Semester in Copenhagen
New for Fall 2025!
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
How to spend your free time in Copenhagen
Written by Evan Dobkin Fall Block 1 student: While studying abroad in any location, there are times where you will find yourself free of plans. How you spend this time... keep reading
A Danish Passion: Handball aka Håndbold in Danish
A Danish Passion: Handball aka Håndbold in Danish Håndbold as the word describes, is a sport where a small ball is played among players with their hands. One might think... keep reading
Pros and Cons: Study Abroad in Copenhagen
By: Isabella del Rosario When studying abroad you will likely visit lots of different types of cities. Some you will really enjoy and some maybe not so much. During my... 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 well-equipped single room with ample common facilities available with approximately a 35-minute metro commute to the city center and the CIEE Copenhagen study center. Alternatively, shared apartments with a similar location and commute are occasionally available.
Select Housing: Includes a well-equipped double room (in limited supply) in the heart of Copenhagen, roughly a 10-minute walk from the CIEE Copenhagen study center. These accommodations come with ample common facilities, like hangout spaces, larger kitchens for entertaining, exercise rooms, etc.
Meals
Students are responsible for meals, either preparing them at home or eating out in one of many restaurants and cafés in the city. Onsite staff can help them find the most economical strategies.
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 7.5-week 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
Course Information:
Examples of potential CIEE courses:
- Study of Scandinavian Happiness
- Sustainable City Planning in Copenhagen
- Sustainable Tourism
- Vikings in the Conquest of Europe
- The Literature and Life of H. C. Andersen
- Culture and Cuisine
- Cross Cultural Psychology
- Urban Ecology
- Directed Independent Research
CIEE proudly partners with ASU to deliver asynchronous, 100% 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:
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
- MSI 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 * |
*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.
Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
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.
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 brings a background in neuroscience and extensive leadership experience in higher education. Originally from New Orleans, Rob studied biology and neuroscience in Washington, D.C., before conducting research in...
Olsi Kusta
Academic Director
Olsi Kusta has been the academic director for CIEE Copenhagen since March and brings very diverse professional career that blends practice-oriented research skills with problem solving approaches in logistics and...
Get Started
1
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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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