Applying For University in South Korea

The application process for universities in Korea can be quite complicated and, at times, it can be very stressful. The application process for every university is different, however, they can generally be broken down into a few steps.

1. Online application – This is the first step and will normally occur over a period of a few months in the semester prior to the one you are applying for. If you want to apply for the spring semester, you should apply in the fall semester prior, and vice-versa.
2. Submit physical materials – This step usually occurs at about the same time as the online application. In this period you should submit any physical materials. These can include a personal statement, school record, birth certificate, etc.
3. Acceptance and Payment – A few months later you will receive an email regarding your acceptance status. This will be followed up with a tuition payment deadline.

Once you get accepted you can begin to work on applying for a visa. I applied in New Zealand and the process took less than a week. However, it was a very concerning time!

The university only sent out my official letter of acceptance a week before I was supposed to be in South Korea. I was really worried about the lack of time before my departure and applying for my visa.

Luckily, the visa process was very fast and I was able to get my visa a mere three hours before my flight departed New Zealand. However, since the letter of acceptance is sent out very late (and very close to the date you should be in Korea), I recommend asking the visa office if there is any way to hasten the process.

Once you apply for a student visa with the required documents it is just a matter of waiting. Luckily, you don’t have to do anything else!