Studying in Korea

Stuyding In Korea

Studying in Korea

Interested in studying at a college or university Korea? Want to pursue an MBA or graduate degree here? There are many higher education opportunities for international students hoping to study in Korea.

Admissions Process

The Korean university academic year begins in late February and to early March. Most Korean universities admit new students twice a year. For Spring semester starting in March applications are usually opened from September 1 to November 30. For Fall semester starting in September applications are opened from April 1 to June 31. Buteach universities have their own requirements and procedures, so it's important to research all prospective programs early.

Application packets often include: • Application Form • Self Introduction and Study Plan • Official Academic Transcripts and Proof of Graduation or Expected Graduation (if applicable) • Letter of Recommendation • Copy of Passport of Proof of Nationality • Proof of Korean or English Ability (as required) • Documents Proving Financial Capacity • Portfolio, Video, Etc. to Prove Competence (Arts and Physical Education Applicants)

 

Language of Study

Most international students who study abroad in Korea take courses offered in English. Many universities offer courses in certain subjects and majors in English, with some schools offering nearly a third of their courses in the language. English-language courses are more common at the graduate level.  Foreign students who want to study in English or Korean are required to prove their language proficiency, if the language is not their native tongue. Schools differ on types of language exam scores they accept, so it’s important to check with individual schools about their requirements. See the Required Exams topic below for information on some of the more commonly-accepted exams.

Types of Programs

There are many programs available for students wanting to study in Korea. Undergraduate and graduate degree programs are available for students proficient in Korean or English. Other programs allow students to study in Korea for a summer or semester, studying Korean language and culture or courses in their major.

For more information about studying in Korea as an international student, visit the National Institute for International Education website, http://studyinkorea.go.kr.  Undergraduate Programs The education system at Korean universities is similar to that of Western universities, although some differences do exist. Undergraduate degrees generally have four years of coursework. Medicine, dentistry and architecture degrees are usually completed in five or six years. Students need to declare their majors when applying to a university, with only a few universities allowing changes in majors. The minimum number of credits for graduation is 140, with some universities having specific course requirements.  Thirty different undergraduate majors are offered in Korea including literature, pedagogy, business administration, fine arts, music, science, economics, political science, law, theology, administration, library science, engineering, agriculture, oriental medicine, pharmacy, nursing, veterinary medicine, dentistry and medicine.  Graduate Schools/MBA Programs There are two types of graduate schools in Korea. Generalist graduate schools offer programs focusing on academic research. These schools offer master's and Ph. D programs. Specialist graduate schools offer programs to help students prepare for business practices. Some specialist graduate schools only offer master's courses, while some programs hold evening classes for workers. Graduate programs often offer more classes in English than undergraduate programs. Students must have a bachelor's degree or expected graduation certificate to be accepted into a program. Test scores for English or Korean proficiency are required, depending on the program. Students without these scores may attend Korean pre-master's courses for international students.  Master of Business Administration programs accept degrees from a number of majors, but require two to three years of work experience for apply.  Regular Semester Programs Students attend courses during the regular semester, with both Korean and international students. Courses run from the spring through fall semesters. Language of instruction is either Korean or a foreign language, often English. A larger number of graduate courses are offered in English, compared to undergraduate offerings.  Short-Term Exchange Programs Many universities in Korea have international exchange programs with partner universities throughout the world. These programs allow students to study at Korean universities for a short period of time: summer or winter break, a semester or a year. Check with the study abroad office at your university for more information about exchanges offered with schools in Korea.  Vacation Period Programs Some schools in Korea offer summer and winter programs for foreign students. Classes are offered in Korean language and culture, as well as general education courses.

 

Universities

Here are Top 10 colleges and universities in South Korea on the basis of academic excellence and other activities are : 1) Seoul National University  2) Yonsei University 3) Korea University 4) Pohang University of Science and Technology 5) Ewha Women's University 6) Sungkyunkwan University 7) Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology 8) Pusan National University 9) Hanyang University 10) Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

 

Korean Government Scholarship Programs

Numerous Korean government ministries offer this kind of Korean scholarship program. Each year, the number of beneficiaries increases and there are many opportunities. Currently, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade offer scholarship programs. Before applying, it is advisable to take the Test of Proficiency in Korean or the Korean Language Proficiency Test, to show that you have reached a certain level of proficiency.

Korean Government Scholarship Program - Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development  The Ministry of Education offers a scholarship program for international students from countries that have concluded a bilateral cultural agreement regardless of the field of study. Every year, 100 applicants enrolled in masters or doctoral programs, Korean language programs, or research projects are selected to receive full tuition and living expenses. The application period is open for three months every year from the end of November to mid February. * Scholarship covers: 2 years for masters degree program, 3 years for doctoral degree program, 6 months to 1 year for research, 6 months to 1 year for Korean language training. * Awarded: Tuition, monthly stipend (800,000 won / 9,600,000 won a year), research support (humanities 420,000 a month / natural sciences 480,000 won a month), health insurance * Application Period: From the end of November to mid February * Contact: The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, National Institute for International Education Development +82-2-3668-1359 / www.ied.go.kr  Korean Government Scholarship Students for Undergraduate Courses from the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development  This scholarship is designed for students from the CIS or Asia. Since it targets Asian students, the chances of selection are relatively high. Regardless of ones major, there are 30 scholarship recipients that are selected which must complete a four-year bachelors degree and a one-year Korean language training course. * Scholarship covers: 4 years for undergraduate degree program plus 1 year of Korean language training. * Awarded: Tuition, monthly stipend (700,000 won / 8,400,000 won a year), health insurance * Application Period: From the end of November to mid February * Contact: The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, National Institute for International Education Development +82-2-3668-1368 / www.ied.go.kr Research Fellowships for International Graduate Student Program from the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development Students from any country who wish to study in the fields of science or technology are eligible to apply. One hundred people will be selected for graduate or doctoral-degree study in the fields of science and technology. This program is open to anyone who has finished a bachelors degree in a relevant field and plans to study in Korea for a two-year masters and a three-year doctoral degree. * Scholarship covers 2 years for masters degree program, or 3 years for doctoral degree program in the field of science & technology * Awarded: Masters 8,400,000 won (700,000 won a month), Doctorate 10,800,000 won (900,000 won a month) * Application Period: June and December * Contact: Korea Research Foundation +82-2-3460-5500 / www.krf.or.kr (Korean) Korean Government IT Scholarship Program from the Ministry of Information and Technology Students from any country studying in the field of information technology are eligible to apply. Applicants can apply for both IT and public policy. Only those planning to pursue a masters and doctoral degree can apply, and 170 people are selected twice a year. * Scholarship covers: 2 years for masters degree program, 3 years for doctoral degree program in the field of information & technology * Awarded: Masters 10,000,000 won (700,000 won a month), Doctorate 14,000,000 won * Application Period: December for spring semester applicants and June for fall semester applicants * Contact: The Institute for Information Technology Advancement, Human Resources Development Division +82-42-710-1320 / www.korea4u.org Global IT Policy & Technology Scholarship from the Ministry of Information and Technology This scholarship is designed for public officials and professionals working in the field of information and telecommunications in the Asia-Pacific region or the Middle East. Every year, 45 candidates are selected to study for their masters or doctoral degrees in the field of IT, 15 for public policy and 25 for technology. The scholarship covers tuition, airfare, health insurance, and living expenses. The public policy program and the technology program are conducted both at Seoul National University and the Information and Communications University (www.icu.ac.kr). * Scholarship covers: 2 years for masters degree program, 3 years for doctoral degree program in the field of international IT * Awarded: Tuition, airfare, health insurance, and monthly stipend (1,500,000 won) * Application Period: December for spring semester applicants and June for fall semester applicants * Contact: Institute for Information Technology Advancement, Human Resources Development Division +82-42-710-1323 / www.iita.re.kr Art Major Asian Scholarship (AMA) from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Designed to develop outstanding art students in Asia, the AMA scholarship selects students in the fields of music, dance, fine arts, visual art, theater, and the traditional arts for studies at the Korean National University of Arts. Every June, 20 candidates are selected for bachelor or masters degree programs. * Scholarship covers: 4 years for undergraduate degree program, 2~3 years for masters degree program in the field of arts * Awarded: Undergraduate: 18,000,000 won a year, graduate: 18,000,000 won a year * Application Period: June * Contact: Korean National University of Arts +82-2-958-2553 / www.knua.ac.kr /ama@knua.ac.kr Korean Language Training Fellowship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TradeStudents from any country wishing to learn Korean for at least six months to a maximum of one year are eligible to apply. The fellowship covers living expenses. Every year, about 70 to 80 people are selected to enroll in a Korean language program. Those who are already learning Korean or are already studying in a Korean-related field are given preference on their application. * Scholarship covers: 6 months ~ 1 year for Korean language training * Awarded: Monthly stipend of 900,000~1,100,000 won, immigration support 300,000 won, tuition, and travelers insurance

Scholarship Foundations

In addition to the scholarships offered by the Korean government, other scholarship programs are offered to international students through foundations. Compared to government scholarships, these fellowships have stricter conditions, but students can apply even if they are already studying in Korea. The fellowship is also offered to those studying Korean or taking Korean-related classes in their home country.

Korea Foundation Fellowship for Korean Studies The foundation gives out a number of fellowships, which includes the following: for research scholars and graduate students who want to study Korean language; for foreign scholars and professional researchers who want to conduct field research in Korea; for those who want to pursue a masters or doctoral degree; for those who already received their doctors degree and want to do more research; and for associate professors that are doing research and writing research papers. These fellowships support both those who want to study in Korea and those who want to study in their home country. For more information, contact the Korean Foundation (+82-2-3463-5784 / http://www.kf.or.kr/ language@kf.or.kr). Fellowship for Korean Language Training * Eligibility: Applicants must have a basic understanding and command of Korean. The scholarship supports those with a major or minor in a Korean-related field at an undergraduate level; faculty, lecturers, or researchers lecturing about a Korean-related field, doing research at a university or research institute, or working in a Korean-related field in a museum curators and librarians. * Awarded: 900,000 won for bachelor or masters degree level, 1,100,000 won for doctoral degree level or higher, immigration support 300,000 won (one time), tuition, and travelers insurance * Grant Period: 6 months (Grantees with outstanding academic performances may extend for another 3 to 6 months) * Application Period: Announcements are made in February and applications should be received by the end of July for the next academic year.  Fellowships for Field Research * Eligibility: Students who have completed their doctoral degrees in Korean studies and are working on their dissertation, or faculty, lecturers, or researchers connected to a university or research institution who are lecturing or conducting research related to Korean studies are eligible. * Awarded: 1,300,000 won a month for doctoral degree program, 1,500,000 won a month for lecturers and assistant professors, 2,000,000 won a month for professors and associate professors, immigration support 300,000 won (one time), round-trip airfare, and travelers insurance * Grant Period: 3~12 months * Application Period: the end of July for the next academic year  Fellowships for Graduate Studies Program * Eligibility: MA or PhD level students majoring in Korean studies at a university in North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Foreign graduate students enrolled in a masters or doctoral degree program in Korea are also eligible to apply. * Awarded: Amount of tuition and monthly stipend varies by the level of tuition and the prices in the grantees region and country. * Grant Period: 12 months (Possibility of extension for outstanding students)  Post-Doctoral Fellowships * Eligibility: Scholars who have received their Ph.D. degree in a subject related to Korea but are not currently holding a full-time faculty position may be eligible to apply. Applicants must have received their Ph.D. degree prior to the start of their fellowship research. * Awarded: Amount of award varies by region, country, institution, and years of experience of fellowship. * Grant Period: 12 months  Leading Scholar Research Fellowship * Eligibility: Researchers who have received their Ph.D. degree in a subject related to Korea and who are involved in Korean-related lectures and research activities. * Awarded: Research grant and actual research expenses * Grant Period: 6 to 12 months International Scholar Exchange Fellowship from the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies The Foundation provides scholarships to university faculty members and institutional researchers from Asian countries doing research in the fields of humanities and social sciences, energy related fields, and information science and technology. Approximately 50 fellows per year are supported for research per one-year period in Korea. * Scholarship covers: 1 year of research in the field of humanities and social sciences, energy, and information and telecommunications * Awarded: Research grant of 2,200,000 won a month, immigration support, round-trip airfare and insurance. * Application Period: Deadline by February 15 * Contact: Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies www.kfas.or.kr.  Scholarships for International Students from the Korea Scholarship Foundation for Future LeadersThe Korea Scholarship Foundation for Future Leaders offers tuition and some stipends for international students who have completed more than two semesters at a graduate school in Korea. Students must have received a GPA of 3.0/4.5 (2.8/4.3) or above in the previous semester. This scholarship is open only to those international students already studying in Korea. * Eligibility: International students who have already completed two semesters at a graduate school in Korea.

Resource: Worknplay.co.kr