David’s Ex­ch­an­ge Se­mes­ter in Copen­ha­gen

The first time I went to Copenhagen was in 2018, while traveling with my high school class. I felt very attracted by the "hygge" culture in Denmark, the laid-back and friendly vibes on the streets of CPH and also by the fact that the city has a lot to offer for young people. I always wanted to live in a metropolitan city during my 20s and was very keen to do an exchange.
The decision to go study in Copenhagen for a semester was therefore an easy one. I love to be in an international environment, practice in English and meet people from all over the world to gain new perspectives and impressions.

Thanks to the International Office at FHGR, the application process ran very smoothly as they helped me navigate through all needed documentation and processes. 

The KEA is a very design-oriented school. The teaching was very practice-oriented since most of the teachers have a background in advertising agencies. They also use their network to invite brand owners (ex.: Nordgreen), so that the students can work on real-life problems and get direct feedback from the company. Additionally, the school invites a lot of guest speakers, especially on fast-moving topics like Social Media.

Academically, the teaching style felt less challenging at KEA then it does at FHGR. However, it was amazing and I learned very valuable and practical skills. Another positive aspect worth to mention are the facilities. The school offers camera material, 3D-Printers, a Podcast-Studio and more.

During my time in Copenhagen I stayed at an accommodation called Nido Living in Islands Brygge. Most residents are international and the housing is priced rather high, yet it's a place I can really recommend. Most students stay at Basecamp which is recommended by KEA and surely a pleasant place to stay at. If looking for cheaper student housing, there's the following Organisation: s.dk which got recommended to me by local students.

All of the exchange students were very friendly and easy to talk to, which made the whole exchange very social. A big misconception that I had before going to Denmark, was that Danes are rather reserved people - which turned out not to be true at all. It's quite easy to make Danish friends since they are very interested in international people and their culture. They are insanely kind, open-minded and loyal.

In my experience, the weather during winter was completely fine - but when summer comes closer, you surely experience the real Copenhagen. Consider staying over summer as well, since you might be sad you have to leave when the time comes. Like that you have a chance to fully experience the city with your new friends.

Academically and professionally, I learned from amazing people and made valuable connections with people that can be beneficial for future opportunities. Companies and agencies work with KEA to find talented interns, so it is very well possible to find a job if you put in the work.

I am sad to have to leave Copenhagen, especially because of all the good friends I made during this time. But it's a valuable experience to have made those connections. At the time I'm writing this report, I'm staying in Portugal with three other exchange students I met at KEA. 😊

Overall, I would surely recommend an exchange semester. It was a 10/10 experience! And if you're still thinking about which location to chose for your exchange, I can tell you that I haven't met one person in Copenhagen that wasn't satisfied with the city. 😉 Also, whatever place you choose to stay at, try making friends with the locals as they will be able to show you the "hidden gems" of the place you're staying at.