Pre-Departure

Since freshman year, studying abroad was a goal I knew I had to accomplish sometime within my collegiate career. Now as a junior, I am excited to say that I will be leaving for Seoul in two weeks to study at Seoul National University for the Spring 2019 semester!

CHOOSING A PROGRAM:

When deciding to study abroad, the first step is to select which program that you would like to apply for. There are two different programs that you can apply for through UH which are Manoa International Exchange and the UH Study Abroad Center. Whether you decide to go through the UH Manoa Study Abroad Center or Manoa International Exchange, we know one thing: the study abroad application is a long process.

I decided to go with MIX but I highly recommend that you do your research before picking your program.

MIX APPLICATION:

I applied for MIX two semesters before I intended to go. Studying abroad takes a lot of pre-planning and there are so many deadlines that need to be met; so make sure to write down important dates on your calendar! You can also browse through the MIX page as there is information about everything you need to know. I also recommend booking a MIX advising appointment to talk with an advisor about any questions you may have about your intended program.

In the application you can choose up to 5 schools where you would like to study and must include a few short answers about how studying abroad will affect you and your academic career. You may not get nominated for your first choice school, but I still recommend taking the opportunity to study abroad!

APPLYING TO YOUR NOMINATED UNIVERSITY:

I got nominated for Seoul National University during the summer and received an email inviting me to apply to the school in August.

**Keep in mind that a nomination does NOT mean you have been accepted, it just means that you are able to apply to your particular school

The application consisted of the following:

Statement of Purpose
Letter of Recommendation
An official copy of your University Transcript
This can be obtained at the Registrar’s Office for a fee of $5
Certificate of Enrollment
Can also be obtained at the Registrar’s Office. It is a sealed, verified document from the registrars office that validates your current enrollment at UHM.
Copy of your passport

I highly recommend checking if your passport is valid since it takes 2-5 weeks to get one. My passport was in the process of being renewed during the application process but I was allowed to send them a copy once I received it.

The SNU application is online, but you are required to send a physical copy to MIX so don’t forget to print it out once complete.

VISA APPLICATION:

The first thing you will need is the visa application, which can be found here. I would fill out at much information before asking the person at the Korean Consulate about any further questions you may have.

In order to apply for a visa, you will need:

Valid Passport
A completed visa application
Passport size colored photo (2 X 2)
The Korean Consulate is very particular about how they would like your passport photo. When taking your photo I recommend that you keep a neutral expression and have BOTH ears showing in your passport picture. I got mine taken at the Costco but you can also take them at CVS, Sams Club, etc.
Admissions Letter
Copy of most recent transcript
Certificate of bank balance
I brought a copy of my Freeman Scholarship award email and it worked out fine
$45 Fee (cash or Money order ONLY)

**After submitting all of these documents, you'll leave your passport with them and be able to pick it up in about a week.

HOUSING/FLIGHTS:

My peers who have studied at Seoul National University have all told me that it is difficult to get a dorm at SNU. I highly suggest not to procrastinate on this unless you want to end up with with no housing before leaving to Seoul. My friends and I found an inexpensive place through Airbnb.

It is also important that you book your flight around the day you are supposed to check-in to your dorm/apartment. South Korea is 19 hours ahead of Hawai’i, so please keep that in mind!

COURSE REGISTRATION:

Before registration, I recommend looking at the course equivalencies catalog on the Shidler website so you can ensure that the courses you take abroad will be transferable when you return to your home campus. If you have any questions, you can make an appointment with Rikki Matsunaga and ask her which courses will count best towards your major and address any other concerns that you may have with her.

The course registration for Seoul National University is a little similar to ours here at UHM. SNU offers a preliminary course registration period a week before the official registration dates. Students have designated registration times depending on the last digit of your student number (even or odd) so be sure to set a timer for your assigned registration day.

PREPARATION:

Although school begins on March 4th, I am leaving for Seoul on February 20th. I wanted to give myself a little extra time before school started to allow myself to settle in, familiarize myself with the area and adjust to the time difference. If you are studying in Korea for the Spring semester, I recommend shopping for winter clothes and ensuring that you have enough medication, contact lenses, etc. for your time overseas.