Financial Aid and Scholarships

For the longest time, I thought study abroad was an unfeasible dream because 1.) I am a pre-med and 2.) I couldn't afford it. While sitting here at my Work Study job in the library at the DIS, I wanted to take a moment to address both of these issues for those of you who are having similar doubts.

Regarding pre-med/major requirements:

OK, this is going to vary depending on your school's policies regarding course credit from abroad. Some schools are willing to accept science credits from DIS so definitely make sure you check with your home institution because that would make things considerably easier. For me personally, even though the DIS offers Neuroscience courses, Hopkins does not accept them as going towards my Neuroscience major. Even if your school does not recognize science credits earned abroad, this is a great opportunity to fulfill some of those humanities/elective requirements. The most important thing is to plan ahead. Get all your required courses out of the way, or plan out when you are going to take them, so you can clear out a semester for study abroad. Check and double check that plan and consider the availabilities of the courses you need because the worst thing is to come back from study abroad only to realize that you now need to take a course over the summer in order to graduate. If planning ahead is difficult for you, meet up with an academic or professional adviser to see if they can provide some insight and guidance.

Regarding financial barriers:

This was definitely my primary concern. My parents are unemployed and I receive both financial aid and work study from my home institution. I also supplement that income with a few jobs off campus. But one thing to keep in mind -- education abroad is WAY cheaper than anything you can find in the States (Tuition, at least. Cost of living is another thing entirely.) My school has a great study abroad program and allows the transfer of financial aid packages to apply to study abroad programs. But other than that, you can also apply for scholarships and financial aid from DIS. There is a short application that encompasses financial aid, scholarships, and work study. All you have to do is fill it out and attach some tax information. I decided, hey what the heck, let's apply for all three. A few months later, I was awarded a $4,000 Diversity Scholarship and $500 in work study. Oh heyyyyy.

Work study comes in $250 and $500 packages. You can either work for 25 or 50 hours a semester at $10 an hour. Job opportunities include office, library, and tutoring work. When you arrive in Denmark, there is a envelope in your arrival folder that includes a form that you fill out to rank your job preferences and availabilities. Once you turn in that form, they place you within the next week. It's that easy! (Sorry, I sound like an infomercial.) I currently work 7 hours a week at the library. Once I complete my 50 hours, I can take my time sheet in to Peter, the head librarian, and he will pay me up front in kronor. Holla. Make it rain, Peter!! (I'm pretty sure he would just blink blankly at me if I were to actually say that to him in person....now I am sorely tempted.)

But yeah, finances are definitely a legitimate concern when it comes to living in Denmark. Things are EXPENSIVE here. Just to give you an idea, a latte in Copenhagen is around $6-8 and a chocolate bar is around $3. It costs around $3 to send a postcard back to the States. Spending $20 on lunch in the city is not unheard of. I'm not trying to scare you, but I can't help it when the truth is, quite honestly, terrifying. But never fear, I am here to tell you that you have options!!

Tips:
1.) Pack a lunch! If you decide to live in housing with a meal plan, you get $600 to spend on food. Buy yourself some bread and lunchmeats and you're good to go.

2.) Consider living in a folkehojskole or with a host family. In my experience, even though the housing options page on DIS says lunch is not included, most folkehojskole and host families are open to you packing a simple lunch. I can't say this is true for everyone, but most people I know have had the same experience.

3.) Get to know the currency. I don't know about you, but when I get handed foreign currency, I tend to treat it like Monopoly money. Wrap your mind around the fact that that tiny little coin with a hole in it? That's about $4 right there. Yeah. Shit just got real.

4.) Budget. This kind of ties in with the last item, but I would set an amount of money that you can spend a week. Hit up stores like Fotex, Fakta, and Netto to save money. Don't go out to bars with a bunch of money in your pocket/bra/etc. because it is a scientifically proven fact that intoxicated purse strings are the loosest. Partying and bar hopping can get expensive. Pre-gaming can save you a lot of money...If you're coming during the cold seasons, mandatory coat checks will cost you 20 kronor (~$4) at each location. Ask around for the best places to go that are both reasonably priced and bumpin'.

So yeah, I'm not telling you to spend your time in Denmark like a miserly old man pinching pennies, but there are definitely ways to save money while also having fun. Groupon.dk? Totally a thing. I'll probably post eventually about cheap/free things to do around Copenhagen.

Hope this helps! :)