Details

• Denmark
• MASIMC-17
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 6 months

1. Preparation

I can’t say much about it, except that I don’t think Aarhus is a top priority for WU students. Aarhus was my sixth (and last) choice. Preparations for the semester abroad start quite early. Course registration began in March/April, and you also have to register with the Danish authorities in advance before you travel. I flew to Copenhagen and then continued on to Aarhus from there. There are no direct flights to Aarhus. From Copenhagen to Aarhus, the train is the fastest and most comfortable option, but it’s significantly more expensive than Flixbus if you don’t book tickets in advance (seat reservations are recommended), which is the second-best option in my opinion.

2. Accommodation

I finalized my search for housing through the university. Around the same time you register for classes, you’ll have the option to apply for university-provided housing. Here, you can list three preferences for the type of housing (e.g., studio apartment with a private kitchen and bathroom, shared apartments, or rooms in student dorms with a shared kitchen). I was assigned a studio apartment, but it was located quite far out (about a 25-minute bike ride to the university or downtown). The rent was around €450, and the apartment was quite old, especially the bathroom. For the price it was still quite decent. Other options include looking for shared apartments or rentals on Facebook (in hindsight, probably the best option) or private student dorms like Unity or Basecamp. In general, I recommend looking for an apartment that’s relatively close to the city center or the university. Public transportation (one tram line and buses) is quite expensive, and the last bus usually leaves shortly before midnight (except on Saturdays, as far as I can remember). The best mode of transportation is a bicycle (Swapfiets are very popular and an affordable alternative), but riding one can get pretty tiring pretty quickly since the city is very hilly.

3. Academic life at host university

The various departments at Aarhus University are scattered throughout the city and aren’t all located in the same place. The BSS campus moved to a new location right after my semester abroad and is now closer to the other departments. Before that, the BSS campus was quite isolated at a different location. I can’t say much about the new location, since I was there very rarely due to the greater distance from my apartment. In general, the food in the cafeteria was very good and affordable, and the Royal Library at the university’s “main campus” was also very nice, but you have to get there very early to get a seat. I think you can view the academic culture there as very relaxed, even though the local students tend to stress themselves out and put a lot of pressure on themselves. There is no mandatory attendance for any lectures, and there are no grades for class participation or midterm assignments; only the final exam at the end of the course is graded, and other work may not be included. In Denmark, oral exams are also used relatively frequently, which was unusual for me as a WU student. Lectures usually last 2 hours, though the “academic quarter-hour” is strictly observed. So if a lecture is scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m., it starts at 8:15 a.m., followed by a 15-minute break after 45 minutes, and then the remaining 45 minutes of the lecture. The lectures were mostly traditional lectures based on papers that you were supposed to have read in advance. From my own experience, I can say that you don’t need to stress if you haven’t read the weekly papers—as long as you start studying in good time before the exam, you’ll be fine. The grading scale is also different; in Denmark, a seven-point grading scale is used. My professors were all very nice, too; we were on a first-name basis with them.

5. Every day life in the host country

A monthly pass for public transportation costs around €65, and single rides are about €2. I decided to rent a bike through Swapfiets for €20 a month (plus some fairly low one-time fees). In my opinion, bikes are the best option in Aarhus. You’re much more flexible since the bus stops are poorly located and don’t run at night. Especially if you don’t live within walking distance of the city center (for me it was a 1.5 hour walk), you definitely need a bike if you’re out and about later in the evening. Uber has been available in Denmark since May 2025 and is a good option now and then, but of course very expensive in the long run. Cycling, however, can be really exhausting. People underestimate it, but the city is very hilly, and practically every Dane gets around on an e-bike. So be warned, because biking can also get very annoying very fast, especially during the colder months and bad weather. Swapfiets also offers upgrades to an e-bike, but the price is then relatively close to that of a monthly pass for public transportation. If you decide to get a bike, you should definitely not forget a rain jacket and rain pants. The weather can be very changeable, and you can quickly get soaked from head to toe. The city is extremely safe; I haven’t heard a single person mention a dangerous situation. On the contrary, others constantly pointed out how safe the city is. The city isn't huge, but there are plenty of things to do while you're there. There are plenty of shopping options (thrift stores, department stores, etc.), museums, and in August and early September, the water temperatures are still tolerable. There are excellent restaurants and pubs, and there’s plenty of nature to enjoy as well. Trips to other Scandinavian countries or nearby Danish towns are also easy to plan. The nightlife is also great on weekends (during the week, the city is pretty empty and restaurants close relatively early). We hardly ever went to clubs; we mostly went bar-hopping—the bars are all close together in the city center—or went to so-called Friday bars. Especially when going out, it’s easy to strike up a conversation with Danes and have a good time; otherwise, they tend to be rather reserved. We went to two soccer games (one of which was free for students), a free handball game, and a university music festival, and there are plenty of activities organized by the “studenterhus” on campus. The university has regularly been named the best exchange destination in recent years, and you can tell by the number of social events there. Especially at the beginning, it’s important to participate in as many of them as possible. Together with the BSS intro days (you’re assigned to a buddy group with other exchange students and Danish buddies), this is the best way to make friends as quickly as possible. As for sports, I went for a gym membership at Fitnessx (similar to Fitinn/Fitone/Cleverfit; also in terms of price) and I have heard from others that they offer a lot of free gym classes. Running is very popular in Aarhus, there are a lot of running clubs that you can join.

6. Testimonial

At first, I was pretty disappointed, since Aarhus was my last choice and I would have much rather gone to Stockholm or Oslo. Looking back, I can say that I had an amazing time in Aarhus and I’m glad I ended up there. I quickly found a close-knit group of friends with whom I did a lot of things and had a lot of fun. I think it’s not the academic experience that defines Aarhus, but the student life. If you embrace it, you’ll have a very enriching time there.