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YONSEI UNIVERSITY Program Level: Undergraduate Number of Weeks/Term: 16 |
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- Background
- Location Information
- Program Dates
- Host Institution
- Academic Information
- Academic Disciplines
- Credit Transfer Information
- Eligibility Requirements
- Program Costs
- Housing and Meals
- Insurance
- Extracurricular Activities
- Climate
- VISA & Passport Information
- Your Next Steps
- Experiences of Former Students
- Contact Details
BACKGROUND
Georgia Tech (GT) has developed a number of overseas programs around the globe. These programs provide students with the opportunity to complete a portion of their academic programs in top-notch foreign universities that are partnered with GT. As a result of immersion in a foreign academic and cultural environment, students have the maximum opportunity to learn to operate effectively in an atmosphere that is wholly different from that of GT and the United States.
LOCATION INFORMATION
South Korea
Korea lies adjacent to China and Japan. The northern border of Korea is formed by the Amnokgang (Yalu) and Dumangang (Tumen) rivers, which separate it from Manchuria. A 16-kilometer segment of the Dumangang to the east also serves as a natural border with Russia. The west coast of the Korean Peninsula is bounded by the Korean Bay to the north and the West Sea to the south; the east coast faces the East Sea.
Two hundred kilometers separate the peninsula from eastern China. The shortest distance between Korean and Chinese coasts is 200 kilometers and from the southeastern tip of the peninsula, the nearest point on the Japanese coast is also about 200 kilometers away.
Seoul
is the biggest city of South Korea and its capital. Before 1945 it was the capital of all Korea. Since establishment of South Korea (formally the Republic of Korea) in 1948, it became the capital of the country, except for a short time during the Korean War. It has a population of 10,276,968 and is 610 km² wide. Seoul is also the center of politics, economy, culture, and education for South Korea. In addition, Seoul hosted the Olympic Games in the summer of 1988.
Seoul is located in the middle of Korean Peninsula, on the Han River. It is today the northern part of South Korea. It is not so far from Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea.
Seoul is one of oldest cities in Korea. Its history is said to be traced to 18 BC. Goryeo Dynasty built a palace in Seoul, which was referred to as the Southern Capital. It is located in the middle part of all Korea, served by Han River and near to the see, it was a center of transportation. Some dynasties including Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon Dynasty made Seoul their capital. It was still the capital during the colonization of Japan from 1910 since 1945.
For more information on Korea, click here
PROGRAM DATES
Fall Term: late August - late December
Spring Term: late February - late June
Academic Year: late August - late June
NOTE: Students may participate in this program for the fall, spring, or for a full academic year.
YEAR PROGRAM STARTED:
2000
HOST INSTITUTION ACADEMIC INFORMATION
Yonsei University has grown from small beginnings to the diversity of today, with 18 colleges, 89 departments, and 17 professional graduate schools. The baccalaureate is offered in all 89 departments, the master's degree in 60 departments and the 5 professional graduate schools, and the doctorate in 60 departments in the main Graduate School. The Yonsei family now includes over 29,000 students.
Yonsei is proud to be an international university. Combining Korean and Western elements in its foundation, Yonsei has for all its decades been known as the outward-looking university of Korea. The university maintains international ties and contacts and values the number of the foreign-educated among its faculty. One concrete result of this over the years has been attributed to the fact that relatively high numbers of Yonsei graduates have gone overseas to successfully complete advanced degrees.
Yonsei is international, making use of the academic achievements and English-language teaching experience of the many Yonsei faculty who went abroad and come back to serve their country and their university. Thus Yonsei can offer programs which combine the best of Korean and Western knowledge to produce education which is not then the property of any one single country and culture, but one that is truly 'international.' Formed in 2005, Yonsei's Underwood International College is a college within Yonsei with an international, liberal arts focus. All of its courses are taught in English and are open to international students.
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES
Subject Areas Available:
- Chemistry
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- History, Technology, and Society
- International Affairs
- Korean
- Literature, Communication, and Culture
- Management
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Modern Languages
- Psychology
- Sociology
Language Information
Courses are offered in English. If you are proficient in Korean, you can take courses in Korean that are part of the regular Yonsei course offerings.
Course Information
Yonsei does not release a list of the courses offered in a given term until orientation. You can get a good idea of what courses will be offered in the upcoming year by looking at the courses offered in the current academic year (what is offered in the current fall term will most likely be offered next fall, and spring courses usually repeat in the spring, etc). To obtain syllabi for courses taught at Yonsei, click here. Click on "Course Catalogue and Syllabus: Undergraduate & Graduate)" to open the search page. Top
CREDIT TRANSFER INFORMATION
Credit for courses taken as part of GT exchange programs is added as transfer credit on the GT transcript. Since it is important to know which kind of credit students will earn abroad as soon as possible, GT requires that courses be pre-approved for transfer. With a Foreign Credit Approval Form (available from OIE) in hand, and the credit transfer system information (listed below), students should submit course descriptions to the appropriate academic unit to request their approval. If taking Math classes, for example, then the student should go to the GT School of Mathematics to get permission for the courses to transfer to GT. If approved, the GT School of Mathematics signs the Foreign Credit Approval Form showing how the courses will transfer so that students will know which type of credit they should expect to receive.
For detailed credit transfer instructions click here
For the Foreign Credit Approval Form click here
Standing Transfer Credit Approvals Available on OSCAR
Certain courses from this school have been given standing approval on the Transfer Equivalency Table found on OSCAR. If a course you would like to take is listed on this table, you do not need to seek additional approval. If a course you would like to take is not listed on this table, you need to seek approval for the course via the Foreign Credit Approval form.
CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM
This information is intended for undergraduates students only. Graduate students must speak with their academic unit to to determine the acceptance of transfer credits.
Yonsei uses the following credit transfer system:
1 Yonsei credit = 1.28 GT credit
GRADING SYSTEM
Yonsei uses the following grading system listed below:
Yonsei Grade = US Grade
A+, A, A- = A
B+,B, B- = B
C+, C, C- = C
D+, D, D- = D
F = F
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Eligible students must meet the following criteria:
PROGRAM COSTS
The same matriculation, tuition and other mandatory fees (including transportation, technology, activity, health, and athletic) apply to a term abroad as would normally apply at Georgia Tech. Exchange students must pay tuition and fees to the GT Bursar for each semester they are abroad. No other expenses associated with this program are paid to GT; instead, these expenses are paid on site.
The currency in South Korea is the South-Korean Won (KRW). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check the newspaper or click here for the most current rates.
DON"T FORGET TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS!! See the OIE web site for more info: click here
Following are cost estimates for one semester at Yonsei that may help you prepare for your term(s) abroad. All costs are in USD.
In State Tuition $3,035 Out of State Tuition $3,285 GT Mandatory Fees $818 Books and Supplies $300 Administrative and/or Application fees $0 Miscellaneous (includes passport/visa fees, required field trips, local transportation and incidentals) $1,800 Roundtrip Airfare $1,500 Room and Board $3,600 Additional Language Instruction $0 Mandatory Insurance $150 Total $11,203 (in state) $11,453 (out of state)
*Out-of-state students pay in state tuition, plus $250 for this exchange program.
*Costs in the preceding chart are estimates for undergraduates based on tuition rates posted by the GT Bursar for "continuing students." Guaranteed tuition rates, graduate tuition rates, and MBA tuition rates vary. Please check the GT Bursar's web site click here to confirm actual tuition rates based on degree, term, or level of study. Actual costs may be higher or lower than those listed above, depending on the exchange rate and personal spending habits/needs.
HOUSING AND MEALS
Housing
On-campus housing for exchange students is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Yonsei University's international student dormitory, the International House, can house up to 240 students in double rooms. There are floors for both undergraduate and graduate students, and separate wings for men and women. A mix of Korean and foreign students live in the dormitory to provide an international atmosphere, although the primary language in the dormitory is English. Every room is equipped with LAN connections for internet access. The dormitory has toasters and refrigerators for students to share, lounges, a study lounge, a recreation room, and laundry facilities (washing machines, dryers, and irons). Laundry facilities are free of charge. The dormitory has a central heating system and an air conditioner in each room. With twin beds, dorm rooms are western-style. Besides a bed, each person is provided with a wardrobe, a desk, and a small bookcase. One set of sheets, a blanket, a pillow, and a pillowcase are provided, but students are responsible for laundering their linens. There are additional blankets available during cold weather months. For further details on the I-House click here.
Telephone service in the dorm is limited. Each room has a telephone that can accept incoming calls. The dorm has several pay phones. Students may place international calls or outgoing local calls from the pay phones in the lobby.
Alternatives to the dormitory include living with relatives in Seoul or in boarding houses catering to Yonsei students (at prices somewhat higher than the dormitory).
Meals
There are no cooking facilities in the dormitories, except for a microwave in the study room. There is also no meal plan at Yonsei. However, there are lots of small restaurants, cafeterias and snack bars on and near campus. Students may buy their meals in one of the college cafeterias, or in the many restaurants near the university. For dorm residents, the cafeteria in the Yonsei Language Center is the most convenient. Located only 100 meters away from the dorm, the cafeteria serves three meals a day (except on weekends and holidays). The cost of a cafeteria meal can range from $2 to $4 (USD). Also, shared refrigerator space for storing milk, bread, and/or other perishables is available in the dormitories. Top
INSURANCE
Students participating in this program will be assessed $150 per semester for mandatory insurance coverage. You will be covered by T.W. Lord and Associates. For detailed information about this insurance plan, click here. This cost is included in the above cost estimates for the program.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
In order to promote a healthy university culture, Yonsei actively supports the students' extracurricular activities. The representative student activities include the Mooak festival in the spring and the annual Yonsei-Korea festival in the fall. Each college and self-administered clubs provide programs and events to show the university culture.
While striving for academic achievement is the primary objective of students, participating in extracurricular activities is another key area of student life at Yonsei University. Well over a hundred student clubs and organizations on the Seoul and Wonju campuses, referred to as "Dongari," are active, including Student Christian Association, Agape Club, Newman Club, Yonhi Theater Art Club, Women's Club, Student Red Cross, Mountaineers Club, International Student Research Association, United Nations Student Association, UNESCO Student Association, International Student Association, International Association for the Exchange of Students with Technical Experience, Yonsei Recreation Club, Yon-Yong Photo Group, Yonsei "Go" Club, Yonsei Fine Arts Club, Harmony Music Club, Orpheus Guitar Club, Chinese Calligraphy Club, and Youth Hostel Association.
CLIMATE
Korea has four distinct seasons ranging from beautiful to severe. Early June to mid-September is characterized by hot and humid weather. Summer temperatures usually exceed 80ºF. Short sleeved cotton blends are suggested are suggested for spring and summer attire. The winter, by contrast, is dry, sunny, cold, and windy with some snow fall. Long underwear, sweaters, and at least one heavy coat are necessary. The average temperature in winter is about 23ºF.
VISA AND PASSPORT INFORMATION
Complete information about how to apply for or renew a U.S. passport is available from the GT Office of International Education or online click here
Students participating in this program must apply for a student visa (D-2) before leaving for Korea. Approval can take a few days to a month. To obtain an application and a list of required documents to obtain a visa go to the Korean Consulate General website (click here).
All foreigners residing in Korea for over 90 days must obtain documentation from the Seoul Immigration Office. Yonsei will give you more information about this when you arrive.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
To begin the process of participating in this exchange, please do the following:
EXPERIENCES OF FORMER STUDENTS
click here
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Jennifer Evanuik, Study Abroad Advisor (Exchange Programs)
GT Office of International Education
631 Cherry Street
Savant Building, Suite 211
Atlanta, GA 30332-0284
Phone: (404)894-7475 Fax: (404)894-9682
E-mail: jennifer.evanuik@oie.gatech.edu
OIE web site: click here
Host/Program Web Site: click here
Seoul
South Korea
Asia
Semester
16
12
English/Korean
For more info, contact OIE.
Can I go abroad while pursuing a GT degree?
GT students have many opportunities to participate in semester/exchange and study abroad programs. In a semester program, you actually take classes with the host universitys students and faculty. (In some cases, this means that you must have excellent knowledge of the local language to participate). Semester program participants usually pay normal GT tuition and fees for each term abroad. Credits can be pre-approved to transfer back to GT so that you do not get behind in your studies. The application deadline for fall and academic year programs is in early February; for spring programs the deadline is in September/October.
In a study abroad program, the courses are taught by GT faculty and you register for regular GT courses. Residents pay normal matriculation fees, but do not pay ancillary fees (athletic, health, etc.). Non-residents only pay resident matriculation plus $250 ($1500 for GTL Summer/$2000 for GTL Spring/Fall) . This is a savings of over $6,000 for out-of-state students who participate in GT study abroad programs as full-time students! Deadlines for summer study abroad programs vary from early January to mid-February.
In most cases, if you are eligible for financial aid or scholarships, you can apply your grants, scholarships, and/or loans toward the expenses associated with participating in all GT programs.
GTs International Plan: More than just study abroad
Your major is participating in this new initiative!
The International Plan is an intensive, degree-long program designed to prepare GT graduates professionally and personally for successful lives in the 21st century. Requirements of the program include international coursework, two terms abroad (any combination of study, research or internship abroad), proficiency in a second language, and a culminating course. Students who complete the program will have a designation on their diploma indicating completion of the degree with global competence: for example, BS in Mechanical Engineering: International Plan. For more information or an application, contact your major advisor or OIE and visit the website: click here