Welcome to Brandbjerg Folk High School
– Join a danish folk hign school in 24 or 43 weeks.
What is Brandbjerg Folk High School?
Brandbjerg Højskole is a professional Folk High School located in the beautiful nature of Denmark.
We offer a vibrant and supportive community that allows you in this environment to experience some of the most unforgettable months of your life. A stay at Brandbjerg Folk High School is a unique introduction to Denmark and Danish culture and, who knows, maybe a springboard to further studies in Denmark.
You will meet teachers with an extraordinary passion for what they do, and they have a genuine interest in you and your fellow students. You will make close friends and you will develop yourself in many ways. We embrace diversity at Brandbjerg, and you will experience an atmosphere where everyone connects across subjects, interests, and backgrounds.
You have your main subject, and then you choose between numbers of smaller subject to create your own personalized schedule.
Do you want to watch a longer version with more details of the school? We have a 28 min long version on YOUTUBE
What is a folk high school?
The Folk High Schools belong to a school tradition in Denmark that dates back more than 150 years. They were founded and based on the ideas and writings of the Danish philosopher, poet, politician and educational thinker N.F.S. Grundtvig (1783-1872) as boarding schools for young adults. The aim was to enable ordinary people to become independent, enlightened citizens capable of participating in the forming of society.
What is taught?
A broad variety of subjects are taught on Brandbjerg Højskole. One key focus is to discover and strengthen the unique skills, courage and passion of each student in a challenging yet supportive atmosphere. Another key focus is to nourish the students’ sense of being global citizens with the inherent responsibilities and critical perspective on present society this entails. The active involvement in the shared community is a core ingredient in a Folk High school stay. The schools offer a safe setting that encourages curiosity and creativity, building of relationships and participation in the development of society. We have over 60 different subjects gathered in 8 professional environments.
How do you live?
The students come from different backgrounds and are mostly aged between 18 and 30 years. They typically stay for 4-10 months. The folk high school is a type of boarding school. You eat, sleep, study and spend your spare time at the school. The interaction with the teachers happens both during and outside the taught subject housrs. The classes are based on a philosophy of reciprocity, dialogue and mutual learning between staff and students. . There are no academic requirements for admission and there are no exams. Motivation and engagement are the drivers.
Diversity and language
Brandbjerg Højskole is a Danish folk high school with an international, global touch. Mainly Danish-speaking students attend the school, but we also aim to have international students and students with refugee backgrounds each semester. This means that the main languages used at the school is a mix of Danish and English. We like the diversity and the joy and challenges associated with running a school with many different cultures andlanguages!
We all make an effort to smooth over the double language situation (we have appointed Danish students and teachers to help with languages) but please note that not everything is translated and that you would also have to make an effort yourself to ask astudent or a teacher to translate or switch to English, such as when you join a group of Danish-speaking students in the living room.
Please also note that not all classes are available in English. You’re always welcome to ask us for a list of elective subjects and the language offered at bh@brandbjerg.dk
If you’re not Danish-speaking, you will need to speak and understand English at a reasonable level.
If you speak some Danish, you can attend our Danish class, but if you have no knowledge of Danish before you come, you should not expect to learn Danish during your stay.
On most teams, we have 15-25 international students. We have had students from all over the world. So expect to come to Brandbjerg and meet the world!
Afghanistan
Argentina
Australia
Belgium
Brazil
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Egypt
England
Estonia
Faroe Islands
France
Germany
Ghana
Greenland
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Iran
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan
Lithuania
Nepal
Nigeria
Norway
Poland
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Syria
Uganda
USA
Venezuela
Travelling
Travelling with Brandbjerg Højskole provides a unique opportunity to develop a sense of community while enjoying learning experiences. Travelling is a vital part of staying at Brandbjerg Højskole.
Autumn Semester
We offer one long trip abroad with different destinations every year. The trips are 9 days long. As a student, you choose one of the following:
· a free theme-week on the school together with the other students or:
· Fall 2023: South Africa (extra price: 13.999 kr)
· Fall 2024: USA(extra price: 14.999 kr)
Read more about the trip here
All trips are highly educational with a focus on culture and society.
Spring Semester
As an elective subject in February you can choose alpine skiing in Austria. Also, during March the Outdoor students have a skiing trip as part of their curriculum.
All students at Brandbjerg go on a study trip to Catalonia in June (6.250 kr – this is included in the final price you see here).
Catalonia
This trip is compulsary for all students that participaty in the spring semester.
We use both nature and culture as a framework in which to develop camaraderie and understanding. Sea kayaking, mountain biking, diving, trekking and guided reflection are a few of the activities you will enjoy. In addition, you can meet with our Catalan friends Pau and Olga, eat delicious Catalan specialties, tour the beautiful city of Girona and visit the Salvador Dali Museum. We travel to Catalonia by bus, to spare the environment.
South Africa -fall 2023
The trips in the fall are voluntary. You can also choose a free theme week at the school.
We travel to South Africa with a focus on sustainability. South Africa is a country of great contrasts, where Africa and the West are merged into a truly unique culture. We guarantee that it is a trip where you cannot avoid being moved as a human being. We will visit townships, attend a church service and work with local NGO´s in active projects.
Extra Price 13.999 kr
We are different but the same
”I believe that as human beings we are the same. We are different but the same. There is something that connects people beyond ethnicities. My experience at Brandbjerg reinforced this belief. What connected all of us students, teachers and the rest of the staff was the feeling of belonging. For sure, each individual had a unique experience, but what we all had in common was the feeling of being home.”
BRANDBJERG HØJSKOLE
