Year Two Architectural Technology students immerse themselves in Danish culture during a semester abroad

Jed and Jack spent an exciting half a year living and studying in colourful Copenhagen, Denmark’s stunning capital city.

Exchange students in Denmark

Year Two BSc (Hons) Architectural Technology students, Jed Marshall and Jack O’Shea, spent six months at KEA Copenhagen School of Design and Technology studying Construction Design in Architecture.

KEA welcomes over 100 semester exchange students each year from partner institutions and sends the same number abroad. With students from over 70 different countries, KEA offers a truly international environment.

Exchange students exploring Copenhagen

Jed told us: “My course at KEA provided a different learning environment that encouraged independent learning. It covered a wide range of aspects involved in the construction process and focused on REVIT software.”

He continued: “The social life at KEA is amazing. We were with a wide range of interesting people on exchange from all over the world, mixed with a group of Danish students. All the exchange students are put together in flats of three to four people from different countries. My roommates were Dutch, Finnish, and Polish. There was always something happening and a great atmosphere everywhere.”

Jed and Jack had no trouble sorting out accommodation at KEA or their Nottingham Trent University (NTU) accommodation either. “We were given guaranteed student accommodation at KEA, and we had grants from both NTU and the Erasmus+ grant scheme.

“I already had an accommodation contract before applying to go on exchange, but was lucky enough to find someone on exchange at NTU who was happy to take on my contract for the duration of my stay abroad,” Jed explained.

Jed in Denmark

According to the Gone International: Mobility Works 2017 report, which analyses data from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, graduates who were mobile during their degree were less likely to be unemployed (3.7% compared to 4.9%), and more likely to earn 5% more than their non-mobile peers.

Jed added: “For me, the highlight of my exchange was the people I met, the amazing friends I made, and the freedom of exploring and living in a completely different environment.

“Being on exchange taught me to live on a budget and still enjoy myself. I regularly recommend going on exchange to anyone, as there is so much life experience you gain both academically and personally.”