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E-mail: uni-avis@adm.ku.dk
University of Copenhagen
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Student life
A continually updated guide to student kollegiums in Copenhagen, written by students. The complete Dorms Disclosed review series.
[This guide has been continually updated since it was first published in 2014. The latest update was July 2023]
There are loads of dormitories, kollegiums, and student residences in Copenhagen, yet most of the information available is in Danish.
Some are small, old houses with pretty gardens, others are giant concrete buildings with tiny windows.
This guide is an overview with links to all of the dormitory and student accommodation reviews we have published so far, written by the people who know them the best: the people who live there.
We have organised the dorms into geographical city areas, starting with Vesterbro.
READ ALSO: Guide to housing in Copenhagen
300 residents live together in this massive building known as Otto Mønsteds Kollegiet on the border to Valby. The 11 m2 rooms all come with private bathrooms while kitchens are shared. The dormitory is characterized by a strong, social atmosphere which includes lots of parties and activities.
Click and read the full Review: Otto Mønsteds Kollegiet
Price and value agree well on this dormitory. Rooms are between 12 and 27 m2 and the price is reasonable. On top of this, you get access to a variety of common facilities and a lot of old traditions and strong social bonds.
Click and read the full Review: Studentergården
We returned to Studentergården in 2021 and found out that the 130 residents divide themselves into eleven kitchens with names like ‘barbarian’ and ‘abortion’ and fight it out in a so-called ‘yard feud’.
Read our 2021 Review: Studentergården — where you never need to leave the building
This dorm located in Nørrebro has 47 rooms, 14 of which are suitable for 2 people. The rooms are between 14.6-56 m2 and have private bathrooms. The kitchen is shared. The dorm has a very modern interior and has purposely kept an antique exterior, which creates a fascinating contrast. The vibe is very international as 40 % of the students are from abroad. It is also a very social environment and is known for its common Sunday dinners and themed Friday bar nights. The dorm is almost exclusively for law students, but there is a minimum requirement of having at least 10 non-law students.
Click and read the full Review: Collegium Juris
At Kollegiegården residents tend to move out after just six months. They are not fleeing the dorm however: After six months, residents reach the top of the internal waiting list for the two-bedroom rental apartments.
Read the full Review: Kollegiegården — a dorm with an upgrade to a cheap apartment.
The Industrikollegiet is home to 95 students that share kitchens and gardens. They have built their own chicken coop, which also functions as a bar! Read our full Review: Industrikollegiet — Two glass towers and a chicken coop.
You don’t need to be a medical student to live at Rigshospitalets Kollegium, but a lot of the 414 residents are medical students. They are drawn to the dorm’s location in Nørrebro, close to the health faculty at Panum, and maybe the parties, according to our reviewer.
Read the full Review: A party every weekend at the Rigshospitalets Kollegium
500 residents is a lot and perhaps that’s why Egmont has become legendary for its parties and social atmosphere. The rooms are between 11 and 26 m2. There are tons of social clubs and great common facilities.
Click and read the first full Review: Egmont
We returned to Egmont to review it again recently. Here our student reporter found that while Egmont is known as the party dorm, it is also like getting a new family. Read the latest Review: Egmont Kollegiet — one day a party — one day peace and quiet
The luxurious G. A. Hagemanns Kollegium boasts its own private chef, a grand piano, and two of J. F. Willumsen’s most famous paintings. According to one of our reviewers it is something for both geeks and partygoers.
The rent may be high but it includes all your meals. In this dormitory you can get a 15-20 m2 room in a large mansion in Østerbro that you will share with 60 other residents. Common facilities are many: a large dining hall, TV-room and a study hall overlooking Øresund. And also a lot of duties and traditions!
Click and read the full Review: G.A. Hagemanns Kollegium
In 2021, we did a second review of G.A. Hagemann’s Kollegium. It is here: Review: G. A. Hagemanns Kollegium – rich traditions in lavish surroundings
The architectural style of Nordisk Kollegium is known as functionalism, a somewhat austere aesthetic that was popular in the 1940s. It offers a meal deal with its rent. The rooms vary from 14-18 m2 and each comes with a private bathroom. The 130 residents share a kitchen on each floor and have access to common facilities like billiard room, study hall, a library and a gym.
»Even though there are 130 of us, we all know each other,« according to a resident of Nordisk Kollegium that our reviewer spoke to.
Click and read the latest full review: Nordisk Kollegium — herringbone floors and rum truffles
An earlier review is here: Review: Nordisk Kollegium
Bonus info: Nordisk Kollegium and G.A. Hagemanns Kollegium er long-term rivals and often compete in sports games and party together.
The dorm has 150 residents, most of which are international students. This gives the dorm a distinctly international flavor. Rooms are between 17-26 m2 with big windows. The rooms are private and include a bathroom and a kitchenette. Each floor has a common kitchen and much of the social life centers around them as well as the roof terrace. Although they are not free, the dorm also has laundry facilities. The location as well as the dorm is peaceful and the residents are open and willing to mingle.
Click and read the full Review: Østerbro Kollegiet
In an old building on Ryesgade 58, a former squat by the Danish BZ or occupy movement, 40 young students share their lives with each other in a residence hall that seems more like a hippie collective.
Click and read the full Review: Ryesgade Kollegiet
The name Lægeforeningens Kollegium implies that the dorm is only for medical students, but this is a relic from the earliest days of the dorm. Nowadays, the 90 or so rooms in the dorm are occupied by students from all disciplines.
Click and read the full Review: Lægeforeningens Kollegiet
The ‘4th May dorm’ was founded almost 70 years ago to house the descendants of Danish World War Two resistance members. History is tangible here, although the requirement of being related to the Danish resistance has been relaxed of late.
Like a set of nesting dolls, the 4. Maj Kollegiet (see above) has another dormitory within it, namely the tiny Hassagers Kollegium, which is home to only 10 students.
Read the review of the twin residence halls 4. Maj Kollegiet and Hasselager Kollegium here Review: 4. Maj Kollegiet and Hassagers Kollegium — dorms within a dorm
Regensen dates back to 1623, and about 100 students share a large, old and very beautiful building just next to Rundetårn. Rooms vary greatly in size, from 11-25 m2, but the price remains a staggeringly low. Other than a room, you gain access to a great number of common spaces and activities: from a large ballroom to a library and study hall. And you can stay busy by a lot of activities, like yoga, movie nights and beer brewing.
Click and read our original 2013 review: Review: Regensen
Our latest 2022 review, however, is more up to date, and lets you in on some of the residence hall’s historical secrets: Review: Regensen’s past is a story of love and corpses
One of the most interesting dorms in the inner city is Valkendorfs Kollegium, which used to be an old monastery for Carmelite monks. The dorm has garden days, mushroom-picking trips, and a strong sense of community spirit. They even try to keep the rent they pay a secret, as they do not want to compete on price (but it is very reasonable!).
Click and read the full Review: Valkendorfs Kollegium has a garden in the city, and chickens
The room sizes varies a lot in this dorm, but the price remains low, and one of the cheapest places to live in the city. But the price does not reflect quality, and this dormitory is actually an old house with a beautiful garden in the heart of city center. Only 20 residents live here and they all decide who’s next, when somebody decides to leave.
Click and read our first review Review: Borchs Kollegium
We returned to Borchs Kollegium in 2021. It is all very orderly. As one resident put it: »… everyone comes from a wealthy background … The worst I think people do is ride their bikes through red lights, if they are feeling a bit crazy«.
Read the Review: Borchs — a well behaved dorm for well-to-do students
Elers’ Kollegium is only for the very few. Not anyone can apply for this residence hall, which only has 20 places with several of them are earmarked for specific study programmes. Five of the places are for theology students.
In our review of Elers’ Kollegium, our student reporter said that the place ‘reeks of history’.
Read the full Review: Elers’ Kollegium — a historical oasis in the centre of Copenhagen.
BaseCamp Copenhagen is one of the slightly more expensive student residence halls in Copenhagen. But the location dorm, in old barracks, is as central in Copenhagen as it can possibly be.
»There is not even a waiting list. If you book the room, it is yours,« says Simon Stilling, who is employed as a ‘base manager’ on the site.
Click and read the full review: Review: BaseCamp Copenhagen — a quick room in the inner city
Vartovkollegiet is a small, breathing space for fourteen students, who all have to follow different fields of study. It is closely connected to Danish thinker Grundtvig who was pastor in Vartov church until his death in 1872. In the beginning, only theologians lived here. But you don’t need to be a Christian to be admitted now.
Click and read the full review: Review: Vartovkollegiet — »Sometimes it feels more like a shared house than a dorm«
This dormitory is in the heart of Christianshavn, so basically, you don’t get much better location than that. And for a low rent, you get a 25 m2 room, a private kitchenette and a private bathroom. At this dorm, some of the 210 residents have children and some have pets, and all share a gym, TV-room and a courtyard.
Click and read our first full review Review: Sofiegården
We returned in 2021, and reviewed it again: Review — Sofiegården: In the footsteps of the squatters
CPH Village is the result of a project to build affordable housing for students. The first ‘village’ was based on a collection of ships’ containers in the Refshaleøen district in central Copenhagen with 164 homes – two in each container. In 2020, 184 new rooms were ready on the outskirts of the Vesterbro district. CPH Village has moved on from the concept of recycling ships’ containers and now builds the homes in wood, but the rooms’ dimensions remain the same: 11 square metres, including one small kitchen, per room. But space is not everything.
Click and read the full review: Review: CPH Village — the toy house settlements
20m2 all to yourself and private bathrooms and kitchens makes this dormitory less ‘social’ oriented than most others. Located in Bispebjerg, this is a little further out of the city but still close to Nørrebro’s lively streets. Bispebjerg caters for a lot of international students and can offer furnished rooms for the those who are just “passing through” town.
Click and read the full review Review: Bispebjerg Kollegiet
The facilities are somewhat modest at this dormitory but rent is dirt cheap. Located in Nordvest, Håndværkerkollegiet offers 10 m2 rooms. Bathrooms and kitchens are shared, but the dormitory have a number of common facilities and a good social atmosphere.
Click and read the full review Review: Håndværkerkollegiet
Grønjordskollegiet is the prototype, classic huge residence hall out on Copenhagen’s island district of Amager. It is eight storeys high and is home to 1,000 students divided into a number of ‘blocks’. It is not pretty. But one student does see the upside to living in Copenhagen’s largest dorm: »If you want to do something obscure, then there will be people who are interested in taking part«.
Read the full Review: Grønjordskollegiet — get yourself 1,000 roommates
Just between KUA and the IT University, is the orange-colored dormitory Bikuben. It is shared by about 110 residents, with 19 m2 rooms, and a student-friendly location with relatively new facilities.
We returned to Bikuben Kollegiet in 2021 with a reporter’s review of the dorm here. Review: Bikuben — the quirky beehive. Click and read our first student review here of Bikuben Kollegiet here: Review: Bikuben Kollegiet.
Click and read the full review Review: Øresundskollegiet.
There is a second review of Øresundskollegiet here.
This place may not posses dream location, but the 12 m2 rooms are well-appointed with a hall, balcony and private bathroom and rent is dirt-cheap. The 192 residents share a number of common facilities and especially the “cafe”, Coma is a popular hangout.
Click and read the full review Review: Hørhus Kollegiet.
We returned in 2021 and found out that it is definitely not the most social dorm you can find: But it is not like there is no social life at all, as one resident put it. Read our 2021 Review: Hørhuskollegiet – An underrated gem.
Next to Hørhuskollegiet is Scandis Boligerne, one of the smaller and lesser-known dormitories, and a 10 minutes walk from ITU and KUA / South Campus. A pleasant place to live, according to our reviewer.
Read the full review of Scandis Boligerne: Review: Scandis Boligerne
Also known as “The Frank”, this dormitory has 20 m2 rooms at a generous price. Bathrooms are private and kitchens are shared. “The Frank” lies centrally on Amager, close to cafés and shopping and offers common facilities that make social life blossom.
Click and read the full review Review: Frankrigsgade Kollegiet (first review)
We returned to ‘The Frank’ in 2022. Read the latest Review: Frankrigsgade Kollegiet — a nine-storey powerhouse.
Luckily this architectonic pearl is large. Because it’s an absolutely stunning – and award winning – building, which is reflected in the rent. Rooms are between 26-34 m2 and you can access a bar, gym, two crafts rooms, two music rooms (one for bands, another with a grand piano), bicycle parking, laundry facilities and a computer café.
Click and read the full review Review: Tietgenkollegiet
A second student review of Tietgenkollegiet is here.
The latest, third, review of Tietgenkollegiet is here: Review: Tietgenkollegiet — »As a dorm, it is pure luxury«
CPH Studio Hotel is located on Krimsvej in close proximity to Øresund Metro station and Amager beach. The residents are friendly and helpful. The rooms are private and between 10-16m2. They contain a small bathroom and kitchenette, but there is also a common kitchen. The dorm houses about 300 residents. The building itself has been under contraction and this brings its own set of challenges, including noise, and critical media attention from us at the University Post and other media. Overall the dorm is at time of writing a work in progress, but it has potential.
Click and read the full review Review: CPH Studio Hotel on Krimsvej
This dorm is located in Ørestad. The rooms are four bedroom apartments split between four students. The rooms are between 20-25m2. Bathrooms are shared between 2-4 people and the kitchen is also shared. The Dorm houses 288 residents.
Click and read the full review Review: Signalhuset Kollegiet
The building of Socialt Kollegium is tall, dull and with no charm whatsoever. But once you get past the unwelcoming exterior, the friendly people living there it sure makes you want to stay. Socialt Kollegium is, like so many other dorms, located in the Amager district, strictly speaking in the area called Sundbyvester and houses 112 residents.
You can read the full review by a resident here: Review: Socialt Kollegium
Kvinderegensen [‘the women’s dorm’, ed.] was founded in 1931 by Dr. Eli Møller, as the first Danish dorm for female university students. But you no longer have to be a woman to live in the Amager dorm; in fact, being male might just count in your favour.
Read the full review here: Review: Kvinderegensen —A piece of history
Far outside Copenhagen, this dormitory is located close to the town of Hillerød. This is one of the most unique dormitories in Denmark, in the middle of a forest and close to a lake. The houses are built of logs and the residents each have 10m2 with shared kitchens and bathrooms. They also have access to a large fire place, and countless sports and outdoor activities.
Click and read the full review Review: Skovskolen
Almost 300 residents live in this dorm which is known for its array of social activities, including having a built in cafe which turns into a bar at night. It also has big annual parties including Oktoberfest, Halloween and the Summer Barbecue. The rooms are 12 m2 and have private bathrooms. Each hallway has a common kitchen which is also used as a place to hang out and watch TV. There is a common laundry room and a gym in the basement.
Click and read the full review below: Review: Hvidovre Hospitals Kollegium (first review)
There is an updated second review of Hvidovre Hospitals Kollegium here: Review: Hvidovre Hospitals Kollegium — the party dorm outside the city
You might mistake Rebæk Søpark for a scene out of George Orwell’s Nineteen-Eighty-Four, but is a good all-round place to be. As a kollegium, it covers all the bases: cheap rent, active student bar, friendly atmosphere and a convenient location.
Click and read the full review below: Review: Rebæk Søpark Kollegiet
Send us an email at uni-avis@adm.ku.dk with your name, field of study, age, nationality and where you live. Reviews are written in English.