It’s going to be amazing!
We’re looking forward to meeting you, and we’re busy with the final preparations to make your stay at Vrå Folk High School as fantastic as possible.
On this page, you can read a bit about starting at the school—what to bring, and what the first days will be like.
If you have any questions, you’re of course very welcome to call or email us. We’ll figure everything out together…
Otherwise, we’ll see you on Sunday, August 10 at 3 PM (if you need to arrive at a different time due to train schedules or other reasons, please let us know!).
There’s no program scheduled on the day of arrival. About 70 students are starting on August 10, and we aim to keep the day relaxed and grounded. It’s ONLY about settling in and getting a feel for the place.
Countdown to August 10, 3pm
Intro Week
The first week at the school is called “Intro Week.” You’ll get to know the classrooms, how the chores work, what the classes are about, and who you’re living with in your dormitory—and of course, there’s an intro party!
It’s actually a laid-back event, but it can definitely be intense to meet so many new people in a completely new place.
You’ll choose your classes during the week as they’re introduced.
Packing List
When you’re staying at the school for an extended period, you’ll need more than just a toothbrush—but not too much. You can always grab what you’re missing over the weekend or have it sent to the school. There are also a couple of thrift stores in town that love visits from our students.
In your room, there’s a desk, shelves in the wardrobe, and a clothes rail. You can do laundry and drying at the school; it costs 20 DKK per wash.
Here’s what we recommend you bring:
- Clothes suitable for the seasons
- Clothes you don’t mind getting dirty in ceramics or art
- Clothes for parties
- Swimwear – we’re not far from the beach in Løkken or the local swimming pool
- Toiletries, medication, contraception, hairdryer
- Towels
Duvet/pillow and bed sheet, pillowcase and duvet coverWe provide this for our international students, so you don’t have to travel with the extra weight.- Passport and your Health Insurance Card (if you have one) for the study trip
- Decorations for your room – everything from family photos and plants to garlands and fairy lights
- A laptop if you want to take Music Production class
- Musical instruments if you have – we have plenty in the music department, but if you only want to play your own double bass, feel free to bring it.
If you order something online, have it shipped directly to you. We will notify you if a package arrives for you. Ship to the address:
Your-Firstname Your-Lastname
c/o Vraa Hoejskole
Hoejskolevej 1
9760 Vraa
Denmark
Pro tip for when you go home: Many students end up with WAY more stuff to bring back home than they arrived with—everything from extra clothes to ceramics, artwork, and potted plants. You can not ship ceramics back home. It WILL break.
DORMITORIES
Students are divided into dormitories of about 14 students each. Each dormitory has its own house or floor with bedrooms. Every dormitory has an assigned teacher who holds dormitory meetings, so we make sure everyone is doing well and that information is shared properly. Students clean their dormitory areas themselves. All dormitories have a shared space and a kitchen.
ROOMS & ROOMMATES
Most of our rooms are doubles with a private bathroom. Typically, you’ll share the room with the same roommate for the entire semester. You’re responsible for decorating your room, so feel free to bring fairy lights, a plant, or a small rug.
WEEKENDS
There are no scheduled lessons during weekends—maybe a trip to the beach or something similar. You decide what to do with your free time. If you feel like spending 48 hours in the ceramics workshop, you can. And if you just want to unplug and binge a series, that’s perfectly fine too.
You might also want to visit someone’s home or go on a trip to Sweden with a few classmates. Just be back by Monday morning.
ALCOHOL
If you want to drink alcohol, it’s allowed on Fridays and Saturdays. Nothing stronger than wine—this helps the parties last longer.
MEALS
On weekdays, we serve breakfast at 08:00, lunch at 11:30, and dinner at 17:30—with options for meat-eaters, vegetarians, vegans, and people with allergies.
On weekends, we serve brunch 09:00-11:00 and dinner at 17:30.
We eat pretty well at the folk high school, but of course, you might sometimes crave a pizza—there are two pizzerias in Vrå.
MORNING GATHERINGS
Maybe you’ve heard of morning gatherings and singing from the Folk High School Songbook? A gathering can be many things, but typically we start with a song and then there’s a talk on anything from the sky to the sea. It might be a lecture, a debate—or perhaps a student sharing something for half an hour.
CLASSES
Subjects are taught by dedicated professionals. Musicians teach music, a tailor teaches sewing and design, etc.
At the start of the semester, you’ll learn the basic techniques. Once you’ve practiced, you can work on your own projects or follow shared assignments.
You’ll have your own shelf/box/workstation in the different studios, so it’s easy to get started and stay organized.
STUDIOS
If you’re not done working when the class ends, you can stay and continue in the studios late into the evening.
Just use common sense—don’t make noise after 10 PM if someone lives above the studio. Clean up after yourself and follow all the equipment guidelines. If you want to use a studio you’re not enrolled in, you’ll need to bring a student who is, or make an arrangement with the teacher in that studio.
CHORES
As in all folk high schools, students handle certain responsibilities. These include cleaning and kitchen duties, which are shared among everyone.
STUDY TRIP
Each semester, we go on a one-week study trip abroad. It’s included in the price of your stay.
We’ve been to many places over the years, but right now the destinations are often: Gothenburg, Prague, and Berlin.
Remember your passport or EU id!
PORTFOLIO
Many students use their time with us to prepare for applying to creative programs that require a portfolio or recordings.
We’re happy to help you put one together—but it’s important that you ask us as early as possible after you arrive.
FINDING OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
If you’re not sure what kind of education you want to pursue, a stay at a folk high school is a great opportunity to try a bit of everything before making a decision. We also offer student counseling.
GUESTS AT THE SCHOOL
We love having guests—so much so that we encourage you to invite friends and family during your stay.
Guests can stay overnight, either on a mattress in your room or in a spare room (which you clean yourselves). The cost is 150 DKK per night.
They can visit on weekdays (and possibly join workshops) or over the weekend.
Friends of students aren’t the only guests who come by. Throughout the semester, we welcome many people—for communal meals and lectures every two weeks, for concerts, folk dancing, the knitting club, or weekend courses in things like knitting or ceramics.
In short: folk high school is for everyone.
TRANSPORT
The easiest way for your guests to get to Vrå is by train from the airport in Aalborg. The school is just a 10-minute walk from the Vrå station.
You hop on in Aalborg heading toward Hjørring or Skagen, and the ride takes about 30 minutes—with AC and plenty of space.
Just type “Vrå Station” into rejseplanen.dk.
Find the school
Our address to use in Google Maps etc. is:
Vrå Højskole
Højskolevej 1
9760 Vrå
Our phone number +4598981010
If you need to call us using a phone without a Danish SIM card, remember to research if you need to type 0045 in front of the number, so it could look like: 00 45 98981010 or something similar. When you hear the automatic Danish voice in the phone, just press 1 🙂