Join the unforgettable and ultimate summer school experience! Past Review
By A student (National University of Singapore / NUS) - abroad from 06/26/2018 to 08/03/2018 with
Korea University: Seoul - International Summer Campus
I have learnt to adapt to living in a country where I did not know the language, but grew to love all its people, culture and food during the program. I remembered when I first came to Korea, I struggled to ask for directions, or even to order food from restaurants where there were no English menus. But with all the support given from the school's volunteers and buddy program, it all became a breeze. I gained lasting friendships with international friends and a deeper appreciation of the Korean culture through the fun events organized by the school. Adapting in Korea University is not difficult at all. With its vibrant campus life, supportive student body and great tutors, KUISC is truly an enriching place for all.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Really great professors from all over the world coming together to provide world-class education in the short span of 6 weeks. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Extremely welcoming and helpful; provided ample resources and prompt services to international students to navigate around the campus, resolve administrative matters, and answer any queries. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I stayed in an AirBnb with some of my friends a distance away from KU, so my living arrangement was amazing (because I picked the apartment). The downside of it is definitely the time and money spent on travelling everyday to school. However, Seoul is very well accessible with super efficient public transport systems. |
| * Food: |
Food in Korea is amazing. Do try out different restaurants and street foods around Seoul. The cafes and restaurants around KU are really affordable and great too! Huge variety of lunch spots. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Well organized cultural immersion activities to experience Korea that most tourists would not be able to do. Every week of the program, there would be different activities organized by the school such as going for the Boryeong Mud Festival, watching the Nanta Cooking Show, Korean cooking classes, KU Taekwondo, KPOP dancing flashmob, and many more! These really provided a lot of opportunities for me to make new friends and learn more about the Korean culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Seoul is really safe, where everyone abides to the traffic rules promptly. The streets are also well lit at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
My time at Korea University International Summer Campus (KUISC) has been nothing short of extraordinary. I chose the 6 weeks program, thinking that it would pass by slowly so that I would have ample time to explore around Korea and learn about its amazing culture. Little did I know that the 6 weeks went by like a bullet train (like the one that goes to Busan). The program was filled with so many fun and unique activities every single week (ranging from sports to cooking to dancing and arts) that cater to everyone. The beautiful campus in KU also made studying so much more enjoyable. The best of all, would be the wonderful international tutors that taught the courses I took. They really imparted their invaluable knowledge from a global perspective, which value-adds a lot to my learning on the subject matter. Having experienced being in one of the top universities in Korea, this sensation is definitely thrilling and amazing! I love the school pride and culture; definitely miss doing the KU cheers with the friends I have made. If given the chance to experience summer school again, I would definitely choose the same. :) |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
The food in Korea can be quite expensive. Students should prepare themselves for more budget on food because the food in Korea is amazing. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Approximately 280,000KRW per week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | For accommodation, you can try staying in the campus dorms or stay in Goshiwons (Single room apartments) near Anam subway station. There are plenty of reasonably priced restaurants and entertainment around Anam. This way, you could save up a lot of money from taking public transport (which can get quite expensive - about 1,000KRW per train trip). For shopping and entertainment activities, go to districts that are near schools or local universities such as Sinchon (near Yonsei Uni), Ewha or Hongdae. These places are more catered to budget-friendly students like us. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I learnt how to speak more proper Korean language before going on this program. Within the campus, navigating around and getting help can be done so easily with English language. However, when travelling out to various parts of Seoul and other parts of Korea, it becomes a lot more difficult to communicate without English language. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
