game plan
JANUARY 25TH, 2018
Hi guys and welcome to my study abroad blog :) So to go right into it, I will be studying abroad at Korea University this Spring 2018. There are a number of things that I had to do and to be completely honest, I didn't know where to start. MIX is the most helpful resource there is when preparing for your trip, so do not be afraid to ask questions!
MIX:
I applied for MIX two semesters before I intended to go. If you are planning on studying abroad it does take a lot of pre-planning. There are many deadlines to be met, so make sure to mark down important dates on your calendar! You can never go wrong with exploring the MIX page as there is information about everything and anything you need to know. I got nominated for Korea University during the summer and a lot of the pre-planning/paper work was all done during this past Fall semester.
Korea University is really good about emailing their students and notifying you of important dates and documents needed. The things that I want to highlight are HEALTH INSURANCE, APPLICATION, PASSPORT, VISA, DORMING, CLASS REGISTRATION & MISC.
Health Insurance:
Be sure to follow all the MIX deadlines in getting your health clearance forms (shots & etc.) filled out. It does take a couple of weeks to get approved, so the earlier the better! I believe it is $1 per day while you're abroad, so mine came out a little over $300. Korea University does require your approved health insurance coverage in the application, so complete it as soon as you can. You're able to turn it in after submitting the application too, but be sure to turn the last form in separately.
Application:
Apps are completed online and you will receive an email as to when they are open. TIP* KOREA IS A 19 HOURS AHEAD, so that means if it is due November 30th there, it is due November 29th here. The application itself is simple and straightforward. There are 9 things on the application that you need to attach or fill in. 1) Passport photo 2) Copy of passport 3) Copy of Transcripts 4) Letter of Recommendation 5) Statement of Purpose 6) Goals for KUBS 7) Signed Pledge for Exchange students 8) Certificate of Health 9) Health Insurance Abroad.
Passport:
I haven't travelled in about 10 years, so that meant I had to get a new passport. I was able to do everything at the UH Campus Center. I remember having to pay some in cash and some through check, so make sure you have both readily available. You will have to make an appointment to get your passport, so go in early to book an appointment. They say it takes about 3-5 weeks for the passport to come in, but mine came in really fast like 2.5 weeks at most. Just keep in mind how long everything takes to process, the earlier you get it done the less stress you'll have to go through!
Visa:
The Korean Embassy is located right off the Pali. Make sure you have ALL YOUR DOCUMENTS ready. This means you have your original acceptance letter, official transcripts, bank statement/financial aid statement (proof that you are financially stable to study abroad), passport, $45 cash, visa application (you can fill it out there, but make sure to read everything carefully and thoroughly), and (2) passport photos. There might be more documents, but everything that is required is listed on their website.
They have very strict requirements for your visa photo, so make sure you read thoroughly or you will have to pay again to get your pictures taken. From the top of my head, photos should have no teeth, must show your ears, girls* should have their hair pulled back, wear dark clothing, no glasses, and eyebrows are shown. There are a lot of rules, but everything should be listed on the website. Friendly tip: they are closed 12PM-1PM so make sure to go either before or after their lunch break!
Dorming:
I have had many friends that studied abroad at KU. Many of them shared their off campus experience and I had already had in interest in dorming off campus. Generally, it is pretty difficult to get dorming,but there are many off campus options that are amazing. KU sends an off campus housing list in your admissions email, so there are a lot of places to live at if you are unable to get on campus housing. I chose to book my dorming with 2U Guesthouse which is a 15 minute walk from KUBS. I was pretty excited because I like their facilities and I get my own bathroom (which is what I really wanted). They have free wifi, some free food, and other amenities that I was looking for. It is a very small place, but that was perfect for me. I know the Allive Goshitel is really nice and the Crimson house is literally a 5 minute walk. There are so many YouTube dorm tours so check it out to make your decision a little easier. My first choice was 2U because I knew someone that had stayed there and Allive was next because of how nice the facilities were (saw a tour on YouTube). I emailed Jung and booking was super easy, the only hard part is wiring money for the deposit. It cost $45 to send money internationally and you need like the bank routing #, address, and etc. to put your deposit in. Other than that, I am super excited to stay there!
Class Registration:
So I am in so much regret because I am super indecisive about everything and that includes what classes I wanted to take. KU sent out this finalized course schedule recently and for me, it still wasn't enough time to choose what I wanted to take (they update class availabilities much later like a month or a little less before school starts). I had a few classes in mind, but it wasn't guaranteed that the classes I wanted were going to accommodate my schedule. Luckily, I had sat down with Rikki and she had helped me fill out petitions for potential classes. We looked at old syllabuses and submitted a petition to have that class count for credit. It does take a while to process, so do it early! If not, you can also fill it out when you come back, but it is more risky that way.
Classes I was considering: BUS313, BUS 311, BUS 205, BUS 394, & .....
Classes I actually registered for: BUS 205 (MKT311 ) , BUS 252 (MKT321) , BUS 311 ( MGT341) , & BUS 367( FIN321)
I suggest asking previous students for teacher recommendations! They do have waitlisting registrations period, so don't worry if you didn't get all your classes because I had 2 classes confirmed, but I got all of them now!
MISC.
Packing
So studying during the Spring means you're going to be in here in the coldest times of the year. I panicked a lot because I had no winter clothes whatsoever. After landing in Korea, these are the clothing items that are an absolute must:
A long puffy jacket or wool coat, warm gloves, thick socks, a warm hat (aka beanie), scarves, good walking shoes, jeans, thermal leggings, thermal undershirt and a wool sweater for layering.
Layering is essential and everything. On a typical day (29-38 degree weather), I wore 3 layers of clothes, a thick jacket, and then my outerwear jacket, scarf, gloves, leggings and jeans, and 2 pairs of socks.
*** I get extremely cold, so you will probably wear less than I did.
Also remember that you will be entering summer too, so make sure to bring summer clothes as well.
Other must haves: portable phone charger and the power converter (you can get this in Korea for super cheap, but if you land late I suggest already having one).
Phone Usage
So I have T-mobile and it works in South Korea, but it is very slow. Luckily there is Wi-Fi almost everywhere, so just connect to that. I didn't know this prior to landing, but turn off your phone so it can reconnect and get cellular data. I knew I wasn't going to have internet, so as a precautionary thing I screenshotted everything and anything that I needed to get to my dorm. Since I am traveling to Korea during the Olympics, T-Mobile is offering free 4G unlimited calling, data, and texting until March 20th, Thank god. There are options of getting a sim card here or using wi-fi calling. TIP* Double check if your phone is unlocked, if youre going to get a sim.
Money
I brought 2 debit cards, 1 credit card, and some cash. I would suggest opening up an account with UHFCU because they only charge 1% of international fees and other local banks charge 2% +. Though Discover isn't widely taken there aren't any international fees, so I just decided to bring it with me. I just took my home bank card as an emergency card, but the international fee is 2%.
I suggest bringing up some already exchanged cash if you need it, for example: paying for your way to the dorm. My mom had exchanged some money at duty free, which has pretty good exchange rates. DO NOT EXCHANGE AT AIRPORTS, it is quite expensive, but if you have to, go in small increments.
Hi guys and welcome to my study abroad blog :) So to go right into it, I will be studying abroad at Korea University this Spring 2018. There are a number of things that I had to do and to be completely honest, I didn't know where to start. MIX is the most helpful resource there is when preparing for your trip, so do not be afraid to ask questions!
MIX:
I applied for MIX two semesters before I intended to go. If you are planning on studying abroad it does take a lot of pre-planning. There are many deadlines to be met, so make sure to mark down important dates on your calendar! You can never go wrong with exploring the MIX page as there is information about everything and anything you need to know. I got nominated for Korea University during the summer and a lot of the pre-planning/paper work was all done during this past Fall semester.
Korea University is really good about emailing their students and notifying you of important dates and documents needed. The things that I want to highlight are HEALTH INSURANCE, APPLICATION, PASSPORT, VISA, DORMING, CLASS REGISTRATION & MISC.
Health Insurance:
Be sure to follow all the MIX deadlines in getting your health clearance forms (shots & etc.) filled out. It does take a couple of weeks to get approved, so the earlier the better! I believe it is $1 per day while you're abroad, so mine came out a little over $300. Korea University does require your approved health insurance coverage in the application, so complete it as soon as you can. You're able to turn it in after submitting the application too, but be sure to turn the last form in separately.
Application:
Apps are completed online and you will receive an email as to when they are open. TIP* KOREA IS A 19 HOURS AHEAD, so that means if it is due November 30th there, it is due November 29th here. The application itself is simple and straightforward. There are 9 things on the application that you need to attach or fill in. 1) Passport photo 2) Copy of passport 3) Copy of Transcripts 4) Letter of Recommendation 5) Statement of Purpose 6) Goals for KUBS 7) Signed Pledge for Exchange students 8) Certificate of Health 9) Health Insurance Abroad.
Passport:
I haven't travelled in about 10 years, so that meant I had to get a new passport. I was able to do everything at the UH Campus Center. I remember having to pay some in cash and some through check, so make sure you have both readily available. You will have to make an appointment to get your passport, so go in early to book an appointment. They say it takes about 3-5 weeks for the passport to come in, but mine came in really fast like 2.5 weeks at most. Just keep in mind how long everything takes to process, the earlier you get it done the less stress you'll have to go through!
Visa:
The Korean Embassy is located right off the Pali. Make sure you have ALL YOUR DOCUMENTS ready. This means you have your original acceptance letter, official transcripts, bank statement/financial aid statement (proof that you are financially stable to study abroad), passport, $45 cash, visa application (you can fill it out there, but make sure to read everything carefully and thoroughly), and (2) passport photos. There might be more documents, but everything that is required is listed on their website.
They have very strict requirements for your visa photo, so make sure you read thoroughly or you will have to pay again to get your pictures taken. From the top of my head, photos should have no teeth, must show your ears, girls* should have their hair pulled back, wear dark clothing, no glasses, and eyebrows are shown. There are a lot of rules, but everything should be listed on the website. Friendly tip: they are closed 12PM-1PM so make sure to go either before or after their lunch break!
Dorming:
I have had many friends that studied abroad at KU. Many of them shared their off campus experience and I had already had in interest in dorming off campus. Generally, it is pretty difficult to get dorming,but there are many off campus options that are amazing. KU sends an off campus housing list in your admissions email, so there are a lot of places to live at if you are unable to get on campus housing. I chose to book my dorming with 2U Guesthouse which is a 15 minute walk from KUBS. I was pretty excited because I like their facilities and I get my own bathroom (which is what I really wanted). They have free wifi, some free food, and other amenities that I was looking for. It is a very small place, but that was perfect for me. I know the Allive Goshitel is really nice and the Crimson house is literally a 5 minute walk. There are so many YouTube dorm tours so check it out to make your decision a little easier. My first choice was 2U because I knew someone that had stayed there and Allive was next because of how nice the facilities were (saw a tour on YouTube). I emailed Jung and booking was super easy, the only hard part is wiring money for the deposit. It cost $45 to send money internationally and you need like the bank routing #, address, and etc. to put your deposit in. Other than that, I am super excited to stay there!
Class Registration:
So I am in so much regret because I am super indecisive about everything and that includes what classes I wanted to take. KU sent out this finalized course schedule recently and for me, it still wasn't enough time to choose what I wanted to take (they update class availabilities much later like a month or a little less before school starts). I had a few classes in mind, but it wasn't guaranteed that the classes I wanted were going to accommodate my schedule. Luckily, I had sat down with Rikki and she had helped me fill out petitions for potential classes. We looked at old syllabuses and submitted a petition to have that class count for credit. It does take a while to process, so do it early! If not, you can also fill it out when you come back, but it is more risky that way.
Classes I was considering: BUS313, BUS 311, BUS 205, BUS 394, & .....
Classes I actually registered for: BUS 205 (MKT311 ) , BUS 252 (MKT321) , BUS 311 ( MGT341) , & BUS 367( FIN321)
I suggest asking previous students for teacher recommendations! They do have waitlisting registrations period, so don't worry if you didn't get all your classes because I had 2 classes confirmed, but I got all of them now!
MISC.
Packing
So studying during the Spring means you're going to be in here in the coldest times of the year. I panicked a lot because I had no winter clothes whatsoever. After landing in Korea, these are the clothing items that are an absolute must:
A long puffy jacket or wool coat, warm gloves, thick socks, a warm hat (aka beanie), scarves, good walking shoes, jeans, thermal leggings, thermal undershirt and a wool sweater for layering.
Layering is essential and everything. On a typical day (29-38 degree weather), I wore 3 layers of clothes, a thick jacket, and then my outerwear jacket, scarf, gloves, leggings and jeans, and 2 pairs of socks.
*** I get extremely cold, so you will probably wear less than I did.
Also remember that you will be entering summer too, so make sure to bring summer clothes as well.
Other must haves: portable phone charger and the power converter (you can get this in Korea for super cheap, but if you land late I suggest already having one).
Phone Usage
So I have T-mobile and it works in South Korea, but it is very slow. Luckily there is Wi-Fi almost everywhere, so just connect to that. I didn't know this prior to landing, but turn off your phone so it can reconnect and get cellular data. I knew I wasn't going to have internet, so as a precautionary thing I screenshotted everything and anything that I needed to get to my dorm. Since I am traveling to Korea during the Olympics, T-Mobile is offering free 4G unlimited calling, data, and texting until March 20th, Thank god. There are options of getting a sim card here or using wi-fi calling. TIP* Double check if your phone is unlocked, if youre going to get a sim.
Money
I brought 2 debit cards, 1 credit card, and some cash. I would suggest opening up an account with UHFCU because they only charge 1% of international fees and other local banks charge 2% +. Though Discover isn't widely taken there aren't any international fees, so I just decided to bring it with me. I just took my home bank card as an emergency card, but the international fee is 2%.
I suggest bringing up some already exchanged cash if you need it, for example: paying for your way to the dorm. My mom had exchanged some money at duty free, which has pretty good exchange rates. DO NOT EXCHANGE AT AIRPORTS, it is quite expensive, but if you have to, go in small increments.