South Korea – Your Study Abroad Destination

After my undergraduate degree, I wasn’t sure about a lot of things except that I wanted to pursue my master’s degree in a different country. Since I could not afford to self-fund this master’s degree, I started my quest for scholarships. I scanned the internet for scholarships, subscribed to any scholarship portal I could find in addition to checking out the local publications for scholarship opportunities by the Ministry of Education. This process went on actively for about a year but I had never thought of South Korea as a study abroad destination, so when the opportunity presented itself, I was little skeptical because of the language barrier. I knew Korea as home to the giant tech companies like Samsung and LG, but not as a study abroad destination. Here are some of the reasons you should consider South Korea as your study abroad destination.
- Education
The number one reason for studying abroad is to get a rich education. South Korea’s education is ranked second after Finland among the list of the top 40 developed countries according to Pearson (Education firm). This is not only credited to the amount of hard work, but to the level of government support and the funds invested in the educational system. It’s no doubt that Korea has a high literate rate of 99.2% males and 96.6% females.
Korean Culture supports learning – parents highly value education allowing Children to spend more hours in school and after-school lessons.
- Experience
Having studied in Korea, Korea provides a vast number of experiences compared to none. From the warm culture, Kpop, to the infrastructure.
Thanks to the excellent transport system, traveling around in Korea is so easy and cost-effective. Whether you are using the subway, bus or bike, getting around from one place to another is convenient.
You will also experience a high level of security in Korea. I can’t recount the number of times I had to leave my lab at 2:00 am in the morning and freely walk back to my dormitory without worrying about something bad happening to me. Be it on the streets or walking down an alley, be assured you will arrive at your destination safely. This is partly because there is CCTV almost everywhere.
Studying in Korea gives you an opportunity to be a tourist. There are different sight-seeing places, themed cafes, museums (historical and science) as well as various festivals that happen all year round. Most of the universities also have organized excursions to different touristic sites at a discounted rate. You will also experience new cultures, foods, and excellent social life. If you are into nightlife, major cities like Seoul have a vibrant nightlife all through the week.
- Economic Side
Korea has a variety of scholarships offered to international students either by the University or by the Korean government. The National Institute for International Education (NIIED) and the Korean Government Scholarship (KGSP) are the most common government scholarship programs. Depending on the scholarship program, one can receive round-trip airfare, tuition, medical insurance and a monthly stipend.
Additionally, living in Korea as a student is relatively cheap, as you can find affordable food within and around the campus. Students can also live in the campus halls of residence which is the most reasonable accommodation or rent a room around campus. If you have some free time on your hands, there are opportunities to work part-time on campus or off campus.
- Exposure
Studying in Korea will expose you to a different culture, ideologies, technologies, education style and people from all walks of life. It will open up your mind to new perspectives, challenge you intellectually, and help you see the world in a new way different from what you are used to.
Most of the universities have a good number of international students –you will be able to network and make friends from different parts of the world. You never know when you will need those connections later on in life. The link you make could become the next CEO of a fortune 500 company or probably host you when you find each other.
If you have any inquiries about studying in Korea you can contact me in the comment section below.