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A fifth of the foundation’s total grants provide students with unforgettable study abroad programmes.
The Danish merchant and manufacturer Otto Mønsted was inspired to produce margarine abroad, and the knowledge he brought back home he developed into one of Denmark’s greatest industrial adventures as founder of OMA Margarine, among others. Therefore, it is entirely in Otto Mønsted’s spirit to send the country’s bright, diligent students out into the world to come home wiser and thereby contribute to Denmark’s trade and industry.
Last year, a fifth of the foundation’s total grant allocation of DKK 20 million was used to enable students living in Denmark to exchange knowledge, inspiration and methods. 519 students from Danish universities received a grant of DKK 10,000 as a contribution to a study-related stay abroad. The students have previously submitted an application for support for a credit-bearing study or internship abroad via the foundation’s digital application system on the website. And in 2022, the foundation has awarded DKK 9 million in the same way to over 900 students who can finally get out into the world again after the Covid pandemic.
Unforgettable experiences and knowledge
And there is no doubt that the opportunity to go out into the world gives them unforgettable experiences and knowledge that they would hardly have gained otherwise. This is evidenced by the many greetings the Otto Mønsted Foundation receives from students when they are out in the world or have returned home safely. Some of them can be read on the foundation’s Instagram page, where they write briefly about their experiences and give other future applicants inspiration for choosing a study abroad programme.
“The stay has given me a lot of experience that can’t be read in a book when it comes to collaborating across cultures. The collaboration between Denmark and India has been incredibly educational and challenging and has been a huge supplement to the technical part of the programme,” writes Søren Kibsgaard from India. He is studying Export and Technology at the Technical University of Denmark and has been given the opportunity for a six-month internship at the Danish Embassy in New Delhi.
There is a clear common thread in the students’ experiences, which they describe in the letters and reports the foundation receives. In particular, they emphasise the value of encountering other teaching methods, interacting with their teachers and being challenged by a new professionalism. All the students also talk about the enriching benefits of a study environment with great diversity in nationality and culture and the international network they build during their stay. And then, of course, there are the personal benefits and the great experiences that nature, culture, campus and the area’s traditions provide a young student with the desire and courage to meet the world.
The fund can also be applied for to support participation in congresses abroad and research stays abroad.
The facts
This is where the students travelled to in 2021:
- 196 credit stays in North America
- 115 credit-bearing stays in Europe
- 110 credit-bearing stays in Australia
- 89 credit-bearing stays in Asia
- 8 credit-bearing programmes in South America
- 1 credit-bearing programme in Africa
Eligibility:
Engineering students at DTU, AAU and SDU
Business Administration students (Bachelor/Candidate – cand.merc.) at CBS and AU
Eligibility requirements:
Credit-bearing study or internship abroad of at least three months (one or two semesters).
Grade point average of at least 8.
Credit-bearing subjects corresponding to a minimum of 15 ECTS.
Next application period: 10 January 2023 – 1 March 2023