A semester abroad in South Korea: visa, costs, housing

For a semester or a full degree in Korea you need a visa, usually the D-2 or D-4 visa. Without a visa you can only stay under 90 days without working, with a valid passport.

For the visa you typically need:

The Korean embassy lists exactly which documents are required. Check the current information there before you apply.

The spring semester runs from March to June, the autumn semester from September to December. The breaks are January to February and July to August.

Tuition fees range from about €1,300 (humanities) to €11,000 (e.g. medicine) per academic year.

For living costs you should expect about €1,000 a month. Seoul is more expensive than other cities in Korea.

The cheapest option is a student dorm, usually on campus, from single to four-bed rooms.

Alternatives are a hasuk (a boarding house near the university, usually with two meals a day) or a studio apartment with its own kitchen and bathroom.

After arrival you have to register at the immigration office within 90 days and you get the Residence Card (ARC). You usually need it for a bank account and a phone contract.

Also think about international health insurance, for example the DAAD group insurance, and travel vaccinations.