UU Study Abroad Report Form

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UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college Geosciences level bachelor master PhD other name degree programme Human Geography & Planning destination city & country Seoul, South-Korea name host institution and/or Sungkyunkwan University company/organization purpose of exchange study/courses work placement field work other departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 11 / 07 / 2014 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 25 / 12 / 2014 preparation exchange/placement application process The application process was so much paper work that I initially was discouraged. Even though it is worth the effort, I wish it would be easier and faster and better communicated. counselling/support at home university The support from Utrecht University was okay; The support from SKKU was not. academic preparation Academic preparation, apart from obtaining enough ECTS, was not required language preparation Was not required finances I worked hard at my parttime job, but I would not have been able to finance this without monthly support from DUO. study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) To get myself a somewhat interesting and useful study programme I had to wait until the start of my semester at SKKU. For the most of the courses you attend have to be chosen in the first week. This was so much drama that I saw people cry because of the stress. academic quality of education/placement activities The academic quality was lower than that of Utrecht University; at least in my opinion. This was because of the way of grading: It is relatively easy to get a full score in Korea. counselling/support at host institution/organisation SKKU’s international office helped me with anything which was related to school, but also related to my student life. transfer of credits You usually have 1, 2 or 3 credit courses at SKKU. Every credit is worth two ECTS. I have passed five 3 credit courses, which allows me to earn thirty ECTS for this term. student life welcome/orientation programme There was a buddy programme which was supposed to connect me with a Korean student. Somehow I have never seen my Korean buddy again after the orientation day.

page 1 of 2 accommodation The accommodation had a nice location and in general everything was okay. We had to wait at least one month until we got a vacuum cleaner, though. leisure/culture I joined two student clubs: women’s soccer team Yeorak, Ggun street dance club. I truly enjoyed playing soccer and dancing together with other Korean students. We sometimes ate together and they showed me a lot of their culture. suggestions/tips Try to make Korean friends: join a student club, it makes contact with Koreans way easier. conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain I recommend this destination to students who want to discover a culture so much different than theirs; I recommend this destination to students who are willing to challenge cultural and language barriers. do you have any additional advice or comments? As a Western person you should be somewhat openminded and respectful in order to blend in the Korean culture. I think Korea has a lot of positive surprises on offer. You should pay respect to Korean culture in order to get the chances to experience these surprises.

page 2 of 2 UU Study Abroad Report Form

Faculty/college: Faculty of Humanities

Level: X bachelor master PhD other

Name degree programme: History

Destination city & country Seoul, Korea

Name host institution Sung Kyungkwan University and/or company/organisation

Purpose of exchange X study/courses work placement field work other

Departure date 24 august 2014 (dd/mm/yyyy)

Return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 15 January 2015

Preparation Exchange/placement application process: The application went quite well. It was a long track without a lot of insurance, but it all went well and I understand that it is a very hard process to organize. For me it went all ok, but heard from some co-students that they had some issue’s and that they didn’t had a good understanding of the state of the application process. Counselling/support at home university: It could be better. Esspecialy the communication about the reports we had to send in could've been better. There was a lot indistinctness about some documents beeing ok, also the addmission form came very late, wich had consequenses for my visa-application. Academic preparation: Was horrible to be honest. I think that the Utrecht University really had to give more information about how to select courses and how they can fit in your study plan. Everything had to be sources out in Korea itself and I had to make some fundamental study choices which had an impact on my study track. Language preparation: Was ok. Korean is a hard language and there was enough information about the language course. Finances: Really bad. I heard from co-students from other Dutch universities that they’ve got some scholarship funding which were included in their application. There was no information about other financial sources. I think that the development of a financial aid plan would really improve the services of the international office of the UU. Study/placement abroad period Study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues):

In advance of the semester we’ve had a course guide including 3000 courses and most of them taught in Korean or Chinese. The best option is to choose between the ten international program courses, which are focussed on non-Koreans who don’t know anything about the country. It were interesting courses but nog very challenging. Besides that I don’t know how to make them fit in my study program. Academic quality of education/placement activities: International courses were easy and not very challenging. But the activities organised from out of the university club were fun! Counselling/support at host institution/organisation: There was one man responsible for the incoming students, what came down on a overstressed man during entry and departure. Everybody had to do his changes on courses with a lot of signs and application forms. It was a strange period without a lot of insurance, but after all, it went quite well. Transfer of credits: No clue, still no clue. I think that this form is the key of the convert of my grades. Student life Welcome/orientation programme: The welcome was good. It gave a good view on what to do the next semester, but the study programme orientation was bad. There was a club, called ‘Hi Club’ who organised all kind of events to make it comfortable for the incoming students during the year. Accommodation: Really good! Besides the curfew and sharing the room was the housing a key of the success of my exchange. I lived in C-House, 10 minutes by public transport from the campus. This was no problem, afterwards you receive a transportation fee. In C-House, I lived with 70 other exchange students and we formed a great community to explore the city and make friends. I would really recommend people to join the housing program! Leisure/culture: What a strange culture! The Koreans know two faces; one really friendly and open, one really traditional and introvert. It’s hard for them to combine that, due that older people are really focussing on the younger in public. Besides that is the Korean War an open wound of the Korean culture. Really special experience, you can only experience when you’re longer in Korea. Seoul itself is massive. I really needed the full semester to explore the city. It has so many people and towns that you can enjoy yourself endlessly, whatever kind of person you are. Suggestions/tips: Go there with an open mind and explore it yourself. Take your time to explore the massive city and the bipolar Korean culture. On the school part: orientate really good on what kind of courses you want to follow. If you arrange this well in advance, you have a lot less trouble in the beginning. Conclusions Would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? Please explain: Yes definitely! Different than Japan and different than China. It’s a culture on itself and not really common. I enjoyed almost everything there and would do it again immediately.

Do you have any additional advice or comments?: The system, also on the university, is very bureaucratic. Get used to that and don’t be to Dutch (being annoyed if you have to wait for 10 minutes) because than you maybe get a hard time. You’ve plenty of time over there so don’t get bothered by that.

UU Study Abroad Report Form

Faculty/college: Science

Level: bachelor master PhD other

Name degree programme: Computer Science

Destination city & country Seoul, South Korea

Name host institution Sungkyunkwan University and/or company/organisation

Purpose of exchange study/courses work placement field work other

Departure date 30/07/2014 (dd/mm/yyyy)

Return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 24/12/2014

Preparation Exchange/placement application process: I found the application process fairly easy and straight-forward. You have to apply about half a year in advance. After that, you have to arrange some stuff like getting permission from your faculty to follow courses abroad. In my case, I ended up with completely different courses than I originally thought I would. Since I have a good study advisor, this all went really smoothly. Counselling/support at home university: The counselling from the International Office in Utrecht was very good. We had a few meetings about studying abroad where ex-exchange students came to speak as well. These meetings are excellent for meeting other exchange students from Utrecht. After the meeting, I went to a bar with the other exchange students going to Seoul, Korea. The international office itself is also very helpful and Laura was very friendly. Academic preparation: I did not do any academic preparation. I was supposed to have an average of 7.0 I believe, to be able to go to Sungkyunkwan university. But that was not a problem, so I didn’t do any extra work. Language preparation: Before I went to Korea, I took some Korean lessons for about a year. Every Saturday, I went to the Korean School of Amsterdam. It was a lot of fun and I can recommend it to everyone. But it absolutely isn’t necessary. At Sungkyunkwan University, they offer a language course called Korean Language Program. The level of Korean is comparable to what I did at the school in Amsterdam. So I didn’t learn a lot of new things. What I do recommend, is learning the Korean alphabet before you go. It is very easy and Korean has a lot of English words. You will have a much easier time getting around if you know the alphabet. Finances:

I saved about €1500-2000 before I went. Most of this money went into my trip to China before I went to Korea. In Korea I spent about €400 per month. This is the amount of your stufi and public transport compensation (ov-vergoeding) combined. So it was perfect for me. But I know that others spent a lot more money. I would advice €400 per month as a minimum, but €600 would be better. Study/placement abroad period Study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues): I was planning to take 4 business courses at skku (Sungkyunkwan) but this turned out a little differently. Apparently, all the normal students at skku can choose their courses before the exchange students can. So most of the courses were already full. Sometimes you could join a full course by attending the first class and getting a signature from the professor. In the end, I only had 1 business course. I don’t really mind because my other courses were very nice and I met some great people/professors there. There are also courses especially for exchange students, which are never full. I took one of these courses as well: Introduction to Korean Cinema. Which was very nice. Academic quality of education/placement activities: The courses in skku (and other Korean universities) are typically much easier than the courses we follow here in Utrecht. You have to write some essays (1-2 pages) sometimes and there are 2 tests per course. The grading is really flexible and I believe it is not easy for an exchange student to get a bad grade. Counselling/support at host institution/organisation: The international office at skku was quite busy most of the time. The staff was nice but they were understaffed. But in the end I got all the information I needed. Transfer of credits: Skku sent me my grade transcript about 2 months after I returned to Utrecht. I have handed the transcript to my Board of Exams (Examencommissie) and am now waiting for a reply. Student life Welcome/orientation programme: Skku has a buddy programme called Hi-Club. Everyone gets assigned a buddy and you will do some stuff together during the first week. This was a nice way to meet some other exchange students and some Korean students. But after the first week I only saw my buddy 1 or 2 times again. Some buddies where more active though, so I guess you have to get lucky. I can really recommend SeoulMate. This is a group of Korean student volunteers from different universities that offer free tours for foreigners. I met a lot of nice people there. Accommodation: I stayed in a dormitory from SKKU, which was very close to the campus. It was a 6-people apartment, one room for 2 persons. I was in an apartment with 2 French people, 1 Japanese guy, 1 Chinese guy and 1 guy from Ivory Coast. SKKU has pretty strict rules: Men and women are in different dormitories, there is a curfew from 1 AM to 5 AM, and you can’t invite non-residents into your apartment. I got lucky and was in the dormitory that could avoid the curfew, so I didn’t have much trouble with these rules. But you have to be prepared to have a little less freedom.

Leisure/culture: Seoul is an awesome city. I had a very good time here. The food is really good if you like spicy food (everything is spicy). There is a lot to see around Seoul as well, lots of mountains and Jeju island. You can also go to Japan or the Philippines pretty easily. They are both really close. Suggestions/tips: Try to learn the Korean alphabet before you go to Korea, it is really easy and helps a lot! Also, try to meet people from as many different nationalities as you can. And always speak English, even if you are mostly with Dutch people. Don’t be like the French! Conclusions Would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? Please explain: I definitely would. I had a great time and Korea is a really nice country. People are very friendly and Seoul is one of the safest cities I’ve ever been to. Do you have any additional advice or comments?: Make the most out of your exchange and try to forget about the money, just have a good time!

UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college Physics level bachelor name degree programme Theoretical physics destination city & country Seoul, Korea name host institution and/or Sungkyunkwan University company/organization purpose of exchange study/courses (language Course) departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 22/ 08/ 2013 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 28/ 06 / 2014

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. preparation exchange/placement application process I felt the exchange application process was in general quite easy. I wanted to do the intensive language course at Sunkyunkwan, for which you had to prepare 2 recommendation letters. This was a bit of a hassle, but if you prepare well in advance it’s all right. Signing up for the courses before I came to Korea was not possible though. They use certain really old software that could only be used on the School computers, but you don’t need to worry about it, because when you arrive you can apply at the international office. counselling/support at home university I didn’t seek for a lot of help, because I didn’t particularly need it, but I know I could always contact the contact person and she would reply within a day. academic preparation I wanted to start the language course at level two so I could finish within a year till level six, so I studied for that. language preparation See above finances Korea is in general cheaper that Holland. Going out to eat costs about 3,- euros. Drinking is cheaper, going out is cheaper, but whilst being in such an exciting city I did tend to spend a lot. Just because in general you don’t sit at home, but go out a lot and spend time with friends. So I think you can live on a small budget, but it’s hard to do so. study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) As I said, it’s difficult to sign up for the courses before hand, but after arriving you can sort this out. Usually there is still place in the English courses. academic quality of education/placement activities I know the quality of the international courses differs a lot per course. Some teachers have a well set curriculum whilst others even struggle with there English, but the first week is a ‘try-out’ week so you can just choose a few courses and then if you don’t like them, drop them after the first week. counselling/support at host institution/organisation Good, you can always go to the international office with any kind of problem and they speak quite good English. transfer of credits

page 1 of 2 Haven’t done this yet. student life welcome/orientation programme There is a buddy program, but my buddy wasn’t very active so that wasn’t very helpful. I did meet some other nice buddies though how helped me a bit. In general the orientation programme is all right, They introduce you to the Korean culture with some performances, a movie and some nice food. accommodation I slept in Migeaon Ville, which was really nice. 5 roommates, shared kitchen, 2 showers, all right view, nice location and air-conditioning (very important in the sticky summer). It’s still a new dorm so it’s really clean. leisure/culture I think you can do a lot in Korea. You of course have the old palaces, Hongdea (night live) and Myungdong (shopping), but after you see and do all this there is still so much more to do. You can go hiking, or bungee jumping. Or visit the Sea city Busan, or the beautiful Island Jeju. There are a lot of nice places in Seoul that as a tourist you wont have time for, but as an international student you can visit through out the half year. suggestions/tips A few tips before you go: - Bring some Dutch things to give to the friends you make ^^ - Safe up money for traveling to Koreas neighbour countries. - The winters a freezing in Korea, so bring your warmest jacket (or buy one there) - Try to learn hangul/ or some phrases, it’s quite fun to be able to speak some Korean and it will impress the locals. conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain Yes, Korean people a really warm and they will make you feel at home. Whereas other Asian countries a really nice to travel to or just go to as a holiday. I feel that Korea is a nice place to live for a while. The combination of night live, nature and an old history will keep you interested. do you have any additional advice or comments? *

Contact details: [email protected]

Student Services / International Office  Postal address: P.O. Box 80125, NL-3508 TC Utrecht  Visitors’ address: Bestuursgebouw, Heidelberglaan 8, Utrecht  T: +31-(0)30-253 7000  F: +31-(0)30-253 2627  E: [email protected] (information) [email protected] (report)  I: www.uu.nl/students/exchange

page 2 of 2 UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college Law level bachelor name degree programme North Korean & rule of law, Plato’s philosophy, Korean society and Culture destination city & country Seoul, South Korea name host institution and/or Utrecht University company/organization purpose of exchange study/courses departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 24 / 02 / 2014 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 28 / 07 / 2014

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. preparation exchange/placement application process If was a little late with my application. There were some remaining spots left. One of them was an exchange place in Seoul South Korea. The Sungkyunkwan University accepted my request. From there on the application process was easy to go through. Everything that needed to be done was in the instructions that the International office sent to me by mail. If I had any questions I contacted the international office and they always helped me. If you try to deal with everything before the deadline, then there should be no problem with the application. counselling/support at home university The support from my home university was great! They mailed me all the instructions which I had to complete. If I had any questions it was no problem. I could easily go to their office for extra information. academic preparation I did not do any academic preparation. The international office told me that the level of courses in Seoul were less intense compared to the level of courses at Utrecht University. language preparation I could not speak any Korean, but this was no problem at all. All the courses were given in English. My English was proper, so I did not do any language preparation. I wanted to follow an English language course at Utrecht University but they turned that course down. finances I saved some money myself and I borrowed some money from my parents. study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) I could follow any course I wanted to, because i already got all my points for my bachelor. So I choose three different courses. academic quality of education/placement activities As I said the level of the courses at Sungkyunkwan university are less hard compared to the courses at Utrecht University. Nevertheless, they were very interesting. I followed 2 undergraduate courses and one graduate course. I learned a lot in those courses counselling/support at host institution/organisation In the beginning it was a bit hard to sign up for courses. The people working at international office at

page 1 of 2 Sungkyunkwan university helped me a lot. So if you have problems signing up for courses just go to the international office of the university. transfer of credits As I am writing this report the transfer of credits still has to been done. So I cannot tell that much about it yet. student life welcome/orientation programme The welcome was awesome, we were divided in groups and got a tour around the campus. Good way to learn new people. After that we had dinner and some drinks. In the same week we had different welcoming parties around Seoul. Everybody got a Korean ‘buddy’ who introduced you to the life in Seoul. If you had problems, questions or you just want to hang out you always could call your buddy. accommodation I slept in a dormitory ‘International house’. It was a little hard in the beginning to sleep with another person in the same room. You get used to it and it is a good way to learn new people as well. The dormitory was nice. It was clean, the kitchen provided different facilities and there was a lounge the hang out. My room was clean, we had a nice bathroom and the beds were quite comfortable. leisure/culture For me it was the first time in Asia. So it was interesting to discover a new culture. We did so many trips to palaces, castles, spa’s, villages and mountains. Hanging out with Korean people gives you a good image of how people ‘think’ and ‘behave’. I can say that I experienced the night life of Seoul a lot of times. We have seen so many clubs and had some much fun during these nights. suggestions/tips Enjoy every day of your exchange, do not hesitate about going on exchange. I am sure that you will have an amazing time and you will make friends for live. I had the best time of my life. To give an example, I am flying in august to Sweden to meet my Swedish friends. conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain For sure! Seoul is such a great city, it is a world city that is so safe. It is amazing to experience the Asian culture in Soeul. The university was very good and the courses were interesting. The professors are very happy to see foreign people attending their courses. Life on the campus was awesome! People from Korea are so friendly and it is interesting to learn about their history. I have had such a good time, with so many people. And last but not least, the parties were great! do you have any additional advice or comments? Just GO abroad. Do not hesitate. It is so awesome. Had the best time of my life!

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page 2 of 2 UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college Social Sciences level X bachelor master PhD other name degree programme destination city & country Seoul, South Korea name host institution and/or SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University company/organization purpose of exchange X study/courses work placement field work other departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 22 / 08 / 2013 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 29 / 01 / 2014

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. preparation exchange/placement application process Make sure you follow all the instructions Utrecht University provides. Next to that, follow the instructions from the book/magazine you receive from SKKU. Then everything will speak for itself. counselling/support at home university The exchange coordinator of this region was very helpful to me and all my questions were perfectly answered. academic preparation You’ll need a GPA of 2,7 or higher for SKKU. However, the standard level of education is not that high in Korea. You’ll do fine if studying in the Netherlands went well. language preparation None, for you’ll probably only follow courses in English. The teachers are clear enough in their English to understand. finances Since living expenses in Korea are not that high, you’ll do well with your study finance and your public transport compensation. However, if you want to do some trips and leisure, I recommend you save some money. study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) It is really hard to actually register for courses that are really taught in English! Make sure you pick the courses that are really in English and be as quick as possible to register when you are actually over there in Korea. The international office of SKKU over there will be very busy to check everyones courses. I took some business courses after a lot of struggle to register. They were interesting and not that hard (since I do nothing in my current study with business whatsoever) academic quality of education/placement activities Quality was fine. SKKU is one the top universities in ranking in Korea and rising, since it’s well funded by Samsung. However, you’ll have to get used to the way of teaching where the teacher demands more respect and control of the course. Less input of students than in the Netherlands. Koreans are way more focussed on remembering then creativity and thinking. Nevertheless an interesting experience. counselling/support at host institution/organisation The International Office helps you well, but with the course signup they can be very strict and unhelpful.

page 1 of 2 transfer of credits The courses at SKKU normally give you 6 ECTS each, so 5 courses provide enough for a minor of 30 credits. student life welcome/orientation programme They have a buddy program, organized by the Hi-Club and MAPLE. This club consists of enthusiastic Korean students who’ll love to help you and show you the city. accommodation You have three kind of dormitories. I lived in I-house, where I shared a room with an Austrian guy. I house is very close to the university and I think the most preferred dorm. Migaon Ville was also a nice dorm with appartments for about 5-7 persons. Koart-Ville was two metrostops away from the university so I wouldn’t recommend that one. It is possible to find your own accommodation, however expensive. leisure/culture Seoul is huge, and there is simply so much to do. Koreans are very friendly but sometimes shy of their English. Seoul is very modern, however also traditional with a lot of culture. I’d recommend to see and do as much as possible. suggestions/tips Also make trips to Japan and/or China. It’s nearby and cheap to do trips to close countries! Next to that, taste Korean culture and try to connect with Korean students. It is easy to do this via clubs or HI-club. conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain Definitely. Living in Seoul not only it broadens your perspective on Western and Eastern culture, you’ll also meet people from all over the world and make international friends for life. Experience living in one of the fastest growing Metropoles in the world, a city that never sleeps. do you have any additional advice or comments? My exchange semester in Korea felt like a vacation of 5 months (and passed all my courses ;)) Korea will surprise you in a very positive way.

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page 2 of 2 UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college Faculty of Social Sciences level bachelor name degree programme Pedagogical Sciences

destination city & country Seoul, South Korea name host institution and/or Sungkyunkwan University company/organization purpose of exchange study/courses departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 22/08/2013 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 21/01/2014 (school till december 2013)

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. preparation exchange/placement application process There was a certain GPA requirement I didn't fully meet but I was luckily placed anyways. The application process takes some time but it's pretty easy. counselling/support at home university There was a helpful meeting with people who went to S.Korea and other Asian countries the previous semester. They gave some useful tips. Also the people at the International Office were very helpful. academic preparation Didn't really have any academic preparation. I just made sure I finished everything for the previous year and had this semester in my free choice semester. language preparation I didn't really prepare anything for the language. I spoke mostly English and that was enough. I learned some Korean and while I was there it is useful to learn to read the Korean alphabet, which is pretty easy. finances In the country most things are not that expensive, compared to the Netherlands. But the flight is obviously not cheap. I paid one big sum (about 1700 dollar at the time) for my housing for 4 months. I did not have any scholarships. But all and all it is cheaper than back home so it was fine for me. The traveling you might want to do afterwards or during your stay might be something worth saving up for. study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) At SKK, it wasn't easy to apply for courses. They have a weird computer system. But the first week there, they have a time where you can easily apply and drop out again. The amount of courses they have in English isn't that big (especially in the Social Sciences) but they have special courses for international students and especially things like management, politics and economics do have some courses to offer. academic quality of education/placement activities I took some courses in English also followed by Korean students. Which made it more fun but also made it considerably easier. They might have high academic quality in their Korean courses but the English ones are not

page 1 of 2 as hard. But I didn't take any of the courses for international students, those might be different. counselling/support at host institution/organisation They had a very helpful international office as well and they assigned every 'foreigner' group with a Korean buddy who could help you out. transfer of credits My credits were nicely transferred after I got back from Korea and received my final grades per post. 1 course of 3 Korean point was worth 6 ECTS. student life welcome/orientation programme There was a day in which all the new international students gathered at the school, got a tour, met there Korean buddy and each other, got a welcoming speech and so on. It was very nice. accommodation I stayed in student housing. You are assigned at random and I was lucky to stay in Migaon Ville, which kind of is a small apartment you share with several other people (of the same sex). There were three rooms in our 'appartment' with two students each and we had two bathrooms. The main room had desks and a kitchen. The other international buildings worked with big kitchens and lots of rooms for two people. But those were nice too. The only annoying thing was the curfew we had. leisure/culture There is a lot to see in S.Korea. In Seoul there are several palaces, really nice hikes you can do, theme parks, a big tower, the Han river and so on. While you are in Korea it might be fun to do a temple stay, go to the DMZ (North Korean border), go to Busan, etc. Seoul has really nice food and a great nightlife. Also for international students! suggestions/tips When staying in the dorms; they come pretty empty. You get a pillow and blanket but nothing to put over it; bring it. And you are going to have to buy some other stuff for living as well. conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain I would. I loved it in S.Korea. I really hope to go back sometime soon. I was also very lucky with my roommates and the people I met there. The Koreans were very nice (they do look at you a little because you are a foreigner) and the campus of SKKU was beautiful. do you have any additional advice or comments? You will meet a lot of international students but try to meet some Koreans too! (Not all Koreans are happy about foreigners, some are a little insecure about their English) I joined a women soccer team with half international students and half Korean and that was a lot of fun.

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page 2 of 2 UU Study Abroad Report Form

Every UU student going abroad is expected to submit a report, as stated in the conditions of the UU Study Abroad Contract. Please send it as an e-mail attachment to [email protected]. Please state your destination country (e.g. Costa Rica) as subject. The deadline to return this report is July 1, 2013, even if you are still abroad at that time!

Your report will be made available to UU students preparing an exchange, placement or research period abroad. We will take out your name and student number. Not all of them are Dutch-speaking, therefore we prefer to receive reports written in English.

Thank you in advance!

Please use Tab to go to the next (text) box. faculty/college Governance and Organizational Science level bachelor master PhD other name degree programme

destination city & country Seoul, South Korea name host institution and/or SKKU (Sunkyunkwan University) company/organization purpose of exchange study/courses work placement field work other departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 27 / 03 / 2013 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 23 / 06 / 2013

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. preparation exchange/placement application process Make sure that you think carefully about your destination, for the system works that they only look at your first choice, maybe your second choice, but not at your third choice. If you have popular destinations, know that the change is small you will get your choice. Then you have to pick a destination from the ‘leftovers’, with a first comes first goes policy. This is how I got to Korea, even though I’m really glad I went here. counselling/support at home university Consult your coordinator or supervisor every time you have a question. Most of the time they know the answer and are happy to help. This will gain you a lot of time and effort. academic preparation Look at your grades for the choice of your destination. Asian countries usually have higher standards. language preparation There are international courses, but if you want to integrated into the ‘local’ courses, the level of English is low and most of the time hard to follow. finances I work fulltime before I went abroad. Depending on your destination, this will be enough or not. study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) Being in Korea, I took courses which were about global mind and the way Asia looks upon the rest of the world. Also the university had a big focus on Confucian morals. I took two courses that provided me an insight in the way of thinking in the East, which helps you understand the culture around you a lot better. I would definitely

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recommend to take this opportunity if provided, for it enhances your experience in the country and its culture/people. academic quality of education/placement activities Korean way of teaching is to copy and replaced. Also the students are not used to discussions. This is a different way of teaching and education where as a Western student you have to adjust. counselling/support at host institution/organisation The English level in Korea is not that high, but the International Office helps you at their best. transfer of credits Every courses has to be at least 3 credits in Korean system to be approved by the UU. student life welcome/orientation programme SKKU has a club of Korean students (HI Club and Maple Club) that have a average level of English. They provide you a buddy, that are always happy to help you with everything and orientation parties. Korean people are really friendly and like to party, so the orientation programme makes sure you get adjusted in Seoul easily and meet new friends easily. accommodation SKKU provides different dorms. These dorms differ from each other. I was in I-house, where I had a room sharing with another international girl. There was a kitchen and laundry room. The room is not big, but enough. You could live outside the dorm, but living in Seoul is very expensive. Also I-house was next to the campus and close to Heywha (the student area around it). leisure/culture Because of the level of English, it is hard to really ‘get into’ the culture. But you can manage very well after a while, because Korean people are very friendly and kind. Seoul is like an Asian New York, with a lot of history and Confucian morals. suggestions/tips Be patient and flexible with Korean people. Foreigners are still a little strange to them and Koreans are very shy. conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain Going to a city such as Seoul provides you the opportunity to go live in a entertaining world city, learn about the East culture and its values, gives you perspective on the Western world, experience the history between North and South Korea, but most of all it gives you a experience that shared with other internationals and Koreans that you will never forget. do you have any additional advice or comments?

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UU Study Abroad Report Form

Thank you in advance!

Please use Tab to go to the next (text) box. faculty/college Humanities level X bachelor master PhD other name degree programme Engelse Taal en Cultuur

destination city & country Seoul, South Korea name host institution and/or Sungkyunkwan, SKKU company/organization purpose of exchange X study/courses work placement field work other departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 18 / 02 / 2013 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 29 / 06 / 2013

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. Preparation exchange/placement application process Before going on exchange, I had to determine which university out of the vast number of universities offered by the UU had my preference. I initially chose New Zealand and Canada as my universities of preference but as these universities are really popular with students wanting to study abroad I did not get placed at any of these universities. I then got sent a sheet with all the “left-over” universities and as I had already determined that I was going to go as far away as possible Korea caught my eye. When I got placed at this university all my further correspondence about what I needed to do and prepare was with this university’s international office. counselling/support at home university I went to all the mandatory meetings you have to go to before even being eligible for the exchange program and this gave me a lot of insight into being an exchange student and what I could expect in my host country. Any questions I had as was able to ask the International office and they provided me with sufficient information. academic preparation I went abroad during my third year. As I had finishes all my courses in my major these courses would be part of my minor. This had the advantage that I could choose any course and it gave me a lot more freedom. language preparation The international courses that are given at the university are given in English so this should not be a problem if your sufficient in this language. If you want to follow classes in Korean or Japanese or Russian or even Chinese then you will have to prove you are proficient enough in these languages to be able to follow any of the courses given in these languages. Even if you follow any courses that are not international courses but are given in English

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do not be surprised that when you follow these courses the professor might decide to give them in Korean if there are more Korean students then International ones. Finances The financial support I get from the government on a monthly basis was not going to cover my expenses in Korea. So to be able to support myself in Korea I worked and saved the money I earned for my stay. And I had my parents as a financial back-up for any unforeseen expenses like hospital bills that had to be paid. study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) The university offers a wide range of international courses which are really easy to apply for and you usually get placed at your first choice. Any other course you want to follow you will need to get the approval of the professor upon arrival. In the first week you can follow any course you like and are able to change your courses if you happen not to like the course you chose or if you happen to find another course more interesting. academic quality of education/placement activities The courses given at the host university are of similar quality as those given at the UU. Some courses might even be slightly easier than those at the UU. The professors at the host university are a little more lenient toward international students then they are towards Korean students but this does not mean that you do need to do anything to pass the course. You are still required to be present at every class. If you want to follow any courses that are not international courses you need to ask the professor of that particular course for approval. counselling/support at host institution/organisation The International Office in Korea is really helpful if you have any problems or questions and keeps you updated on deadlines and that kind of stuff. transfer of credits student life welcome/orientation programme The orientation day is a great way to meet all the different exchange students and to make some new friends. It’s also really good when you have any questions although most of them get answered during the program. Accommodation When I stayed in Seoul I did not stay at the dormitory provided by the host university. This has its advantages but also its disadvantages. If you would like to find your own accommodation in Seoul I would recommend having a look on craigslist.com. leisure/culture Seoul is a big city with a lot to do and see. If you love museums, Seoul has loads. If you like partying, Seoul offers a wide range of clubs and festivals for you to go to. If you just want to relax with the new friends you’ve made then Seoul has a lot of coffee/tea shops and restaurants you spend time in. suggestions/tips Before you go try and figure out the transport system as it will save you a lot of money. I downloaded the Jihachul app which means subway in Korean and it definitely makes getting around Seoul a lot easier. Conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain I would most definitely recommend this destination to others. Korea is not well known around the world which I personally think is a real shame. It is a beautiful country with kind, warm and friendly people and good food. I would say it’s Asia’s best kept secret. do you have any additional advice or comments?

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When going to Korea just be yourself but just a politer version. Korea is a very modern country but still very conservative. If you are not all that proficient in Korean I would advise you for maybe the first couple of days of your stay to bring a Korean/ Dutch or English dictionary with you as that will make it easier in you interaction with the locals although many young people speak a fair amount of English.

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UU Study Abroad Report Form

Thank you in advance!

Please use Tab to go to the next (text) box. faculty/college History level bachelor master PhD other name degree programme History

destination city & country Seoul, South-Korea name host institution and/or Sungkyunkwan University company/organization purpose of exchange study/courses work placement field work other departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 26 / 08 / 2012 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 25 / 12 / 2012

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. preparation exchange/placement application process Since I was not accepted for the university I wanted to go to, I could only choose from destinations that were not filled during the initial placement process. I decided to go somewhere I had never been before and I wanted to go to a major city in Asia. That’s how I ended up in Seoul. I sent the necessary papers to the international office in order to get the spot. counselling/support at home university The International Office was very helpful in the process of application and placement. They were quick to answer my questions. academic preparation I was advised to finish my bachelorthesis before I left for Seoul, because after coming back to Utrecht you needed some time to (academically) adjust to the level. language preparation I did not study any Korean before coming to Korea. It can be very useful since most Koreans do not speak English. But I was able to manage with English and your hands and feet. finances You will definitely spend more money in Korea than you would in Utrecht. A couple of things will likely increase your costs: travelling to neighbouring countries during and after the semester, going to nightclubs and having dinner in restaurants most of the time (since most of the time they’re cheaper than cooking for yourself). Daily expenses are not much cheaper than the Netherlands. I had some savings and you get a compensation for not using your Dutch public transport card (OV).

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study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) I took four courses, while most of the students took 5 or 6. They were mostly about Asia or Korea (‘Political and Economic Development in Korea’, ‘Research in Asian History’ and ‘Understanding Asian Culture’ and ‘Introduction to Archaeology’. Most of the professors speak proper English (although with a very strong accent). The courses had around 3-6 contact hours each week. I did not arrange any courses before I went to Seoul and fixed all the courses at the International Office at SKKU. If you really want to take some courses, you can better arrange them beforehand. academic quality of education/placement activities The quality of the courses is fine. Some courses were fairly easy whilst others were difficult. In most courses you will write an essay or give a presentation. However, you should be able to finish the courses with good grades. counselling/support at host institution/organisation The International Office is very helpful, it is situated on the campus and you can walk in nearly anytime of the day. They are very friendly and can speak good English. They can help you with any questions. transfer of credits I took four courses. 3 were transferred as level 2 courses in Utrecht, and the fourth course was transferred as level 3. However, for each course I received only 5 ECTS instead of 7,5. student life welcome/orientation programme Every exchange student is assigned a buddy from Hi-Club. He picked my up from the airport and helped me with practical things like getting a Korean simcard and bank account. Hi-Club organized some parties for the exchange students to get to know each other. Over the 4 months, they organized trips and parties every couple of weeks. accommodation SKKU provides accommodation for all exchange students. You will share you room with another roommate (usually from your home country). You will get used to this very quickly. There are 3 dorms, I-House which is right on the campus, Michaon Ville which is 10 minutes walking from campus, and Koart Ville which is two subway stations away from campus. You don’t get to choose. A curfew exists, but you shouldn’t worry about it. Getting into the dorm has not been a problem. leisure/culture Seoul is a metropolis with more than 10 million people. There is always something to do or to see. After having spent 4 months in Seoul, I still have the feeling I could have seen so much more. I still have very good memories about going out in Hongdae and Gangnam. Koreans love drinking soju (local drink) and beer and definitely know how to party. suggestions/tips Don’t hesitate about doing an exchange, it is a lot of fun and you will remember this experience for the rest of your life! Dutch phones do work in Korea. Try to arrange your courses in order to have a long weekend. conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain I would recommend SKKU to others. The academic level is less than in Utrecht, the city is amazing and not expensive, the Korean people are nice and it is easy to travel to other countries. do you have any additional advice or comments? Don’t worry, just go!

Contact details:

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UU Study Abroad Report Form

Thank you in advance!

faculty/college Humanities level bachelor master PhD other name degree programme Language and Culture Studies

destination city & country Seoul, South Korea name host institution and/or Sungkyunkwan company/organization purpose of exchange study/courses work placement field work other departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 26 / 2 / 2013 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 4 / 7 / 2013

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. preparation exchange/placement application process For personal reasons I missed the first deadline. However, this was no problem since the universities I considered were actually the least popular ones. Having made my choice, I prepared the documents for the UU application and got my first choice. The Sungkyunkwan application process was also pretty straightforward and after being accepted to the university I received a very clear information booklet with all the important information for my semester there. counselling/support at home university Both my study advisor and the International Office were helpful in the application process and afterwards. academic preparation There was no real need for any academic preperation. Most courses which were open to international students did not require any previous courses. Besides that, I already had enough credits in my study so far, so I could take less than the normal amount of credits and have some more free time. language preparation Since Korean is very difficult I did not intend on learning the language. I did however learn the Korean script beforehand. I would highly advise doing this, since it is pretty easy and can be very helpful during your stay in Korea. There is also a possibility to take an introductory Korean class at SKKU. finances I saved enough money for the trip and planned on lending from DUO, since I was not receiving any study financing anymore. This, together with some money from my parents was definitely enough to survive in Korea and do some travels. Prices in Korea are comparable to those in the Netherlands. study/placement abroad period

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study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) In the beginning I had some problems with registering for courses. For this you have to use an online program which works really bad (which is surprising thinking of high-tech Korea). In the end I took three so-called International Courses, which are only with international students. These are different courses and less courses (5 courses roughly equals 30 ects) than I planned on taking, so I still need to get approval for this. academic quality of education/placement activities The quality of the courses differs greatly and is, as is mostly the case, very dependent on the teacher. Teachers are generally fluent in English, but can have a very strong Korean accent, which you will have to get used to at first. counselling/support at host institution/organisation Support is good, the people at the international office are really helpful. South Koreans do like to keep strictly to the rules, so most deadlines and other rules are also very strict. transfer of credits I have not transferred my credits yet, so I don’t know about this. student life welcome/orientation programme This consisted of the orientation day, which was a really fun day on which you meet a lot of people! We got some basic information about studying at SKKU, about the dorms, etc and we’re showed around the campus. Then we were divided into different groups, consisting of some internationals and some Korean buddies. This was a really good way to get to know other internationals and Koreans! I have not had so much contact with my own Korean buddy but I did with many of the other Korean buddies in our group. accommodation Accomodation was good and I got used to living with a roommate very rapidly. Of course you can be unlucky with your roommate, but for most people it was really ok. What seemed to be annoying in the beginning was the curfew (12-5 in the night) and the prohibiton of drinking in your room and of visiting opposite sex rooms. However, nobody kept to these rules and you could easily go into the building at night. Halfway during our stay many people got complaints and warnings from the international office about our behaviour. Then many complained at the international office and in the end the rules were less strict. This however is only true for the dorms in Seoul. Friends who studied at the Suwon campus told me the doors of their dorm were locked with big locks during curfew. leisure/culture There is so much fun and interesting things to do in Seoul alone, and even more in the whole of Korea! It is really easy to get on a train or bus and go for a weekend to some national park, booming city or beautiful island. Furthermore, places like Japan, Beijing, Shanghai, Phillippines are also relatively close. And in Seoul there are about as many inhabitants as in the Netherlands, so you can imagine there is enough to do here! Besides that, going out for drinking and noreabang (karaoke) with your Korean friends is also highly commendable. suggestions/tips Just go for it! There is so much to do here and so many fun people to meet. I would especially try to find some ways to make some Korean friends, since they are really nice people to hang out with. conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain Definitely! Korea is a great place and it is really easy to meet Koreans. Sungkyunkwan is also a good university and it’s International Office is also really helpful. Anyways Korea is a really interesting place to stay for some longer time. It is very developed and many would say it is also very westernised. But if you look a little closer you

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see that many even very simple things are so much different here and Koreans sometimes think about life in such a different way. do you have any additional advice or comments? If you would like to, go to some place that is very different from home! I think my stay here has made me think about lots of things in very different ways and that is because so much things are very different here. In any case, enjoy!

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UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college Roosevelt Academy level bachelor master PhD other name degree programme Liberal Arts and Sciences destination city & country Seoul, Korea name host institution and/or Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) company/organization purpose of exchange study/courses work placement field work other departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 23 / 08 / 2012 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 11 / 01 / 2013

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. preparation exchange/placement application process Initially I had applied for Canadian universities but I was not accepted for my first choice, the university of Toronto. When I saw that there were still some left-over spots I decided to go to Asia. I chose the Sungkyunkwan because a fellow student recommended me this university and it offered courses that I was interested in and needed for graduation. counselling/support at home university At the beginning it was the exchange coordinator from Roosevelt Academy who provided information about going on exchange. My tip here is to read all the information that is available online very carefully and ask former exchange students to avoid questions that have already been answered. Later I was mainly in contact with the exchange coordinator from Utrecht University who is responsible for Asia. My experience was very positive because she answered quickly to my mails and was very helpful. academic preparation I did not take any academic preparation with the exchange in mind. However, I did take an off-campus course at the CEDLA (Institute for Latin American Studies, University of Amsterdam) from May-July 2012. Later this proofed to be very helpful because I could use the credits that I earned for it to make up for credit shortage. (see below). language preparation My studies at the Roosevelt Academy are already English so I did not feel the need to prepare for studying in English. My decision to go to Korea was rather spontaneous so I could not take any Korean language courses before. However, I would recommend learning at least the Korean alphabet beforehand. finances I had some money saved from working however the exchange turned out to be more expensive than I expected and I was happy about the support from my parents. When studying at a University College keep in mind that you might not be able to sublet your room!

study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) I took five courses of 3 SKKU credits and one without credits. Sungkyunkwan University does not provide an

page of indication to how many ECTS their credits convert. However, with three contact hours each week Utrecht University counts five SKKU courses as 30 ECTS. There are a few courses that are offered only for exchange students. I took one of them about marketing management. Furthermore I took International Communication Practices, Introduction to Sociology, Sociology of Social Movements, Politics in Europe and additionally Workshop in Experimental Film/Video without credits. Initially I came to SKKU to take courses in politics and theatre however it turned out that many courses – even when they were labelled as “international language courses” (attention! That can also mean that they are taught in e.g. Chinese!) - are still partially taught in Korean. For example the whole theatre department is not open for exchange students who do not speak Korean even though several courses are labelled as international language courses. So in the end I had to take several courses from other departments and together with the instructors of my home university agreed to count some of the ECTS credits from my off-campus course to make up for the credit shortage. So my tip is to discuss beforehand with your instructors the possibility that you might not get in the courses you need. Also try to contact the teachers or departments at SKKU directly (not the international office). Furthermore, when you arrive at SKKU you still have time to arrange your courses – I did not sign up for any courses before and then in the first week I tried out all the ones that interested me. Two more things: Note that you cannot drop the courses which are offered only for exchange students once you sign in. Furthermore, if you are interested in the Korean programme (very intensive programme to learn Korean) be prepared to work very hard and compete with mostly other Asian students. academic quality of education/placement activities Most of the courses did cover quite a lot of content but they were quite easy for me due to several reasons. First of all, the courses did not really encourage critical thinking. On the one hand this seems to be part of Korean mentality but on the other hand, I only took courses on a 100- and 200-level that were rather focussed on reading, presentations and team work. The team work with Koreans was in general okay but I had big problems with Chinese people because they usually do not speak English at all which makes group work incredibly difficult if there is not strong group leader and translator. Do not hesitate to talk to your professor if this should occur. Many teachers speak English well although you should not expect the level of English of an international university college. Another thing which is different from the Netherlands is the grading – they use relative instead of absolute grading which basically means that your grades depend on the results of your class mates in the final examination. In the end though I cannot complain too much about the academic quality – there are some differences but in general I liked my courses because they were quite diverse, I did learn a lot but I still had enough time to discover Korea. counselling/support at host institution/organisation

transfer of credits I was in contact with many teachers both before and on exchange to arrange my transfer of credits. However, at the moment I do not have the official confirmation that my credits have been transferred. student life welcome/orientation programme

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leisure/culture

suggestions/tips

page of conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain

do you have any additional advice or comments?

Contact details:

Student Services / International Office Postal address: P.O. Box 80125, NL-3508 TC Utrecht Visitors’ address: Bestuursgebouw, Heidelberglaan 8, Utrecht T: +31-(0)30-253 7000 F: +31-(0)30-253 2627 E: [email protected] (information) [email protected] (report) I: www.uu.nl/students/exchange

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UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college University College Utrecht level bachelor master PhD other name degree programme Liberal Arts & Sciences destination city & country Seoul, South Korea name host institution and/or Sungkyunkwan University company/organization purpose of exchange study/courses work placement field work other departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 23 / 08 / 2011 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 16 / 12 / 2011

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. preparation exchange/placement application process Went smooth. I first applied at Unde rwood University through the University College exchange program, but as they did not have their paperwork in order, I resorted to applying to Sungkyunkwan through the UU exchange program. counselling/support at home university Adequate. The information and help I needed was provided. academic preparation Insofar as picking courses I did everything on my own, and needed no assistance from UU. language preparation None. But also not necessary as my courses were in English and I couldn’t learn Korean in such a short time frame. finances Went well. Encountered no problems. study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) The courses were off high quality and I enjoyed taking them. The only problem I encountered was that some of the courses that Sungkyunkwan advertised as English spoken were either taught in Korean or Japanese which meant I had to do some drastic remodelling of my curriculum on Sungkyunkwan during my first weeks. So make sure (by mailing teachers on forehand) that the courses you want to take are actually taught in English academic quality of education/placement activities High. Interesting courses in a wide variety of fields. counselling/support at host institution/organisation Very helpful student helpdesk. Did not need any other counselling/support. transfer of credits Smooth on sungkyunkwan’s side. Less on the side of University College Utrecht. student life welcome/orientation programme Consisted of four days of excursions and parties. Was a lovely time during which I met many interesting people that became close friends. Koreans are amazing when it comes to creating a friendly environment for foreigners.

page 1 of 2 = accommodation Perfect. Good shared room in the centre of the city. Safe and accessible location and plenty of logistical possibilities (kitchen, washing machines, restaurants around the corner, access to the campus, etc. leisure/culture Best half a year of my life. I guess that says enough. Not surprising when you consider you get to live in one of the biggest and ever-changing cities of the world. suggestions/tips See every day as an adventure and try to find out as much as you can about the city. It’s a guarantee for happiness and unexpected encounters and adventures. Also visit cities like Busan and Geonju! conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain Most definitely. The level of education is high and varied, the city is amazing, the campus is beautiful, and living in Korea feels like a treat every single day do you have any additional advice or comments? Go to Seoul!

Contact details:

Student Services / International Office • Postal address: P.O. Box 80125, NL-3508 TC Utrecht • Visitors’ address: Bestuursgebouw, Heidelberglaan 8, Utrecht • T: +31-(0)30-253 7000 • F: +31-(0)30-253 2627 • E: [email protected] (information) [email protected] (report) • I: www.uu.nl/students/exchange

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Contact details:

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UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college Faculty of Science level bachelor master PhD other name degree programme Information Science destination city & country Seoul, South Korea name host institution and/or Sungkyunkwan University company/organization purpose of exchange study/courses work placement field work other departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 24 / 08 / 2010 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 18 / 12 / 2010

You are requested to write on the following topics. Text boxes will expand automatically while typing. preparation exchange/placement application process I was late with applying for my study abroad, so I could only choose from destinations that were not filled in the initial placement process. I wanted to go to a big city in Asia, and Seoul was one of the destinations that were still possible, so I chose that one. I got the necessary papers together within a few days and quickly sent in my papers to the international office in order to get the spot. Looking back I doubted too long about the exchange itself, which is the reason why I was late, and I should’ve sent in the application earlier so I could have been placed in one of my initially preferred destinations which would have been Taipei, Singapore or Hong Kong. counselling/support at home university The International Office and my study advisor of Utrecht University were both helpful in the process of application and placement. The international office was quick to answer any of my questions, and so was my study advisor. academic preparation In order to free up some time abroad, I took extra courses in the Netherlands, so I would have to earn less credit in Korea. However I ended up taking more credit than needed in Korea anyway. Other than this, the exchange didn’t take much academic preparation. language preparation I bought a little Korean phrasebook from Lonely Planet, but basically I didn’t study any Korean in advance. I used the phrasebook the first few weeks, but you don’t need any Korean knowledge to study in Korea. You will manage with English, and your hands and feet. finances The finances were not much of a problem, I had some money saved and you get a compensation for the non-use of your Dutch public transport card. Also you get your study financing from the Netherlands, and my parents gave me a monthly stipend. study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) I took five courses of 3 Korean credits each, which should translate to 30 ECTS. Each course basically has 3 contact hours each week. There is no official semester break, however in the fall there is the Chusok holiday which lasts three days and in this week you could have a break. I took three courses on Korean culture (Understanding Korean Society, Koreans Reflected on Visual Arts and Korean Culture & Management), an economics course and a business administration course. Professors generally speak proper English. Being in

page 1 of 3 = courses with a lot of Korean students might be frustrating if you are in a workgroup with Koreans, you might experience communication problems as they tend to be shy and lack initiative. academic quality of education/placement activities The quality of the courses is generally good; most courses go through a good amount of material. In most courses you will have to write essays and give presentations. But generally as a student from Utrecht University, you shouldn’t have many problems finishing the courses with good grades. counselling/support at host institution/organisation The International Office at Sungkyunkwan University is very helpful, you can walk in at any time (during opening hours) and they will always help you out. You will probably spend a lot of time there in the first two weeks, as course registration is a frustrating process. The course registration periods are on fixed dates, and if you don’t register in the first few days, most courses will be full. In the end, however, you will probably end up with most courses you initially wanted to register for, but it will take some effort and time in the International Office. transfer of credits At the time of writing I still have to transfer my credits. student life welcome/orientation programme I applied for a pickup service from the Hi-Club which is the student club of Korean students who arrange activities for the incoming exchange students. My buddy (every exchange student is assigned a buddy) picked me and a few other exchange students up from the airport and escorted us to our dorm. In the first three days, the Hi-Club organized a welcoming party every night. This was a lot of fun and a good way of getting to know your fellow exchange students. In the next week, there was an orientation day organized by Hi-Club and the university to tell us about Sungkyunkwan University and the practical things we should know. accommodation Sungkyunkwan University provides accommodation for all incoming exchange students. You will have a roommate, so you will sleep with two persons in the same room. This may seem a bit of a nuisance, but you will get used to it very quickly. There are two dorms, I-House which is right next to the campus, and Koart Vill which is two subway stations away from the campus. I was assigned to Koart Vill (you don’t get to pick), which has slightly bigger rooms, plus a fridge, washing machine and ondol (floor heating) in the room. I-House however has better common rooms. Because of the split, you will mostly hang out with people from your own dorm in general life. leisure/culture Seoul is a city of 10 million people, so there is a lot of things to do and a lot of areas to explore in the city itself. After having spent four months in Seoul, I could still do a lot of exploring in Seoul itself. As a foreign exchange student, you will be invited to a lot of activities; when I was there I had the opportunity to go the Formula 1 racing, to a three-day leadership conference, organized day trips, and all practically for free. Also the Hi-Club organized some really fun activities. You and other exchange students will also organize a lot of fun stuff to do yourself, such as going to a football game at Seoul World Cup Stadium, or maybe k-pop concerts. Seoul has three major clubbing areas, which are Hongdae (mostly students), Itaewon (a lot of Americans) and Gangnam (upscale), where you will have a lot of fun if you want to, Koreans have an active soju and beer drinking culture and they also know how to party. suggestions/tips Don’t be late with your application, and don’t hesitate too much; an exchange is a lot of fun and an experience you will remember for the rest of your life. conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain

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I would recommend Sungkyunkwan University to others, but know that in Korea it is ranked just outside the top five universities. You also have the chance to go to the top universities in Singapore (NUS), Hong Kong (CUHK) and Taiwan (NTU), and the second best in Japan (Kyoto), so for prestige you might want to go to another university. Also Korea is a developed country, and the Koreans know it, so as a general people they are proud of this achievement, and they might seem a more arrogant people than in surrounding countries such as Taiwan. This is however just a general observation I had, don’t make this a deal breaker. do you have any additional advice or comments? You should definitely go on an exchange, anywhere!

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