An unforgettable experience. August 30, 2023
By A student (Economics and Business, Brandeis University) - abroad from 09/01/2022 to 06/21/2023 with
Korea University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned more social skills and of course did learn from the courses I was taking. The human connections I made were definitely worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Some of the classes were challenging and I learned a lot, but there were some classes that I had higher expectations for. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They have a pretty great system for exchange students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Dorms had everything I needed. If living off campus, there are plenty of affordable options next to the university. |
| * Food: |
I love all types of cuisines and I enjoyed all the food I had in Korea. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt as connected with the local culture as I could be without knowing the language. Unfortunately, there are just parts of society that you cannot fully integrate into without knowing the language so there was that barrier for me. But, I was able to make amazing friends and locals were always very kind. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Korea has a great healthcare system and while I have no personal experience, my friends who used the medical system in Korea all were satisfied with their experience. The only complaints were about insurance and not the health care itself. |
| * Safety: |
You will feel safe compared to most of the cities around the world. Of course there are accidents and extreme situations, but on average Seoul was really safe and many of my friends also felt very comfortable and safe in the city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I really enjoyed my time in Korea and made many local friends. Of course, if I could repeat all those great experience I would choose to do it again. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
If you are smart with your money, you could easily get bye with minimal expenses. Of course, if you decide to splurge on meals and have unhealthy spending habits, then costs go up. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
The program itself required me to take a Korean class, but there wasn't necessarily any encouragement to use it directly from the program. But being in Korea itself is a great way to improve your Korean skills. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Practice and do not be afraid to use the language and make mistakes. That's how you learn. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Learning the language will really help in everything. I knew this beforehand, but after my experience I value learning the language much more than I did before. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
