39 new homes for Science students

As the only faculty of the University of Copenhagen (UCPH), the new unified Faculty of Science will make a housing offer to international students on its full-degree programme.

Already, 39 new housing options are on hand, and more are bound to come, says Charlotte Simonsen of the Science housing department:

“As long as you apply two months in advance, we can guarantee you a housing offer. Afterwards it is up to you, whether you accept the offer or not,” she says.

Hopes up for even more rooms

For the rest of the University of Copenhagen, housing offers are only given to international students on an exchange programme, with full-degree students on longer stays treated to the same service level as Danish students with no housing offers.

Read article: 1/3 of all full degree students homeless on arrival

This contrasts with full-degree students outside Science, who are left to find a place to live on their own. This may look like a favouring of science students. But the upsurge in funding should be viewed as the first steps in UCPH’s future centralization plans, explains Charlotte Simonsen.

As of 1 September this year, all housing departments of UCPH are due to be united. This is expected to result in more rooms for international students – and not just from Science.

Just 12 months

Housing employees are therefore on pins and needles in anticipation of the upcoming fusion.

»We always have a lot more applicants during the autumn season,« explains Charlotte Simonsen, with reference to the greater number of international students arriving: Those who are going to stay only a semester plus those hoping to stay in Copenhagen for a full year.

Two semesters (i.e. 12 months) is the maximum time you can stay at the UCPH housing facilities. Then in principle students are on their own. The housing department can subsequently help students get in touch with flat owners and agencies outside Science in order to find a more permanent residence.

Now 410 rooms

Students hoping to find a room need to keep application deadlines. Applications should be sent in before 15 May or 15 October for the autumn and spring season respectively. Guests and PhD students should always apply at least two months in advance.

»The sooner you apply, the better we can hope to find an accommodation that suits your needs,« argues Charlotte Simonsen. »All of our apartments are on a “first come, first served”-basis. So special wishes will be harder to match, as availability decreases.«

Even with 410+ rooms, the SCIENCE housing department finds it hard to satisfy everyone’s needs, and urges students to apply well in advance via their web site, Charlotte Simonsen says.

Read article: Clearing up the student housing chaos

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