personal statement for korean language program

Tips for Writing a Good Personal Statement

Study plan for south korean universities.

When applying to study in South Korean universities, you will be required to submit a personal statement or study plan as part of your application. This is your chance to showcase your passion, experience, and goals, and convince the admissions committee that you are the right fit for their program. In this article, we will provide you with tips for writing a good personal statement/study plan for South Korean universities.

1. Be Clear and Concise 

Your personal statement/study plan should be clear and concise, and should focus on your academic and career goals. Avoid using overly technical language or jargon, and make sure that your writing is easy to understand. Use examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points and make your statement more engaging.

2. Highlight Your Achievements and Experience 

South Korean universities place a strong emphasis on academic achievement and extracurricular activities. Use your personal statement/study plan to highlight your achievements and experience, and explain how they have prepared you for further study. This could include research projects, volunteer work, internships, or other relevant experiences.

3. Demonstrate Your Passion and Motivation 

South Korean universities are looking for students who are passionate and motivated about their chosen field of study. Use your personal statement/study plan to demonstrate your enthusiasm for your subject, and explain why you are interested in studying it further. Discuss your long-term goals and how your studies will help you achieve them.

4. Tailor Your Statement/Plan to the University and Program 

Each South Korean university and program is unique, and you should tailor your personal statement/study plan to the specific institution and program you are applying to. Research the university and program in advance, and highlight how your interests and goals align with their academic offerings and values.

5. Seek Feedback and Edit Your Statement/Plan 

Writing a good personal statement/study plan takes time and effort. It is important to seek feedback from friends, family, or a professional editor, and to edit your statement multiple times. Make sure that your statement is free of errors, and that it is polished and professional.

In conclusion, writing a good personal statement/study plan for South Korean universities requires careful thought and preparation. By following these tips, you can create a statement that showcases your achievements, passion, and motivation, and convinces the admissions committee that you are the right fit for their program. Good luck with your application!

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• October 5, 2022
• Education/Study

Studying at a Korean university comes with many benefits. The country is well known for its beautiful culture and lifestyle. One of the requirements needed for a Korean university is a personal statement. 

Writing a personal statement for a Korean university will most likely enhance your chances of getting into the institution. Most times, individuals from a foreign country may assume that the application process to a Korean university is impossible, but this is not true because if you know how to write a personal statement for a Korean university, your chances of getting accepted will increase.

In Korean universities, a personal statement letter is one of the top list requirements, and, that is why you should put more effort into writing a captivating one. You do not have to go to the extreme, or sound nonchalant about it. 

Instead, you must make your intentions known by stating your goals, objectives, and why getting accepted is important to you. 

However, this overview will provide more details on how to write a personal statement for a Korean university.

Table of Contents

What is a Personal Statement

A personal statement (also known as a statement of purpose) is a personal essay written by a student to a school to share details on why they should be accepted in the school. 

A personal statement is a letter that provides little but crucial details about a student to the school. 

There are many dos and don’ts of personal statements. Because a well-structured personal letter will most likely help you get selected and vice versa. 

Therefore, constructing a unique personal statement is vital.

Nonetheless, it is one of the basic requirements of a Korean university; whether you are a foreign student, or a Korean, to get into any Korean university, you must write a personal statement describing your will to learn and be part of the student committee.

Making noticeable remarks on why you want to study in the school and country will increase your chances. However, don’t write your personal statement in the booming Korean entertainment industry. But personalize it to the country’s culture and educational sector.

Why Korean Universities Request Personal Statements

Personal statements are essays describing a student’s interest in the school and course. You cannot write a personal statement letter to the school except if requested. Most of all Korean universities request a personal statement because they want to know more about the student, starting from their personal background, views, and other things aside from things they are aware of.

When a university wants to know a bit about the student applying, they often request personal statements. From the definition of a personal statement above, it is clear why you should make your personal statement more unique.

Getting accepted into any Korean university is not an easy process due to the high standards of the varsities.

This is not said to overwhelm you. Instead, it helps you note the importance of personal statements in Korean universities.

Korea Universities Personal Statement Writing Guidelines

Following the Korean universities, personal statement writing guidelines will help you avoid lots of mistakes. Most students often wonder why their applications are not accepted. 

This can be due to not following the guidelines for Korean universities. Here is a guideline for writing a personal statement for Korean universities:

1.  Write in an official language:

To write a personal statement for Korean universities, you must write in an official language. Students must write their statement of purpose in Korean or English language. 

2.  The length of the statement:

While it is crucial to write a unique personal statement, it is also vital that the length of your essay should not be too short or too long. 

At most, a personal statement should not be more than two pages. Regardless of the details, you wish to include in a personal statement ensure to fit them into two pages.

When you write a unique personal statement, your chances of getting accepted into t Korean university will increase. 

Normally, a personal statement should answer some questions that will help the university know you better than your grades and test scores. Also, you have to make your choice of words personal. Also, link your stories to these questions and answers you are providing.

1.  Your motivations:

A personal statement letter will allow you to answer the ‘what motivates you’ question. To answer this question in your easy, you should link the course/major you aspire to study with things relevant to the industry. 

This could be making mention of how you wish to improve basic things through your project or/and how studying the course will be helpful to you personally.

As an international student, you should highlight relevant things that made studying in a Korean university your first choice and things you love about the country. 

2. Your background (Family and Education):

Without being biased, your background is what most admission officers look out for in a personal statement. In this paragraph, you must describe where you were born, where you grew up, and how your environment contributed to the major/course you choose to study. 

This is also in terms of what motivates you. However, this should focus more on you and try linking them with the country and school.

3. Personal Extracurricular Activities: 

Personal extracurricular activities are vital in a personal statement. 

This is not the part where you talk about hobbies like swimming or dancing. 

Rather, you must write about your significant activities that contribute to your community, such as volunteer jobs, club activities, and others. 

4. Accomplishments/achievement:

Your accomplishments and achievements are to be added to your statement of purpose. 

With a personal statement letter, you can make the university aware of the benefits of having you as their student. Talk more about your work experiences and the accomplishments you are proud of.

You can write about what you can offer if accepted as a student. And also, on the skills that will become an added contribution to the school.

Pros and Cons of Studying in Korea

Studying in Korea comes with lots of benefits and a few disadvantages. In this overview, we will share insight on some of them.

Pros of studying in Korean universities:

1.  quality education:.

There are several universities in Korea. This is an advantage to individuals looking forward to studying in the country. 

In a scenario where you cannot meet up with the basic requirements of one university, you can opt for another. The education standard of each varsity in the country is top-notch, and they provide excellent educational systems. 

2.  Unique student life:

Studying is fun when a university provides activities that can make student life easy and fun. Korean universities provide basic social events that can contribute positively to their student’s mental health. If you choose to study in Korea, you will have the opportunity of enjoying and be part of fun activities such as cultural events, arts clubs, festivals, and many more. 

3.  Advanced facilities and structures:

Korean universities provide students with advanced facilities and well-structured buildings such as cafeterias, campuses, sports centers, parks, libraries, and many other facilities that can help improve students’ life at school. 

4.  Advanced healthcare services:

When looking for a university, the healthcare services it provides should be on your checklist. However, Korean universities provide top-notch healthcare services for emergencies also.

Cons of studying in Korean universities

1.  intense competition: .

Getting accepted into a Korean can be intense. But it does not end there. Because getting a good grade can also be highly competitive. 

2.  Language:

Language can be a barrier for an international student. Although, there are apps that can help you learn the basics of the Korean language in a few weeks.

Top 10 Universities to Study in Korea

Here are the top 10 universities in Korea:

1. Seoul National University

2. Kangwon National University

3. Konkuk University in Seoul

4. Korea University

5. Kyungdong University:

6. Kookmin University

7. Sogang University

8. Yeungnam University in Daegu

9. Yonsei University 

10. Pusan National University 

Top 5 Courses to Study in Korea

Here is a list of top courses to study in Korea:

1. Network Management and quality assurance.

2. Medical Sciences

3. environmental and civil engineering

4. Business Administration

5. Information Technology

Writing a personal statement is not as difficult as it may seem. With a personal statement, you can link your desired course to the school and the country itself. Sharing personal details on what motivates your choice of school and course will most likely enhance your chances of getting accepted. Let’s help you achieve this – Contact us today. We hope this overview is a helpful guide to your search.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Must I learn the Korean language before studying in Korea?

No. You do not have to learn the Korean language before studying in Korea. Aside from the Korean language, the English language is also an official language in the country. However, you can choose to learn the language if you only want to.

2. What do I need to study in Korea as a foreigner?

As an international student, you need to meet up with the application requirements of the school and provide the necessary documents requested by the university, such as personal statements, grades, certificates, and others.

https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-personal-statement-tips-for-Seoul-National-University

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A Journey to GKS: Personal Statement

• February 06, 2024 February 10, 2022 -->
• 15 min Read

In conclusion, this is my third post on A Journey to the GKS Series. Before this one, I had written about how to fill out the GKS application forms, and I had previously written about my experience studying for the GKS application back in 2016. This time, I'll be giving tips on how to write a personal statement that is one of the essays needed for the GKS application. I spent about three months writing both of the essays while I was preparing to submit my application. I remember that I started writing as soon as I decided to apply for the scholarship in November, put it off for around a month, went back and forth to make the required changes, and finished it just a few days ago.

Personal Statement Template (2021 GKS Application)  

Find the identification of your application first. " What motivates me to apply for this program and study in Korea?" Why should I be chosen from among hundreds of candidates by the reviewer? Throughout the process of preparing my personal statement, I kept coming back to these questions. I eventually identified my application's identity as I dug deeper into the explanations; it was a concise statement that would ideally make an impression on the reviewers and accurately represent myself.

I see a Personal Statement as a stage to promote myself. It tells a story about me, my personal values, and significant events that happened in my life that led me to aspire to study in Korea and apply for the GKS. The goal is to convey my story in the most impactful way possible so that no matter how ordinary it is, the reviewer will still remember me after reading hundreds of similar or even better stories. To do this, I don’t think I can merely rely on a list of achievements and experiences I have because they probably aren’t so outstanding among other applicants. That is why I need to put an identity into my application, to make my story stronger than my own name.  

In my case, “an applicant majoring in Family Studies” is the identity that I highlighted. Given that Family Studies is not a common field of study especially in India, regardless of how important it is for our society (don’t get me started into Family Sciences 101. Lol.), I guess it was the strongest point of my application that granted me a seat for an interview in the Korean Embassy. I could be wrong, but the interviewers asked about it during the whole interview session.  

Second, make your essay hook. If you put yourself in the reviewer’s shoes who has to deal with a hundred applications, how will you sort it out? There are sure other points such as grades that are quite easy to determine. But, when it comes to essays, how will you rate it and choose from a pool of applicants? Just like its name, a Personal Statement should be personal yet interesting. Personal; it tells who the applicant is, his/her experiences, achievements, and values. Interesting; no matter how different every applicant’s life story is, the reasons to study abroad and apply for the scholarship might not be so unique, thus, the way it is written should be fascinating and impactful. That is how an essay hook will make your application stand out and assure the reviewers that you deserve one seat until the final round.

There are many ways to write an essay hook; quotation, question, strong statement, metaphor, etc. You may try many different ways before finding the one that matches the big picture of your essay. An essay hook is aimed to attract the reader from the beginning of your essay. This is also related to the whole picture of the essay and the information in the next paragraphs. As I decided to emphasize my major in Family Studies, I open my essay with a story about my own family and what values I grew up with. I also wrote about how people used to ask what my major was about and whether it really was necessary to learn about family sciences at university. I keep this point as the whole idea of my essay which helped me to explain why I had to go to a Korean university.

Third, be reflective. Reflecting is such a habit to me. You know, that tendency to lay awake in your bed and replay what has happened that day in your head and what you could’ve done to make it better, or at least, to make yourself feel better. Well, I learned that doing it isn’t always good. But, when it comes to reflecting on your past experiences and achievements in your Personal Statement, I can never stress enough how important it is. After mentioning all your precious achievements and writing how eventful your life is, you need to explain what lessons learned that you learned, what skills you learned, and how they contribute to who you are today. It might sound cliché to write about how your leadership skills have been sharpened through many organizations, but I don’t think it will do you bad to show that you have learned from your experience.

Fifth, make an outline. To me, an outline always does wonders. You might have ever practiced it for school assignments. It’s really as simple as starting from the points mentioned in the essay instruction; (1) family background, (2) latest education, (3) significant and relevant experiences (working, internship, organization, clubs), (4) motivations to study in Korea and apply for the GKS. You can write down ideas for each point and add a few sentences for the explanation. As you develop each point, you may want to write it in 1-2 paragraphs and keep it as your main idea. This will surely help your writing stay on track, lead the plot, and transition from one idea/point to another without jumbling up.

Sixth, don’t expect to finish it in one night or even one sitting and then submit it on the next day. Only after giving it some time and re-reading it a few days later, you will notice every mistake in your essay, those misspellings-wrong tenses-wrong expressions, even if you’ve been very meticulous especially when it comes to writing. Also, I can never stress enough how you should stop yourself from editing those punctuation marks or misspellings while typing because it will put your idea on hold and take much time to finish your first draft.

Finally, ask someone to proofread your essay and give feedback. I received a lot of help from my English tutor who gave valuable feedback on my essays. Having someone read your essay sort of allows you to get through the pre-review and the nerve-wracking of the application screening process. Also, your essay will look different from someone else’s perspective so it’s important to get their feedback even if it’s as simple as word choices. Especially, because a Personal Statement is an essay about ourselves, we can easily understand it but it can be hard to be objective. Your best friend will tell you some confusing parts, things that you should explain better, or simply tell whether the storytelling is interesting enough.

There are a lot more awesome tips all over the Internet on how to write a great Personal Statement essay. These are basically what I did when I wrote my own for the GKS application. I have no idea exactly which part of my application granted me the scholarship, but I believe that the Personal Statement had its big share. For another essay, Study Plan/Statement of Purpose, you can check my post about it here .  

A Journey to GKS: Application Forms

I decided to write A Journey to GKS series based on my experience as a GKS awardee in 2016. Just like other awardees, I also received a lot of chats and DMs from people asking about GKS applications. It’s not that I’m tired and annoyed by answering the same questions over and over again, that I decided to post it online, really. That is practically what I’ve been doing in the past four years which, at some points during my student life in Korea, turned out to help me cope with the situation and keep me on track as I was reminded how far I had come.

Just recently I changed my mind about writing and posting it online so anyone can read it and I can re-read it (for whatever reasons), after joining a mentorship program (supported by the Indonesian Student Association in South Korea aka Perpika ) as a mentor for the Indonesian students and graduates who are interested in studying in Korea and preparing for the scholarship application. I mentored a similar program from MITI Klaster Mahasiswa back in 2017 called Youth Connection but I guess at the time I wasn’t feeling okay enough to share it. Now that I graduated safe and sound, I guess posting it online won’t hurt. So, this is the second post of my ‘A Journey to GKS’ series, and I’ll try to post the next ones as soon as possible.

As I’ve mentioned in my previous post about my journey to GKS , I decided to go for this scholarship application the second I learned about this program. One of my thoughts at the time is how simple the application looks. And it is indeed simple, at least for me who had never applied for such a program and dealt with forms in English. The guideline also states everything clearly. Of course, I got a lot of help from GKS awardees I met online who were very kind to share their experience. But, I tried to do my share as much as possible by doing my research on the Internet in advance, making sure I didn’t irritate them by asking trivial questions I could easily access on the Internet or even the application guidelines, and avoiding the questions which are more on self-preference, such as “Is it okay if my recommendation letter is folded?”

GKS-G (for graduate) and GKS-U (for undergraduate) Application Forms are all over the Internet. It can be downloaded from various sites, such as Study in Korea, Korean Embassy sites, some Korean university sites, and Topik Guide. Along with the application guideline is a separate file of the application forms (although the complete guideline includes the forms as well), University Information, and FAQs files. These are the first references and ammunition that no single applicant should ever miss. You might have your sister as a GKS awardee and you can easily ask every single detail, but really, that kind of mentality will get in your way someday. So, go get the guideline and read it! (Sorry, I’m being too enthusiastic here.)

Thankfully, the application forms have stayed pretty much the same over the years. Minor changes might have been made as well as the regulation changes. However, it does not affect that much to the application procedures, thus making it easy for the applicants to prepare the applications way earlier even before the opening period. And that’s what I did back then. I downloaded the application guidelines from the previous years and noticed that the forms stayed the same, so I started to practice filling in the forms and preparing the required documents.

The first part of the application forms includes the application checklist . Depending on the program you apply to, either Undergraduate or Graduate Degrees, the required documents are slightly different. The application checklist for the Graduate Degree Programs consists of all required documents for three different degree programs (i.e., Master’s, Doctoral, and Research Programs) so the list is a little bit longer. As for the Undergraduate application, three types of documents are required for certain documents (graduation certificate, transcripts, certificate of citizenship, and awards). I might be wrong on this since I had no experience in preparing for the undergraduate application, but here is what I understand about the difference between the original, official notarized translation, and copied documents.

The original document , like its name, is the original version of a document that can be written in many different languages depending on the country where it is issued. In case an applicant only has one copy of the original document, they can submit the certified copy version which is the copy of the original document certified/stamped by the issuing institution (e.g., school).

Since all documents have to be written in either Korean or English, here comes the second type of document to accompany the original document, official notarized translation . As for the graduation/degree certificate and transcripts, some schools might provide the English translation. Otherwise, an applicant needs to have it translated into Korean or English by a sworn translator. From here, the document has to be legalized again by the notary. In the end, the official notarized translation should be a document written in Korean or English and should have 2-3 different stamps: issuing institution, (translating institution), and notary stamps. The last is the copied document which is the photocopied version (black-and-white document).

The number of copies submitted depends on the application track. For those applying via University Track, they should send only the original/certified copy of the documents to the university of their choice. As the screening process takes place in Korea, the documents should be the very best legalized version. For countries that require an apostille version of the document such as India, some documents (degree certificates, transcripts, proof of citizenship) have to be apostilled or receive consular confirmation from the Korean Embassy in the country where the document is issued.

Notes for my Indian fellows, here is the procedure to get the documents apostilled: legalized by the notary >> Ministry of Law and Human Rights >> Ministry of Foreign Affairs (New Delhi) >> (Korean) Embassy.

If applying via the Korean Embassy, one original/certified copy document, one official notarized translation, and three photocopied documents have to be prepared. Apparently, some Korean Embassies, including the Korean Embassy in India, may apply different regulations. Korean Embassy in India requires the applicants to send only one copy of the original document and the copies will be made by the Embassy.

The next part of the application forms is the applicant’s personal information , which is considerably easy to fill in. As for the applicant’s name, some who do not have a separate family name may find it confusing at first, like in most cases of South Indians. In such cases, simply write the same as your passport name: first name and middle name (if any) as the given name and last name as a surname. For the university and major choices for graduate degrees, some confusions come from the differences between Division, Department, and Major. The best way to solve this is by referring to the University Information file, on the list of majors offered. As for the grades/GPA, use the CGPA conversion table on the guideline to convert various grading systems. If the CGPA conversion table does not apply to the grading system of the applicant’s school, the information on how to do the conversion should be attached.

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Personal Statement - Korean

Korean personal statement.

Different cultures and languages have always fascinated me; picking up travel guides and phrase books whenever I went on holiday abroad as a child became almost a necessity for me. I believe that an understanding of different cultures is vital in today’s globalised world. And Korea is markedly different from the rest of the world: its culture and language are a few of its intriguing idiosyncrasies. These differences are what sparked my interest in Korea and desire to study Korean at university level.

In 2008 I attended the Korean Music Festival in Los Angels. This contributed a lot to my growing interest in Korea. It was a very rewarding experience because I was able to witness both acclaimed trot (the oldest form of Korean pop music) singers and emerging artists perform on the same stage to a diverse audience. The influence of Korean popular culture is impossible to ignore. Korean cinema has gained international recognition in recent years, with Hollywood remakes of Korean films becoming increasingly ubiquitous.

I have been participating in online Korean language lessons for six months now. I intend to volunteer in South Korea for three weeks in July and I am looking forward to putting language skills I have acquired into practice in addition to experiencing life in South Korea.

In addition, Korean history and politics is also something I am interested in. Reading “The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong” provided me with unique insight of 18th century South Korean politics and society, particularly as it is one of the few autobiographies written by a woman in the world from that period. This led me to develop and interest in contemporary Korean politics. The situation between the divided Koreas tends to dominate the international news. Barabara Demick’s “Nothing to Envy” was an interesting read as it reveals personal stories of North Koreans, most of whom live in abject poverty and are mostly ignored by the media. The dire economic situation in North Korea raises an interesting question: would reunification be economically viable? It is likely to be more detrimental than beneficial to South Korea and, as the collapse of North Korea is largely considered to be inevitable, it does not surprise me that President Lee Myungbak has proposed a reunification tax.

The subjects I am currently studying have equipped me with skills that will be useful at university. As they largely require writing essays I have improved my ability to write coherently. Philosophy and history in particular have instilled in me the ability to think critically and independently.

My main hobby is working with computer programming, style sheet languages and markup languages. I have experience working with Cascading Stylesheets (CSS) and JavaScript. I created and maintain the website my father uses to advertise his business. I believe that this has facilitated my ability to cope with a degree in Korean because, like natural languages such as Korean, computer languages require diligence and building on previous knowledge and being able to retain it and adapt it to different sitiuations.

Universities Applied to:

• SOAS (BA Korean - Offer (AABBB, Scottish Highers) Firm

Grades Achieved:

• English (Higher) - A
• Philosophy (Higher) - A
• Geography (Higher) - A
• History (Higher) - A
• Economics (Higher) - A

I didn't apply to Sheffield because the year I applied was the one year they were asking Scottish applicants for Advanced Highers, and I didn't want to spend another year at my FE college just for what was originally going to be my insurance choice. I also decided to apply for straight Korean, mainly because I thought integrating another subject (Japanese or Arch & Anth) would have been too difficult. Plus, English universities overwhelmingly require Scottish students to have at least three Advanced Highers and most of the courses that interested me were in England. Life is like that sometimes.

Comments on the statement:

In the end, I never did volunteer before my course started. Not my best piece of writing - I wrote this statement in September 2010, which was actually after my college's deadline. I ended up taking a gap year, so I didn't start my course until September 2012. Just a few examples of how you can weave pretty irrelevant things into your statement. I didn't see any statements for straight Korean up.

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A Comparative Approach to Learning Korean

My Korean Language Study Plan

Explaining my korean language study plan.

I thought that I’d share my Korean language study plan to give a better idea of exactly how I’m going to go about learning Korean. Before that, as a sort of a disclaimer, it might be worth repeating what I mentioned in my first post about the fact that I’m not in a hurry to get good at Korean. That’s why you won’t see any mention of hard deadlines as part of this study plan. This whole studying Korean thing is purely for fun and I want it to be zero stress. I know that I’m taking a really laid back approach that might not work for everyone, but I’m pretty confident about it for myself.

The first part of my Korean language study plan as of right now is fairly orthodox. There are basically four things I will tackle in the very beginning:

• Alphabet ( Hangul )
• Pronunciation
• Basic Greetings and Phrases

As you can see, before anything else, I need to learn the alphabet, or Hangul .

Learning the alphabet is usually the place most people start in any language. It’s not just about laying the foundation for reading and writing, but getting used to how the language sounds (listening) and learning correct pronunciation (speaking). In that way #1 and #2 on my list are essentially paired together.

Next I plan to move on to some essential greetings and phrases. Things like “hello” or “how are you?” or “my name is…”. In most cases, when studying a foreign language, even before you learn grammar, you typically learn basic greetings or everyday expressions. In some cases, the grammar behind these sayings is something you might not get taught until much later.

For example in Japanese you might learn the phrase お元気ですか？ [ ogenki desu ka? ] as the Japanese equivalent of “how are you?” What you may not learn for a while however, is the reason for the prefix お- or how this prefix plus -です marks this as a polite way of speaking, as opposed to an informal way of speaking that looks and sounds different.

Imagine trying to explain this grammar to an absolute beginner, “What the heck is -です even? ‘Copula?’ I have never heard that word in my entire life. Okay, so what does か mean? ‘Particle?’ What’s a particle?” These are not concepts a monolingual English speaker would typically know. Additionally, although the Kanji for genki are among the first you would encounter and learn in a Japanese class, you might instead see it written in hiragana [げんき] depending on the textbook you are using. Not to mention, at this stage you still probably haven’t even fully grasped exactly why Japanese has three writing systems (in addition to romanization). Anyways, the main point I’m trying to make here is that sometimes with learning a new language you simply have to memorize some things first and the understanding comes later. I think this is perfectly fine though.

Finally, rounding out these first four things in my Korean language study plan is numbers. This would include basic arithmetic words like “add” and “subtract.” I would also go ahead and add in various counters while I’m at it. I already know that this concept exists, because Japanese has them too, and I think it makes a lot of sense to touch on them while learning numbers in Korean. Even if I don’t have them fully memorized it will help to have seen and heard some of the more common counters.

Deviating from the Norm

Up until this point my Korean language study plan probably seems similar to how any beginner’s class might be structured. But once I have the alphabet and pronunciation down, I’m going to jump right into sentence patterns, regardless of “level of difficulty.” The reason I want to do this is to take advantage of the similarities between Japanese and Korean grammar. Basically I will be looking for the Korean language equivalent to Japanese language sentence patterns.

Vocabulary will go hand in hand with grammar. When I find a sentence pattern or grammatical structure I want to study I’ll look for words that I use in that sentence and study those as well. I’ll keep a list and review the vocabulary when I practice the sentence pattern. This adds a level of personalization to my language studies, instead of studying vocabulary lists that accompany lessons in a textbook, which may not have a lot of practical use for me. If I am going to be looking at vocabulary lists, I think it would be much better to just look at the most common words used in writing and speaking instead. At least then I’d be learning things which would be immediately useful for reading or speaking.

When I was learning Japanese I remember starting to learn conjugations right after the first 4 things I talked about. I don’t really like this approach, and having the background I do with Japanese nowadays, it doesn’t make much sense for me either, as the way I’ve outlined above is probably easier for me.

My real issue with this way of doing things is that you essentially learn conjugations in isolation. In the early stages it’s a given that you don’t have the grammar or vocabulary to truly see the whole picture of the language. Perhaps it can be overwhelming, in fact it probably is for some people, but I’d always prefer to start off seeing what the completed puzzle should look like first and then be given the individual pieces to try and put it together.

I also don’t want to just sit around learning how to conjugate the equivalent of verbs, adjectives, and nouns for various different vocabulary words and only THEN move onto actually making sentences. That’s way too boring and too much rote memorization to start with. Conjugations are definitely important in learning sentence patterns, but I will deal with that as I come across instances where I need to conjugate.

The Role of Textbooks in My Studies

Textbooks, and classes built around them, generally introduce grammar and vocabulary through themes to a chapter or lesson such as, “introducing yourself” or “at the grocery store.”

Furthermore, textbooks like to take a gradual or linear approach to teaching you grammar, introducing more complex patterns as you get more fluent. On top of that, the number of grammar points is usually limited as the majority of people using the textbook or studying the language will not have learned another language before.

This makes sense in most cases. I can see the argument in favor of this way of learning, especially if you are going from an SVO language (e.g. English) to an SOV language (e.g. Japanese) as I originally did. But my starting point is different, so I have to go about studying differently too. I am not expecting there to be a textbook made for someone who fits my profile, as it’s not going to be a big enough audience to make it worth the publishers’ and authors’ time.

What I’m really using a textbook for, besides learning the alphabet and the most basic grammar, is to get an idea for structure and ideas of things I might want to study, just not exactly in the way the book teaches. Textbooks might have explanations for grammar that are really well done, in the cases where it’s not the same in Japanese or similar to one in English and it’s totally new to me this could be really nice to have. That being said though, whatever textbook I ultimately choose isn’t going to be my main source for grammar. I’ll be using a separate, dedicated grammar dictionary for that.

Finally, since I’m not taking a class I’m also limited in my ability to use the pair-work speaking exercises that usually are a big part of each lesson within language textbooks. So that’s another reason textbooks aren’t really going to be what my studies are built around.

You can read more about my thoughts on this topic in my post about Korean textbooks for beginners .

Outline of My Korean Language Study Plan

To recap here is an outline of my study plan as I begin my Korean language studies:

• Grammar and Sentence Patterns
• Conjugations

Looking at this list, I’m actually surprised myself and thinking, “Is that it?” I definitely remember Japanese at least feeling more complex than this. Yes, there was Kanji and the whole learning a different way of structuring sentences to wrap my head around, but looking back it’s always seemed as if things were made to be far more complicated than they needed to be.

I know that I’ve simplified things in my study plan to an extent – for example grammar and sentence patterns encompass a lot of different concepts, such as particles – but, as I see it, this pretty much covers all there is to it for me as far as studying the Korean language is concerned. The next steps are all about applying what I’ve learned.

My next steps in my Korean language journey will be putting to use the things I’ve studied, focusing primarily on reading and listening since I’m self-studying. Doing things like practicing reading (maybe online news or articles) and watching tv shows or listening to music. Eventually I’ll probably need to look into language exchanges or meetups to get speaking practice. As for writing, I’m just going to be practicing in my notes when making vocab lists or writing down grammar. I don’t plan on practicing essays or whatnot for now. I know everything you do in another language reinforces other aspects of said language, but again, I’m not going for absolute max efficiency at all times. Not to mention, I rate writing as my lowest priority when it comes to Korean. I’d much rather focus on the other aspects such as speaking, listening, and reading.

Final Thoughts on My Korean Language Study Plan

The interesting thing about learning a foreign language is that once you progress beyond what I’d call the beginner and early intermediate stages, the only things that are really left for you to do are keep studying grammar and building up your vocabulary. Going beyond that, advanced learners and non-native, but fluent, speakers only have vocabulary to worry about – because vocabulary is practically endless – which is where the idea of language learning being a lifetime endeavor typically comes from. As testament to this fact, I still learn a couple new Japanese words almost every week (usually they aren’t that common or all that useful words, but my point still stands).

As I’ve said before, this study plan is really catered to my needs and based on my capabilities and knowledge of language. But, I want to use this as an example to show there are so many ways to approach learning a language.

After being taught by so many different teachers and professors, and I’m not just talking about the Japanese language, I know what I like and what works for me. For those who don’t have as much experience, I would encourage you to try out lots of different methods, and I mean like really give them a chance, then go with what produces the best results or how you enjoy studying.

You May Also Like

Which Beginner Korean Textbook To Choose

Learning The Korean Alphabet Hangul

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• Dream Studies Abroad

Study Korean in Korea - questions and answers

We can help you to study Korean in Korea and take Korean Language Classes at universities and private language schools. Here you find the answers to all common questions.

I have worked with language schools and Korean university language programs since 2010. DreamStudies can help you to study Korean in Korea. Here we answer all common questions.

Where can I study?

Do I get a diploma? How can I use this?

Are there any exams?

How much money do i need must i send a bank statement, how much does it cost to take a korean language course in korea, how do i apply to study language in korea.

What grades do I need? Can I apply if I have not graduated yet?

How long are the courses and when can I start?

Can i get a scholarship, can i work when i take a language course in korea, will i get a student visa when can i go to korea, how many lessons do i have each week how intense are the courses, do you help with accommodation where can i live, how long does it take to learn korean which level do i need, how do i get help from you.

Most Korean universities have a KLI, Korean Language Institute, where they offer Korean Language Classes to foreigners. Here you can study Korean from 20 to 60 or 80 weeks on a student visa. Once you master Korean at Topik 3 level or higher you can continue your studies degree programs in Korea.

We can help you with the application to the following Korean university Language programs:

• Konkuk University in Seoul
• Yeungnam University in Daegu

It is also possible to study Korean at private language schools where the courses are more flexible and they put more focus on spoken Korean and practical language usage.

We can help you to with short term language courses and summer courses at recommended private korean language schools:

• Lexis in Seoul and Busan
• LTL Language School in Seoul

Do I get a diploma? How can I use this diploma?

Yes, after you have finished your language course you will get a diploma stating which course you have taken, your course dates and the language level you have achieved.

You can use this diploma to prove that you have studied in Korea and which Korean level you have achieved. Many undergraduate programs in Korea will allow you to submit your language school diploma instead of a Topik test. 10 weeks study at a Korean university language institute is equivalent to 1 Topik-level, if you pass your exams.

Korean language courses are not considered academic studies so usually you cannot convert them to college credits in your home country. But if you want to continue to study Korean language at home you might be able to get some credits, and you will have a big advantage over your classmates after having studied Korean in Korea.

Yes, before the course starts you are given a placement test to determine which class you will be placed in. Then there will be one or two exams during each semester to determine whether you are ready to move on to the next level.

If you want to study at a Korean University with a student visa you will need a bank statement showing that you have at least $10,000 USD. There is no exception to this. If you do not have this amount the Korean universities will not accept your application and we cannot help you.

Private language schools like Lexis do not issue student visas, therefore you do not need any fixed amount to study there, but you must be able to pay for your tuition fee, accommodation, and living costs.

For a good living standard I would recommend that you have at least $15,000 USD/year.

The cost depends on how long you want to study. Here is a price table for our partner universities:

Private language schools are more flexible which also makes their prices more complex. Here you can find the prices for Lexis Korea .

You can apply directly with DreamStudies. For more information see the school you are interested in:

To apply for language courses with a student visa at a Korean university you usually need to submit the following documents to us:

• Application form
• Passport copy and profile photo
• Bank statement (US$ 10,000 or more)
• Diploma/degree copy of your highest level education
• A personal statement
• Proof of study abroad insurance
• Application fee

Fill out an info request to get help from us.

What grades do I need?

For language schools, you do not need any specific grades, but to get a student visa you must have finished secondary school/high school and studied for at least 12 years, so you need to have achieved the equivalent of British A-levels, American High School Diploma, or Swedish Gymnasium. Alternatively, you can submit a Diploma of a Bachelor’s Degree. GED is not accepted. You can usually apply and get conditionally accepted to the course before you have graduated, but you will not get your student visa documents until you have submitted your diploma.

If you have not graduated from high school you can still study at a private language school like LTL or Lexis where you don’t get a student visa. They take everyone who is willing to learn Korean and can finance their course, regardless of your academic background.

If you are interested in degree programs see which grades do I need to study abroad in Korea?

The course length is up to you. The Korean universities’ language institutes give four semesters per year where each semester is 10 weeks long. You need to study at least two semesters, 20 weeks, and the upper limit is 6 or 8 semesters of Korean language classes depending on which school you choose. The semesters start in March, June, September and, December.

At a private language school like Lexis, you can start any Monday. The minimum length is 2 weeks and the maximum length is determined by your visa (90 days on visa waiver, unless you leave Korea and come back again) or one year on a working holiday visa.

Please note that visa waiver and working holiday visas are not available for all nationalities. During Covid, they have been suspended for most nationalities. Contact the Korean Embassy in your country to find out which visas are available.

Scholarships for language courses in Korea are very rare. Sometimes our schools have discount offers and you can apply for DreamStudies’ scholarship of 1000 Euro for courses starting next year, but you will still need the bank statement of $10,000 USD for university courses and your own funding to pay for all other costs.

For more information about scholarships see our article study in Korea .

On a student visa, you can work part-time after 6 months with a permit and approval from your school. Read more about that here .

On a Working Holiday visa, you are allowed to work, but you are not allowed to work if you come on visa waiver.

You can apply for a student visa if you take a language course that is 20 weeks or longer at a Korean Language Institute at a Korean University. This is a process in several steps:

• First, you send us a complete application to a Korean University KLI (currently we can help you with university language courses at Konkuk University in Seoul and Yeungnam University outside Daegu)
• Then we help you get admission to the school
• Once you pay for your tuition fee the school will issue a Certificate of Admission or a Confirmation of Visa Issuance
• With this document, you can make the final visa application at the Korean Embassy in your home country

We can never guarantee that you get a student visa to Korea (or any other country). But so far none of our students who have been accepted by the universities have been rejected a visa. However, it is harder for students aged 40+ to get a student visa to Korea. Read more about student visa to Korea .

The purpose of a student visa is to let you stay in Korea while you study. You can usually arrive a couple of weeks before your course starts and stay a couple of weeks afterwards. For more details on this contact the Korean embassy in your country.

In Korean university language programs, you have 20 lessons per week, 4 lessons per day, Monday to Friday.

In Lexis you can choose between 15 or 25 lessons per week, 3-5 lessons per day, Monday to Friday.

Studying at a university KLI can be more demanding than going to a private language school. You should be prepared to study a couple of extra hours after school each day to keep up, but you will still have plenty of free time.

You can either book accommodation through your school or arrange student housing on your own.

Most Korean Universities offer dormitories where international students can stay. You will live on or right next to the campus and you can often get your housing and a meal package at reasonable prices. The drawback is that you usually have to share a room and there are a lot of rules including curfews when the residence is locked at night.

If you prefer to arrange accommodation on your own we can help you with Share House in Seoul . There you live independently without curfews in furnished apartments shared with other international students and young Koreans in Seoul. We do not recommend renting an apartment in Seoul since the moving in fee (key money) is very high and most apartments are unfurnished. There are serviced and furnished apartments for rent but it will cost you a lot more than other options.

Private language schools like Lexis are more flexible offering many different kinds of accommodation including Homestay, Goshiwon, Serviced Apartment, or Residence. Read more about Lexis accommodation .

If you are a beginner you will need to study for 30-40 weeks at a university KLI to master Topik 3 which usually is the minimum level to study in Korean at the undergraduate level. However, if you want to live and study in Korea we recommend that you learn Korean to a higher level since this will help you a lot in your life and studies there.

Read more about the Korean Language and the Topik test .

We can help you to apply and get accepted at selected language schools in Korea if you have the funding you need to pay for your course and accommodation (minimum $10,000 USD for university language programs with a student visa).

We will send you instructions if you fill out an info request and let us know which school you are interested in.

More information

You can find a list of universities and schools in Korea here.

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How to write your personal statement and SOP for GKS-Graduate Scholarship. Tips for interview!!  

  January 21, 2024

By   Smriti Ekka

Writing an effective Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement is a frequently asked question among the students who apply for a GKS Scholarship for the first time. The main purpose of this article is to help you write such a statement.

So today I have mentioned some points that I have broken down into small segments which will be easy for you to understand how to write your own personal statement and statement of purpose. ALSO some tips for the interview that will make you sound more promising while applying for the GKS 2022 scholarship for Masters and PhD in Korea.

To check the GKS Field of study and guidelines click HERE !!

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Like the word suggests. The student should write his/her experiences, achievements, values. The reasons to study abroad and apply for the scholarship might not be so unique, thus, the way it is written should be impactful.

The following key question can be formed and written in a way that would sound promising and you can include the following questions like :

• Why did you decide to go to graduate school ?
• Why you chose Korea and what you can do in Korea after your graduation ?
• How GKS benefit in your field of study ?

Things should be mentioned in detail. Analysis on all those parts can further be broken down into small segments for easy evaluation and understanding. 

• The first part can be very idealistic.
• Second part should be practical.
• Third part can include all the summary of what you have mentioned above.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

A real Statement of Purpose shows that you have thought through why you are doing the course, rather than exclaiming a wish to be one day employed. Even if you have fully considered your reasons for undertaking further study, it is not uncommon to feel a certain self-consciousness about writing about them.

Statement of purpose definitely contains your goal of study. Statement of purpose definitely contains your goal of study.

• The first part could be started with a quote. That's done by most of the people. Followed by explaining what you'll do in " that " specific University !! 

The answer shouldn't be like " You wish to study with that professor." Those types of answers are always along the line. But  your answer should be more promising like, how you will be generating more knowledge together. With the help of such a good facility how will you be able to contribute and take advantage of such opportunities given to you.

You can explain how being able to get such knowledge you can help others and expand your field of study and contribute much more. 

• The second part of it can include the research interest. How is it going to help you in your field of interest?

Since Korea is among the top 5 OECD countries that spend most on research & development studies constituting 4.46 percent of South Korea's GDP. Hence a lot of the students around the globe are interested to study in Korea because of the facilities/benefits provided which includes

• Monthly allowance
• Two way air fare
• Monthly allowance which will be enough for you to survive in Korea.

See Also : Things to prepare for GKS Scholarship 2021

With all these facilities they want you to focus solely on the research and provide the best result afterwards. Your focus should be to fully invest your time in the research and make use of the guidance by being under the professor of your department. 

• The third part could be the research topic. After the research topic you need to explain about the research topic
• You can include why you have the necessary aptitude to succeed in GKS ?

Things that will ultimately make you stand out from the rest of the students after you have completed your graduation. You have to convince and prove your worth and give that commitment to the professors in writing what you will ultimately be providing them in the end. 

 To stand out from the rest of the students if you have already done some studies in your field or have published some papers already or doing some work in some specific areas. Chances are that your worth could be easily measured looking at those results. 

In the future plan. You can break it down into two parts:- 

• Long term goals and short term goals. 

In long term goals you can write keeping in mind about the next five years and short term could be what you can achieve in the coming few months maybe.

For the short term you can mention how KGSP will help you in achieving those dreams. It shouldn't include what you want to do after kgsp BUT how can KGSP help you to achieve those goals of yours !!

There's a difference between the two and mentioning the latter can increase your chance immensely !! You can also list down the goals down below which should be closely linked to your graduate studies.

For the long term goals you can also mention in detail about how long you'll be staying in Korea and what will be your field of study after graduation and then probably going back to your country, you will continue working in the field of yours. 

Eventually you have to mention how the KGSP is going to help you to achieve those long-term goals of yours.

You can easily write about your long term goals by adjusting what you have already mentioned in the short term goals and try to add two or three points in it to make it sound appropriate . It shouldn't be lengthy. Just explaining two or three points would be enough.

It is actually mentioned that you have to score TOPIK 3 and above to give you an extra 10 points while selection. BUT as long as you have something that makes you stand out from the rest of the students that would be enough for you to get into any university. For example fluency in Korean, research skill or entrepreneur skills.

Tips for the Interview !!

Mainly the interview is very nerve wracking and people are very nervous before giving the interview keeping in mind that it's for the research and professors may ask you questions regarding your field of knowledge and you should be thoroughly prepared for it.

• Questions linked to your major.
• Questions related to the documents that you have provided.
• Question can also be a close link to why you have chosen that particular University auditor field of study and why Korea was your destination for studies.

Confidence is the key and how you articulate your thinking well enough for the professors and teachers to pick you from the crowd.

The key point would be to emphasize on the things that you are actually good at and make it your key point.

The best suggestion I will give you is to prepare something in Korean even if you don't speak it properly.

Having some knowledge of Korean will always give you that " extra edge" even if you are preparing to go to Korea in general.  Not to mention it is highly appreciated if you're doing any kind of studies in Korea.

They might ask you to introduce yourself in Korean so prepare small sentences that you would be confident in.

Since you are applying to learn and improve your abilities, it is important to make that goal clear in the statement of purpose.

Those were the few points that would be helpful in writing your personal statement and statement of purpose. Hope you found this article helpful. Please write your doubts below if you have any.

Thank you !!

Smriti Ekka

Smriti Ekka graduated in Commerce and Library science, and currently she is working as a content writer at TOPIK Guide website. She is a Korean language and culture enthusiast and has been working across multiple disciplines which broadly addresses narratives of similarities between Korean and Indian culture. Apart from being a content writer at TOPIK Guide she manages Annyeong India website and has had her pieces published in Learn Korean in India website as well. In her other life, she is a singer, rising entrepreneur, life enthusiast and a learner.

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Thankyou !!!

I hope i make it to scholarship KGSP2021

Good luck . Fighting

May I know how many copies of transcript I need to send for embassy trekking .

Just one , the original copy or with along 3 photo copies . A total of 4 copies ??

Hello, I want to know that is it ok if you are a double graduate and want to apply for GSK by using your first graduation degree. As i did my graduation with english honourse in 2015 and after that i persued law and completed my law degree in 2019. And now i want to apply for GSK by using english honourse degree because i want to do my masters in english litrature.

Thank you so much for such a beneficial information! But it is only a format on how to write a SOP! , Can you also post an article showing a written SOP so that the readers reading your article who might be getting confused! N it can also help clearing the confusion! Can you? Please!?

Will gks accept the students who are willing to choose the dance course which is under the entertainment and sports division?

Hi Aswini, Actually AMA+ K-arts scholarship accept the students who want to learn dance. It is same as GKS scholarship (I would say only the name differs.). This scholarship is for them who want to learn any kind of art at Korea national university of arts(K-arts). And the rest you can check by on their website. I am also applying there for Animation, that's how I know about it. Hope this will help.

What transcript do we need is it only senior secondary school year and can we submitted photocopies of document apostilled

Will writing sop and study plans in korean language give an extra benifit? Should it be my own handwriting?

Can I apply for GKS GRADUATE 2024 if I am an expected graduate I will graduate in June . And if yes what certificate should I have instead graduation certificate

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How to Write a Self Introduction for University in Korea

When you are applying to a university in Korea, you will soon find that you need to include a self-introduction letter and study plan in your application. For some, a self-introduction letter may sound self-explanatory. However, in Korea, these letters need to contain certain information, so be sure to read this article before submitting your applications!

University Applications in Korea

Those who are applying to a university program in Korea for the first time normally need to prepare a self-introduction letter. These can be undergraduate students, graduate school students, and those switching into a regular program after attending language school.

In my experience, if you wish to apply to a program that is in English, the process is often different. Not every university will require a self-introduction letter for programs taught in English. Instead, they may require an interview and a valid English proficiency certificate.

However, if you are applying to a regular program at a Korean university that is taught in Korean, you will need to submit a self-introduction letter. And often, more competitive English programs will require them as well.

Writing a Self-Introduction Letter

University-specific format and questions.

Each school has a different question form for 자기소개서 (self-introduction) and 학습계획서 (study plan). Therefore, you need to find the specific format you will need to write in and the question you need to answer for each university you apply to. This can normally be found on the website, or with a Naver search. After you know the requirements of the university, you can begin writing your Self Introduction.

Self-introduction: Basic Information

Normally you should begin by presenting basic information about yourself. At a minimum, you should include your name, age, and hometown. It is also not uncommon to include information about your family, such as the number of siblings you have and what your parents do for work. However, the requirement to include family information has been a topic of controversy recently. As a result, many schools no longer require you to reveal details about your family history.

Self-introduction: Achievements and Experience

Next, you should discuss academic achievements. You can include anything of importance from high school, language schools, university, and graduate school. In particular, if you were outstanding in any subjects, got any awards, or participated in activities you should mention them in this section.

If you have any work experience, that should also be included. However, you will only want to include experiences that you can explain as being relevant to your field of study. Or, that demonstrates you are proficient in Korean. For example; simply stating you worked in a restaurant as a server will not be looked at favorably. However, if you worked as a server and spoke to customers in Korean, or are applying to major in hospitality or business you can highlight the relevance of the experience.

Self-introduction: Personality and Values

In this section, you need to give administrators a sense of who you are as a person. You need to answer the question; “What was remarkable about your process of growing up that affected your personality and values?”.

It is important to note that, unlike university applications in some western countries, this is not the main focus of your self-introduction letter. In addition, universities in Korea tend to lean socially conservative. With that in mind, this section should not be as deep as a letter you would typically write for a western university.

Self-introduction: Strengths and Talents

Now, this section is where many of us foreigners have the upper hand. It’s time to brag about your foreign language skills! Plus, you should mention any other strengths or talents related to your field of study. These can be soft skills like communication, being a fast learner, or being culturally conscious. Or, they can be hard skills like coding, writing, or photo editing.

Self-introduction: Why Us?

In this part of your letter, you will need to explain why you chose the university and the major you are applying for. It is a good idea to do some research on the university and cite a few specific reasons why you prefer them over other places.

Self-introduction: Plans

Finally, we come to the most important section of your self-introduction letter. First, you should explain your study plan for the entire duration of your degree. You want to be as detailed as possible. This means you should go through the list of courses in your major and include classes you want to take, if you plan to have an internship, and what your plans for research topics are.

Then, you should explain your plans for after you graduate. As a foreigner, it is best to emphasize international cooperation and contributing to the development of both Korea and your home country.

I know, it’s a lot to include in a limited self-introduction letter, right? The most important thing to focus on is presenting information concisely and truthfully. If you do that, the interviewer will be able to understand your application and see if you are suitable for the school and the field of study. I wish you success in writing and getting into your dream university in Korea!

If you are preparing to come to university in South Korea, Click Here for 4 things you should know before you enroll!

I am not old but for some reasons, i feel old. Twenty two but hard-working :)

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Guide to language schools in south korea.

Korean is spoken by more than 75 million people and the number of students learning Korean is rapidly growing! The popularity of Korean pop culture and entertainment has driven many people from around the world to start learning the language. From language courses at a top-rated university to cultural immersion programs, there are many different ways you can learn Korean while in South Korea!

Explore top-rated Korean language programs and learn about the most popular universities in South Korea for international students.

Popular Korean language schools

If you are looking for a language school in South Korea, consider applying to universities that offer Korean language programs. Here are some of the best universities for international students to learn Korean:

Seoul National University

Seoul National University , known as the Harvard of South Korea, is a prestigious institution ranked 29th globally for its academic programs. With an impressive faculty, 97% of whom hold doctoral degrees from renowned universities worldwide, SNU attracts top talent from Korea and beyond. It offers a 10-week Korean Language & Culture Program (KLCP) that covers all levels of proficiency and aspects of Korean culture. You can also apply for a student visa and housing through the program.

Yonsei University

Yonsei University is another top-ranked university in Korea and the world. It has a Korean Language Institute (KLI) that offers various programs for different purposes and durations, such as regular, short-term, evening, special, and customized courses. In addition to your classroom study, you can also enjoy cultural activities and field trips through the KLI including visiting historical sites, museums, traditional villages, and cultural performances where you will learn about Korean cuisine, art, music, and festivals. These activities will help you to better understand Korean culture and society, as well as practice your language skills with native speakers.

Korea University

Korea University has a Korean Language Center (KLC) that offers comprehensive and systematic courses for beginners to advanced learners. You can also participate in cultural events and exchange programs through the KLC. Students unsure about undertaking language study abroad can rest easy: Korea University's Korean language program fosters a supportive environment for both domestic and international students, offering counseling in English and academic support for students with disabilities.

Sogang University

Sogang University is a top destination for students eager to enhance their Korean language proficiency. Their renowned Korean Language Education Center (KLEC) focuses on developing communicative skills and cultural understanding. You can choose from various programs such as regular, intensive, summer, winter, evening, and special courses.

Kyung Hee University

Kyung Hee University is renowned for its manicured and artsy campus, often praised as one of the most beautiful in South Korea, featuring museums, fountains, and outdoor art installations. The university provides a self-contained community with on-campus amenities like a bank and gym, dining halls, and dormitories available to international language learners, ensuring convenience for students. It has an Institute of International Education (IIE) that offers high-quality Korean language courses for foreigners. You can also join cultural experiences and volunteer activities through the IIE.

How to apply for Korean language programs

While requirements may vary depending on the school, program, and location these are generally the steps you’ll need to follow to study at a language school in South Korea.

• Research programs and schools: Before you apply to a language school in South Korea, you should do some research on the different options available. You should consider factors such as the location, duration, schedule, curriculum, cost, accreditation, facilities, teachers, reviews, etc. of each school.
• Direct enrollment vs program vs through your university: Direct enrollment may be cheaper and more flexible but may require more paperwork and responsibility. Another option is to study through a program provider that may offer more support and services but may charge higher fees. Lastly, your home university may have partnerships or exchange agreements with certain schools but may have limited options or availability.
• Prepare your application materials: Once you have chosen your preferred language school and program in South Korea, you should prepare your application materials such as your transcript, letters of recommendation, and/or personal statement (if required). You should also check the application deadlines and procedures of each school or program. Some schools may require you to take a language placement test or do an interview before admission.
• Apply for a visa: Depending on your nationality and the length of your stay, you may need to apply for a visa to study at a language school in South Korea. The most common visa types for language students are the D-4 visa (general training visa) or the C-3 visa (short-term general visa). You should check the visa requirements and application process of the Korean embassy or consulate in your country. You may need to submit documents such as your passport, admission letter, bank statement showing sufficient funds, and a health certificate.
• Start budgeting & exploring scholarships: Studying at a language school in South Korea can be expensive, so you should start budgeting and exploring scholarships as soon as possible. You should consider the costs of tuition, accommodation, transportation, food, books, insurance, and visa costs.
• Prepare for your adventure overseas! Now for the fun stuff: book your flight tickets, pack your luggage, and research the culture and customs of South Korea. You should also keep in touch with your language school or program provider and follow their instructions and guidelines.

Cost and funding

The cost of a Korean language school in Korea depends on several factors, such as the type of course, the duration, the location, and the accommodation you choose. Scholarships can help reduce your overall costs.

Average costs of tuition

On average, private language academies can be as low as $500 and as high as $4,000 for the same amount of time. A three-month Korean language course at a university costs $1300-$1400 .

Cost of Living

The cost of living in South Korea depends on your lifestyle and location. Seoul is the most expensive city in the country, followed by Busan and Daegu. You can save money by sharing a flat with other students or staying in a dormitory or guesthouse.

Here are some of the monthly costs you can expect:

Rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $400-$900 USD Food: $350-$550 USD, depending on how much you cook or eat out Transportation: $38-$60 USD Entertainment and excursions: $50/week, based on your own spending habits

Source: Numbeo

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Frequently asked questions.

The hardest school to get into in Korea is generally considered to be Seoul National University (SNU), which is ranked as the best university in Korea and one of the top universities in Asia.

Some of the most popular and reputable Korean language schools in Korea are Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, and EF Education First. These schools offer high-quality instruction, modern facilities, and diverse programs for students of all levels and backgrounds.

Yes, you can go to Korea just to learn Korean, as long as you have a valid visa. Depending on your nationality and the length of your stay, you may need to apply for a tourist visa or a student visa to enter Korea.

The difficulty of learning Korean for Americans depends on several factors, such as your motivation, your learning style, and your exposure to the language. However, with enough practice and dedication, you can overcome these challenges and enjoy learning Korean.

According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), it takes about 2,200 hours of study to reach professional fluency in Korean. However, this is just an estimate and your actual progress might vary depending on various factors.

The cost of learning Korean in Korea varies based on course type, duration, and location, with university courses averaging around $1,500 USD per semester and private schools charging approximately $800 USD per month. Living expenses should also be considered, depending on accommodation and personal spending choices.

Yes. Although directly enrolling at a university will be difficult for those without a foundation of the Korean language, there are many language schools that take all levels of Korean speakers. Many Korean classes at language schools are designed for beginners in mind!

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DEPARTMENT OF ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES

• Areas of Study
• Korean Language and Culture

Korean Language Program

The Korean Language Program aims to help students build the 4 core linguistic skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to build a solid foundation of their knowledge in Korean culture and social issues, so that they can communicate effectively in Korean, explore diverse aspects of Korea with an open mind, and work efficiently in professional environments where Korean is spoken.

ALC offers four years of Korean language courses from the introductory to advanced levels. We also offer an Accelerated course of second-year level Korean for heritage learners.

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Whatscholarship is a platform that provide opportunities information regarding master scholarship undergraduate scholarship and internship programs.

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How to write a personal statement for gks/kgsp scholarship | how to write gks undergraduate/graduate scholarship personal statement.

One of the important part of GKS/KGSP scholarship application is writing your personal statement which should be well written as it makes a clear difference between students who want to apply for the GKS scholarship. Personal statement plays an important role in the selection procedure for the student as it present your purpose for applying for the scholarship program. GKS/KSGP personal statement indicates why you are the good candidate for this scholarship so its mean it should be written good enough to make your scholarship application strong.

GKS/KGSP Scholarship Personal Statement Writing Guidelines:

Many of the students who want to apply for the GKS scholarship write their personal statement without following the proper guidelines regarding how the personal statement for the GKS scholarship should be written. So make sure if you are planning to apply for the GKS/KGSP scholarship you should follow these guidelines to make your personal statement good:

·          GKS/KGSP scholarship program personal statement can be written in Korean or English language. Means you can either write your personal statement in Korean language or in English language it depends on you.

·          Also make sure your GKS scholarship personal statement should be of good length means it should not be too lengthy or too short that it’s meaning is not clear. The ideal personal statement for the GKS scholarship should not be more than two pages. So you should present your personal statement within the length of two pages.

GKS/KGSP Scholarship Personal Statement Important Tips To Follow:

Before you start writing your personal statement for the GKS/KGSP scholarship make sure that:

·          You know what the GKS scholarship personal statement actually should include.

·      Follow the guidelines that are provided by the GKS scholarship to write the personal statement.

·      You should focus on the main points that need to be discuss to make your personal statement good.

·        Your personal statement should be unique to differentiate you from others candidate for the scholarship.

·          Don’t add something in personal statement that you think is not valuable as you only have two pages to write down your personal statement.

Check: GKS Scholarship Embassy/University Track Interview Questions

How To Write GKS/KGSP Scholarship Personal Statement:

To write the GKS/KGSP scholarship personal statement you have to follow the certain things that are mentioned in the GKS scholarship personal statement form. You have to make sure that your personal statement for the GKS/KGSP scholarship should include the following things:

1. Your motivations With Which You Want To Apply For This Program:

This is the first thing or point that your personal statement should include. You have to explain your motivation that why you have chosen to apply for this scholarship program what is your main motivation behind choosing this scholarship program.   There are number of things that you can actually include here to show your motivation for this program such as:

·          Which course program you want to study under this scholarship program and why?

·          Why you want to study under this scholarship program?

·          How you can be the good candidate for this scholarship program.

·          Why you are motivated for this program?

·          If you are applying for this program then what is your purpose?

·          How you can make contribution to the community if you are selected for this scholarship program?

2. Your Family Background And Education Background:

This is another point that you should discuss in your personal statement to make it good. You have to discuss here your education background and provide some information regarding your family background. Things you should focus on here include:

·          Provide a concise information regarding your academic record.

·          Discuss your academic achievements which you have achieve.

·          What course program you have studied previously?

·          Provide a brief information of your family.

3. Any Experience You Have, Your Achievements, Person Or Event Which Influence You:

To make your personal statement unique you have to write about your achievements, experience and person or event which influence you. These things will provide information related to how you deal with challenges and what you have achieve in your life so far. Discuss your experience which might be related to the work you have done or the things you have achieved in your life. You can also explain about any person or event which influence you in your life as well. These things if discuss well can make your personal statement good. So write about:

·          Any work experience you have.

·          Achievements you have.

·          Any person or event who influence you in your life.

4. Write About The Extracurricular Activities Or Work Experience:

The extracurricular activities or work experience can be a good thing if written in your GKS/KGSP scholarship personal statement can make it unique from others. So write about:

·          Your extracurricular activities you have performed.

·          The work experience you have.

·          Any activity you have performed for the community.

·          What you learned by doing the extracurricular activities.

·          What is the reason behind performing such extracurricular activities?

Check: GKS Scholarship 2023 Application Form Guidelines

5. Write About Your Awards, Publications Or Skills Which You Have:

If you have received awards, written some publications or have some skills than you should discuss them as well in your GKS/KGSP scholarship personal statement to make it more unique from other candidates. So write about:

·          What awards you have received?

·          How you received that awards?

·          What publications you have done?

·          Why you have written that publications?

·          What are the skills that you have?

·          How these skills can be good for you?

GKS/KGSP Scholarship Personal Statement Importance:

The GKS/KGSP scholarship personal statement is one the important documents that can actually make your selection for this scholarship program. The personal statement for the scholarship should be written good enough to make a clear difference and to make yourself a different candidate from others for the scholarship. These are the somethings that your personal statement for the GKS/KGSP scholarship should include you can also include some other things in your personal statement which you think can make you a good candidate for this scholarship program.