Recent reports in Denmark suggest American researchers are increasingly interested in moving to countries like Denmark. We asked our readers to share their experiences.
Danish universities are increasingly looking to attract American researchers moving away from the Trump administration, according to reports in Denmark this week.
The leader of a Danish recruitment organisation said that researchers from some of the most prestigious universities in the United States have been in contact with institutions in Denmark about potential job openings.
“We’re talking Princeton, we’re talking Yale, we’re talking MIT, we’re talking Harvard,” the deputy director of the talent attraction and investment promotion agency Copenhagen Capacity, Nikolaj Lubanski, told broadcaster DR.
READ ALSO: Danish universities want to be an option for US researchers moving away from Trump
But what should Americans consider in general before moving to the Nordic country, and what is worth keeping in mind if you’re a US national currently considering a move to Denmark?
We asked for the thoughts of our readers in Denmark who have made the move in the past — regardless of the reason.
Five people responded to our survey, all from the United States. All five said they’d recommend Denmark to fellow Americans considering the move.
“Most of your American friends will not visit you despite what they say, and that should be okay with you,” said Stefanie Astrakhan, who is originally from Chicago. Stefanie lived in California for 20 years but said she now lives “forever” in Ebeltoft on the east coast of Jutland.
“You will make new friends if you join a sporting group of some kind,” she advised.
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As in the case of the researchers who have been the focus of recent news reports, President Donald Trump was a factor in Stefanie’s decision last year to move to Denmark.
“We were eager to leave America due to Trump so my husband found a job as a teacher in a film high school,” she said.
READ ALSO: How does the school system work in Denmark?
“While Denmark is a western country, it is not the US!”, said Ray Nance from New Mexico, now resident in Ramløse around 50 kilometres north of Copenhagen.
Ray explained that his move in 2022 happened because his “Danish spouse was ready to return home and I was ready to leave the US.”
“Be prepared to make changes. I really get tired of hearing Americans whining about things that are different here. Embrace the differences! Learn from them! Be willing to change!”, he encouraged.
It’s not always easy adjusting to Denmark as a foreigner from the US or any other country. One thing to keep in mind is the “difficulty in finding a job without a network”, said Aidan Frank from Philadelphia, now in Copenhagen district Amager. Aidan also moved to Denmark in 2022, for work reasons.
There are also plenty of cultural differences to keep in mind.
“[Danes] do not do small talk,” said a reader who preferred not to be named.
“The grocery store clerk doesn’t care about your day and finds it weird you would ask about his,” they said.
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The reader acknowledged Denmark’s strong social safety net but said it might be different to the way you would envisage as an American.
“The ‘state takes care of it’ sentiment doesn’t manifest the way you would think. Like not helping an elderly person cross an ice patch because if they fall the state pays for their care. It seems like neglect but it’s so normalised,” they said.
Another reader, who also preferred to be anonymous, left a detailed response, describing the difficulties you might experience finding work as an American moving to Denmark.
“It is extremely hard for foreigners, even those with advanced Ivy League degrees, to find employment here. This is particularly true in areas that are managed by the government, as those jobs require Danish fluency,” wrote the person, who moved to Denmark last year.
They didn’t hold back on listing the benefits Denmark has to offer.
“While taxes are high in Denmark, it is very possible that you have the same amount of disposable income given that you no longer need to purchase health insurance and will have access to affordable, quality childcare,” they wrote.
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“I have found healthcare here to be spectacular and cohesive — not at all like the fragmented US system,” they continued.
The reader particularly backed Denmark as a good country to raise children, referencing the school system.
“I want to take a moment to state emphatically how great it is to raise kids here,” they said.
“School is very ‘child-centric’ vs. ‘test score centric,’ focusing heavily on whole-child development,” they wrote, adding “your kids won’t be subjected to active-shooter drills – there’s no need for them, unlike in the US where guns are the number one cause of death amongst children.”
The reader listed several reasons as factors behind their decision to move to Denmark, including “degrading social norms and sentiment around diversity, inclusion, equity, human rights, racism, and other social issues in the US.”
They also cited “increasing right-wing radicalism” and “increasing acceptance of misogyny” and said that “lack of work-life balance” also pushed them towards Denmark.
Since moving to Denmark, they said they were “surprised by the lack of Mom shame”, explaining that “you aren’t judged for needing to take a sick day.”
“And not once has a Dane told me mid-tantrum that my toddler should be spanked, unlike in the USA,” they continued.
“If you move here, you’ll likely feel an invisible weight lifted, and perhaps, you too would recognize how America treats children as a burden on society and workplace productivity, a burden that parents — moms especially — should minimize all alone.
“In Denmark, kids are seen as people who are worthy of society’s care, respect and understanding,” they said.