{"id":610,"date":"2026-05-31T19:48:59","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T23:48:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/?page_id=610"},"modified":"2026-06-10T16:15:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T20:15:05","slug":"ny-i-massachusetts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/ressourcer\/ny-i-massachusetts\/","title":{"rendered":"New to Massachusetts"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-system-sans-serif-font-family\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;line-height:1;text-transform:none\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/ressourcer\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"19\">&lt; Resources<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Moving to Massachusetts can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming \u2014 especially if you're new to the U.S., moving with children, coming here for work, bringing a spouse or partner, or planning a study or exchange program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On this page we have collected useful places to start if you have questions about housing, school, daycare, networking, everyday life and studying in Massachusetts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"margin-bottom:0;padding-bottom:0;font-size:clamp(0.875rem, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 0.708), 1.3rem);line-height:1.3\"><strong>Housing: How to find a place to live<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:0\">The housing market in Massachusetts \u2014 especially in and around Boston \u2014 can be expensive and competitive. Before you sign a lease, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with typical rental requirements, security deposits, any brokerage fees, utility costs, and what's included in the rent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Useful places to start<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Your city or municipality's website \u2014 many cities have information about parking, waste, schools, local regulations, and practicalities for new residents<\/strong> \u2014 mange byer har information om parkering, affald, skoler, lokale regler og praktiske forhold for nye beboere.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/info-details\/housing-assistance-for-massachusetts-residents\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mass.gov: Housing Assistance \u2014 official information about housing, rental assistance, and housing programs in Massachusetts<\/a><\/strong> official information about housing, rental assistance, and housing programs in Massachusetts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/housingnavigatorma.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Housing Navigator Massachusetts<\/a><\/strong> search tool for income-restricted and affordable rental housing in Massachusetts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"margin-bottom:0;padding-bottom:0;font-size:clamp(0.875rem, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 0.708), 1.3rem);line-height:1.6\"><strong>School and daycare center<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Public schools in Massachusetts are usually affiliated with the city or town where you live. This means that your address often determines which school district your child will attend. So it may be a good idea to research schools before choosing a place to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daycare, preschool and after-school care are often private, can be expensive and may have waiting lists, so it's a good idea to start your search as early as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Useful places to start<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.doe.mass.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education<\/a><\/strong> information about public schools from kindergarten to high school<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.doe.mass.edu\/sfs\/earlylearning\/families.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Early Learning Information for Families<\/a><\/strong> information about toddlers, early learning and starting school<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/childcare.mass.gov\/findchildcare\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Licensed Child Care Search<\/a><\/strong> search tool for approved daycare centers and childcare arrangements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/guides\/find-a-licensed-family-group-or-school-age-child-care-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care<\/a><\/strong> guidance on approved childcare programs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"margin-bottom:0;padding-bottom:0;font-size:clamp(0.875rem, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 0.708), 1.3rem);line-height:1.6\"><strong>For spouses and partners<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many Danes come to Massachusetts because their spouse or partner has a job, research position, secondment or study stay. If you follow along without a job or network, it can quickly feel lonely and isolating \u2014 even if the stay is exciting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can help to reach out to local communities early on<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>local libraries and cultural centers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>international groups and expat networks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Danish or Scandinavian associations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>volunteer work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>adult education or English courses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>playgroups, school events and leisure activities if you have children<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>network through the spouse's workplace or university<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Useful places to start<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/new-to-massachusetts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mass.gov: New to Massachusetts<\/a><\/strong> official information for new residents of Massachusetts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/info-details\/ori-community-partners-directory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants Community Partners Directory<\/a><\/strong> overview of organizations that help new citizens and international families<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/directories\/libraries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Massachusetts Library Directory<\/strong><\/a> A list of libraries in Massachusetts. Local libraries are often a good place to start when you're new to the area, as they offer events, children's activities, English-language conversation groups, museum passes, and local information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Danish and Scandinavian associations in New England<\/strong> Danish and Scandinavian associations in New England<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"margin-bottom:0;padding-bottom:0;font-size:clamp(0.875rem, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 0.708), 1.3rem);line-height:1.6\"><strong>For students and exchange students<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Massachusetts has many colleges and universities, but the American education system can be difficult to understand if you are coming from Denmark. The costs often do not only consist of tuition fees. You also need to pay attention to housing, food, health insurance, books, fees and transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>it is a good idea to investigate<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the difference between college, university, community college, undergraduate and graduate studies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What tuition, room, board and fees mean<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>whether housing and meals are mandatory or optional<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how credits and course selection work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>what visa rule applies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>whether there are grants, scholarships or exchange agreements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>whether your Danish educational institution has cooperation agreements with American institutions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Useful places to start<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/educationusa.state.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>EducationUSA<\/strong> <\/a>official US resource for international students who want to study in the US<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/educationusa.state.gov\/find-financial-aid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">EducationUSA: Financial Aid<\/a><\/strong> information about scholarships and financial aid for international students<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/educationusa.state.gov\/find-advising-center\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">EducationUSA: Find an Advising Center<\/a><\/strong> A search page where international students can find an EducationUSA advising center. Advisors can help with general information about applying to U.S. colleges and universities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>International Student Office<\/strong> at the college or university you are considering \u2014 the best source of information on visas, course choices, housing, health insurance, and local requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your Danish university or educational institution<\/strong> ask about exchange agreements, credits, scholarships and practical requirements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"margin-bottom:0;padding-bottom:0;font-size:clamp(0.875rem, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 0.708), 1.3rem);line-height:1.6\"><strong>Everyday life and practical questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many practical matters in Massachusetts are handled locally by the city or municipality where you live. These include schools, garbage collection, parking permits, snow management, libraries, and recreational activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Good places to check<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>your city or municipality's website<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>your local library<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>your school district's website<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>your workplace's HR or relocation department<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the university's international office, if you are a student, researcher or visiting scholar<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>See also<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mass.gov<\/a> <\/strong>The official website for the state of Massachusetts. Here you can find information on everything from housing, health and family to transportation, taxes, driver's licenses and public services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/orgs\/massachusetts-registry-of-motor-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles \u2014 RMV<\/a><\/strong> Massachusetts' answer to the motor vehicle office. Here you will find information about driver's licenses, Massachusetts ID, car registration, license plates, car insurance and driving tests<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/info-details\/massachusetts-identification-id-requirements\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mass.gov: Massachusetts ID requirements<\/a><\/strong> A handy page about what documents you need to get a Massachusetts ID or driver's license. The page is especially useful for new immigrants, as they often need to document their identity, address, and residency status.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Det kan v\u00e6re sp\u00e6ndende at flytte til Massachusetts, men det kan ogs\u00e5 f\u00f8les overv\u00e6ldende \u2014 is\u00e6r hvis man er ny i USA, flytter med b\u00f8rn, kommer hertil for at arbejde, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":19,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-610","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/610"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=610"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/610\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":684,"href":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/610\/revisions\/684"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danishsocietyma.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}