Yonsei vs SNU vs Sungkyungkwan

I have been doing tons and tons of research since July 2016 although I was planning to register for the winter semester (which happens around end of November or early December) to study Korean language in Korea's university. As some of you guys know, Korea's top 3 universities, SKY (Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University) is famous not only among Korean students but also international students.

My dream was to enroll into one of the SKY university at first. Hey, it is not easy for Korean students to get into SKY so I want to take advantage of this opportunity being a foreigner and apply for it. However, along the way, I found out there are some other equally well-known universities in Korea that are offering great Korean language courses for foreign students. Namely, Sogang University, Sungkyunkwan University and Ewha Women's University.

My first choice would definitely be Yonsei University. I have consulted a few of my Korean friends who are living in Korea and they all recommended Yonsei University. It is a great place to study and to experience life as a student in Korea, thanks to its strategic location, right in the heart of Sinchon, near Hongdae. As most of you hardcore Korean fans will know, Hongdae is a place people enjoy their extreme nightlife as the place itself have so much to offer. People go there for picnics, for street performance, for drinking and for nightclubs! So students are more exposed to these kind of entertainments more than others. You can study and play hard!

Yonsei University campus (cr: KTO)

Besides that, Yonsei is well known for its fun learning environment with tons of activities and field trips. However, based on the reviews of students who studied there, Yonsei doesn't focus much on the speaking but more on the writing and general grammar. So students from, say Sogang University, who spent more speaking time with their students, are generally able to speak Korean better.

Plus, the tuition fee of Yonsei is the most expensive. Well, it is a prestigious university. But don't worry, students from Yonsei said the price you pay is definitely worth the material and facilities that you are able to enjoy as a student of Yonsei. Since I am still saving up pennies for my studies and my main objective of going to Korea is to enjoy life as a student, I will put Yonsei on top of my list, for now.

My second choice is Seoul National University (SNU). It is the top university in Korea. However, since I will be studying Korean language only, the top 3 universities are actually equally good, depending on what you would prefer more. For example, do you want to be better in daily conversation in Korean? do you want to be good in writing and scoring in exams?

Different universities have different ways of teaching and they focus on different aspect of learning. It all depends on what you feel comfortable with and what you want to learn or improve on.

SNU's tuition fee is slightly cheaper compared to Yonsei, and it is located further away from the town center, which is at Gwanak-gu (nearest station Seoul National Uni. station, Line 2). Since it is not in the hot tourist spot area, the accommodations are rather cheaper and affordable. I definitely fell in love with the university as soon as I watch the episode of "2Days & 1Night" where they went to SNU and did a university tour. Although it doesn't sound or look as happening as Yonsei, it is definitely a great place to study and enjoy life!

You can check out the "2Days & 1Night" episodes on SNU here:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

*Hotties alert*

SNU campus (cr: universityfairs)

Iconic logo of SNU (cr: campusasia)

Take note that both SNU and Yonsei offers Buddy program or mentor program that pairs you up with a SNU/Yonsei university student who will help you adjust to your stay in Korea and help you with your studies. In return, you shall teach them English/Mandarin or any other language you have signed up for!

My third option is Sungkyunkwan University. Well, for sure, it is the cheapest one of all the universities I did research on because they have changed their period of course. Sungkyunkwan offers 8 weeks of Korean studies rather than the usual 10 weeks so students can finish the semester faster, saving up more living cost in Seoul! So people usually finish the 6 level Korean language course in 1.5 years, you will be able to finish them all in a year, in Sungkyunkwan university. However, the study time per day will be slightly longer.

And Sungkyunkwan is one of the oldest university in Korea. Unlike other universities, Sungkyunkwan University still maintains a few its old buildings. So it feels like you are walking in a Korean cultural building area. It is really amazing!
There are a lot of foreign students in Sungkyunkwan who studies Korean language. There are a lot Sungkyunkwan students who did reviews on the course in Sungkyunkwan on their blogs and also on Youtube.

Samsung library of Sungkyunkwan University

After considering which universities to apply, I started looking out the registration process and application. Some universities need more detailed documents from you but some don't. So look out for their required documents and submit them before the deadline. You can do them online through their website, email or mail.

These are just a few universities that I had done research on based on ex-student's blog, youtube and websites.

As you all who have followed me on my personal Facebook and my Facebook page HYORIYA 효리야 스토리 know that I just came back studying at Yonsei University. I can only give the most feedback and suggestions/answers based on my experience at Yonsei University.

Feel free to email me or leave a comment below if you have any questions on studying in Korea!
I will try my best to help you out!

This is it! Getting ready for my dream to set sail

These few months have been crazy. Preparing for my external professional exam alongside with taking up part time job at SPAO really worn me out but one thing kept me strong! Finally, my precious document arrived, making it all the way from Yonsei University in Korea. After a few weeks of preparing documents for screening and getting passports and application forms ready, they approved my application and confirmed my registration for the programme!

Fell in love with SPAO since 2 years ago. Hence, while waiting for my convocation in November, I've taken up my first part time job in retail at SPAO, Pavilion. Never regretted a moment of it, it taught me so much! 

*psst* SPAO is getting bigger and bigger now! SPAO will be opening at Sunway Velocity Mall. Interested in building a retail career with SPAO or just simply want to earn some extra bucks while still meet friends who are also Kpop lovers? JOIN SPAO!

OK so back to my story...
The acceptance email came in few days ago and within a week, I received this hardcopy which included the official receipt of my payment, the certification of admission, a general introduction of Yonsei University, schedule of my semester and also map of Yonsei University.

I'm not going to disclose the contents inside as it is private and confidential, but hey! they give some useful tip and information with all the documents you need so don't worry!

As for the accommodation, I have decided not to stay in the hostel for Yonsei University, not only it was hard to get, provided I am only going to be staying for a short period, I would like to enjoy a more private and personal space outside of the campus. I'm not sure if many of you have heard about Goshiwon, which basically means "exam area/room".

It is not uncommon for student in Korea to stay focus studying during their annual exam period by moving out from their house, leaving all the entertainment distractions behind and solely focus on their revision. Hence, the exam room is for them to move out and live for a month or two, to focus and study. It is practically a very small room, with a single bed, a wardrobe, a study table, a small refrigerator, a TV and private/shared bathroom. The owners who run the building will provide wifi and other necessities such as food.

It is a rather cheap accommodation to stay in especially you are still a student and do not have much money to rent a one room by paying a huge sum of deposit. Goshiwon requires no deposit fee, the most, just a small amount for the key deposit which will be returned when you leave the room and return the keys. You can stay as long and as short as you want, no contracts. So, it is a really convenient place to stay for students like me. Goshiwon ranges from 330,000won to 500,000 per month, depending on the size of the room and the location.

I have done bookings for my Goshiwon, which is located 10mins away from Yonsei University by foot. I preferred to stay nearer to the university without having to take public transport to reach so that i don't have to go through the hassle to wake up earlier and wait for public transport every morning when I travel to school.

The place I live in is called Sinchon. It is quite of a busy place as it is always crowded with students, teenagers, young adults and working adults looking to have a good time and have good food.

As I will be going to Korea during winter time, winter clothes are also a must. I have been going around, looking for winter clothing but I have not bought much. I've decided to save some money and buy it in Korea, after I have settled down. There will be more choices for me and cheaper compared to Malaysia.

My preparation is on the way though I am not 100% done with all. I am already so excited and I can't wait to see what God has planned for me. Anybody who are visiting Korea, you are most welcome to contact me!

p/s: Many of you have contacted me through my personal Facebook's inbox, expressing interest to apply for the universities in Korea. I will be updating a post on that subject matter once I've got everything settled. In the meanwhile, you can always get updates on my blog and my journey through my Facebook page HYORIYA 효리야 스토리

Update:
Here is an article on Yonsei University's Korean Language Institute receiving the 2018 Korea Educational Industrial Award!

The Korean Language Institute (KLI) at Yonsei University received the 2018 Korea Education Industrial Award under the “Korean Language Education for Foreigners” category. Jointly presented by The Korea Herald and The Herald Business, the award was given in recognition of KLI’s excellent educational services and significant contribution to the development of Korean language education for non-native speakers.

https://medium.com/@yonsei/korean-language-institute-receives-2018-korea-education-industrial-award-e4ce6a12a4e1