Study at the University of Greenland »Ilisimatusarfik« in Nuuk

By Natalia & Maya Verified Expert

Published: 18/07/2021

Reading time: 3 minutes

We were two Danes heading for Nuuk, Greenland, as we had to do a semester abroad, and our choice fell on the University of Greenland – Ilisimatusarfik!

A little university far up north in the Arctic, with some amazing people. Only 750 people are students here, and the atmosphere is amazing.

Also, Ilisimatusarfik has a better view than your university! For real, the university has the best view we have ever seen. Even on a grey and rainy day, the view will light up your mood.

Ilisimatusarfik. The view from Ilisimatusarfik towards the city.

After some uncertainties about our semester abroad due to COVID-19, whether we were able to go abroad, the student coordinator saved us. We wrote to the student coordinator in July to hear about the possibilities to go to Nuuk, and within a month we were on the flight.

So, our best advice, use the international student coordinator at Ilisimatusarfik, should you have any questions.

*Natalia waiting for the bus in a snowstorm to get to Ilisimatusarfik.*

Before starting the courses we got an introduction day where we got a guide through the systems and the daily life as a student at Ilisimatusarfik. Be aware that most courses are in danish and only a few in English.

The university offers some great facilities, there’s a grand library and a canteen with local ingredients – You have to try it!

The university is quite new and has lots of cozy corners to do some studying – fun fact; they have an American corner and had an event for the American Presidential Election.

*The American corner at Ilisimatusarfik*

To help our stay in Nuuk, the university offered some free Greenlandic classes just to help us understand some basic Greenlandic. This was great and a lot of fun, just being able to say hello or thanks in the local tongue and to understand that if the end of the word is ‘fik’ this means a place where you can do something, for example, Ilisimatusarfik means the place where you gain knowledge.

*Us studying in one of the corners a winter day*

To all of our friends that are considering taking a semester at Ilisimatusarfik, we can truly and deeply say go go go! You get competent lecturers, people around you that care, and again THE VIEW (!!!). Go, you won’t regret it.