Singaporean student who attended Yonsei University (Underwood International College) from Fall 2011 – Spring 2015. Currently pursuing my M.A. in the U.S.
I started this blog because I faced quite a bit of problems throughout my application and admission process, so I thought that I would let other students have somewhere to turn to if they need the same help as I had needed. And I was also hoping that I can find some other Singaporeans schooling in Korea! I hope that through this blog you will be able to understand what you’re getting yourself into when you come to Korea for your studies, and I also hope to reassure some of you about studying in Korea or just studying abroad in general (as I had really needed when I first came).
I’ve been receiving quite a few people hoping that I can email them to talk about applications and stuff, so I decided to just put my email address here. You can send an email to yellowstar39@gmail.com if you have any questions about admissions and applications or just about Korea in general. I’ll try to help as much as I can ^^
But I also wish to clarify that before you email, please check out the university websites etc first. I try to give advice and relate my experience, but some information such as university majors, actual application procedures, even language of instruction can be found on the university website, and the information there is definitely more reliable especially if it’s not Yonsei since I’m not as familiar with other schools. I would also really appreciate it if questions can be a bit more specific than “I want to study in Korea, what school should I go?” Because I really can’t help you much if I don’t have more information about your interests etc. This would make it a lot more efficient for the both of us – you can get the information you really need from someone who is here in Korea (don’t waste your time asking me things that can be found on school websites, which is a much more credible source. especially since I usually take a long time to reply and I don’t want you to waste time waiting for my reply on something you can get information from on official websites ><) and I have more time to answer more questions of others seeking advice (plus for my own schoolwork too). I love to help others but let’s make this a more efficient and productive process for everyone! Thank you~^^
Lastly, I will still continue to give advice via email and comments as much as I can but I will probably take a long time to get back. I highly recommend for you to look under FAQ to see if your questions can be answered from there, and also to check out Useful Links to find other bloggers who will be able to get back to you more quickly!
studyinkorea 
I’ve sent an email to you!! 😀
Hi!
My name is Aisya and I’m really really glad I found your blog. 😀 I’m trying to apply to some universities in Korea and I was hoping that maybe you can help clarify some things. Would you be able to email me? I’ll appreciate it very very much. (:
Thanks!
Hey I just sent you an email ^^
hi studyinkorea, i need your help badly. would you be able to email me? Thanks in advance :))
I just sent an email! (:
Hi, I’m currently applying for entering UIC on Fall 2012 and I’m a little nervous about the application process, could you email me please so we can communicate better?
Hey I’ve sent you an email, do check it 😀
Hi there, I’m also applying to UIC for the Fall semester this year. I’ve just received the interview schedule and I’m really nervous now. If we could talk and you could share your precious experience from your admission process I would truly appreciate it. Thank you in advance for your kind help and an interesting informative blog. 🙂 I hope I can be your “hoobae” this year… 🙂
No problem!! ^^ Do you want to communicate through email or? I heard interview is next week so you still have one week to prepare! <:
E-mail would be great! 😀 I have some questions I’m dying to ask someone.. Please email me 😀
I just sent you an email! ^^
Hello,
I am planning to apply UIC as freshmen next year and I would like to ask you some questions about admission and school life. Where can I find your mail address?
I’ll send you an email! ^^ Is the email you typed here the email that you use? (:
You can e-mail it to neseumit@gmail.com Thanks!
hey~ I just sent you an email (:
Thanks for the coverage on your application experience and your time in korea.. definitely made applications much easier. Can i ask you some questions about UIC through email?
Yup no problem! Do I send the email to the email address you put here? (:
yupp! appreciate your help
hey studyinkr 🙂
haven’t heard from you yet so i hope you’re not overwhelmed by schoolwork!
i have pressing questions that will strongly impact my choice of college
hope to hear from you soon 😛
Oh? I sent you an email on the 9th actually >< I think it probably went into junk mail DD: I'll just send another one anyways (:
yupp it was in the junk mail ><
I sent you a reply! (:
Ive sent an email :3 thanks!~
Oh hey~ I just sent you a reply! ^^
hai, I’ve sent you an email about yonsei. i hope you can help me about it and i’m looking forward for your reply. thank you ^__^
Hey~~ I’ve just sent you a reply! Sorry I’ve been busy with moving so the reply came late ><
I’ve read it. thank you so much for your reply. and hope you enjoy your new place ^__^
No problem!! I hope that little bit of information helped^^
Hi studyinkorea
I am planning to apply for UIC, spring 2013. I emailed you a couple of questions regarding -admissions…hope you can help me! :0)
Thanks so much. xx
Hi! I just replied your email ^^
What’s your financial aid package like at UIC?
Hello! There are three types of scholarships available at UIC.
1. The admission scholarship is based on the points you scored for admissions (200 points for document review round, 100 points for interview) and it will cover either half or full tuition.
2. Merit-based scholarship is given based on your GPA in the first semester and after. It can be one-third, half or full. This one is pretty competitive though, as it is only awarded to the top 10% of the students.
3. Needs-based scholarship is based on the financial condition of the student, and the amount of the scholarship will be awarded accordingly.
For more information you can refer to the UIC website here ( http://uic.yonsei.ac.kr/sub/sub.asp?pageNum=300900 ) (:
Hope that helped!^^
Hey I sent an email with a bunch of questions so I hope you received it.Looking forward for your reply!!
Hello! I’ve just replied to your email (:
Hello! I’m really glad to have found your blog because I’m quite interested in pursuing my studies overseas, and Korea seems like a great idea. May I know how you’ve decided to study in YU, how the process was actually like and how long it took? And after joining YU, is there a communication barrier between you and your peers?
Hello Kathy! First off I’m so sorry for the late reply, I’ve been busy rushing papers for the end of the semester.
I actually got to know about Yonsei and Underwood International College after a professor came to my high school for recruitment talk. Before that I was unsure of what major to take and was considering political science, but I knew it wasn’t exactly what I wanted because I wanted to know more about global issues and understanding of regional tensions, conflicts, histories, etc. I got to know about the International Studies major, and thought that was a perfect fit for what I wanted to do. And because I didn’t like the university system in my country, I was very much attracted to the small class size and interactive discussions in the liberal arts system, and that’s why I decided to apply. And it was also because my area of interest is the Northeast Asian region, and I already know Japanese and Chinese, so it would be very useful if I could pick up Korean as well, and of course it is best to learn about the region if you stay there, so that further encouraged me to apply.
I’m not sure if you’re asking about the process of application or the process of studies though. But for applications, because I was rushing many applications at one time, I only had about a week to get everything done. I wrote a post about my application experience so it might be useful for you to check it out here: https://studyinkorea.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/application/
Because I’m in UIC and classes are conducted in English, I can communicate effectively with my peers. But everyone has different personalities and interests, so there are some international students who are really close to Korean friends, while I’m closer to my friends from other Asian countries. I do have Korean friends too, but it just happens that my best friends are non-Koreans. I wrote a post about this issue some time ago, so you can read more about it too here: https://studyinkorea.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/struggling-to-study-in-korea-my-thoughts/
I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to answer a lot (I’m still in the midst of rushing papers T___T), but if you have other questions feel free to ask and I’ll try to answer them asap ^^
Hi there 🙂
Are you graduating and leaving Korea soon?
I’ve gotten a diploma in Singapore and I’m considering either Degree or Bachelor overseas. I have thought of teaching English in Korea but I’ve realized they don’t recognize Singapore as one of the countries allowed to teach. Sorry I haven’t been able to read all of your posts, there questions might seem a bit repetitive!
I’ve decided on international relations too (yippee) but I’m not too set it just yet as I’m not sure which line to go down, private U or overseas.
Was hoping I could have a chat with you~ and get better accquainted!! Would especially like to know if you’re graduating soon & leaving or not 😦
Thank you :))
I’ve just replied you via email, do check it out! (:
Hello there!
I just sent you and e-mail. So, if you have time, it would mean the world if you were to reply.
Nice blog, though. 😀
Hello! I think I’ve just replied your email ^^
Hi, i am a frequent visitor to your blog. You provide many good information about applying universities in Korea. i have some question about work in Korea as a foreigner.
is it true that any foreign student graduate from Top 3 Universities such as Yonsei , SNU , Korea university will be able to apply a job in Korea ?
Is it difficult to apply for a job in Korea if the student is not graduated from these universities ?
is it difficult to apply for a job in Korea even you are from S.K.Y University because you are a foreigner and because they prefer local than you?
Hello there! I think that while graduates from SKY universities stand a much better chance at being employed in Korea, one of the most basic things you would need is Korean language skills. And not just Korean language that you communicate with your friends, but really fluent, business-level Korean. Only after that do you have a chance for applying for the job. That is what I think disadvantages foreigners. Another thing about hiring foreigners might be if you demand a higher salary at entry level, but if you are willing to earn as much as your Korean counterparts or less, there wouldn’t be a problem. As for students from non-SKY universities, it is not impossible to find a job, but since the job market in Korea is competitive, graduates from top schools will stand a better chance at the first glance, especially if you are aiming for huge conglomerates. But if you have good experiences or skills they would take you regardless too, but you might have to settle for smaller companies maybe? But anyway this is just the sense I get from my friends’ experiences and what I see and hear since I was also considering working in Korea before. But if you’re looking to come to a Korean university, I would really advise you to attend the top ones for better career prospects.
hello ! ^^ i just sent you email so if you have time it would to reply be great to me ^^
Hello! I’m not quite sure which is the email you sent but I’ve finally managed to reply to all the email queries today. Hope you got the reply! ^^
i got the reply since a few days ago thanks for your information! ^^
Hi, I was wondering what is the standard to get into Yonsei University. I am currently a freshman in college and would like to transfer to Yonsei University as a full time student. I was wondering if Yonsei would look at my high school transcripts or just my college ones. Another question I have is it better to study abroad to Yonsei to learn Korean and does this affect the admissions process. When it comes to admissions and the whole process to get into Yonsei I become very anxious. Thank you for your help.
Hello! I’m not quite sure about transcripts but I think they only accept applicants who have finished sophomore year (not quite sure why though). I think it’s better to check with the admissions office for details about documents. Also I don’t think learning Korean in Yonsei Korean Language Institute affects your transfer/admission into Yonsei, since the institute is administered separately from the other departments in Yonsei, though if you are applying for majors conducted in Korean having studied in Yonsei KLI could help prove your Korean proficiency 🙂
Hi studyinkorea! I have dropped you an email. Hope to hear from you soon:)
hello! I’ve just replied your email ^^
Dear studyinkorea! I really enjoy reading your blog, very informative and you write in good English! I am keen to study in Seoul, had sent you an email asking your opinion on the culture of diff universities, as I need to submit my application soon, i would thus be grateful if you can reply at your soonest! Thanks!
Hello! Sorry if my reply is a little late, I hope it came in time though!! I’ve just replied to your email, and all the best for your application!
Hi studyinkorea! I found your blog a few months ago while searching for more info about the application process for UIC! I started to plan everything early but school got in my way (I’m in community college now so…) and now I’m trying to finish the application process by next Monday (30 March) and mail my application packet there (the deadline is April 2 this year)… I’m from Hong Kong so 4 days would be sufficient enough… However, i have a question regarding the online application… Will I receive an email to confirm that I have submitted the online application, including the application number? I asked the UIC office via email but they stopped replying me after I asked them a few questions (in a few emails….) T_T so I’m kinda in a crisis here T_T I know I clicked the “send” button a few days ago but I’m still unsure…
I’d be extremely grateful if you email/reply me!
Thank you very much!!! ❤
Hello! I’m really sorry about the online application because they didn’t have it in my time so I know nothing about it >< You might want to call the admissions officer at +82 02-2123-3923 to get an immediate response about it. Working hours are from 9am~12noon, 1:30pm~5pm KST. Good luck for the application!
Hello Phoebe!!
I’m applying for the fall 2015 round as well!! I’m from Singapore, I didn’t get any application number either, after I clicked send. All I got was a pop up window saying “application successful”.
I’m wondering if you need to submit scanned copies of your transcripts and supplementary documents for the online submission? Because my friend had to in the spring/fall 2015 round, but I never found any place that asked me to attach them.
Hope that you could answer my question hehe thanks (:
And hope we both make it there for Fall 2015 (:
Thanks for helping!! Good luck for your application too 🙂
Hi! I’m Zerlene. I’ve sent an email to you and I have an additional question I didn’t write in. How much did you prepare yourself when you went there? 😀
Hello! I actually sent a reply a few days ago but I didn’t see this comment D: What do you mean by prepare though? Like mentally prepared or the actual going around to go get the administrative things done and stuff…? 🙂