I do not personally attend school in Korea, but I know of many people who are interested in doing so, so I have decided to write about the process of going to school at Konkuk University. The reason why I choose Konkuk University is simple; I know many Korean friends who have attended that school.
Konkuk University is one of the most prestigious schools in South Korea. It has two campuses, one in Seoul, next to the Han river, and one in Chungju. The Seoul campus holds 11 undergraduate colleges and 13 graduate schools, whereas the Chungju campus has four undergraduate colleges and four graduate schools. It was established in the 1930s, and it is currently ranked as the 14th top university in Korea.
The first thing you need to do as a prospective student is decide what kind of program you are interested in attending. For international students, they have an undergraduate exchange student program, a visiting student program, an internship and a cultural experience program, along with short-term summer and winter programs. You need to pick a program based on your goals. If you want to attend regular/non-Korean classes, you can apply for the visiting student program or exchange program. While the visiting student program/exchange program offers two free credit hours of Korean per semester, I think that if you only want to focus on learning Korean, then the short term programs are ideal for you. However, there are also regular Korean courses offered throughout the semester by the Konkuk Language Institute.
The application looks relatively simple to submit. Just make sure you apply early to guarantee you will make it on time! If you want to attend the university in fall, make sure you apply by May. If you want to attend the university in spring, make sure you apply by November. As for the graduate school programs, the application looks a little more complicated. You must submit basic documents (a recommendation letter and study proposal), proof of your nationality and proof of financial resources. If you are currently working, you need to get a certificate of employment from your company. They recommend you to submit additional application materials in person instead of through the mail.
Tuition for undergraduate programs is just around $3,000 to $5,000, while the estimated total cost of the semester programs vary from around $7,000 to $10,000. Tuition for graduate programs range from around $4,000 to $8,000. If you have already taken TOPIK and are at level 3 or higher, you can get 30 to 50% of your tuition fee discounted. If you currently attend the university and you are making good grades, you can also qualify for a scholarship to reduce your tuition fee up to 50% off. Housing is provided by the university and offers a lounge, 24-hour convenience store, gym, dining hall, bakery, hair salon, stationary store, laundry service and restaurants.
All in all, Konkuk looks like a good university. I have heard many good things about it from my Korean friends, and the campus is also known for its beautiful lake that is located in the middle of campus. If you decide to pursue studying in Korea, I recommend trying Konkuk University. Good luck with your application!
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Sarah in Seoul 