Korea University modified the registration process starting from Fall 2018. Two weeks prior to the official course registration is the Preferred Course Listing period, when I was able to choose and reserve the courses that I need. This also replaced the waitlist during the registration period.
Preferred Course Listing (beginning of August for Fall) Students can reserve or pre-register up to 19 credits, but 12 credits are the minimum for full-time. Each course has a limit of seatings for all class classifications (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, exchange student, etc.) The system has a function that shows how many exchange students pre-register for each course. This allows the professor to decide whether or not to open up more spots and for the students to know how competitive of a battle they are anticipating. However, this does not guarantee that the students will enroll in the courses officially, because if there are more students pre-register than the limit, they would have to register again for the courses during the registration period on first-come-first-serve basis. But on the bright side, if the amount of students pre-register for the course is less or equal to the limit by the end of the Preferred Course Listing period, then all of those students are automatically registered for that particular course. In my case, I pre-registered for 6 courses: BUSS 313, BUSS 311, BUSS 407, BUSS 342, BUSS 238, BUSS 475. By the end of the Preferred Course Listing period, I was automatically registered for BUSS 311 because the limit was 8 seatings for exchange students and only 6 students reserved. Course Registration (mid-August for Fall) As mentioned above, there is no longer a waitlist so if the limit fills up, students will not be able to register for the course. In this case, they would have to wait until the add/drop period, during the first week of school. It is first-come-first-serve basis, students can register one course at a time (it could take a few seconds or even minutes to load) and the system runs on Korean Standard Time. Thanks to the Preferred Course Listing, I was already registered for BUSS 311 and only needed to add 3 more courses. Once the system opened up, I clicked as fast as I possibly could on the course that I needed the most first (BUSS 342), then second (BUSS 407), then third (BUSS 313). There was a tab that allowed me to register using my preferred courses, which saved me time, every second counted! Crucial tip: strong internet. Fortunately, I registered successfully for the courses, as pictured below. **BY THE WAY** I was definitely luckier than majority of fellow exchange students and regular students. Some students could not even register for any course at all during the initial registration period and had to sign up in person during the add/drop days for KUBS AND the add/drop period for all K.U students. But it is most likely that you will get the courses that you need during the add/drop period. In order to lessen the struggle, I recommend that you..
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Accommodation:
Due to the limited space and the large amount of upcoming students, it is common that students are often unable to get into the dormitories. However, Korea University will assist with alternatives at Goshiwon, off-campus accommodations mainly for university attendees that compiled by previous exchange students. The price range is similar and you can also pick the place in your preferred location. With that being said, start searching for a place ASAP! I chose another alternative and picked my housing closer to the central of Seoul via AirBnb. I shared the apartment with Tran, my best friend who was also attending KUBS in the Fall. Ask away if you are curious about our experience! Flight: Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days to look at flights for the best price. The time of the arrival is also very important. If you are not living in the dorm and planning to arrive prior to the dates of pick-up service, consider arriving early in the day when the sun is still up and all transportations are still available. Visa: The required documents for the D-2 visa include:
*TIPS* If you already have tentative plans to visit other countries during your semester abroad, check if those countries also require visa. This might help you save some money and time later on! One step at a time! **Disclaimer: The process might or might not be different for other universities!
I received my nomination for Korea University (yass!) from MIX at the end of March 2018. Keep in mind that being nominated does not mean that you are accepted into the university, yet! Being nominated means that MIX reviewed your initial application and referred you as a potential candidate to the partner university. Upon accepting the nomination, Ms. Kathy Tran, MIX's Interim Outbound Exchange Specialist, contacted me shortly with instructions about what to expect next and the MIX checklist to fulfill. I was informed that KUBS (Korea University Business School) would email the nominees directly. KUBS meticulously kept the inbound students up to date with deadlines, requirements, important dates, announcements and so on. The application is straightforward with requirements such as:
And, the exciting part began once the "Letter of Admission" email hit my inbox! It started with a flood of emails and friend requests from all the exchange students around the world for the upcoming semester/school year. Facebook group, check! KakaoTalk group chat, check! Each exchange student is also paired with a study buddy from Korea University (KUBA - Korea Univerity Buddy Assistant) and a bonus of being admitted into KUBS is an additional buddy from the business school. The more, the merrier! The waiting period is also the scholarship period! Besides the Freeman Study Abroad scholarship, additional opportunities can be found via the following resources:
Thank you for the never-ending support, Donors! At the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, students are continuously encouraged to participate in an international experience with tremendous assistance from both MIX (Manoa International Exchange) and the Study Abroad Center. The offices offer different opportunities and programs, but they both serve the same purpose of ensuring that students get the best out of their time abroad. So, do not hesitate to explore the websites (hyperlinked above with the names), reach out for answers to your curiosity and gear up for - arguably - the most magnificent adventures of your life, yet!
Personally, I opted for MIX based on the considerations of my major, my budget and most importantly, where I want to study at. As a student at the Shidler College of Business, I was able to receive additional help from Rikki, the program coordinator of the International Exchange Programs. Prior to applying for MIX, here are a few things that helped me decide on the university and the country:
*TIPS*
Good luck! |
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