International Business Academy

Situated on the mainland of Denmark and less than an hour from Germany, Kolding is conveniently located for rail and air transportation.  Rich with culture and a thriving business sector, Kolding is also surrounded by a beautiful countryside, close to woods, water, and beach.  Almost everyone in Denmark speaks excellent English.

Bachelor Courses in English

Marketing Management; International Sales and Marketing Management.  Each program is 30 ECTS credits (15 US credit hours).  Students may choose either of the above study programs but cannot select individual courses between programs; the full program for the semester must be followed.  More information can be found here and here.

NOTE: Some programs/courses conclude in December, while some conclude in January.  If you are following courses that end in January, arranging winter term final examinations after return to your home campus cannot be guaranteed in advance.  Therefore, you are advised to speak to your home school prior to applying for the winter term to determine if you can begin the spring semester late in the event your exams must be taken in Kolding in late January.

NOTE:  Financial Management; Entrepreneurship and Design Management programs are not open to exchange students.

Master Courses in English
Master-level students are not able to be accepted.

Language Courses
Although programs are taught in English, a crash course in the Danish language is provided to incoming students as part of the introduction program.  Students may elect to enroll in further Danish language study.

Accreditations
The IBA is a higher education institution within the Danish State Education sector. It is accredited by the Evaluation Agency (EVA) of the Danish Ministry of Education and benchmarked with 9 similar institutions throughout the country. Quality Assurance includes an annual report and periodic reviews by EVA.  Additionally, IBA is an accredited institution of two UK Universities (Coventry University and London South Bank University) and validated to deliver UK degrees at the undergraduate and post-graduate level. IBA also holds NIBS International Accreditation and is closely allied to local, national and regional education institutions, networks and business organizations.

Orientation

The introduction program offered at the beginning of each semester incorporates tutor and buddy programs as well as a crash course in the Danish language.  Prior to arrival, every exchange student is offered a buddy who will assist with getting through the first few weeks.  This buddy can assist with arrival pick-up in Kolding as well as offer advice on practical matters.  Upon arrival, the tutor program offers exchange students the opportunity to meet with staff, learn about courses and how to study in Denmark, as well as obtain access to the IBA online and other relevant information.  Finally, exchange students also participate in a basic “survival” Danish language course during the introduction week, together with a range of social and cultural activities.

Internships
Paid and unpaid off-campus internships can usually be arranged in the areas of web design, research, computers, marketing, retail, and finance.  Depending on the duration, academic credit can sometimes be granted.

Part-time Employment
Not possible

Students with Disabilities
The IBA is usually able to accommodate a student with a physical or learning disability; however, to some extent it depends on the situation. Please contact Sigrun Sigurjonsdottir for any inquiries. Typical student accommodations as well as shops and services in the community have somewhat limited capability of accommodating students with disabilities.

Grades & Transcripts

The Danish education system is of a high standard and very rigorous. However, it is relatively informal in delivery and involves considerable student interaction and independent learning. Teaching and learning frequently take place in small groups using case studies and industry-relevant topics.  Assessment may consist of a combination of written and oral exams and written assignments.  In the event that an exam is scheduled after completion of the course, arrangements can normally be made with the agreement of the home university for this to take place after students have returned home.

The IBA uses a Danish grading scale that corresponds to the US grading system as follows.

A passing mark is 02.  Under Danish national regulations, students failing to pass on the first attempt have an automatic right to two further attempts, after which any subsequent attempt is possible only in exceptional circumstances.  For additional details on transfer of credits, please refer to the Student Guidebook.

Students will automatically receive a transcript for their work as exchange students at the IBA.  Transcripts are sent to the home university shortly after the end of the semester.

Health Insurance
Health insurance for non-EU citizens is required only for the first six weeks of your stay in Denmark, after which you are covered by the Danish national health insurance system, provided you are registered at a fixed address.  It is recommended that you purchase liability insurance for your entire stay (1 year is about 400 DKK).

Introduction Program
There may be a small fee for some of the introduction program activities.

Textbooks
No cost

Students planning to study in Denmark must apply for a student permit prior to entering the country.

Housing
Apartments.  Students applying for programs at IBA are recommended to apply for accommodation through Kolding City Housing Administration, a database which controls and reserves student apartments based on a waiting list. International students will normally have first priority over students who already live in Denmark, and it has generally not been difficult to find apartments in Kolding. All the apartments in the database have their own bathroom; they are not furnished but they will have a minimum of a refrigerator and cooking plates (or an oven).  There are many secondhand stores, as well as a Facebook IBA Market page, which makes finding inexpensive furnishings easy.

Rent in Kolding varies depending on if you want to live alone or in a shared apartment. Students living together are paying approximately 2,000 DKK ($325) or for a single apartment the rent is approximately 4,000 DKK ($650). The rent includes a fixed sum designed to cover the cost of average consumption of water and heating, and a surcharge may be levied if this is exceeded. Electricity is not included in the rent.  The current total living expenses for an average student in Denmark are estimated to be approximately DKK 5,000 – 6,000 per month (approx. $815-975).

It is important to note that in Denmark rent is always paid in advance for the coming month. If the rent is paid later than the date stated in the monthly bill, an additional fee will need to be paid later. In addition to the first month’s rent, tenants have to pay a deposit prior to moving in, which is equivalent to approximately three months’ rent.

You can find further possibilities for accommodation/private housing here or here.

Meals
Generally, students prepare meals in their apartments.  There are also numerous cafes and snack bars in Kolding.

Transportation

The closest airport is Billund, one hour by bus to Kolding.  This requires a connection in a larger European city, such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, or Copenhagen.  If flying into Copenhagen airport, Kolding can be reached by train in approximately 2.5 hours.

Once in Kolding, you will be able to travel easily by bus, bike or on foot.

Entertainment
There are a variety of activities planned for exchange students in conjunction with the introduction program offered upon arrival.  The Student Council plans many activities and social arrangements for students throughout the semester.  There are also numerous opportunities for socializing within Kolding since there is a relatively large number of students within the city.  Numerous cafes, galleries, museums, and discotheques are also available.

Shopping
There are many shops and supermarkets within the pedestrian streets of Kolding.  The city also has a large shopping center with more than 120 stores.

Climate
Denmark has a temperate coastal climate, marked by warm summers and mild winters.  High temperatures in the winter are typically 35-40ºF, while highs in the summer range from 65-70ºF.  Due to Denmark’s northern latitude, there are large differences between winter and summer daylight hours.