Korea: Seoul - Korean and East Asian Studies, Yonsei University

My study abroad experience in Korea was absolutely incredible. It was nothing short of amazing and it makes me desperate to go back at the mere thought. There are so many things to do as a young student in the city of Seoul as it truly does cater to you. College districts are known for their cheap prices on food and clothes. Also, transportation makes it extremely convenient to go near and far with most buses arriving every 15 minutes! The nightlife is so much fun and while public transportation does stop temporarily at 12am, there are so many places open 24/7 for you to hang out. Whether you decide to take this opportunity alone or with friends, you won't regret a single moment!

Studying at Yonsei was an amazing experience! Thanks to USAC, it was super easy to do so since they took care of the most difficult parts (guides for visas, insurance, etc)! And through the program, I was also able to connect with many other students before departure, which made making friends even easier! I had so much fun during my semester, I decided to extend my time to the full year! USAC made this process super easy and checked in frequently about visa changes and more. Yonsei is also an amazing school! The facilities are top notch, the location is fantastic, and the intensive korean program taught me so much! If you want to study in Seoul, USAC and Yonsei are 100% the way to go!

Yonsei was a great university and all my professors were amazing. However, I would find another program that has more activities included to help you immerse in the country. USAC had no excursions or on-site staff, but other programs, such as UCEAP and TEAN did and they were about the same price. USAC was very hands off and seems to be in it just for the money rather than actually caring about the students. It might have been better to apply directly to Yonsei. The country is extremely easy to navigate, and I had no problems living there even though I did not speak the language.

The program advisors were attentive to students’ needs and making sure students were well prepared for studying abroad ahead of the program. The program allowed students to find support throughout the duration of the program and having options to turn to in case of emergencies. I found the program immersive and was well prepared for my time abroad. The program allowed me to find various cultural aspects of South Korea I never would have experienced without this program. The beautiful country was able to be experienced.

I applied to the 6-week summer program at Yonsei in Seoul. I had so much fun and got to meet so many new people and have a lot of new experiences. As a young woman I was nervous about traveling alone in a foreign country but I felt completely safe both on and off campus. While there I got to see and experience a lot of things I would not have been able to in America including going to a K-pop concert and seeing several traditional Korean Palaces. Seoul is great as there are a lot of traditional cultural elements to see such as the Hangeul Museum and Hanoks but Seoul also has things to do for young people. While I personally like K-pop and went to see a bunch of stuff around that you don't have to be there is a lot of really awesome nightlife and shopping as well. I already knew some Korean which was a huge help but people who didn’t know any Korean also had no problem traveling around the city as lots of things were in both Korean and English or had pictures to help.

Studying at Yonsei University was an amazing experience. Sinchon is a lovely area with amazing food, shopping, etc. It's also right next to Hongdae, which is super popular. There are endless things to do in the area, so it's a perfect place to be. The classes were also great, it wasn't a super heavy workload but I still learned a lot. My Korean class was taught completely in Korean, which did take some adjusting, but now I actually prefer it over being taught in English. There are challenges that come along with studying abroad, but it's totally worth it in the end. The memories you make will stick with you forever. Overall, I highly recommend!

The experience I had in Seoul at Yonsei University was incredible. Walking the streets of Seoul with my new friends, going to cafes, clubs, and villages was beyond fun. I met friends I'll have for a long time, and will cherish the memories forever. Traveling around the country with friends taught me new things about myself, and created special bonds with people that can't be replicated. I discovered so many new foods, for example naengmyeon and kalguksu, and truly think I experienced what Korea had to offer an exchange student. And it offered a lot. If you are on the fence about studying abroad, don't even think about it and do it!

I was able to end my last semester of college in the most spectacular way, thanks to my USAC study abroad program in Seoul, South Korea. I attended Yonsei University, one of South Korea's most prestigious colleges. Before even landing a foot in Seoul, I was able to bond with fellow students as USAC opened opportunities to connect with our study abroad peers. While in Korea, I had constant and speedy communication with my USAC advisors, who helped to sort any travel or academic issues. Through USAC, I was able to learn about so many fascinating aspects of Korean culture ranging from food and cinema to philosophy and history. Seoul would have many fun places to go, including tourist attractions, parks, cafes, restaurants, nightlife, historical sites, etc. On the flip side, Korea is a very mountainous country and there are a lot of places to go hiking and enjoy nature in Seoul and around the country! My study abroad in Korea was filled with delicious meals, karaoke, and new adventures every single day. It was truly, the Seoul search of a lifetime.