Copenhagen Business School MBA

Key Highlights

• Triple-accredited business school
• Northern Europe's leading MBA
• Scandinavian management philosophy
• Small cohort intensive experience
• Copenhagen business hub location

Student Life & Environment

Life as a CBS MBA student balances intensive academic work with the pleasures of living in Copenhagen, consistently ranked among the world's most livable cities. The program's cohort structure creates close relationships among participants who share a transformative educational experience. Study groups, social events, and informal gatherings build networks that extend well beyond graduation. Copenhagen itself offers excellent quality of life despite the high costs. The city's famous bicycle culture provides a healthy and practical transportation option that most students adopt. Restaurants, cafes, and bars cluster throughout the central city, including the trendy Vesterbro and Norrebro neighborhoods popular with young professionals. Cultural offerings include world-class museums, music venues, and Tivoli Gardens amusement park. The international character of the MBA cohort means social life often involves cultural exchange, with participants sharing traditions from their home countries. This creates rich informal learning opportunities alongside formal coursework. Partners and families of participants can connect through organized programming and social networks that form among accompanying spouses. Housing in Copenhagen presents challenges given the city's tight rental market and high prices. The school provides some assistance in finding accommodation, but students should expect to pay significant portions of their budgets for housing. Prices are highest in central Copenhagen, with more affordable options in outlying areas connected by excellent public transit.

Location & Surroundings

Copenhagen combines the energy of a European capital with a human scale that makes it genuinely livable. The city is compact enough to navigate by bicycle, which locals and visitors alike embrace enthusiastically. Well-designed public spaces, waterfront areas, and parks provide quality of life that larger cities struggle to match. The famous Danish design sense appears throughout the urban environment, from architecture to public transportation to the products in shop windows. Denmark's position in Northern Europe places Copenhagen within easy reach of Sweden, Germany, and the rest of Scandinavia. The Oresund Bridge connects the city to Malmo, Sweden, creating a binational metropolitan region. Budget airlines and efficient trains put other European cities within weekend-trip range. This geographic connectivity supports the international business orientation that characterizes the CBS MBA. Danish weather requires adjustment for those from warmer climates. Winters are cold, dark, and long, with limited daylight hours from November through February. Danes cope through hygge, the cozy togetherness that involves candles, warm drinks, and comfortable indoor gatherings. Summers reward patience with extended daylight and pleasant temperatures that bring outdoor life to the streets and waterfronts. The cost of living in Copenhagen ranks among the highest globally. Salaries and social services are correspondingly high for Danish residents, but students on fixed budgets feel the pinch. Restaurant meals, groceries, and entertainment all cost more than in most other places. Careful budgeting is essential, though student discounts and home cooking can help manage expenses.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The CBS MBA requires significant financial investment, with tuition in the tens of thousands of euros depending on the program format. Living expenses in Copenhagen add considerably to the total cost, making the full financial commitment substantial. Scholarships are available on a competitive basis, and some participants secure employer sponsorship that covers costs in exchange for return commitments. Return on investment depends on pre-MBA salary levels and career trajectories post-graduation. Participants with lower pre-MBA salaries may see larger percentage increases, while those already earning high incomes may find the financial calculus more challenging. The non-financial returns, including network expansion, skill development, and career pivots, figure into the value proposition alongside salary impacts. Career outcomes for CBS MBA graduates span consulting, finance, corporate roles, and entrepreneurship. The school's career services connect students with recruiting companies and coach them through the job search process. Danish and Scandinavian companies offer opportunities for those interested in staying in the region, while international companies with Nordic operations also recruit from the program. The sustainable business emphasis opens doors to careers in ESG investing, corporate sustainability functions, and social enterprises that might be less accessible through other MBA programs. Graduates interested in positions requiring sustainability credentials find that the CBS reputation in this area strengthens their applications. Alumni networks support continued career development long after graduation.