Study in South Korea
Over the past years, South Korea has become a more convenient and interesting option for international students. The country has lower costs regarding tuition and living expenses compared to English speaking countries. The government of South Korea does not impose additional fees to foreign students and is in fact offering these students many scholarship programmes. Among advantages, universities here support students with housing, they are legally allowed to have part-time jobs and there are great employment after graduation opportunities.
Education System
There are currently over 350 institutions of higher education operating in South Korea with an enrolment of just under 3.3 million students. There are six different types of institution at the higher education level: colleges and universities, industrial universities, universities of education, junior colleges, broadcast and correspondence universities and technical colleges.
Undergraduate programmes normally last four years, except for medicine and dentistry which last six years. The academic year starts in March, but many universities admit new international students twice a year, in March and September.
Study Options
South Korea is a leader in IT and robotics expertise, making this nation a great place for international students with an interest in technology to study. Other popular areas of study include: business administration, agriculture and life sciences, international trade, engineering, communications, computer science and electronics systems.
Application Requirements
According to the policy of each university, applicants may be required to undertake examinations, interviews or performance test. International students who wish to study programmes taught in Korean, TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) or KLPT (Korean Language Proficiency Test) are generally used with a score of Level 3 or above accepted.
The following documents are examined as admission criteria:
· - Academic Transcripts
· - Personal Statement and Study Plan
· - Letters of Recommendation/Counsellor Reference
· - Proof of language proficiency: applicants must submit at least one proof document of language proficiency either in Korean or English. In case of being unable to submit a proof document as listed below, other supporting documents may be submitted instead. Such documents should be officially approved ones clearly demonstrating the level of language proficiency.
-Korean: TOPIK, KLPT
-English: TEPS, TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC
· Other than the required document, any additional document(s) of language proficiency may be submitted as a supplementary material.
Language of Instruction
Main language of instruction is Korean, but most international students in South Korea take courses offered in English.
Many universities offer courses in different subject areas and majors in English, with some institutions offering nearly a third of their courses in the language. English-language courses are more common at graduate level.
Student Visa
Students who plan to stay longer than 90 days are required to get a student visa for South Korea. A visa is not required for participating in a short-term study abroad programme and for staying in the country for less than 90 days. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the expected departure date from South Korea. Apply for your student visa through the Korean consulate with jurisdiction over your permanent state of residence.
Documents to be submitted for student visa:
-Valid Passport
-One recent 2 x 2 passport type photograph, in colour
-Visa application form or Certificate for Recognition of Visa Issuance
-Processing Fee: Amount corresponding to 45 EUR (Single-entry) or 73 EUR (Multiple-entry)
-Admission from the school with its Recognition of the student’s aptitude for study and financial ability
-Most recent certificate of school record
-Proof that you have more than 10.900 EUR in a current bank account or documentation under a university academic exchange agreement
-Family Registry (Applies to Chinese only; Must include whole family)
For more information, visit South Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Living in South Korea
- Cost tuition goes between 1800 and 4650 EUR to per semester; for a private university the amount goes from 2700 to 6350 EUR per semester-fees depend on the course and level studied.
- An average student would spend around 270 EUR for food per month.
- Monthly rent costs around 280 EUR per month (although a deposit of between 2700 and 4500 EUR is required)
- Health insurance for a month is about 18 EUR.
- Student visa holders in degree courses of more than one year's duration may take up short-term internships that are study/curriculum-related (and be arranged or endorsed by their university).They can work for up to one year with no restriction on the nature of work, level of salary, location, number of working hours and employers. They can also alternatively take up part-time jobs on-campus for up to 20 hours per week throughout the year or summer jobs with no limit on work hours and location.
- South Korea has some of the biggest shopping malls in the world, with stores open until 4 in the morning.
- The taxis in South Korea are colour coded according to the level of service offered (grey or white -basic car with a fully qualified but not so experienced driver, whereas as a black cab -a luxury car with a more experienced driver).
- Students can enjoy Cherry Blossom Festivals, held every spring, usually in April, for free. They take place in different areas of the country, but the most famous flower festivals are in: Jinju, Gyeongju, and Seoul.
- Worth visiting are the ancient tombs of Jisandong, Hwaseong Fortress and the country’s numerous national parks.
About South Korea
South Korea, officially called The Republic of Korea, is an independent state in East Asia, covering the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The country is fenced in by the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan, the closest neighbouring countries are North Korea, China, Taiwan and Japan. With an overall population of over 50 million, the capital Seoul- a vibrant city, second largest in the world, is home to almost 20 million people.
Like all Asian countries, South Korea is a nation of contrast, having a mix of Oriental traditions and modern technology, a leader notably in biotechnology industry innovations. The government’s continuous investments and growth in this field has led to South Korea become known as one of the ‘Asian Tiger’ economies, alongside Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. A developed country with a high-income economy and with the most industrialized member country of the OECD, South Korea is renowned for its global position in telecommunications, automobile and robotics industries. Investments in education and research have also played an important role in the country’s becoming the world’s 13th largest economy and the third largest economy within Asia.
Although influenced by other cultures, like Chinese and Japanese, South Korea has maintained its distinctive language, culture and customs. According to Korean culture, education is the key to success in life. The country has a literacy rate of near 100%, one of the highest levels of education anywhere. Fundamental values centre on family and the religion of the majority is based on Confucianism or Buddhism, reflecting Korean lifestyle, culture and arts.
South Korea is a democratic state, divided into three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative. The president is the head of state, elected for a single five-year term in office by popular vote and the prime minister is the head of government.
Around seventy percent of the country is mountainous, with mountain views even in the most crowded cities.
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