Details

• Denmark
• MAECO-22
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 6 months

1. Preparation

For the application process, look at whether the courses offered are compatible with your curriculum and what really interests you. For preparation, I started with learning Danish on Duolingo early on (all Danes know English very very well, but sometimes, it makes life easier in the supermarket or if you go out eating, etc.). Administratively, it was very well organized from Aarhus University for course registration, accommodation, etc., so try to do that early on. If you go by train, try to book your train early, as it is cheaper (and maybe look into the Erasmus+ interrail ticket)

2. Accommodation

Accommodation search was quite easy in my experience: For incoming students, AU offers "AU housing" (subsidized housing, student residences). One can apply for it and order different housing types in terms of your own preferences. I was in a student residence, where I shared the bathroom and the kitchen with another girl on Erasmus. It was quite up north in the city (Skejby). I always felt safe, and it took me about 15-20min with the bike to go to the university (but the BSS campus moves from the summer term onwards and will now be nearer at the university park, so it will take only 10-15min by bike). Tips I wish I'd known beforehand: In Denmark, it is legal to have a "maintenance period" : So it can be the case that you have to move out up to 14 working days before your contract officially ends. In my case, it is 7 days before and the date is before my last exam, so I had to organize accommodation for the remaining week as I could not extend the contract - maybe consider that.

3. Academic life at host university

Campus infrastructure was very fine (but as BSS campus is moving, I cannot make judgements about the new campus infrastructure, but I think that will be even nicer) Academic culture is quite easy-going, the lecturers are very nice. A very nice additional feature of Aarhus university: Every Friday, they have the "Fredagsbars" all around campus, where you can go Fridaybar-Hopping (there are about 30-40 of them in total, @fredagsbarguiden on IG) Teaching style (for my courses) is a little bit different than at WU: You have 100% weight on the final exam and no (graded) assignments whatsoever during the semester. What I liked is that they encourage working in study groups, which enables you to come in contact with some Danes easier. In terms of class size, it is comparable to WU I'd say, maybe the course size are a little bit larger, but that also depends a lot.

5. Every day life in the host country

I rented a Swapfiets bike for the entirety of the stay, the bike infrastructure is very well developed - also in comparison to Vienna. Public transport (busses, lightrail) is existent, but rather expensive and inflexible, so I did not use that too often. Safety is not an issue at all, the Danish society is very respectful. Every friday are the fridaybars, there are also a lot of events at the student house and offered by ESN (I personally did not participate in much of those to be honest). Also my dorm offered some social activites, which was really nice. In Aarhus, there are always a lot of events and festivals, especially when christmastime comes around. Check out Facebook for those. I went to a gym (FitnessX), which has multiple locations in Aarhus and was very (!) happy with it, lots of young people and they also have courses in offer. I shared the membership with a friend (adding a "trainingfriend") so that it was cheaper. There are also many parks and forests to go running (but beware that it is very hilly in Aarhus)

6. Testimonial

I really enjoyed my exchange! It was a perfect mixture of uni, social life and travelling. Denmark is a very beautiful country I can only recommend to travel to.