UQ Program: Bachelor of Commerce/Law
All the testimonials on the UQ abroad website have a consistent theme – that doing an exchange is one of the best experiences you can do. After reading these testimonials, I had to find out for myself…and it did not disappoint. Being my final semester of Commerce/Law, I left it quite late but it was certainly one of the most rewarding decisions I have made.
I studied at the University of Copenhagen and took 3 classes - Public International Law, International Financial Transactions and Negotiation. The class sizes were much smaller than UQ, maybe 20 people, but it made for much more interesting and engaging classes. The lecturers were also very good and the work load was not extreme at all. I had 3 exams (no mid-semesters), all worth 100%. If you have any reservations about oral exams, you don’t need to worry as the 2 oral exams I took were far easier than written exams back home. For my negotiation class, the exam basically consisted of a negotiation between you and the lecturer which was certainly a little different than the typical exam format.
I lived in a college (or Kollegium) called Egmont Kollegium which I would highly recommend exchange students apply for. I applied independently for this college through their website and took their offer over an apartment offered to me by the university. Egmont consists of about 98% Danes and there are about 10 guys and 10 girls living on each floor. One of the best things about living at Egmont is that I have made over 20 close Danish friends and really experienced Danish culture. I have been to some of the best parties I have ever been to here and I really loved the college setup. If you are considering applying to Egmont I would recommend taking some Danish classes as it would definitely come in handy.
In general, the weather is not great but you quickly adjust and when there is a sunny day, you tend to appreciate it a lot more than back home. Some of my best experiences have been relaxing with some friends next to the lakes or in the park, while the sun is still up and shining at 9.30pm in the evening. There is always something happening in Copenhagen – it is truly the best student city I have ever been to. One of the best experiences I had was attending the ‘Distortion Festival’ – a 4-day street party packed with thousands of Danes enjoying good music and having a great time. Another great thing about Copenhagen is that you can cycle everywhere. Rain, hail or shine, it is a must for any student and much more convenient and cheaper than public transport.
I really got a lot out of this exchange. Not only was it great to experience a different university, city and culture, I have made lifelong friends and have great memories. I definitely learnt a lot about myself as well, and I think from a personal development point of view, it is one of the best things I ever did. I would highly recommend Copenhagen to anyone considering an exchange.