Erfahrungsberichte

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Land:
Suedkorea

Universität:
Kookmin University

Semester und Studiengang:
4. Semester Bachelor International Management

Aufenthalt:
summersemester 2017

Über die Universität:
Kookmin University is located right next to Bukhansan National Park in the North of Seoul, which is super nice as there is only little smog up there and you can go and hike the National Park. The campus itself is compared to Deggendorf quite big with a huge soccer field, a nice library and several coffee shops and cafeterias.
The whole system is very American-like, so you can choose your own courses prior to the semester start which unfortunately is rather complicated. You need to select them online and the website is only available in Korean. However you receive a detailed description from the university with what to do. There is also an add and drop period (I believe it was the first 10 days) in which you can still change your courses.
The courses change every semester but in general they offer many marketing, finance and accounting courses. In my semester they didn't offer many HR and Logistics courses, however as I said the courses change rather often.
I took International Business (economics), Marketing Strategy, Korean, Consumer Behavior and Negotiations. The teaching staff speak all good to perfect English and are very helping in case of any troubles. In my opinion the courses are easier compared to those in Deggendorf and content wise I would say it depends on the professor - some courses were really great and interactive, others were more just 'clicking through the skript' like.

Betreuung vor Ort:
The staff is always super friendly. However, sometimes they seem to be a bit unorganized, so don't expect them to handle everything for you. If you are self-organized and independent, it shouldn't be a problem though.

Accommodation: There are different options. You can stay on campus or off-campus or you can just look for your own place.
On-campus accommodation is very cheap indeed (~1000€ for the whole semester) and directly on campus. You share the room and the bathroom with three other exchange students. It's quite small and not very new, but that would be the cheapest option. The thing here is, there are not many free places, so even if you check the 'On Campus' box in the application form, there is no guarantee that you get it - you just need to be lucky. Downside here is that there is a curfew, roomchecks and you don't have any cooking facilities.

I wanted to stay On Campus and was a little sad when I got placed Off Campus. In the end, it was the best thing that happened to me. It is with approx. 400€/month definitely more expensive but in really nice houses in great locations downtown. You also share a room with 2 or 3 other exchange students (sometimes from other universities in Seoul). It takes you (depending on the dorm) about 40-60 minutes to get to the university. You have your own kitchen and fridge and usually also a washing machine.

Tipps:
First of all: DO NOT DO THE MEDICAL CHECK UP.
They say that you need to do a full medical check-up prior arrival, which costs up to 400€ in Germany. You really only need a TBC test when you stay in one of the on-campus dorms and you can easily do the test in a hospital in Seoul.

Costs: Don't underestimate the living costs in Seoul. Prices are higher than in Germany, especially for veggies and fruits in the supermarkets. You can get them cheaper at the street markets, in particular seasonal vegetables and fruit.
The food on campus is good and ranges from 2-8 EUR for a meal. There is Italian and Korean food, a Burger Place and many small coffee shops and convenient stores.
Riding the subway or bus costs about 1 Euro each ride. A rechargeable transportation card can be bought in every convenient store.

English: Some people don't speak English and those who do are sometimes too shy to actually speak. Well, no it's not that extreme but be prepared to talk with hands and feet especially to elderly people and at the markets. At Kookmin University most of the students speak English and in the Business Faculty pretty much everyone. It can sometimes be a challenge but I never felt really lost, as Koreans are suuuper nice people and always eager to help you.

In a nutshell:
Korea is an amazing country with great food, awesome people and a breathtaking landscape (visit Jeju Island and Busan!)
The University was really nice but I guess it's always the people who make it great. Seoul is an extremely fun city to life it. Daytime is amazing with all the temples, markets, shopping areas, national parks,... and the nightlife is indescribable! Also, the city is super safe, no matter if you are on the streets during day time or wander around by yourself at night - I never felt unsafe for even a second during my stay there.
If I had the chance to go to Kookmin University and especially Seoul again I would definitely do so.