breathtaking coastal views in an unforgettable cultural experience
Learn how "to cozy" from the world champions of "hygge"
at our special hygge nights at the center, where good conversation and cozy relaxation are an ideal way to spend the evenings
400 KM
OF BIKE PATHS IN COPENHAGEN, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST BICYCLE-FRIENDLY CITIES IN THE WORLD
2nd
RANK IN THE WORLD HAPPINESS INDEX
2025
IS THE YEAR BY WHICH COPENHAGEN AIMS TO BE CARBON NEUTRAL, SHOWCASING ITS COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
Your Destination
Copenhagen has considerably transformed in the past decade and emerged as a "must-stop" destination in Europe. Despite playing host to more than 600,000 residents, Copenhagen retains an old-world, small village feel – with more bicycles than cars traveling its streets. In Europe's safest capital city, students discover an endless array of cultural activities, history, architecture, and more.
For students passionate about sustainability, social innovation, and progressive societies, Copenhagen is the ultimate study abroad destination. The city serves as a living laboratory for green urban planning, cutting-edge social policies, and democratic engagement. Its dynamic community prioritizes environmental stewardship, social equity, and participatory governance, creating unmatched opportunities for hands-on learning and real-world inspiration.
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Copenhagen.
The Culture
Excursions & Activities
- Experience contemporary art at Cisterne in Søndermarken, an underground venue that hosts captivating art exhibitions
- Explore Assistens Cemetery where students learn about notable Danish figures and the cultural heritage of the city
- Spend an afternoon exploring Freetown Christiana, an opportunity to experience the world-famous social experiment
- Meet GEFION, probably the world’s most powerful AI supercomputer, at a guest lecture and tour of the Danish Center for AI Innovation
- Time travel to the future at GreenLab Skive, where you’ll explore tomorrow’s green technologies, including power-to-X and green hydrogen
- Discover sustainable energy systems in action at Samsø’s Energy Academy, Denmark’s cutting edge of sustainability in action
Directed Independent Research
For-credit Directed Independent Research is for qualified students who have demonstrated academic rigor and curiosity towards a particular research topic. Independent research topics will be approved by the CIEE Copenhagen Academic Director and home institutions and must reflect a topic that is relevant to local expertise. To be accepted into this course, students must submit a structured proposal with a topic of exploration, significance of research topic as it relates to local expertise, methodology, a literature review, and a schedule of research milestones. Upon research completion, students will present their findings to a panel of academics. An example of a recent project is, “The Unsustainable Green and the Looming Nuclear Age: An Analysis of the Misrepresentation of Biomass and Nuclear Energy in Danish and International Environmental Policy and its Impact on Europe’s Energy Transition.”
Program Blogs
Top 10 Danish Slang Words & Phrases You Must Know
Known for its rich cultural heritage, picturesque landscapes, and relaxed vibes, Denmark has a lot to offer. Teach yourself some essential Danish slang words and phrases that will have you... keep reading
Hygge: One of the best parts of Danish culture
Written by: Grace Beaster a student from: Open Campus Sring Block 1 2025 One of the best parts of Danish culture that I’ve discovered while here is a concept called... keep reading
The Schengen Area? What’s that?
By: Evelyn Bartlett The Schengen Area? What’s that? I’d never heard of it - at least until I’d applied to study abroad and suddenly had to learn about travel restrictions... keep reading
Housing & Meals
Housing
CIEE Copenhagen offers two different housing options to ensure you're comfortable in your home away from home. Housing options are located in neighborhoods with convenient access to efficient and clean public transportation, shops, cafés, grocery stores, and anything you’d need to live like a true Copenhagener.
- Standard Housing: Includes a single room in a residence hall or a shared room in a shared apartment, within a 35-minute commute to CIEE Center. Residence Halls: The single rooms are equipped with small kitchens and an en suite bathroom. Residence halls provide shared common spaces with a larger, communal kitchen, multiple study and hangout areas, and gym facilities.
- Shared Apartments: Apartments feature double and/or triple rooms, with shared living areas, bathrooms and a full kitchen.
Select Housing: Includes a double room at a residence hall located within a 15-minute walk from CIEE Copenhagen. Each dorm room is equipped with a kitchenette and an en suite bathroom, along with shared common spaces including a communal kitchen, multiple study and hangout areas, and gym facilities. Select housing requires an additional fee.
- Residence Halls: Located in the heart of the city, double rooms are equipped with small kitchens and an en suite bathroom. Residence halls provide shared common spaces with a larger, communal kitchen, multiple study and hangout areas, and gym facilities.
- Shared Apartments: Apartments feature single rooms, with shared living areas, bathrooms, and a full kitchen.
A note: The default criterion to assign housing is first-come, first-served; however, other factors may also be considered. If we cannot accommodate your first housing choice, we'll let you know before you arrive. Non-standard housing options require an additional fee that can be found in the program Dates and Fees.
Meals
Residence Hall and Shared Apartments: Meals are not included. Students prepare their own meals in their own kitchenette or the residence hall’s shared kitchen facilities. CIEE provides basic cooking utensils and cleaning supplies. There is also a wide range of restaurants and cafes located nearby.
Academics
The Semester in Copenhagen program offers a well-rounded academic structure that balances rigorous coursework with experiential learning. Students enroll in 4-5 courses per semester, earning a total of 12-16 U.S. semester credits. The curriculum includes CIEE courses and the option to take up to two ASU online courses – up to 8 credit hours. This academic flexibility allows students to customize their learning experience based on their interests and career goals.
Courses span a wide array of disciplines, including business, communication, literature, social sciences, philosophy, humanities, environmental sciences, and international studies. A unique feature of the program is the opportunity to participate in Directed Independent Research, enabling students to pursue in-depth study on topics aligned with local expertise. These research projects culminate in presentations to academic panels, reflecting the program's emphasis on both intellectual rigor and practical application.
The academic environment encourages active student participation through a blend of lectures, discussions, and co-curricular activities. Classes are held Monday through Thursday and often incorporate co-curricular activities and excursions to enhance academic and cultural understanding. All courses are conducted in English, but students can deepen their cultural immersion through the optional "Survival Danish" course, which provides basic language and cultural insights to enrich their time in Copenhagen.
Arizona State University: Enhance your international academic coursework with optional online courses that best align with your degree requirements and interests. ASU offers thousands of online courses in asynchronous sessions that fit within the CIEE academic calendar, so you can study abroad with CIEE while continuing to meet all your academic goals.
Course Information
Academic Projects
Business, Economics, Management, and Marketing
History, Philosophy, Religion
Literature, Linguistics, and Writing
Social Sciences
Biological and Physical Sciences
Natural Resources, Conservation, and the Environment
Psychology
CIEE proudly partners with ASU to deliver asynchronous, online coursework that aligns with your degree requirements from anywhere you study abroad.
CIEE and ASU offer courses online per program eligibility, at no additional charge. Be sure to review online courses with your home school advisor.
Check the CIEE Program Dates and ASU start dates below to maximize course options within your program!
Search ASU Online Courses BROWSE FAQs for more INFO
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.
Scholarships & Grants
CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
- MSI Grant
- Trailblazer Grant
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application.
Dates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Fall 2025 12 weeks | Start Date * | End Date * | Fees & Housing $14,500 |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
| Participation Confirmation | $300 * |
| Educational Costs | $9,256 ** |
| Housing | $4,750 *** |
| Insurance | $194 |
| Total Fees | $14,500 |
Optional Housing
CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee. Housing is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis; however, other factors may also be considered.
| Select Housing Fee | $600 |
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
| Meals not included in program fee | $1,065 † |
| International Airfare | $1,250 †† |
| Local Transportation | $130 |
| Books & Supplies | $25 |
| Personal expenses | $200 ††† |
| Total Costs | $2,670 |
*non-refundable fee
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
***Housing fees listed are for financial aid purposes only and should not be considered a basis for calculation of refunds.
†For groceries if you plan on making your own meals, budget more money if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
What's Included
Tuition
Housing
Pre-departure Advising
Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet
Orientation
Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city
On-site Staff
Full-time program leadership and support in your city
Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
Excursions and/or Study Tours
Travel Protection
CIEE iNext travel protection
24/7 emergency on-site support
Our Staff
Robert Cassidy
Center Director
Robert Cassidy draws on a diverse background in neuroscience and leadership in higher education. Originally from New Orleans, Rob pursued studies in biology and neuroscience in Washington, D.C., followed by...
Olsi Kusta
Academic Director
As Academic director for CIEE Copenhagen, Olsi Kusta brings a diverse professional career that blends practice-oriented research skills with problem solving approaches in logistics and education. He engages with researching...
Get Started
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Connect With Your Campus Study Abroad Office
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad.
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Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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