I partook in the study program at Korea University in Seoul during semester 2, 2014. The study here is very interesting and a big contrast to Australia and I found that the lecturers were very interested in building relationship and understanding students. I’ve been so thoroughly welcomed into the university environment here, and have made the most of seeing the countryside, getting to know local networks as well as the local culture. Studying abroad at Korea University was a great opportunity to develop more knowledge of Korea and learn more about East Asia. The university itself was located in Anam-dong, which is quite a good location and close to most activities, and well known for being affordable. On campus food is very well priced and they have a lot of variety however it is very Korean inspired. Most students had a preference for the western options which tends to be a bit more expensive and usually with a Korean twist. The university consisted of great facilities and on-campus dorms have access to the CJ Gym, which I spent a lot of time using.
The university was very large and took almost 40 minutes to get from one side to the other. The lecture halls were great and most lectures were very personal, which was something I was not used to. For KU, class size lectures with a professor are standard usually with about 30 students, so expect to answer a lot of questions. I became quite used to this format, it meant I could speak to the lecturer frequently and also form a good relationship. Probably the greatest strength of KU was its library facility. It had just about every book I could ever want! It was very well stocked, books that were only recently out were already in circulation at KU. The university is well known for its international studies, engineering and business. On exchange I did most of my studies in the division of international studies which is a great department with some really experienced and knowledgeable staffs. They are very helpful and always happy to assist you whenever you need support. The accommodation was great and really well organised and had some great facilities. I was really happy to have picked meal plans at the cafeteria given that the walk especially in winter to the front road was a long way!
