By Kevin Ruddy
For many students, moving abroad for a new challenge can be rather difficult, especially if you are an international student who has no clear idea of where to go or what the cost of living will be like compared to their already established lifestyle back home in their respective countries.
Aarhus, situated on the east coast of the Jutland peninsular, is the second biggest city in Denmark (Copenhagen being the first) and is home to over 335,000 people. With 6 mainstay universities in the area, with over 20% of inhabitants being students in the city of Aarhus.
While Aarhus does offer numerous places to stay during their studies, the majority of universities do not incorporate on-campus dorms for international students or Danish students.
Student dorms are the most common point of contention for many undergraduates, as the cost of private housing can be an even bigger burden.
With its high rate of students, the city of Aarhus has been referred to as the ‘’youth capital’’ of the world, with its high scale facilities and top-notch selection of universities. However, for some student’s, coping with the daily pressures of managing finances and sticking to a budget can be a challenge.
For Danish student Jennifer Wiencken, the cost of living as a student has been a test of significance since starting her studies as a bio-analyst at VIA University College all the way back in 2019.
‘’I have been a student for a little over 2 years now, I have enjoyed living in Aarhus very much as it is a welcoming city, but the price of a social life on top of rent and basic utilities can be overwhelming for the most part.’’
Jennifer (23) is currently situated in Børglum Kollegiet accommodation and admits that not having a job isn’t all bad but thinks it would be a good idea to find a part-time job if you enjoy regular social life.
‘’Being a student here, I have noticed being able to get a lot of discounts on many things, cafes and stores mainly, I have considered looking for a job, I am a social animal, so money is convenient for those wild nights out.’’
The rise of cost in 2022 and beyond
Like many countries, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has seen a major increase in basic living essentials and more significantly in the growth in rent. According to a study from ‘Danske Bank’, Denmark has seen its prices skyrocket by around 15.7% in houses, 17.9% in apartments and over 26.4% with vacation homes, when measured in May 2021.
However, with the ever-increasing range of rent with regards to student housing and more specifically private housing in the past couple of years in Denmark, the increase for student accommodation has been noticeable Jennifer admits.
”Before deciding where I wanted to study after high school, there were a lot of factors I needed to look at, one of them, of course, was accommodation and the overall pricing of each college. At the time I was told by my family to avoid private housing, as it is more expensive and not as safe as a student dorm. Then I landed on Børglum Kollegiet and it has paid dividends for me”.
As Jennifer is a Danish student, moving from Hotrup to Aarhus and making that hour and a half drive across Denmark was not as much as an issue as she first thought, staying in constant contact with the university when finalising her stay in Børglum Kollegiet was a major coup and says she is lucky to not have to be in international student’s shoes.
”Obviously, the stress of moving from another country to one you have little to no familiarity with is very stressful and I cannot imagine the anxiety before moving in and meeting new people for the first time. But compared to private housing, it’s cheap AF! You get to meet a lot of different people, you always those people to talk to and the house parties are a great way of making new friendships”
International student Lucky Whitburn-Thomas has also expressed his opinion on what it’s like to live in Aarhus as a student and why he chose student accommodation.
‘’Coming from San Francisco State University, I knew in advance all the possible problems I would face as an international moving to Europe.
”I began my exchange program last month in January 2022. ‘’I didn’t consider private accommodation because of cost and getting the chance to meet other Danish students.’’
”The only con would be managing the anxieties of spreading/receiving covid during this pandemic.”
”Since I moved out here last month the main pros are that I have the chance to meet other students, learn the lifestyle of students here in Denmark, and have a mini support network.”
For many students, looking for a part-time job for the duration of time for this semester would be the smart plan moving forward admits Lucky;
”I have had a few jobs throughout college, but luckily this semester I received a scholarship. However, I do think it would be smart for me to get a job now so that I could earn money that could provide me with a cushion when I graduate at the end of June 2022.”
Find more about Børglum Kollegiet and its service here:
https://www.boerglumkollegiet.dk/
Jennifer Wiencken:
Phone Number:
+45 60739979
Email:
Jenniferwiencken@hotmail.com
Lucky Whitburn-Thomas:
Phone Number:
+45 91623997
Email:
luckymwt@gmail.com
