weitere Erfahrungsberichte für Suedkorea
Land:
Suedkorea
Universität:
Inha University, Incheon
Semester und Studiengang:
5. Semester Bachelor International Management
Aufenthalt:
Wintersemester 2014
Über die Universität:
Inha University is located in Incheon, the third biggest city in Korea. It is very easy and convenient to reach Seoul by train, the trip takes about one hour. The bus to the train station leaves right in front of the university.
Already before the semester starts, Inha University provides you with your student ID and password in order to enter the online system to select your courses. It is advisable to select between five and six different courses for your semester, including a Korean language course to make life in Korea easier. It happens quite frequently that you cannot register your classes online since they get fully occupied easily. If this is the case, do not panic. There is a drop-off/add-on period in the first week of the semester, which allows you to attend the classes that you would like to choose and ask the professor to add you to the course. Usually, all professors agree to add international students to their courses. There are English-speaking courses offered in each faculty and you can choose any of them as long as it fits your schedule.
After two months of studying you have to perform midterm exams, which count up to 50 percent of the final grade. In addition to the midterms and finals, each professor can choose to ask for assignments, case studies and presentations, which will most probably keep you busy for the whole four months of studies. In contrast to studying at the THD, attendance is obligatory for all courses and gets constantly monitored.
A lot of exams consist of multiple-choice questions only, which are very detailed in terms of the lecture content. Thus, the exam preparation consists of intensive learning by heart more than of understanding and applying. Also the lectures differ from the ones at the THD. There are far more people attending the classes which results into less interaction between the professor and the students.
Betreuung vor Ort:
The support and assistance received by employees and volunteers at Inha University is remarkable. Many people work to make life for international students as convenient as possible. The International Center helps with all questions related to your selection of courses, visa requirements and other administrative issues. They also provide you with your student ID and Alien Registration Card (ARC) with which you can travel in and out of the country. Unfortunately it took up until the midterms to get the ARC.
They introduce you to a buddy (a Korean student at Inha), if you wish to have one, who helps you getting settled at Inha University once you arrived. Additionally, there is the ISL (International Students Lounge), which you can approach at any time in terms of questions or if you are looking for good company. Throughout the semester they organize various events for the international students to join.
If you would like to live on campus, the International Center provides you with a place in the dormitory. Living in the dorm is very convenient. It is located right beside the campus and provides free breakfast and dinner (!) on weekdays. The fee for the dormitory compared to off-campus housing is very cheep. Inside the dorm there is a computer room, gym, billiard and ping pong room as well as a convenience store. On the downside, you will have to share your room with three other students, which results into not having any privacy. The dormitory usually puts all international students and all students of the same country in one room, which limits interaction with Korean students. Moreover, the dormitory closes at midnight and re-opens at 5 am, including the weekends, which you need to take into consideration when planning to spend a night out in Seoul. The dorm food might not be as nice as expected, which is understandable due to the low price you pay for your room. As an alternative there are many cheap food places and cafes at the backgate of the university.
Tipps:
Studying at Inha University and living in Korea has been one of the best experiences for me with regard to living abroad up until now. The country is full of great places and beautiful landscapes to explore. Seoul city is vibrant and exciting and four months are barely enough to get to know it. Besides various sightseeing destinations, Korean culture and the interesting history is a major reason to spend time in this country. I recommend you to interact and get to spend time with as many Koreans as you can in order to get an insight into their culture, traditions and lifestyle. Korean people are very openminded, respectful, kind and eager to get to know foreign people. The majority of them, even among students, are not used to speak English, so they are generally shy when you first approach them. Give them some time to get comfortable and you will have the best time together.
Inha University is a great place to study and the beautiful campus as well as the warm people make you feel comfortable right from the beginning. If you can, do try to learn some Korean beforehand already in order to make your stay in Korea more efficient. In any case, do take one of the offered Korean language courses at the university. Most of the Korean people understand basic English and you will not have major difficulties to get around, but knowing and being able to read the Korean language makes it much more fun.
Apart from that, please do not worry too much about living in Korea. The country is westernizing more and more and I am sure that you will not have any problems to enjoy yourself, neither on nor off campus.