The student had a positive experience studying for 6 weeks at Korea University International Summer Campus (KU ISC) through their academic and cultural immersion program. They took courses in Economics, Econometrics, and Beginning Korean, finding the material challenging but learning a lot within the compressed time period. While it was difficult to adapt to the new environment and language initially, participating in campus activities and excursions helped the student settle in and make friends. Overall, the high quality faculty, course offerings, and cultural experiences provided the student with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about Korea.

1. Korea University, South Korea
STUDY ABROAD JOURNAL
LAM, Kung Shing Summer, 2016
June 27 - August 4, 2016 (6-week)

2. Part A – Overall Experience
Studying at Korea University International Summer Campus (KU ISC) was really a once-in-
a-lifetime experience. The program is open to students who want to study in Korea but may
not able to do so during regular academic terms. It gave me a great opportunity to learn about
Korea through academic and cultural immersion in summer. Also, it offered me one
semester’s load of work condensed into 6 weeks.
The core of ISC rests in the quality of its faculty members and courses. More than 60
international faculty members from world-renowned universities in the United States, Europe
and Asia provided students with world-class education and research experience. KU ISC
offered students more than 120 courses with a particular emphasis on Business, Economics,
Humanities, Sociology, Fine Art, International Relations, Science and Korean Studies. Credits
earned at ISC can be transferred to HKUST. For me, I studied Money and Banking
(ISC301B), Econometrics (ISC320A) and Beginning Korean I-B (IKL211B) at Korea
University. The courses were interesting and I learnt a lot of new Economics knowledge and
Korean language within 6 weeks.
Challenges
1. Study
It took me a lot of effort to learn many new concepts within a month and a half. Picking up a
new language in such a short period of time was not easy at all. I thought Korean was easy
but it turned out that it was difficult, especially at the beginning of the course when I had no
prior knowledge about Korean. But later I improved gradually and Korean became easier for
me than before. However, the most challenging part of study was Econometrics. I had to
remember a lot of formulae and facts about Statistics and Econometrics. In the beginning, I
found it really challenging as I almost forgot the things I learnt about Statistics at HKUST.
But then I spent a lot of time to study hard and finally got an A+ in Econometrics.
2. Life
It was not easy for me to adapt to the local environment in Korea in the beginning because I
could not even communicate with local people in Korean while shopping and ordering food.
This was especially true when I went to some small stores. I had to rely on body language to
facilitate communication frequently. Then the situation became better as at least I could speak
and read a little Korean.

3. Part B – General Exchange Information
1. Visa Procedures
In fact, with the clarification from Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hong Kong,
holders of HKSAR passport who are staying in Korea for less than 90 days are not required to
obtain a study visa for participation in the exchange program. If you have any queries with
regard to the visa requirement, you should contact Consulate General of the Republic of
Korea in Hong Kong directly.
2. Orientation Activities
The orientation was held at Inchon Memorial Hall 1F on Monday, June 27, 2016. The opening
ceremony started at 10.30 am. Lunch was not provided. The KU Cheering Squad Performance
started at 2.30 pm after lunch and there was a campus tour with ISC Buddies from 3.30 – 4.30
pm. There was no class on Orientation Day.
3. International Services & Activities
KU ISC has a buddy program for students. Buddies helped students to adapt to the local
environment. Students formed groups randomly and each group had a buddy. There were field
trips on Fridays and buddies would go along with students. Buddies also organized lunch and
dinner gatherings for students in groups to help them get to know one another.
4. Accomodations
I lived in a single room at CJ International House. It costed me about 7,300 HKD for six
weeks. Bathroom facilities are connected to the suite and are shared by the suitemates. There
are two kitchens on every floor (Fridge). Wire/Wi-Fi is available in each room. The Coin
Laundromat is opened for 24 hours and is equipped with laundry machines, dryers, iron, and
ironing board. But detergent is not provided. Other facilities include Study Room, Seminar
Room, Vending Machine, Computer and ATM.
You can also choose to live in Frontier House and Global House. They are closer to the main
campus and the accommodation fee are lower. If you want to share your room with one or
two students, you can choose them.

4. 5. Courses Registration
First, you need to state what courses you want to take in your application form. When the
class are about to begin, you can change your choices on Blackboard. The Blackboard
Learning Management System is a virtual learning environment and course management
system. It is a web-based server software which features course management, customizable
open architecture, and scalable design that allows integration with student information
systems and authentication protocols. To log into Blackboard, you need your application
number and password (date of birth). Here is the website: http://kulms.korea.ac.kr.
Please keep in mind that each class is worth 3 credits. Students can take up to a maximum of
three courses. Classes are held from Monday through Thursday.
For course materials, you are responsible for textbooks for your registered courses. You can
refer to the syllabus for detailed information. And you must meet the course ADD/DROP
deadline. It is your responsibility to make sure your registration is correct. Any failure to do
so will be reflected on your final grade.
All classes have a limit of 50 students. Some classes may fill up early and if you are late in
pre-registration, you may not be able to enroll in the classes they wish to take. Course
requests are only processed when KU ISC have received an official college transcript.
6. Teaching & Assessment Methods
No prior knowledge of Korean is necessary for enrollment and the medium of instruction for
all courses is English (except for Korean language classes). Final enrollment of Korean
language course will be determined based on the result of Korean Language Placement Test,
scheduled on June 28th. Hence, your choice of Korean language course level can be changed.
The student's academic performance is assessed according to 4 different criteria:
• Exams • Assignments • Attendance • Class Participation
Korea University’s academic regulations state that class attendance of at least 70 percent is
required to earn a passing grade. And Grading in ISC is based on an absolute assessment
system.
ISC does not interfere with grading assessments made by professors, and detailed grading
policies are set by each professor. You should refer to each professor’s specific grading
policies and guidelines. KU ISC students are given a letter grade first, but, a Pass or Fail
grade may be conferred as well, upon request.

5. 7. Sports & Recreation Facilities
Hwajung Gym has a Main Stadium, Sub Arena, Fitness Center, Squash Court, Aerobic Studio,
250meter Track and an Indoor Rock-Climbing Facility. Some of them have a monthly fee
about KRW 40,000 – 50,000. The gym can provide T-shirt & shorts, towel and shower
facility. KU Fitness Club, Hana Fitness Club and Ice Rink are also available for use on
campus. There is a small gym, which is free, in CJ International House as well.
8. Finance & Banking (including currency / expenses)
For me, I only brought 2,400 HKD of cash with me to Korea and I mainly use my debit card
and VISA credit card for payment. I did not need to open a Korean bank account. For
currency exchange ratio, 1 HKD is approximately equal to 144 KRW. The following is my
budget plan.
Estimated
Amount(HK$)
A1 Tuition / Program fee Waived for
exchange
students
A2 Airfare HK$4,700
A3 Accommodation HK$7,100
A4 Other Expense
a. Meals
b. Books and Supplies
c. Local transportation
d. Field Trips
e. Personal Expenses
a. HK$7,000
b. HK$2,500
c. HK$1,500
d. HK$2,000
e. HK$5,000
A Total Expenses
(A1+A2+A3+A4)
HK$29,800
Estimated/ Net Expenses (A) HK$29,800
9. Social Clubs & Networking Opportunities
As mentioned earlier, KU ISC organized different field trips for students every Friday. All KU
ISC students were given opportunities to participate in field trips to Gyeongbok Palace, Lotte
Amusement Park, and a Buddhist Temple Stay every Friday. KU student volunteer group,
buddies, supported students all the time. With buddies, students enjoyed social and cultural
activities which led to broaden perspectives. I enjoyed K-pop Experience at the K-pop
Hologram Concert and Dance class the most. You would have many chances to mingle with

6. your fellow classmates and KU buddies during field trips, and to build lifelong friendship.
10. Health & Safety
The International Healthcare Center located at 2F International clinic, 73, Inchon-ro,
Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Korea can offer medical services including:
– Diagnosis & treatment
– Medical certificates
– Language interpretation (English, Mongolian, Russian, Chinese, Arabic)
– Vaccinations & Health check ups
If you need medical services, you can go there and the opening hours are 9 am to 5 pm from
Monday to Friday (Lunch time: 12 noon – 1.30 pm). The KU Hospital is located in Anam and
there is also a clinic in the central plaza on the main campus.
Though Seoul is a safe place in general, you should be careful at night as you may see some
drunken people in the street.
11. Food
Korean food is spicy. If you are not comfortable with spicy food, you may choose to dine at
other restaurant. There are some Chinese, Japanese and Mexican restaurants near the
university. For me, I could not eat lots of spicy food so I often dined at Mexican Grills and a
Japanese restaurant.
12. Transportation
You can find two subway stations near Korea University. One is the Korea University Station
and the other one is the Anam Station. It was quite convenient to travel in Seoul if you buy a
T-money card, which is like the Octopus Card in Hong Kong, and use it in subway stations.
You can purchase the card at a convenience store called GS25. There are a lot of GS25 stores
near the university.
13. Climate
I would say the climate in Korea is quite good from June to August. The temperature ranged
from 20℃ to 30℃ for most of the time in summer. It is a lot cooler than Hong Kong.
Usually I did not need to use the air conditioner while sleeping. Also, it is less humid than
Hong Kong.

7. 14. Communication
If you do not know anything about Korean, you will probably find communication difficult in
daily life. Most Korean people are not good at English and the information in the street are
mostly written in Korean. Honestly, it was difficult for me to adapt to the local environment
when I first arrived in Korea. But then I started to use body language, English plus a little
Korean and the communication with Korean people became easier.
If you want to use your phone in Korea, you can buy a prepaid Sim Card. I bought an EG Sim
Card at GS25. It was quite expensive but it was necessary as it could provide you with data
connection and WiFi service.
15. Cautionary Measures
There are some social norms that you should be careful about in Korea. For example, there
are some seats reserved for senior people and you should not use the seats. Otherwise, other
people may tell you to get up and you may be scolded.
You should also be aware of your personal belongings while studying abroad. It is a good idea
to make copies of your passport and ID card. Do not bring too much cash with you when you
are outside. Take care of your own health as you may find it uncomfortable to live in a
different environment. If you feel lonely or experience homesickness, try to chat with your
parents, friends and classmates. It can help you go through the difficulty in studying overseas.
16. Other notes
Try to strike a balance between study and life. I think the first priority is your own health and
safety. Once you know how to take care of yourself, you will become more positive and
energetic and your study will improve. I know studying in Korea is not easy as one imagines,
but you should try to adapt to a new environment and a different culture. This will definitely
help you become a better person.
Try to make more friends and go on field trips every Friday if you have spare time. You
should spend some time to socialize with others and should not only concentrate on your
study.
I highly recommend you to join the Cultural Immersion Program every Friday morning.
Students who complete one of the courses, including Taekwondo, Korean Cooking and
Traditional Musical Instruments, will be given a certificate issued by KU ISC. The main
objective of this 3-week courses is to enhance students’ understanding of Korean culture
through participating in diverse activities. And there is no extra charge for the ISC certificate
program. For me, I joined Taekwondo classes and met some new friends there. I really
enjoyed it.

8. Part C - Items to Bring
1. Converter
2. Laptop
3. Passport
4. Credit Card
5. Cash
6. Clothes
7. Medicine
8. ID Card
9. Umbrella
10. Shoes
Part D - Useful Links and Contacts
1. Office of International Affairs – Email: isc@korea.ac.kr
Tel: +82-2-3290-1152, 1153, 1154, 1156, 1599
2. Blackboard Learn: http://kulms.korea.ac.kr
3. Korea University International Summer Campus:
http://isc.korea.ac.kr/all/src/main/main.php
Wish you a wonderful and unforgettable exchange in Korea University International Summer
Campus.