Life in Denmark as an International High Schooler
One year ago, I packed my bags and moved from Lyon – France’s third-largest city – to Grenaa, a small Danish town in Jutland which most people can’t even point to on a map. When people back home found out where I was going, they thought I was crazy; and the fact that my brother would tell them I was going to a random Danish village in the middle of nowhere definitely didn’t help much (although, to be fair, he wasn’t that far off from the truth).
But the reason for my departure was Denmark’s unique international boarding school system.
Let me quickly explain: Denmark has a total of 13 public IB schools, many of which also offer boarding facilities. These schools offer the IB Diploma Programme, a two-year high school program taught in English, with an international, multidisciplinary curriculum. The IB is a very rigorous and internationally recognized diploma, known for opening doors to universities worldwide. The same programme is taught in over 160 countries, so IB graduates have a shared experience no matter where they graduate.
In the IB, students study 6 subjects, 3 at Higher Level and 3 at Standard Level, which include subjects in languages, science, maths, humanities, and the arts. This program also requires students to participate in sports, creative activities and volunteering known as CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) – which emphasizes real-world experiences and learning outside of the classroom. Another distinctive element of the IB is the Extended Essay, a 4000-word research essay in a subject of your choice, which prepares students for university-level work (in fact, I’m working on it right now – it’s both exciting and stressful). Overall, this curriculum is known for teaching its students academic, time management and interdisciplinary skills.
In other countries, the IB diploma is mostly offered in private schools, and the few IB boarding schools that exist are known for being very expensive and elitist. In Denmark, on the other hand, the IB is offered in public schools for free, and boarding schools are subsidized by the government, reflecting Danish values of education as a public good. This makes Denmark one of the most affordable destinations for European students who want to study the IB.
I’m sure you’ll understand why, when a friend told me about the possibility of studying IB in Denmark, I immediately applied. I wanted to challenge myself academically, live in an international environment, become more independent, and leave my comfort zone. I had heard great things about Denmark, and it seemed like the perfect place to spend my next two years (two or more – who knows).
Thus, without ever having been to Denmark before, I found myself in Grenaa, surrounded by 260 students from 28 different countries (from Mexico to Portugal, Romania, and Australia).
There was a stark contrast between the strict, rigid French education system, and the more relaxed collaborative Danish culture, and I quickly knew I had made the right choice. Since then, I’ve made some amazing friendships, been exposed to different cultures, and learned to balance heavy workloads with social life. I can confidently say that Denmark has changed me for the better, and that my journey is just starting.
That’s why, through this column, I want to share my experience: from going on study trips and joining a Danish football club as an international to late-night study sessions. I will also interview students and recent graduates to see why they chose to study in Denmark, whether they end up going to university in Denmark or abroad, and how their expectations compare to reality. Stay tuned for all this and more in the upcoming episodes.
Whether you’re curious why hundreds of international high schoolers choose Denmark, wondering what life is like in a small Danish town full of students from around the world, or know a teenager who might dream of this kind of education, this column is for you. I truly believe that, for international high-schoolers, Denmark is Europe’s best-kept secret, and this column will take you inside it.
