Whether appreciating the upbeat rhythm and pace of life in the modern cities or the historical beauty of one of the globe's most mountainous regions, Korea promises to inspire and broaden your horizons. Korea is also a perfect destination to take a wide variety of courses in English. Beyond the classroom, you can delve into the rich cultural heritage through activities like traditional art, K-pop dance, and temple stays, or gain firsthand insights into its global industries.
Languages Spoken:
Korean
Education System
HIGHER EDUCATION OVERVIEW
Higher education in South Korea is governed by the Ministry of Education. Korean students have a choice of junior colleges, teacher colleges, open universities (technical or vocational fields), four-year colleges, universities and graduate schools. Admission is highly competitive and determined by grades and an entrance examination score. Preparation for college entrance exams is extremely demanding. In addition to a full week of classroom instruction, Korean high school students often attend hagwons (private educational institutions; cram schools) for different subjects. A high school student in Seoul usually begins school at 7:30 a.m. and finishes at 5 p.m. Some high school students remain at school for "self-study" until as late as 10 p.m. to prepare for the college entrance examination.
STUDYING IN SOUTH KOREA
Classroom Culture
The social aspect of university life for Korean students is important, and students enjoy socializing with peers on campus when they are not attending class. Though schoolwork is rigorous in Korea, Korean students generally agree that the most difficult part about university life is passing the entrance examinations.
Registration
Course registration will generally not happen until you arrive on campus. Check with your host coordinator for procedures for registering for classes at your host institution.
Course Load
Students generally take three to five courses per semester, spending nine to 12 hours in class on average. Terms last 16 weeks.
Exams & Grading
Students are generally required to take midterm and final examinations. Other tests, presentations, research papers and projects may also be expected of students. A student’s performance in a course is determined by the results of examinations, class attendance and participation of the student. Student performance is usually graded on a 100-point scale.
Transcripts
Transcripts will be sent to ISEP Global a few weeks following the end of term. Be sure to check with your host coordinator to ensure all is completed to allow for timely release of your transcript. Detailed information can also be found on your ISEP Acceptance Package.
Visa and Residency
Please note that students should ALWAYS check the website of the embassy/consulate with jurisdiction over their place of residence first, as the information in this handbook regarding visa application instructions is subject to change without warning.
Governments around the world have temporarily suspended the issuance of student visas.
You should consult the visa application guidelines below to carefully review all requirements and begin collecting the necessary paperwork so that you are ready to submit the required materials as soon as student visa processing resumes. Please contact your Student Services Officer with any questions you may have at this time.
South Korea embassy in the United States consular services
For Students from Non-OECD Countries:
For students with nationality from a non-OECD country, you may need to submit a notarized and apostilled Certificate of Enrollment, transcript, and/or high school diploma to your host institution. This will be required in order to receive your visa paperwork. Please visit here for a full list of participating OECD countries. If your nationality is from a country NOT on this list, we encourage you to reach out to your local Korean embassy as early as possible to confirm your application requirements.
Regardless of your own nationality, if your home university is located in a country which is a member to the Apostille Convention, you can go through the Apostille process. Please visit here and check whether or not you fall under the Apostille process (all students from U.S. institutions can go through this process).
For information on notary services in the U.S., please visit here.
For information on the apostille process within different states in the U.S., please visit here.
D-2-6 Visa
Purpose: For students on Semester and Full Year Exchange programs
Eligibility: Students with parents who hold Korean citizenship currently, or who held Korean citizenship when they were born cannot apply for a Student Visa even if they are a U.S. citizen. If this applies to you, you will need to apply for a Korean passport.
Visa Fee: $45- 90
When to apply: Students will receive instructions from their host coordinator approximately 2 months before their program start date with their admission letter to the university.
Processing time: 7-10 Business Days
Application Requirements:
Please view this page for application process
Application Required Materials:
Passport valid through exchange period
• Application for student visa (available on embassy or consulate web site)
• Visa fee
• Admission letter from your Korean host
• One recent passport-size photograph
• Official and original financial statements
• Certificate of latest scholastic achievement (such as a sealed official transcript or diploma)
• Host university’s Certificate of Business Registration (the embassy and most consulates require this)
• If applying by mail, you must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. ISEP strongly recommends that you use certified mail to send your documents to the embassy or consulate. You should also certify the return envelope to ensure that your documents arrive safely.
D-2-8 Visa
Purpose: For students on Semester and Full Year Direct programs AND students on Summer programs who are from a country that is excluded from the visa-waiver agreement with South Korea
Eligibility:
For Summer students only: In general, students from locations where Korea has a visa-waiver agreement can enter the country with the K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization). You may check your eligibility by visiting the K-ETA website. Students from countries excluded from the visa-waiver agreement program must apply for a short-term visa. If this applies to you, please contact your Student Services Officer for further guidance. In principle, students from countries excluded from the visa-waiver agreement program should apply for a D-2-8 study visa at the Korean Embassy or Korean Consulate Office in their home country.
Students with parents who hold Korean citizenship currently, or who held Korean citizenship when they were born cannot apply for a Student Visa even if they are a U.S. citizen. If this applies to you, you will need to apply for a Korean passport.
Visa Fee: $45- 90
When to apply: Students will receive instructions from their host coordinator approximately 2 months before their program start date with their admission letter to the university.
Processing time: 7-10 Business Days
Application Requirements:
Please view this page for application process
Application Required Materials:
Passport valid through exchange period
• Application for student visa (available on embassy or consulate web site)
• Visa fee
• Admission letter from your Korean host
• One recent passport-size photograph
• Official and original financial statements
• Certificate of latest scholastic achievement (such as a sealed official transcript or diploma)
• Host university’s Certificate of Business Registration (the embassy and most consulates require this)
• If applying by mail, you must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. ISEP strongly recommends that you use certified mail to send your documents to the embassy or consulate. You should also certify the return envelope to ensure that your documents arrive safely.
Most students staying in Korea for more than 90 days must register for a Residence Card (formerly called Alien Registration Card (ARC)) at a local immigration office within 90 days from their date of entry. You will need your Residence Card (RC) to officially set up your Korean bank account and receive your meal stipend (if included in your program) from your host institution. It is illegal to stay in Korea for more than 90 days without being registered, regardless of your visa at entry. Your host institution will provide more information during orientation.
Per Korean Immigration Policy, all D-2 students’ Registration Cards are invalidated on the last day of the semester, REGARDLESS of the actual duration of stay printed on the backside of your Registration Card. After the last day of the semester, you will have a short grace-period to exit South Korea. If you plan to stay in Korea past the last day of the semester for travel, etc., please contact your host university as early as possible so that they can tell you the last date you can legally remain in the country under their sponsorship.
Students should NOT exit Korea until they apply for and receive their Residence Card. Exiting Korea before you have your RC, even for short-term travel, will result in your D-2 visa being voided. You will be responsible for re-applying for your D-2 visa if this happens, and may risk termination of your program.
Culture
COMMUNICATION STYLE
Koreans bow to one another when greeting and departing. Greetings are generally considered most important during the first meeting. Subsequent meetings usually involve more of a slow, polite nod. With foreigners, a handshake and small bow is acceptable.
Hierarchy is important in Korean culture. It is important to be aware of the seniors within the group. Different titles are assigned to each member within a group to emphasize their order of seniority and role within the group.
SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND FAMILY
Family relationships are an important aspect to Korean life. Confucian beliefs influence family roles and relationships between people and government, men and women, and seniors and youth. Parents place great importance on teaching children to fulfill family duties and to respect those older than them.
FOOD
Rice is a staple dish at all Korean meals and it is accompanied by a variety of side dishes. Korean cuisine is famous for its variety and abundance of colorful side dishes. Popular dishes include bean-paste soup, kimchi (pickled cabbage) and beef or fish with steamed and seasoned vegetables. Seasonings such as soy sauce, soybean paste, red pepper paste, ginger root, sesame oil and sesame seeds are also significant to Korean food. Generally, food is not eaten in courses, but served all at once and eaten together.
Making sure that one’s guest has enough food to eat is important within Korean society. It is also common to ask if one has eaten as a form of greeting. However, this does not mean that you must eat everything you are offered. It is perfectly acceptable to refuse food if ever offered something that you are unable to eat. As long as you are polite, your Korean host should understand.
DINING OUT
In Korea, be prepared to be either the host or the guest when dining out. The concept of paying only for one’s own meal isn’t often practiced in Korean society. During birthday celebrations the one celebrating their birthday hosts and covers the bill.
ETIQUETTE
- Showing the bottom of one’s shoe or putting one’s feet on furniture is disrespectful
- Signing documents with red ink is reserved for the deceased
- Do not plant chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice – this is another custom for the deceased
- Remove shoes before entering a home or place of worship
DISPOSING OF WASTE
South Korea has a specific and complex system of trash separation that can be confusing to newcomers. Please see the following websites for information on how to properly dispose of garbage while in South Korea.
Garbage Disposal & Recycling
How to Appropriately Throw Away Trash in Korea
How to Take Out Trash in Korea
LGBTQIA+
It is recommended that LGBTQIA+ students conduct personal research on their host country before departing for their program. Students should keep in mind that social attitudes and acceptance may vary based on a number of factors including region, age, and the local political climate. You can find some resources on our Identity Abroad page. If you would like to be connected with your host coordinator or an alumni who identifies as LGBTQIA+ before your departure, please contact your Student Services Officer.
Daily Life
COMMUNICATION STYLE
Koreans bow to one another when greeting and departing. Greetings are generally considered most important during the first meeting. Subsequent meetings usually involve more of a slow, polite nod. With foreigners, a handshake and small bow is acceptable.
Hierarchy is important in Korean culture. It is important to be aware of the seniors within the group. Different titles are assigned to each member within a group to emphasize their order of seniority and role within the group.
SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND FAMILY
Family relationships are an important aspect to Korean life. Confucian beliefs influence family roles and relationships between people and government, men and women, and seniors and youth. Parents place great importance on teaching children to fulfill family duties and to respect those older than them.
FOOD
Rice is a staple dish at all Korean meals and it is accompanied by a variety of side dishes. Korean cuisine is famous for its variety and abundance of colorful side dishes. Popular dishes include bean-paste soup, kimchi (pickled cabbage) and beef or fish with steamed and seasoned vegetables. Seasonings such as soy sauce, soybean paste, red pepper paste, ginger root, sesame oil and sesame seeds are also significant to Korean food. Generally, food is not eaten in courses, but served all at once and eaten together.
Making sure that one’s guest has enough food to eat is important within Korean society. It is also common to ask if one has eaten as a form of greeting. However, this does not mean that you must eat everything you are offered. It is perfectly acceptable to refuse food if ever offered something that you are unable to eat. As long as you are polite, your Korean host should understand.
DINING OUT
In Korea, be prepared to be either the host or the guest when dining out. The concept of paying only for one’s own meal isn’t often practiced in Korean society. During birthday celebrations the one celebrating their birthday hosts and covers the bill.
ETIQUETTE
- Showing the bottom of one’s shoe or putting one’s feet on furniture is disrespectful
- Signing documents with red ink is reserved for the deceased
- Do not plant chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice – this is another custom for the deceased
- Remove shoes before entering a home or place of worship
DISPOSING OF WASTE
South Korea has a specific and complex system of trash separation that can be confusing to newcomers. Please see the following websites for information on how to properly dispose of garbage while in South Korea.
Garbage Disposal & Recycling
How to Appropriately Throw Away Trash in Korea
How to Take Out Trash in Korea
LGBTQIA+
It is recommended that LGBTQIA+ students conduct personal research on their host country before departing for their program. Students should keep in mind that social attitudes and acceptance may vary based on a number of factors including region, age, and the local political climate. You can find some resources on our Identity Abroad page. If you would like to be connected with your host coordinator or an alumni who identifies as LGBTQIA+ before your departure, please contact your Student Services Officer.
Health and Safety
Your health and safety is our number one priority. Please read and reference our Guides and Tips section for general information regarding health and safety abroad.
For helpful tips for before, during and after your study abroad trip, please visit this page of the CDC website.
If you’re planning to bring your prescription or over-the-counter medicine on your trip, you need to make sure your medicine is travel-ready. More information can be found here. Please contact your Student Services Officer and ISEP Coordinator with any additional questions.
Detailed information about South Korea can be found here. Please pay special attention to the Safety and Security, Local Laws and Special Circumstances and Health sections. In particular, please note that if/when you go to a doctor or hospital in South Korea, you MUST bring some form of official identification (such as your Korean Residence Card, home country driver's license or state ID, or your passport).
Note: Information sourced on this page is provided by the U.S. Department of State and the CDC. Non-U.S. nationals should disregard the Embassies and Consulates and Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements sections.
Starting September 1, 2024, the Republic of Korea (ROK) government has mandated that travelers who have visited, stayed, or transited through certain regions, including certain U.S. States (Colorado, Michigan, and Texas), must submit a Q-CODE or health declaration form upon entering South Korea. There is an additional list of locations where a Q-CODE or health declaration form must be submitted if the traveler is exhibiting symptoms. A fine of 10,000,000 KRW will be levied to travelers coming to South Korea from these areas who do not comply with reporting their health status. For more information, please check the Korean Embassy in the US website, and see the instructions along with a full list of affected locations here.
Currency
MONEY MATTERS
South Korea's monetary unit is the won. Currency is issued in 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000, 50,000 notes, and 10, 50, 100 and 500 coins. Currency can be exchanged at airports and banks. It is a good idea to bring some won with you for incidental expenses until you can get to a bank where exchange rates are more favorable than at the airport. Most hotels, restaurants and retail outlets in Seoul accept credit cards. In smaller, traditional markets and street vendors can be more difficult to use a credit card. While traveling, carrying adequate amounts of cash is advised.
It is smart to keep track of exchange rates between the won and your home currency.
ATM
Banks, convenience stores and other sites have ATMs. Because some ATM transactions require an account with a Korean bank, they may not be convenient with international credit cards.
AVERAGE PRICE OF DAILY ITEMS
Water (0.5 L): 600 won
Apple: 1,200 won
Bagel: 3,000 - 7,000 won
Starbucks coffee: 5,000 - 7,000 won
McDonald's Big Mac meal: 8,800 won
Movie: 14,000 - 25,000 won
Book: 13,000 won
Coin Noraebang (Karaoke): 500 won per song
Soda: 2,000 won
Subway / Bus Fare: 1,400 - 1,500 won
Sources of Information
Plenty of research is key to getting the most out of your experience, but check out these links for all things Korea!
USEFUL WEBSITES
The Korea Times
The Korea Herald
Lonely Planet South Korea
Yonhap News Agency
Korea.net: Gateway to Korea
RECOMMENDED READING
*All links below will take you to the Amazon.com website for content and purchasing information.
GUIDES
THE ADVENTURER'S GUIDE TO KOREA: Language, Culture, Etiquette
SOUTH KOREA 101: The Culture, Etiquette, Rules and Customs
Korea - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture
LITERATURE
Han, Kang. Human Acts
Cho, Nam-joo. Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
Lee, Min Jin. Pachinko
CULTURE, HISTORY, AND POLITICS
The Korean Mind: Understanding Contemporary Korean Culture
Korea: A History
History of Korea: A Captivating Guide to Korean History