South Korea

By selecting a degree programme you are able to see the general content as well as the possible degree programme-specific content. You do not have to select a degree programme to see the Open University's instructions.

South Korea is known for its rich cultural heritage, advanced technology, and vibrant urban life. The country offers a unique blend of traditional and modern experiences, from ancient palaces and temples to bustling cities like Seoul and Busan, which are renowned for their shopping, entertainment, and culinary scenes. South Korea's strategic location in East Asia makes it easy to travel to neighboring countries. With its friendly locals, extensive public transportation, and diverse student community, South Korea is an exciting choice for students looking to broaden their horizons.

The University of Helsinki offers exchange opportunities at the following universities in South Korea:

  • For students of all faculties: Yonsei University, Korea University, Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan University
  • Students of specific Faculties: Pohang University of Science and Technology (Faculty of Science)

In order to see the Faculty specific destinations, please sign in or choose your degree programme on top of the page.

You can find comprehensive instructions for going on exchange under the Study Abroad theme.

Students going to Korea are eligible to apply for an ASEM-DUO scholarship in addition to University of Helsinki’s mobility grant, if the host university opens the application. Because ASEM-DUO is very competitive among European applicants, the University of Helsinki selects based on GPA which student is eligible to apply for an ASEM-DUO scholarship (one student per exchange destination). The selected student will receive extra help from International Exchange Services regarding this extra scholarship application.

Korea University
Seoul National University
Sungkyunkwan University
Yonsei University

Korea University

Student testimonials

“Korea University offered interesting courses, and the country was very different, in both good and bad ways. I recommend it for anyone looking for an adventure!” “The teaching was not as self-directed as in Finland, and some courses were very much steered by the teacher.” “Korea University really knew how to look after exchange students and invested a lot in tutoring.”

Who can apply?

  • Students of all faculties
  • Bachelor’s and Master’s students
  • Students with English skills at least on level B2
  • Students with minimum GPA of 3,2

Faculties not open to exchange students

  • Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Law, Teacher Education, Cyber Defense, Art & Design, Smart Mobility, Communications Engineering, graduate level Business courses (graduate courses that start with INT) and all courses at Sejong Campus are not open to exchange students.
  • There is a high demand for courses from Business School, Media & Communications,
    International Studies and Psychology.

What can you study here?

  • Information on courses
  • Undergraduate students are not allowed to take graduate courses.
  • Exchange students can enroll in Korean language courses. Search using the keyword “Korean” via the Undergraduate Course List.
  • Students who have a major or a minor in Korean language at the University of Helsinki can take Korean language courses (Regular Program - full time course load) at the Korean Language Center without course fees.

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 12 credits per term. Maximum 19 credits per term (Bachelor's level), 12 credits per term (Master's level).
1 Korea University credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

August – December / February - June 

Housing, costs and fees

On-campus housing is open for application but not guaranteed to all exchange students. 

Other important matters

  • Korean universities cannot accept graduate (Master's level) students who are enrolled in the first semester of the Master’s program when applying to the host university. Applicants must have completed a full semester after their Bachelor’s degree graduation.
    • E.g. you graduate with your Bachelor's degree in Spring 2025 and start your Master's degree in Autumn 2025. You can apply to the host university on Master's level exchange the earliest in Spring 2026 for an exchange in Autumn 2026 (third semester).
  • Bachelor's level students must have completed at least two semester before applying to the host university. This means that the earliest possible timing for an exchange on Bachelor's level is the forth semester. 

Exchange opportunities available 

4 students for one academic year or 8 students for one term. Exchange placements will be filled evenly for both autumn and spring terms. 

Seoul National University

Student testimonials

“The university had excellent language courses and a really good Buddy Project that provided new experiences and opportunities for learning.” "The quality of teaching was high. The teachers had lectures, group discussions and clear instructions."

Who can apply?

  • Students of all faculties
  • Bachelor’s and Master’s students
  • Students with English skills at least on level B2
  • Students with minimum GPA of 3,6 (Bachelor) / 4,2 (Master)

Faculties not open to exchange students

  • College of Medicine is not available to exchange students.
  • Dept. of Korean History/Psychology/Statistics/Pharmacy requires applicants to provide a proof of Korean language proficiency.
  • Undergraduate applicants for Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) must have earned at least 15 credits in CSE-related courses.
  • College of Business Administration is restricted to students who are currently majoring in business or economics at home university.
  • College of Law is not available to undergraduate level students. School of Law, a specialized law school for graduate level students, will be open to undergraduate students.
  • School of Dentistry is open only to graduate students currently enrolled in a Master’s program at School of Dentistry or the equivalent at home university.
  • Graduate School of Business (MBA program) is restricted to current full-time MBA applicants at home university. 

What can you study here?

  • Information on courses
  • Course search instructions (pdf)
  • The Faculty of Liberal Education offers many courses related to Korean society.
  • SNU Language Education Institute (LEI) offers credit-bearing Korean Language Programs (KLP) on a fee-paying, extracurricular basis. Students who have a major in Korean language or Asian Studies (Korean culture) at the University of Helsinki have received a full exemption from language course fees (other students have received a partial reimbursement of 30%-50%).

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 12 credits per term. Maximum 18 credits per term (Bachelor's level), 12 credits per term (Master's level).
1 Seoul National University credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

August - December / February - June

Housing, costs and fees

On-campus housing is open for application but not guaranteed to all exchange students. 

Other important matters

  • Korean universities cannot accept graduate (Master's level) students who are enrolled in the first semester of the Master’s program when applying to the host university. Applicants must have completed a full semester after their Bachelor’s degree graduation.
    • E.g. you graduate with your Bachelor's degree in Spring 2025 and start your Master's degree in Autumn 2025. You can apply to the host university on Master's level exchange the earliest in Spring 2026 for an exchange in Autumn 2026 (third semester).

Exchange opportunities available

3 students for one academic year or 6 students for one term. Exchange placements will be filled evenly for both autumn and spring terms. 

Sungkyunkwan University

Student testimonials

"Overall I was happy with the quality of teaching." "I thought the courses where super interesting and well constructed." 

Who can apply?

  • Students of all faculties
  • Bachelor’s and Master’s students
  • Students with English skills at least on level B2
  • Students with minimum GPA of 3,3

Faculties not open to exchange students

  • Undergraduate School of Public Affairs, Undergraduate and Graduate Schools of Law, Medicine and Pharmacy as well as Specialty Graduate Schools (SKK Graduate School of Business, SKK Graduate School of China, Graduate School of Governance, Graduate School of Education, Graduate School of TESOL/Translation) and Special Graduate Schools do not accept exchange students.
  • College of Art is open for exchange students, but very few courses conduct in English. Theatre is not open for exchange students.

What can you study here?

  • Information on courses
  • Most courses in English offered in Humanities and Social Sciences as well as Natural Sciences and Engineering.
  • International Exchange Course (IEC) course packet offers courses related to Korean society.
  • Exchange students can take Korean language courses without course fees; Basic Korean (BKP) or Intensive Korean (IKP) along with courses taught in English or one Regular Korean Program (RKP) course per regular semester (full time course load, 12 SKKU credits). Students are advised to register for at least one additional course outside the RKP program. 

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 12 credits per term. Maximum 18 credits per term.
1 SKKU credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

August - December / February - June

Housing, costs and fees

On-campus housing is open for application but not guaranteed to all exchange students. 

Other important matters

  • Korean universities cannot accept graduate (Master's level) students who are enrolled in the first semester of the Master’s program when applying to the host university. Applicants must have completed a full semester after their Bachelor’s degree graduation.
    • E.g. you graduate with your Bachelor's degree in Spring 2025 and start your Master's degree in Autumn 2025. You can apply to the host university on Master's level exchange the earliest in Spring 2026 for an exchange in Autumn 2026 (third semester).
  • Bachelor's level students must have completed at least two semester before applying to the host university. This means that the earliest possible timing for an exchange on Bachelor's level is the forth semester. 

Exchange opportunities available 

5 students for one academic year or 10 students for one term. 

Yonsei University

Student testimonials

“You have to be flexible regarding your course choices and teaching to enjoy your time at Yonsei.” “The location of the campus is great.” “As a country, Korea is definitely worth experiencing and easy to live in.”

Who can apply?

  • Students of all faculties
  • Bachelor’s and Master’s students
  • Students with English skills at least on level B2
  • Students with minimum GPA of 3,2

Faculties not open to exchange students

  • Courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Music and Law as well as MBA courses are not available to exchange students.
  • Courses offered by Global Leadership Division, as well as Songdo International Campus are restricted as well.
  • Business courses are restricted to business majors only.
  • Limited course offerings in the fields of computer science, data science and artificial intelligence.

What can you study here?

  • Information on courses
  • Undergraduate students are not allowed to take graduate courses.
  • You can select up to 6 Yonsei credits worth of courses in Korean as a foreign language free of charge as part of the exchange. Other courses must be selected from the courses taught in English.

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 12 credits per term. Maximum 18 credits per term (Bachelor's level), 15 credits per term (Master's level).
1 Yonsei credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

August – December / February - June 

Housing, costs and fees

On-campus housing is open for application but not guaranteed to all exchange students. 

Other important matters

  • Korean universities cannot accept graduate (Master's level) students who are enrolled in the first semester of the Master’s program when applying to the host university. Applicants must have completed a full semester after their Bachelor’s degree graduation.
    • E.g. you graduate with your Bachelor's degree in Spring 2025 and start your Master's degree in Autumn 2025. You can apply to the host university on Master's level exchange the earliest in Spring 2026 for an exchange in Autumn 2026 (third semester).
  • Bachelor's level students must have completed at least two semester before applying to the host university. This means that the earliest possible timing for an exchange on Bachelor's level is the forth semester.
  • Students agree to take the TOEFL or IELTS test at their own expense prior to the exchange, should they be selected for the destination.

Exchange opportunities available 

3 students for one academic year or 6 students for one term. Exchange placements will be filled evenly for both autumn and spring terms.