So, if you are like me and you canât help but wonder what bus you will be taking to Ewha, what documents you will be needing, where your dorm room will be, etc. Iâve got you covered. And if youâre just curious or planning on applying to a Korean uni, keep reading! You can find out more about what Ewha has to offer!
Iâve spent a lot and I mean A LOT of time looking up info about Ewha (and living in Korea) because well, I have the tendency to plan things out, I like to know where Iâm going, what Iâm supposed to do, what I need. Donât get me wrong, I love being spontaneous but when it comes to traveling to the other side of the world well⌠I just donât wanna get lost >.<
Since I know Iâm probably not the only one who feels like this, I decided to make this post, gathering all the info Iâve collected so far. If you want to add something on the list, send me a message!
I think this post can be useful to anyone coming to Ewha this year, even if you havenât been accepted yet.
I plan to make more posts about Ewha and Korea (Iâve also been making some goodies which Iâll mention later!) so if youâre interested, follow me ^^Â
Jonghyun and why you should love yourself (plus, how you could do that once and for all)
So, mental health and wellbeing are topics Iâve always wanted to talk about. In todayâs society depression, eating dissorders, anxiety have become more and more common, which is something we should definately worry about. Talking about these things can bring about a solution and a way to cope (and eventually, overcome) our own problems.
The reason why I mention Jonghyun on the title is because his recent passing was a very important moment for me.Â
a bit of a backstory:
Iâve been into Korean music for two years now, I know Shinee since my first year into kpop but I have never really gotten into them.Â
I was living at my sisterâs house when I saw the article about Jonghyunâs death on my Facebook wall. She was on holidays and I was looking after her place, it was my very first time living alone. When I read the article I suddently felt a big void in my chest. Personally, suicide is a topic that has always had a big impact on me. Iâm a very sensitive person and when I see things like this happening, sometimes I can fall into a hole of negative thoughts and loose purpose. Thatâs what happened that day.Â
As a teenager, Iâve had thoughts about suicide a few times and my eating disorder didnât help much, sometimes it was pretty normal for me to feel empty.Â
Right now, it seems like suicidal thoughts are just as common as Donald Trump saying something stupid. But why? Is suicide really the answer? Jonghyunâs death made me realize that no, it is not.Â
When I read his letter I could feel his sadness, I could understand each one of his thoughts. Isnât that scary? Knowing that you felt or feel exactly how someone who commited suicide did. That week I thought about him a lot, about life, if it was really worth living despite the pressure, the critizism, the hatred. I came to the conclution that even though there are many times when we feel like giving up, we are the ones who have the option to lift ourselves back up and make life worth living. Jonghyun didnât find that in himself and thatâs why he gave up, Iâm not saying it was his fault because he did need help, sometimes you canât lift yourself back up all by yourself, but it was always his decision.Â
Only you can make yourself happy, even if you have friends with you, loved ones, like Jonghyun did, if you donât love yourself, if you donât take care of yourself you wonât be okay. Happiness is a very weird word, right? To me you donât have to feel happy every day. But that doesnât mean you have to feel sad either. Feeling happy is just a moment, it comes and goes because if we were always happy then we wouldnât know we are. If we didnât know what bad times feel like, we wouldnât be able to appreciate good times either. So, in a way bad times are that beautiful thing that comes right before the most enjoyable, pleasurable times of our lives.Â
Perhaps while youâre reading this youâre thinking âbut I could never love myselfâ, âbut I will never feel like thatâ. Well, not long ago I used to think that way so I understand and I can tell you, I can assure you, that you will overcome these hardships. Here are a few things that helped me find a way to love myself, be proud of who I am, take care of my body and mind.
Accepting that it didnât matter how many people liked me, if I didnât like myself I would never be content.
Living alone and making my own decisions. Maybe youâre too young to move out, maybe you donât have a sister or a brother who can let you stay in their house for a few weeks. Donât worry, start by making your own decisions, being more independent.Â
I stopped comparing myself to other people.
Reading this quote:Â
You canât read peopleâs minds and anyway, why would you waste your time trying to? Unless someone outright indicates that they donât like you, assume they know how awesome you are. Stop wasting your time double guessing everyone. And if you ever do sense someone doesnât like you, who gives a fuck? Not your loss, itâs theirs. So stop preemptively worrying about it.
Changing my lifestyle to a healthier one. This means, DOING THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY (this can be going out with your friends, making a blog, singing songs, reading a book, making art, watching a movie, walking outside for ten minutes, looking at the stars, anything that puts a smile on your face).
Accepting that I canât be perfect. I will be the best I can be, I will do things in the best way possible at this time, this moment in my life and thatâs nothing to be sad or mad about. Sometimes you just canât put all your effort into something and thatâs ok. You gave what you gave, you did what you did and thatâs it. In the future youâll do it better, youâll gain more experience.
I stopped spending 4+ hours on my phone/computer. I donât know about you but Internet is my way to avoid and ignore my feelings and problems. If you take that time you and you spend it doing productive things you will feel much better, I swear.Â
I took time to know my body, my face, to understand âmy styleâ. I experimented with clothes, make up and skincare till I found what worked the best for me. It took me a good 17 years lol  Remember that you will not look like the girls you see on Instagram, never. sorry You will look like no one but youself, so like I said before, do not compare yourself to others. What looks good on you may not look good on other people.Â
I found my passion. This took me three years guys, so be patient. Donât beat yourself up if you feel lost, I used to as well. You just have to try as many things you can and youâll eventually come across something you love doing.
I MADE THE DECISION TO BE HAPPY. You have to ask yourself, are you gonna live like this forever? Is it really worth it? Is that who you want to be? If the answer is no, then change. You have the gift of time, take your time to be the one you want to be, the best version of yourself that you can be.Â
I didnât do these things at once, there were moments in my life where all this positive thinking was impossible. I would be depressed for weeks and weeks then I would get better for a little bit and then fall again. But thatâs ok, I got through it. If I did, you can too. You can. Iâm just as special as you are. Even if you have depression or anxiety, these are things that can be controlled, that can be helped. Itâs a process but you need to have the will to change. Even if itâs not always consistent âĽ
If youâre having suicidal thoughts, please please get help. I know you might think it wont work but give it time. Please. If you need someone to talk to, message me, Iâm here.Â
Just in case, here are all suicide hotline phone numbers (x)
Vivir en Corea como estudiante de intercambio por un aĂąo {101}
How to apply to Korean University, English version <<here>>
En Febrero viajo a SeĂşl a estudiar en una universidad coreana a travĂŠs de un programa de intercambio. En este post les voy a contar como apliquĂŠ y cĂłmo ustedes tambiĂŠn pueden hacerlo!
Primero que nada, hay tres formas diferentes de vivir en Corea del Sur como estudiante por un semestre o un aĂąo completo:
Aplicando como estudiante de intercambio
Aplicando como estudiante visitante
Aplicando al programa de idioma coreano de una universidad
Las primeras dos son para todos aquellos que estĂŠn cursando una carrera de cuatro aĂąos (o mĂĄs) en su paĂs natal. Si hacen uno de estos dos programas van a poder tomar clases de coreano y clases sobre su carrera u otro departamento del que tengan interĂŠs (Ejemplo: clases sobre historia de Corea, marketing, danza etc.) La tercera es para aquellos que ya han terminado sus estudios y simplemente quieren aprender el idioma.Â
CuĂĄl es la diferencia entre estudiantes de intercambio y estudiantes visitantes?Â
Los estudiantes de intercambio son aquellos que aplican al programa por medio de su universidad local, siempre y cuando esta tenga un convenio con la universidad de Corea. Cuales son los beneficios? No tenes que pagar el curso ni el alojamiento, simplemente tenes que seguir pagando la cuota de tu universidad local.Â
Por otro lado, los estudiantes visitantes (como yo), debido a que estudian en una universidad que no tiene ningĂşn convenio con universidades coreanas, deben pagar la cuota total del programa y el alojamiento. AdemĂĄs, deben aplicar por su cuenta.
Quiero estudiar en Corea por un aĂąo/un semestre. QuĂŠ hago? Antes que nada, pensĂĄ la idea un par de veces. QuĂŠ significa realmente mudarte a otro paĂs? No quiero asustarlos ni nada! simplemente quiero que estĂŠn seguros de su decisiĂłn. Vivir en otro paĂs, otro continente, por un largo periodo de tiempo significa dejar a tu familia, a tus amigos y convivir con gente que capaz no habla tu idioma y vos no hablas el suyo. Date tiempo para pensarlo. Vivir afuera es una hermosa, increĂble experiencia que te va a dar la oportunidad de crecer de muchas formas, pero es necesario que estĂŠs preparado mental y emocionalmente para aprovecharla al cien por ciento.Â
Ahora, si estas seguro de tu decisiĂłn, tenes que elegir una universidad. {Si ya elegiste una, salteate esta parte}
Corea ofrece una gran variedad de universidades, por lo cual vos te tenes que enfocar en quĂŠ universidad se acomoda mĂĄs a tu personalidad y tus metas. Por ejemplo, yo elegĂ Ewha Womans University porque 1) sus clases de coreano se centran mĂĄs en cĂłmo te desarrollas al hablar en el idioma que en la gramĂĄtica (Ewha cuenta con clases de coreano prĂĄcticas y acadĂŠmicas) 2) ofrecen clases sobre estudios de la mujer 3) fue la primera universidad para mujeres en Corea y la primera universidad en el mundo en ofrecer Ingenieria para mujeres (âĽ) 4) estĂĄ ubicada en un barrio de SeĂşl muy conveniente.
Cuando estĂŠs buscando universidades, recomiendo mirar videos de Youtube. Podes ver cĂłmo son los dormitorios, los campus y hasta podes encontrar informaciĂłn sobre las clases de cada universidad.Â
AcĂĄ les dejo una lista de las universidades coreanas mĂĄs populares y una *pequeĂąa* descripciĂłn de cada una. La descripciĂłn incluye mĂĄs informaciĂłn sobre los programas de Intercambio/Visitantes que los programas de coreano.
UNIVERSIDADES SKY (S: Seoul University; K: Korea University; Y: Yonsei University)Â
Seoul National University {Intercambio} {Visitante} {Programa de coreano}Â
FIN DEL PERIODO DE APLICACIĂN, SEMESTRE DE OTOĂO: 20 de Abril
El campus se encuentra al sur del centro de SeĂşl, por lo tanto estĂĄ lejos de los barrios mĂĄs populares como Myeongdong, Hongdae, Itaewon, Sinchon.Â
Para aplicar como estudiante de Intercambio a SNU, tenes que haber terminado al menos dos semestres en tu universidad local y tener un promedio de 3.00 en una escala de 4.00. SerĂa entre un 80 a un 90 sobre 100.
Para aplicar como un estudiante Visitante, tenes que haber terminado al menos un semestre en tu universidad local.
Los estudiantes Visitantes no tendrĂĄn la posibilidad de aplicar a los dormitorios de la universidad, los de Intercambio sĂ.
El alojamiento en la universidad es barato, entre KRW 456.000 - 762.000
Podes leer experiencias de estudiantes de intercambio aquĂ
Korea University {Intercambio} {Visitante} {Programa de coreano}
FIN DEL PERIODO DE APLICACIĂN, SEMESTRE DE OTOĂO: 15 de Mayo
El campus se encuentra al este de SeĂşl, por lo tanto estĂĄ lejos de los barrios mĂĄs populares como Myeongdong, Hongdae, Itaewon, Sinchon.Â
Para aplicar como un estudiante de Intercambio/Visitante necesitas haber terminado al menos dos semestres en tu universidad local y tener un promedio de al menos 2.5 en una escala de 4.0.
La cuota del curso es barata (KRW 4.000.000)
Yonsei cuenta con cinco tipos de programas de coreano diferentes.
Lee experiencias de estudiantes de intercambio acaÂ
Yonsei University {Intercambio & Visitante} {Programa de coreano}
FIN DEL PERIODO DE APLICACIĂN, SEMESTRE DE OTOĂO: Â 30 de Abril
El campus se encuentra en Sinchon, al oeste de SeĂşl, al lado de la universidad Ewha Womans University. EstĂĄ muy cerca de Myeongdong y Hongdae.
Para aplicar como estudiante de Intercambio/Visita es necesario que hayas terminado al menos dos semestres en tu universidad y tener un promedio de al menos 2.7 en una escala de 4.3.Â
La cuota del curso y el alojamiento son caros (mĂĄs o menos KRW 5.000.000 por la cuota y KRW 1.700.000 por el dormitorio)
Lee experiencias de estudiantes de intercambio aca
+Â Por lo que escuche las universidades SKY, ofrecen clases de coreano que estĂĄn mĂĄs enfocadas en la escritura y la gramĂĄtica, asĂ que si su meta es mejorar esas ĂĄreas del idioma, estas universidades son para vos!Â
++ Otra razĂłn por la que muchos estudiantes eligen las universidades SKY es por las conexiones que podes hacer con gente importante del paĂs.
Ewha Womans University {Intercambio & Visitante} {Programa de Coreano}
FIN DEL PERIODO DE APLICACIĂN, SEMESTRE DE OTOĂO: Â 15 de Mayo
El campus se encuentra en Sinchon, oeste de SeĂşl, al lado de Yonsei University. EstĂĄ muy cerca de barrios como Myeongdong y Hongdae.
Ewha es una universidad de mujeres pero si sos hombre y queres participar del programa de intercambio, podes!
Ewha ofrece dos tipos de clases de coreano: clases prĂĄcticas y clases acadĂŠmicas. Tambien ofrece clases sobre estudios de la mujer.
Para aplicar como un estudiante de Intercambio/Visitante tenes que haber terminado al menos un semestre en tu universidad local y tener un promedio de al menos 2.5 en una escala de 4.0.
La cuota del curso es barata (KRW 4.000.000), el alojamiento cuesta mĂĄs o menos lo mismo que las universidades SKY.
Lee experiencias de otros estudiantes de intercambio acĂĄ
Hanyang University {Intercambio} {Visitante} {Programa de coreano}
FIN DEL PERIODO DE APLICACIĂN, SEMESTRE DE OTOĂO:  30 de Abril (Estudiantes de intercambio) | 31 de Mayo (Estudiantes visitantes).
El campus estĂĄ al este de SeĂşl, cerca del barrio Dongdaemun.
La Universidad Hanyang ofrece tres clases diferentes de Coreano: Nivel introductorio 1, Nivel introductorio 2 y curso Intensivo. Podes leer mĂĄs acerca de las clases haciendo clic acĂĄ.
Para aplicar como estudiante de Intercambio/Visitante tenes que haber terminado al menos un semestre en tu universidad local.
La cuota para estudiantes de Humanidades/Ciencias Sociales es barata, pero las otras ĂĄreas tienden a ser tan caras como las universidades SKY.
Lee experiencias de otros estudiantes acĂĄ.
Hongik University {Intercambio} {Visitante} {Programa de coreano}
FIN DEL PERIODO DE APLICACIĂN, SEMESTRE DE OTOĂO: Â 31 de Mayo.
El campus se encuentra en Hongdae, asĂ que si te encantan los barrios bien concurridos, con mucha vida nocturna, esta universidad es perfecta para vos!
No encontrĂŠ ningĂşn tipo de requerimiento especĂfico en su sitio, si alguien sabe por favor mandenme un mensaje! ^^
El alojamiento es barato pero la cuota es un poco mĂĄs cara que de Ewha.
Chung-Ang University {Intercambio}
FIN DEL PERIODO DE APLICACIĂN, SEMESTRE DE OTOĂO: ---
El campus se encuentra al sur de Seúl, lejos de los barrios mås populares como Myeongdong, Hongdae, Sinchon and Itaewon.
Para aplicar como un estudiante de Intercambio tenes que ser nominado/elegido por tu universidad local y tener prueba de tu habilidad en InglĂŠs (TOEFL CBT Test 197 points or TOPIK Level 3 (o el equivalente)).
El alojamiento es caro.
Lee experiencias de otros estudiantes acĂĄ.Â
Sogang University {Intercambio} {Visitante} {Programa de coreano}
FIN DEL PERIODO DE APLICACIĂN, SEMESTRE DE OTOĂO: Abril 30.
El campus se encuentra al oeste de SeĂşl, cerca de Sinchon, Ewha Womans University y Yonsei.
Para aplicar como estudiante de Intercambio/Visitante necesitas haber terminado dos semestres en tu universidad local.
Sus clases de coreano se enfocan bastante en tu desarrollo al hablar el idioma.
Lee experiencias de otros estudiantes acĂĄ.
Mas programas de coreano acĂĄ.
Podes descubrir mĂĄs sobre las universidades mencionadas en la web de Flying Chalks. Cuentan con descripciones de cada universidad, su ambiente, clases y mĂĄs!Â
Ya elegĂ una universidad. CĂłmo aplico? QuĂŠ necesito?Â
Primero, tenes que juntar todos los documentos que necesitas para aplicar. Cada universidad es diferente, asĂ que asegurate de mirar sus pĂĄginas web, para asegurarte de que no te falte nada. PRO tip: aplicĂĄ temprano! A veces el alojamiento se lo dan a los que aplican primero, asĂ que si queres un dormitorio en la universidad te recomiendo tener todo preparado para la primera semana de aplicaciĂłn.Â
AcĂĄ les dejo una lista de los documentos que seguramente van a necesitar (si aplicas como estudiante de intercambio/visitante!):
Para programas de coreano vas a necesitar solo copia de pasaporte y diploma/transcripciĂłn acadĂŠmica.
Algunos de los documentos que vas a necesitar, como el âHealth Certificateâ (Certificado de Salud) y el âStudent Agreementâ (Acuerdo del estudiante), los vas a encontrar en la pĂĄgina de aplicaciĂłn, al registrarte.Â
*pequeĂąa historia + moraleja* Normalmente, si el periodo de aplicaciĂłn no comenzĂł, no podes crearte una cuenta en la web, por lo tanto tampoco podes descargar algunos de esos documentos que necesitas al aplicar. Estos documentos a veces tienen que ser firmados por tu secretario/a acadĂŠmico/a o rector/a. Por lo tanto, lo mejor que podes hacer es mandar un mail a la universidad de Corea y pedirselos para que te los envien a tu mail. QuĂŠ me pasĂł a mi? EsperĂŠ a que el periodo de aplicaciĂłn comenzara para descargar mi Student Agreement ya que pensĂŠ que solo iba a tener que firmarlo yo (al ser un acuerdo del estudiante). Pero, cuando lo descarguĂŠ me di cuenta de que necesitaba la firma de mi secretaria acadĂŠmica </3 asĂ que terminĂŠ aplicando al programa una semana mĂĄs tarde. AprendĂŠ de mi y por favor por favor pedĂ todos los documentos de antemano, te va a ahorrar tiempo y energĂa âĽÂ
PRO tip: Si tu universidad no tiene convenio con la universidad a la que vas a aplicar, tenes que hacerles saber que tu universidad existe y que tu carrera es de cuatro aĂąos (o mĂĄs). Cuando apliques vas a tener que poner tu universidad, a veces la pĂĄgina tiene una selecciĂłn de universidades y vos no podes escribir la tuya, tenes que seleccionarla de las opciones. Si no conocen tu universidad, esta no va a figurar entre las opciones. Por lo tanto tenes que mandarles un mail con el nombre de tu universidad, demostrando que tu carrera es de cuatro aĂąos (con un plan de estudios o una carta de tu director/a, en inglĂŠs)
RecordĂĄ que tenemos 12 horas de diferencia con Corea. Por lo tanto que si mandas un mail un jueves a la noche puede que no te respondan hasta el lunes.
Tampoco te olvides de que todos tus profesores, tu director/a, secretario/a acadĂŠmico/a y hasta tu doctor/a tienen vidas muy ocupadas, por mĂĄs de que solo necesites que te hagan una firma, puede que les lleve toda una semana hacerlo.
Bueno ahora, si aplicas como un estudiante de Intercambio, no vas a tener que preocuparte mucho sobre aplicar ya que te van a ayudar en tu universidad :). Pero si estĂĄs aplicando como estudiante Visitante vas a tener que buscar todos los papeles vos. PRO tip: pedĂ tu transcripciĂłn de notas/transcripciĂłn acadĂŠmica con meses de anticipaciĂłn, es lo que mĂĄs va a tardar! TambiĂŠn pedĂ un turno con tu doctor/a unas semanas antes, asĂ te puede llenar el Certificado de Salud cuanto antes.
QuĂŠ es un âPersonal Statementâ (DeclaraciĂłn personal)? y un âAcademic Planâ (Plan acadĂŠmico)?
Un Personal Statement es exactamente lo que dice ser, una âdeclaraciĂłnâ de por quĂŠ queres ir a X universidad, por quĂŠ queres vivir en Corea, cĂłmo esto te va a influenciar en el futuro, quĂŠ tenes para ofrecerle a la universidad, etc. Por ejemplo, yo estoy estudiando Profesorado de InglĂŠs. En mi Personal Statement hablĂŠ sobre lo mucho que amo los idiomas y lo importante que es para mi conocer nuevas culturas, que tan vital es para mi conocer el mundo y la sociedad en la que vivimos y mantener la mente abierta. TambiĂŠn expliquĂŠ por quĂŠ querĂa ir a Ewha y no a otra universidad.
Un Academic Plan es un texto pequeĂąo en el que describĂs las clases que te gustarĂa tomar en el programa, cuĂĄntos creditos pensas hacer, etc.
Si queres, podes pedirle a tu profesora de InglĂŠs que lea tu Personal Statement y tu Academic Plan. Si conoces a alguien que pasĂł por un proceso similar a este, tambiĂŠn podes pedirle ayuda a ellos!Â
Ya cuando tengas todos los documentos necesarios, solo tenes que esperar para que empiece el periodo de aplicaciĂłn!Â
PRO tip: Algunas pĂĄginas/portales de aplicaciĂłn funcionan mĂĄs rapido en Internet Explorer, depende de la universidad.Â
Tengo que saber inglĂŠs para participar del programa de intercambio? SĂ. Tu nivel tiene que ser entre intermedio y avanzado :)Â
Tengo que saber inglĂŠs para participar del programa de coreano? No siempre! Depende de la universidad.
Tengo que pagar por aplicar? SĂp, probablemente vas a tener que transferir el dinero al banco de la universidad, normalmente te dan un dĂa o dos para enviarlo luego de haber aplicado.
Voy a necesitar una carta de recomendaciĂłn? Depende en la universidad que elijas. Si la necesitas, recordĂĄ pedirla antes de que empiece el periodo de aplicaciĂłn (lo dije mil veces, lo sĂŠ jajaj).
Si aplicas al programa de coreano no necesitas la carta!
Estoy estudiando inserte-carrera-de-arte, necesito algĂşn otro documento? Es posible que te pidan una copia de tu portafolio o un video, eso lo vas a encontrar en la pĂĄgina de la universidad.
Cuando voy a saber si fui aceptado/a o no? Depende completamente de ellos! Puede que te envien el mail en una semana, un mes o, en el peor de los casos, dos. En mi caso, supe que entrĂŠ a Ewha mĂĄs o menos dos semanas luego de haber aplicado, pero me di cuenta porque entrĂŠ al portal donde apliquĂŠ, no es que me enviaron un mail.
Mis notas no son muy buenas... Me pueden llegar a aceptar igual? SĂ. No te enfoques tanto en tus notas! Si tus notas no son âlos suficientemente buenasâ, ponĂŠ todo tu tiempo y esfuerzo en hacer un Personal Statement increible, que le demuestre a la universidad lo mucho que queres ser parte del programa. Si te da miedo que no te acepten, aplicĂĄ a diferentes universidades, pero no te estreses tanto sobre eso. Eso sĂ, acordate que cuando vayas a Corea vas a tomar clases ahi y puede que el ritmo te resulte muy pesado o dificil, asĂ que si no sos muy estudioso/a *tos* me *tos* intentĂĄ al menos prepararte para eso.
Si aplicas al programa de coreano, tus notas no importan!
El periodo de aplicaciĂłn empieza en nuestro horario o el horario de Corea? No estoy completamente segura pero es probable que empiece en el horario coreano. Es decir, si empieza el 15 de Enero, capaz el 14 de Enero al mediodia ya podes aplicar.Â
Si me aceptan, a quĂŠ clases me voy a poder inscribir? Depende de si sos estudiante de Intercambio o Visitante. Los de Intercambio normalmente tienen que acordar las materias con su universidad local, a veces tienen que hacer materias solo relacionadas a su carrera. Los Visitantes pueden elegir cualquier materia que ellos quieran de todas las carreras que ofrece la universidad.
Es dificil que te acepten? Personalmente, creo que no. Si estas aplicando como estudiante Visitante, estĂĄs pagandole a la universidad para estar en el programa, asĂ que tenes que tener las peores notas del mundo como para que no te acepten. Ahora, si aplicas como estudiante de Intercambio es porque tu universidad te eligiĂł! AsĂ que es muy probable que tambiĂŠn entres al programa.
Si aplicas a los programas de coreano, no te tenes que preocupar por nada, te van a aceptar!Â
Hay becas?
Korea University ofrece becas tanto para Estudiantes de Intercambio como Estudiantes Visitantes, lee>> (xxx).
Seoul National University cuenta con una beca para Estudiantes de Intercambio lee>>Â (xxx).
Chung-Ang University ofrece becas para Estudiantes de Intercambio, lee>>Â (xxx).
Sogang University tiene becas para Estudiantes de Intercambio, lee>> (xxx).
Lamentablemente, no hay otras becas para estudiantes de Intercambio/Visitantes.Â
Las clases las dan en EspaĂąol, InglĂŠs o Coreano? Las clases del programa de Intercambio/Visitante son en InglĂŠs (hay otras en coreano). Igual, a veces los profesores cambian el idioma de sus clases a ultimo momento y terminan dandolas en coreano en vez de inglĂŠs. No te preocupes igual! Siempre podes abandonar las clases e inscribirte a otra.Â
Tengo que hacer clases de Coreano? No, en la mayorĂa de las universidades es opcional pero recomendarĂa que lo hagas, asĂ podes aprender un poco del idioma y vivir allĂĄ de forma mĂĄs comoda :)Â
Eso es todo!
Si tienen mås preguntas envienmelas por ask o por mensaje ⼠Quiero que mucha gente de latinoamerica tenga la posibilidad de hacer esta experiencia, capaz si son mås los que aplican, se implementen mås becas y mås formas de acceder a estos programas!
Iâm happy right now, so Iâm nervous
Because itâs always calm before the storm
I donât want to lose it too quickly
Iâm cheering for love
The young us
We canât see our growth rings
Our eyes are blinded by the bright lights
Sad adults always walk backwards
You, who just passed your Terrible Twenty, look bored
I donât want to lose you too quickly
Iâm cheering for our love
Iâm working on a few things but for now, Iâm posting this amazing song by íě¤, I hope everyone is doing well âĽ
So, Iâve been thinking about making this post for a very long time because I think it might help many of you and to be honest, I wish someone had told me about this earlier. Thereâs no magic product Iâm going to introduce to you guys, thereâs no âleaving out food from your dietâ, none of that.
At the end of the post I will include the products I use and what my skincare routine is.
If you have acne, not because of an allergy, and your acne makes you feel unworthy and self-aware, keep reading.
So, to start I will take you guys back to the time when I had acne, specifically to the worst year of my life (end of 2016 - august 2017). Iâve had acne for about nine years and there were stages where I didnât even think my acne was that horrible thing I had to âget ridâ of immediately and there were other times when I would be so depressed about the way I looked that I wouldnât even go out because I was afraid of what people would think of me. Yep. Iâm sure Iâm not the only one though and thatâs why Iâm making this post.
That year was one where I developed a very significant sense of self-awearness. I disliked myself so much, not only did I not appreciate my skin but my body as well. It was a constant battle between myself.Â
I went to many dermatologists and I was convinced my acne was being caused by the food that I ate. So in order to achieve the âperfect skinâ that I so much desired, I restricted my food. I learned about the âgoodâ and the âbadâ foods, about how you shouldnât eat sugar, dairy and flour because they could be causing your acne. It made sense back then. For example, sugar increases glucose, glucose increases insulin, insulin makes your skin produce more sebum. Voila! Your face is covered in pimples. Well, no, it wasnât like that.Â
What I didnât know was that I was too young to make such a drastic change on my eating habits. Why? because by restricting my food and adopting a negative mindset full of self-hatred and feelings of unworthyness, I was leading myself towards developing an eating disorder, which I did. I started binge eating. Everything that I would tell myself no to eat, I would devour one time every week. Everything that made me feel guilty, I would eat it all and more, even if I wasnât hungry. At first it was something that happened ocassionaly but it slowly got out of control, to a point where I was binging every damn day.Â
Now, you might ask, what the heck does that have to do with acne/your skin?Â
Everything. Every time I obsessed about the way I looked and I restricted my food, my acne got worse. Worse than it had ever been. I was going to the dermatologist and getting all this âgreatâ treatments but nothing was working. I was taking pills but my skin wasnât improving. I was blaming it all on my eating disorder and the food I was consuming. But it wasnât till I stopped all the negative thinking, the obsessing over food, the never-ending mechanism of comparing myself to others, than my skin got better (and my binging ended).Â
What was the real problem? STRESS. You donât need to develop an eating disorder for your skin to get worse though. If you think about your acne or the way you look most of the time, then youâre putting yourself through a lot of stress. If you define your worth by the way you look, if youâre ashamed of yourself then youâre just feeding the cycle more and more. It is a cycle, you know.Â
You look at yourself -> you hate what you see -> stress -> more acne -> you continue disliking the way you look and obsessing over it.
I can bow to you right here, right now, that stress is one of the main acne causes and it was the one thing that made my skinâs condition worse.
Itâs been months since I stopped taking pills, using expensive skincare products and restricting my food and my skin looks amazing. Yes, I do have a few pimples here and there, but when I look at the mirror I love what I see. I donât care if I have a break out anymore because it doesnât matter. I donât define myself by the way my skin looks anymore.
One thing I would like to say is that we have to break the stigma around acne. Why is having acne so bad? Why do we have to beat ourselves up for something that we donât have control over? Something which happens to many people, something natural? Why do we have to get rid of it as if it were the worst nightmare you could ever have? You still look beautiful, with and without acne. Iâm not just saying this. When I stopped obsessing and restricting, my skin didnât clear up overnight. I still had acne but I managed to stop worrying about it, to stop putting myself down when really, it was ok. Having acne is okay! Anyone who doesnât value you because of your skin, is someone you shouldnât waste your time on.Â
So whatâs my advice? donât be like me and STOP comparing yourself. I know this is a hard one because sometimes I still do it. But you should learn to love yourself, see yourself as someone worthy, someone loveable, beautiful. Go step by step, don't expect to feel comfortable in your own skin *pun* overnight, it will take time. In my experience, I started loving myself when I stoped focusing on my physical appearence, when I became more independent, when I proved myself I could do things on my own, achieve my dreams, make things work the way I wanted them to. It's different for everyone but I think investing your time in doing things that you want and make you happy will definately improve your self-esteem. But hey, it is a process, everything is a process really, you just have to be patient.Â
I use sunblocker e v e r y day. Use it, I know you probably think it doesnât make the difference BUT IT DOES. I swear. This one from La Roche Posay is the only sunblocker that my skin absorbs well, it doesnât leave me looking all shiny and itâs not sticky.Â
Since my skin is very oily (I have oily acne prone skin) I donât use moisturizer as much, unless Iâm washing my face with the gel Iâll mention next. The moisturizer I use is also by La Roche Posay and itâs called Effaclar H.Â
I wash my face ONCE a day with La Roche Posayâs Effaclar Gel. When I was obsessing over how my skin looked I used to wash my face twice or thrice a day and I was so careful not to touch it because of germs, omg, I was crazy. You donât need to be so strict!Â
Itâs not the best gel out there because it does dry my skin a bit more than I would want it to. But thatâs why I apply moisturizer after ^^
And now... THE GIFT FROM HEAVEN: Innisfreeâs balancing toner with green tea. Guys, Iâm not saying this will make your acne go away but it does help a bunch. I could see a big difference from the moment I applied it to my face. So yeah, if you ever get a hold of it, buy it, try it, youâll love it.Â
So thatâs all. I was a bit hesitant on whether I should include my brief battle with binge eating but I think we should be able to talk about this issues freely, itâs something that can happen to anyone, there is nothing wrong with you âĽ
I hope this was helpful! If you have any questions about my journey with acne or about the products I mentioned just ask me :)
On the Incheon Airport website you can check which limo buses to take. I recommend taking the 6002 to the Ewha Womanâs University Back Gate because it is closer to the iHouse dorms.
There are small kiosks where you can ask someone for directions to the bus stop if needed.
The bus costs 10,000 one way and there is a clear plastic box by the drivers seat that you slip the money in.
Depending on if youâre going alone or with a few other exchange students, you can write down the bus stop in English and Korean and show it to the bus driver. He should know that that is where you want to go.
The trip takes about an hour.
When you get on the bus the driver will put stickers on your luggage and give you a corresponding label to match so he will know which luggage to take out when you get off.
Yonsei is the stop before Ewhaâs so that is a good indication of when to be alert.
The easiest way to know you are at the right stop is to check for âJessicaâs Kitchenâ which is immediately before the bus stop.
You will then want to press the button to indicate your stop to the driver. The bus should have English announcements before each stop.
This is what the stop looks like.
Once you get off the stop and the driver takes your luggage out for you, cross the street on the left side of the bus.Â
(Walk the opposite direction from the guy in blue in the photo)
From there, you will walk in the same direction as the bus is driving in. The Ewha Back Gate is a few blocks away.
You will want to walk towards the car gate.
If you have your campus map, you can begin to locate where everything is. In the photo the building to the left is the âhak-quanâ and the building on your right is the Ewha Geumnan Junior High School is.Â
There should be signs on campus directing you to different buildings. Keep the campus map handy in case you need to refer back to it but you can try to ask any student nearby for more directions (if they are not shy about interacting with foreigners).Â
The Graduate dorms are near the iHouse dorms.Â
I hope these have been helpful and detailed enough to understand. You can refer to Ewhaâs interactive campus map before your trip to look around and prepare.Â
Feel free to ask more questions for more clarifications.
VERY IMPORTANT INFO if you're going to Ewha this year
Applying to a Korean University 101 {exchange/visiting students}
Heyy guys! Today I bring you a new post, as you can see from the title, Iâm gonna be talking about how you can apply to a Korean University and about my experience applying as a Visiting Student. So, if youâre interested, keep reading!
PLUS I wanna let all my people(?) from South America (and any other non-English-speaking parts of the world) know that you CAN take part on an exchange like this and you shouldnât be afraid to! you CAN study abroad!
First things first. Whatâs the difference between Exchange Students and Visiting Students? The only difference between the two is that Visiting Students will have to 1) apply to the program themselves 2) pay for the program and the dorm on their own. Exchange Students need to go through a nomination period, where they might or might not be selected by their unis to take part on the exchange program. They also donât have to pay the Korean universityâs fee but they do have to pay their home universityâs fee.
I want to study in Korea for a year/a semester, what do I do? The first thing you should do is think about this decision you are about to make. What does moving to another country really mean? Iâm not trying to burst your bubble, donât get me wrong. I just think you should be sure this is really what you want, you will be moving to the other side of the world, away from friends and family, in a country where you might or might not speak the language. If youâre not sure about your decision take more time to think about it, living abroad is an incredible, marvelous experience that will allow you to grow in many many ways but you need to be mentally and emotionally prepared for it. side note: In the worst case scenario, if you get to Korea and you donât like it there, you can always go back home and n o, you donât have to be ashamed or feel guilty about it. It can happen to anyone
Now, if youâre sure of your decision you need to choose a university. {IF youâve already chosen one skip this part!}
Korea has many universities to offer, what you need to focus on is which university fits better to your personality and your goals. For example, the reason I chose Ewha was because 1) their Korean classes seemed to focus more on speaking than grammar (They have both Practical Korean and Academic Korean classes) 2) they offer classes about Womanâs Studies 3) they were the first university for women in Korea and the first university in the world to offer engenieering for women (âĽ) 3) location is perfect.
I recommend watching Youtube videos as well, you can look up dorms, campuses and you can even get information about what classes are like for each university.Â
Here is a list of the most popular Korean universities and a *quick* description based on what Iâve found online.
If you have attended any of these universities and would like to write a short description of your experience for this post, please let me know ^^
Seoul National University {Exchange} {Visiting}
APPLICATION DEADLINE FALL SEMESTER: April 20th
The campus is located south from the center of Seoul so it is a far from popular neighbourhoods like Myeongdong, Hongdae,Itaewon, Sinchon.
To apply as an Exchange student at SNU you need to have finished at least two semesters at your home university and have a GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
To apply as a Visiting student, you need to have finished at least one semester at your home university
Keep in mind Visiting students are NOT offered on-campus housing (Exchange students are).
Housing is cheap, around KRW 456.000 - 762.000
Read experiences from other students here
Korea University {Exchange} {Visiting}
APPLICATION DEADLINE FALL SEMESTER:Â 15 May
The campus is located north east of Seoul, a bit far from popular neighbourhoods like Myeongdong, Hongdae, Itaewon Sinchon.
To apply as an Exchange/Visiting student you need to have finished at least two semesters at your home university and have a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
Cheap tuition (KRW 4.000.000)
Read experiences from other students here
Yonsei University {Exchange & Visiting}
APPLICATION DEADLINE FALL SEMESTER:Â April 30th
The campus is located in Sinchon, west of Seoul, next to Ewha Womanâs University. Itâs very close to Myeongdong and Hongdae.
To apply as an Exchange/Visiting student you need to have finished at least two semesters at your home university and have a GPA of at least 2.7 on a 4.3 scale.
Tuition and Housing fee are expensive (aroud KRW 5.000.000 for Tuition and 1.700.000 for housing)Â
Read experiences from other students here
+ From what Iâve heard SKY universitiesâ Korean classes are more focused on grammar and writing, so if youâre looking to improve said skills, these are the unis for you!
++ Another reason many students choose SKY universities is because of the connections they offer. Since these are the most prestigious universities in Korea, you will have the possibiity to meet very important people. Â
Ewha Womans University {Exchange & Visiting}
APPLICATION DEADLINE FALL SEMESTER:Â May 15th for all
The campus is located in Sinchon, west of Seoul, next to Yonsei University. Itâs very close to Myeongdong and Hongdae.
Ewha accepts only female students to their full-time programs but male foreigners who want to apply to the program are welcome to!
Ewha offers two types of Korean classes: Practical Korean and Academic Korean. Ewha also offers classes on Womanâs Studies.
To apply as an Exchange/Visiting student you need to have finished at least one semester at your home university and have a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
Cheap tuition (KRW 4.000.000), acommodation fee is around the same price as SKY universities.
Read experiences from other students here
Hanyang University {Exchange} {Visiting}
APPLICATION DEADLINE FALL SEMESTER:Â April 30 (exchange) | May 31 (visiting)
The campus is located east of Seoul, near the neighbourhood Dongdaemun.
Hanyang University offers three different Korean classes: Introductory level 1, Introductory level 2 & Intensive course. You can read more about them here.
To apply as an Exchange/Visiting student you need to have finished at least one semester at your home university.
Tuition for Humanities/Social sciences is cheap, but the other areas are as expensive as SKY universities.
Read experiences from other students here
Hongik University {Exchange} {Visiting}
APPLICATION DEADLINE FALL SEMESTER:Â 31st May for all
The campus is located in Hongdae, so if you love partying and busy places, filled with energy, this is perfect for you!Â
I havenât found any specific requirements on their website, if anyone knows please let me know!
Cheap acommodation but tuition is slighly higher than Ewhaâs.Â
Chung-Ang University {Exchange}
APPLICATION DEADLINE FALL SEMESTER: ---
The campus is located south of Seoul, far from popular neighbourhoods like Myeongdong, Hongdae, Sinchon and Itaewon.
To apply as an Exchange Student you must be nominated by your home university and have proof of proficiency in English (TOEFL CBT Test 197 points or TOPIK Level 3 (or equivalent)).
Housing is very expensive.
Read experiences from other students here
Sogang University {Exchange} {Visiting}
APPLICATION DEADLINE FALL SEMESTER: April 30th
The campus is located west of Seoul, near Sinchon, Ewha Womanâs University and Yonsei.
To apply as an Exchange Student or Visiting Student you must have completed two semesters at your home university.
Their Korean language courses focus more on your speaking skills.
Read experiences from other students here
You can also learn more about all of these Korean universities at Flying Chalks website (here). They have descriptions of each one, their surroundings, classes and more!
Iâve already chosen a university. How do I apply? What do I need?
First, you need to get your documents ready. Each university is different, so make sure to check their websites so you donât miss anything. PRO tip: apply early! Sometimes housing is given to the ones who apply first, so if you want a dorm make sure to get your documents ready before application period starts.
Here is a list of the documents you will probably need:
Some of the documents can be found on the application website. When I applied to Ewha I couldnât create an account till the application period started, this means that I had to wait more time to get some of the documents I needed filled up and signed by my universityâs headmistress. PRO tip: e-mail your chosen university and ask them for all the files they provide on the application site (like Student Agreement, Health Certificate, etc)
*quick story time + something to learn from my mistakes* I waited till the application period started to get my Student Agreement form (which you could get if you emailed Ewha, but since I expected I would only have to fill up the form myself, I didnât ask them for it). When I downloaded the file I realized I needed to get the form signed by my Academic Advisor/Headmistress. So I ended up having to wait almost a week to send my application, even though I had all of the other documents ready. So I applied almost a week after the application period started. What does this mean for you? ask for all these documents beforehand, I swear it will save you time and energy ⼠This is even more crucial if youâre applying for a dorm and itâs a âfirst come, first sevedâ basis.
Another PRO tip kid of thing... If your university isnât partnered with the Korean university you chose, make sure to let them know your university exists and the course youâre taking is 4-years long. Ask them wheather you can freely write your universityâs name on your application form or if you can only select your university from the options they provide. If itâs the latter, they wonât have your university on the options because there is no partnership between the two. You will need to send your Korean uni some kind of proof, an official study plan or a statement written by your headmaster/headmistress so they can add you university to the list. Yep, this happened to me </3Â
Remember Korea has a 12 hour difference (if youâre from the North and South America). So if you send an email to your chosen uni on a Thursday night you might not hear back from them till Monday.
Also, keep in mind that all your teachers, your home universityâs staff, headmaster and even you doctor have busy lives lol so even if you need them to sign a piece of paper, it might take them days or weeks to get it done.
Now, if youâre applying as an exchange student you wonât have to worry that much about your application since you will be assisted by your home university. But if youâre applying as a visiting student you will have to get all of the documents listed above yourself. PRO tip: ask for your Academic Transcript as early as you can, this will take the longest! Make sure to request an appoinment with your doctor early as well, so he/she can fill up your Health Certificate form.
What is a Personal Statement? an Academic Plan?
So, those of you who are not from an English speaking country, you might now know what a Personal Statement and an Academic Plan is and how youâre suppose to write one At least that's what happened to me.Â
A Personal Statement is exactly what you read, an statement about why you want to go to x university, why you want to live abroad, how will this experience influence you in the future, what you have to offer the university, etc. For example, Iâm majoring in English Teaching. In my Personal Statement I talked about how much I love languages and how important it is to me to get to know new cultures, how I think it is vital for any future teacher to know the country and the society they live in and keep an open mind. I also explained why I wanted to attend Ewha (and not another university) and how interested I am on the Womanâs Studies classes.Â
An Academic Plan is a small text where you state what you intend to study during your stay, how many credits you will take, what classes are you interested in, etc.
You can ask a teacher to review your Personal Statement and Academic Plan if you want to have some feedback! If you live in a non-English-Speaking country ask your English teacher or anyone whoâs been to a process like this before.Â
After you get all of the necessary documents, all you have left to do is wait for the application period to start.Â
PRO tip: Some application websites work faster and better on Internet Explorer so keep that in mind.
Is there an application fee? Yup! You will probably have to send money to the universityâs bank account and you might have up to two days to do so.
Will I need a letter of recommendation? Depends on the university you choose. If you do, make sure to ask for it a few weeks before application starts.
I major in Arts, do I need to send any additional documents? You might need to send a copy of your portfolio or a video, make sure to check the application requirements.
When will I hear back from the university? It depends completely on them! They might email you in a week, a month or even two. I think heard back from Ewha about two weeks after I applied, I actually didnât get an email from them, I just checked on the application website.
My grades are not that great... can I still get accepted? Yes. Donât focus on your grades! If your grades arenât âgood enoughâ then spend all your time and effort on making an amazing Personal Statement that shows the universityâs staff how much you want to be part of the program. If youâre worried you wonât get in, apply in different universities, but donât stress too much about that! Do keep in mind that when you come to Korea you will be attending classes and depending on the university you choose, they might be hard to follow, so make sure to be prepared for that.
For those of you who have only completed one semester in your home university and are worried you didnât take enough classes in your home uni to apply for the program that was one of my worries donât worry! If the applications requirements are for you to have completed only one semester then thatâs all you need. It doesnât matter if you took one or five classes. You might get accepted even if you took one class.
Will the application period start on Korean time or Western time? Iâm not completely sure but it will probably start on Korean time (Ewhaâs application started in Korean time).
If I get accepted, what classes will I be able to take? It depends on wheather youâre applying as an Exchange Student or a Visiting Student. If you apply as the former, you will have to talk to your Academic Advisor and they will tell you if you need to take certain classes for your specific major. If youâre applying as a Visiting Student you can generally take any class you want of any major you like.Â
Is it hard to get accepted? personally, I donât think so. If youâre applying as a Visiting Student you are actually paying the university to be in the program, so you need to have the worst grades and the worst personal statement not to get accepted. If youâre applying as an Exchange Student and your university has already nominated you, thereâs very little possibility you will not be accepted. Your university wouldnât nominate you just because, there is a reason why. Plus remember your uni has a partnership with said Korean university.
Can I apply for a scholarship?Â
Korea University offers a scholarship for both Exchange and Visiting students, read (xxx).Â
Seoul National University does have a scholarship for Exchange students (xxx).Â
Chung-Ang University offers a scholarship for Exchange students (xxx).Â
Sogang University has a scholarship for Exchange students (xxx).Â
Sadly, there are no other scholarships for Exchange/Visiting students.
Are classes taught in English? Yes but keep in mind that sometimes teachers do choose to give their lessons in Korean even though the class was supposed to be in English. Donât worry though! You can always drop the class. Every university has a âadd/drop classâ period, so you will be able to drop the classes you donât want to attend and join the ones you do.Â
Do I have to take Korean Language classes? No, for most universities itâs optional but Iâd recommend you take them since youâre gonna be living there and knowing the language will make it much easier for you.
Thatâs all! I hope I could help some of you. If you have any questions I couldnât cover in this post please send me an ask and I will answer them as quickly as I can ~
Packing Checklist + Planners for Exchange Students
Hi guys ~ Today I bring you some nice planners and a checklist I made for all of you who are going to Korea and want to make sure youâre organized and bringing everything you need!
I will also be talking a little bit about what to pack for Korea so keep reading âĽ
I love love love planners and making checklists for some weird reason, I honestly donât know if I enjoy more making them or actually doing everything I write in them. I think they are pretty useful, we all get lost or confused sometimes when there are so many things we need to do and remember and we all know that on the D-day, the day we fly to Korea, we will be nervous af so having a checklist is always a good idea. Knowing me though, even if I have a checklist, I am 100% sure Iâm gonna forget something.Â
Ewha Womanâs University version
Checklist here
TO DO list here
Important Information list here
ALL UNIS version
Checklist here
TO DO list here
Important Information list here
Make sure to print them in size Letter, without margins.
Now, letâs talk about that packing checklist.
So, Iâve heard from various people that taking your most valuable posessions (money, ID, passport) with you in a fanny pack is a great idea cause thereâs always a chance you will lose your backpack or your suitcase. But with a fanny pack you donât need to worry (althoughhh *quick story time* a few years ago I was going back home from London and as always, I had to do the check in. So, as I was looking for my passport I realized I couldnât find it anywhere. I spent a good fifteen minutes there, in front of the lady at the counter, looking through my suitcase -taking out all my clothes and stuff- and freaking out because if I couldnât find it I had to go back aaall the way to my guest familyâs house and lose my flight. Luckily, after calling my dad crying, he said (my) seven holy words âDid you look in your fanny pack?â. Yup, I faced palm hard. So donât let this happen to you, guys.)
One of the things Iâve heard many youtubers say about Ewhaâs dorms is that their bed sheets and pillows are so-so. I recommend taking some with you if there is enough space in your suitcase. Otherwise, you can buy them when you get to Seoul but keep in mind homeware is a bit expensive.Â
I also heard many people saying that bringing a photo album and food from your country is great for when youâre feeling a little bit homesick.
If you plan on going to the beach or using Ewhaâs swimming pool, you should definately bring your swimsuit with you!
Make sure to also bring all of your important documents on a folder (& make copies), you never know if youâll need them.
On the backpack section I wrote âNo scissorsâ and âNo nail clipperâ because you canât go through customs with them, unless they are really small.
Ziplocks are a MUST. You will need to put all of your skin care, make up products, bottles and liquids in them. Otherwise you will have to leave your products at the airport </3. Bring extra ziplocks to use on your way back home or if the others break!
Thatâs all for now, guys! I hope you find these planners and the post helpful ⼠If you would like me to do more things/posts like this, let me know!Â
So, if you are like me and you canât help but wonder what bus you will be taking to Ewha, what documents you will be needing, where your dorm room will be, etc. Iâve got you covered. And if youâre just curious or planning on applying to a Korean uni, keep reading! You can find out more about what Ewha has to offer!
Iâve spent a lot and I mean A LOTÂ of time looking up info about Ewha (and living in Korea) because well, I have the tendency to plan things out, I like to know where Iâm going, what Iâm supposed to do, what I need. Donât get me wrong, I love being spontaneous but when it comes to traveling to the other side of the world well... I just donât wanna get lost >.<
Since I know Iâm probably not the only one who feels like this, I decided to make this post, gathering all the info Iâve collected so far. If you want to add something on the list, send me a message!
I think this post can be useful to anyone coming to Ewha this year, even if you havenât been accepted yet.
I plan to make more posts about Ewha and Korea (Iâve also been making some goodies which Iâll mention later!) so if youâre interested, follow me ^^Â
Ewhaâs address:Â 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
How to get to Ewha: there are three ways. Subway, bus and taxi.
The cheapest and best way if youâre carrying a lot of baggage is by bus. You can buy the bus tickets at the ticket booths located at the Arrivals Gate on 1F near Gates 4 & 9 or outside by Gates 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13 or 9C. The buses that go to Ewha are 6002 (which stops at Ewha Womanâs University Station |Line 2|, which is near the main gate) and 6011 (which stops at the back gate and is pretty far from the dorms). The bus ticket is KRW 10.000 and the bus comes every twenty minutes. You will be at Ewha in around an hour and a half!
Here is a description of how to get to the dorms from the main gate, written by @rinadesu: âwhen coming to the main gate, walk straight until you see ECC. It's pretty hard to miss. Next to ECC on the left you'll see a huge flight of stairs to the chapel, walk towards that, but when you see the little statues and a path, turn left, walk straight down and you'll see a really tall building on your left ( you should have walked by the ewha museum at this point). On your right is the elementary school, keep walking like 500m and you're at IHouse.â
If youâre afraid to get lost (btw you wont!) or you donât have that much luggage you can just use the subway. Do not take the Express Train that goes directly to Seoul Station, take the one that goes to every stop (see picture below). Everyone says Korean subways are the best and pretty easy to use, so what you need to know is: when you get to the Hongik University stop you have to transfer to line 2 (the green one) which takes you to the Ewha Womanâs University stop. I suppose there will be two subways at the station, one that goes to Ewha and another one that goes to the opposite direction. MAKE SURE you take the right subway. Donât take the one that goes to Hapjeong. You can see a map of the green line here and you can find out how to use the subway by watching Seoulbotâs video.
Now, rinadesu said: âI wouldn't take the subway unless absolutely necessary. They are constantly packed with commuters, complicated to figure out for a first timer and there's not elevators so you'll be lugging everyone up the loads of stairs yourself. When buying a ticket for the subway, I suggest a one use ticket, and when you get to ewha station, remember to claim your 500 won back from your deposit.âÂ
From first-hand experience I can tell you that carrying your luggage while going up/down stairs is THE WORST thing you could ever do. I mean it, itâs a complete hussle. So, like rinadesu said, I recommend going by bus! Take the 6002 since it drops you off at the main gate, closer to the dorms.
Last option and easiest one is going by taxi. Ewha has provided students with a ânoteâ kind of thing you can give the driver so they take you to the dorms.Â
rinadesu says, âif you're coming from Gimpo, there are English speaking taxi's who are great, extremely cheap, and the drivers are so sweet.â
You can find more info about transportation here.
Where are the dorms?: at building I-HOUSE (International House).
What documents will I definately need? Your Student ID and your passport. I also recommend bringing a copy of your flight tickets, the certificate of admission youâre given this month (or a copy), the letter of acceptance (and a copy), your birth certificate, a copy of your passport.
Dates I should remember?
Where can I buy my T-Money card, food, essentials?: you can do it both at the airport or Ewha. I would definately do all this at Ewha after leaving my luggage at the dorm otherwise it would be a compleeete mess.Â
Food:
Student Cafeteria at the Alumnae Center 1st Floor
Hanwoori Cafeteria at the Hanwoori Hall Basement Floor
E-House at the E-House Bldg.201
Hellen Hall Cafeteria next to the Central library
Starbucks at ECC Basement 4th floor
Thereâs a convenience store at ECC building (Ewha Campus Building, see below) on the basement, fourth floor. At the ECC building youâll find a pharmacy, a T-world shop, a freaking shoes repair shop and even a flower shop, like how extra ???
You can see all of Ewhaâs facilities hereÂ
How can I apply for an Alien Registration Card?: At the ceremony event we will be given info about this but you do need a Certificate of Admission, your passport and your Student ID number. TIP: remember to make copies of your documents (like your passport) just in case!
What about creating a bank account?: Same. At Ewha thereâs a bank called Shinhan Bank, they will let us know how we can make an account there. You donât have to make one if you donât want to. Remember to check how much your bank charges you for making deposits on international accounts (if your family is sending you money). RANDOM TIP: when you use foreign credit cards to withdraw money you will also be charged a fee, whereas if you use a debit card you are not (This can change depending on your bank, so make sure to ask first). BUT Iâve also read it is a bit difficult to find atms that accept debit cards so... itâs up to you to decide which option is better. Â
What else can I find at Ewha? If you are active then youâll be happy to know that Ewha has a gym, a tennis court, a swimming pool and rooms for yoga, dance, jazz etc and even an indoor golf course!
The gym is located at the ECC building on the B4 floor. You do have to pay a monthly fee of KRW 40.000. Opening hours are from 6.30am to 9pm, Monday through Friday, and 9am to 4.30pm on Saturdays. You can also find a gym at the IHouse (where the dorms are) which is free!
The tennis court (itâs free!) is located near Hanwoori Hall. The courts are open to the public from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Tennis lessons are available at a low fee.
The swimming pool is located at the Human Ecology Building. There is an admission fee of KRW 5.000 (so basically, itâs free guys). You can also take swimming lessons!
The fitness room with rooms for yoga, dance, etc. are located at the Student Union building floor B1.
Useful phrases to ask for directions at the airport:Â
To go to the bus stop -> 6002 (or 6011) ë˛ě¤ ě ëĽěĽ ě´ë ěě´ě? if you donât know Korean numbers you can just write the number in a peace of paper, show it to whoever you are speaking to and sayÂ ě´ ë˛ě¤ ě ëĽěĽ ě´ë ěě´ě?Â
To get to the subway -> ě§íě˛ (or AREX, which is the name of the subway) ě´ë ěě´ě? or ě§íě˛ (or AREX, which is the name of the subway) ě´ëťę˛ ę°ě?Â
My flight arrives late at night, what do I do? Well, we have the same problem ma friend. Iâve read that youâre supposed to be at Ewha before office hours end (5 pm) but the office might be opened for a longer period of time on the check-in day. Iâll be at Ewha at around eight/nine so I emailed Ewhaâs staff to let them know and ask whether thereâs going to be someone waiting for me to take me to my room cause booooy, if there isnât... So, I recommend you do the same thing.
Iâm vegetarian, where can I eat? Around Ewha there are a few restaurants which offer vegetarian or/and vegan options. These are: Jyoti Restaurant, ě°ëŚŹě§ěëš (Uri Chip Shik Dang/Our house Restaurant), Aangan Restaurant. You can also check on Happy Cowâs app!
Can I travel outside Korea during my stay? If you have a âone-entryâ visa you canât. This means you need to get an Alien Registration Card in order to go in and out of the country as many times as you want. The process takes about two weeks (depending on how many students request it.
Are there any Facebook groups for incoming Ewha students? YES! here & here.
Check out the notes on this post for more tips from rinadesu!
I will be updating this post whenever I get new info! I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions please ask me and I will try to answer them.
Yeah but ballet and ěĽęľŹ are Korean taught classes. ěĽęľŹ is a traditional Korean drum.
I figured! Maybe if I stay there for both semesters I can take up one of those classes in Winter, since my Korean is gonna be much better then. Oh I didn't know it was called ěĽęľŹ, I think the Korean embassy in my city offers some classes
It was fun but I was really lazy haha I'm going back in Feb. Are you planning on taking Korean?
You're going back? So lucky! And don't worry about being lazy, I know the feeling hahaha. I'm a professional procrastinator đYeah, I wanna take Practical Korean, I'm trying to get to level 2/3 before going there. Did you take Korean classes?
Class registration for all the exchange and visiting students at Ewha this semester was on the 29th Aug. Or at least it was supposed to be on the 29th. Somehow Ewha messed it up and class registration was already open on the 27th which was a pleasant surprise for those who managed to see this in time and register for their classes before anyone else, including me. I didnât know about this until I was about to put up a wish list the night before and it told me that I was now registered to one of my classes. I tried it with all the other ones and was successfully able to register to all of them. So yeah, so much for being all stressed out over class registration. Here is my schedule for this semester (Iâm also taking an online class, âSocial Policy and Genderâ):Â
The whole process is done through the Ewha portal (not the one you use for your online application) and even though it might seem complicated at first itâs not that difficult really. They will explain it to you during the orientation and you will also receive the handbook with all the instructions on how to do it. Some advice though:
Obviously be quick as fxck. The most popular classes will fill up within seconds.
USE INTERNET EXPLORER FOR GODâS SAKE! Yes it sucks but thatâs just how it is. And make sure you have all the stupid plugins installed too (again, pain the butt but yeah). Try other browsers if you want to but honestly I wouldnât wanna risk it if I were you.Â
Make a wish list!
Make sure you actually put the right classes! Double check! And if possible you should do a mock up schedule like the one above because it definitely makes planning everything so much easier.Â
Some of the classes will NOT be in English even though itâs on the list. Stupid I know but I have met a lot of students this semester who thought their classes would be in English only to find out that itâs actually in Korean instead.Â
If you are planning on taking the Korean language classes be aware that they are Mon-Thu, period 1-2, aka you will have class from 8 am to 10.45 am.
Ewha students need to have at least 9 credits/semester and are allowed to have up to 18 credits/semester but make sure you ask your home university how many credits YOU need to take. Like in my case I need to have 15 credits/semester in order to be considered a full time student in Sweden so I can receive my student aid.
Lectures are mandatory here in Korea. Most professors only accept 3 absences before they will fail you except for Korean classes where you are allowed to miss up to 9 classes.Â
Today I planted my first flower ever. I actually transfered the daisies I bought at the flower market to this pot I already had in my house. I think I did it wrong though cause they are withering a bit, BUT it might just be the sun exposure/change/etc.Â
I feel so happy today, I wish I could feel like this forever. I think the only way to keep this up is to keep doing the things that help me be the person I want to become. We come into the world and sometimes we lose track, we end up being this distorted version of ourselves but we c a n change. Believing you canât change is just giving in to the negative thinking that draws you down. Why can someone else achieve their dreams but you canât? There is nothing wrong with you or me or anyone.Â
Today I made a list of the things the âimprovedâ version of myself would do or would be like. Confident, caring, determined, independent, weird (being weird is not wrong, man!), healthy, Iâd be ironic and sarcastic like I always am too. I made a promise to myself that from now on Iâd do everything I could to base my decisions on this idea only. I will probably make a few mistakes before getting used to this âlifestyleâ but habits do change at some point. I hate the phrase âold habits die hardâ, I feel like sometimes we say it to ourselves to justify why we âcanât changeâ but its bs, changing habits takes time but itâs by no means impossible. Youâre not the same person you were two years ago, which means two days, two weeks or two years from now you wonât be the same person youâre today.Â
ě°ëŚŹë ěśě ëëśëśě 머댏 ěěě ě°ë¤.
ęą°ę¸°ę° ë¨¸ëŹ´ëĽ´ę¸° ě˘ě ęłłě´ ëëëĄ íëź.
You live most of your life inside your head.
Make sure itâs a nice place to be.
Sorry for the break last week - it was Korean Thanksgiving (Chuseok) so I went down to Daegu to spend the break with my extended family. There was so. Much. Food.Â
Anyhow, while deciding what to write about this week, I realized I never really talked about Ewhaâs history and legacyâŚwhich is a shame considering Iâve been posting about the school for over a year now.Â
Mary F. Scranton
Long, long ago, (AKA 1886 - this is why a lot of Ewha clothes/gear have just 1886 written on them), an American missionary by the name of Mary F Scranton began teaching women from her home in Jeong-dong, Seoul. It was then called the Ewha Hakdang (traditional Korean-style school), with the name âEwhaâ, meaning âpear flowerâ, being bestowed upon Scrantonâs small establishment by the then-Emperor Kojong in 1887. It was the first modern educational establishment for Korean women at the time.
Ewha began with only one student,  but  by 1925 finally became Ewha College with established courses and different majors, and went on to be the first institute of higher education for women in Korea.
Those arenât the only firsts, however. Ewha, after its move to its current Sinchon campus in 1925-1945, became the first government-accredited four-year university in Korea in 1945. This was the same year that Korea obtained independence from Japanese occupation during World War II.
Time went on, and Ewha continued to claim even more firsts - establishing the worldâs first engineering college for women in 1996, being the first in Korea to offer womenâs studies courses (in an otherwise very conservative time and country), and so forth.
For these reasons, itâs deeply ingrained in Korean people that Ewha is by far the leading Womenâs university in not just Korea, but also on an international scale. Iâm proud to say that Iâm a student of Ewha, Â because it does a fantastic job of empowering Korean (and all) women. Weâre taught to be fearless and unafraid of limitations or disadvantages we might experience elsewhere. It is in this mentality that itâs called Ewha Womans Univerity, rather than Womenâs, to honor the university founderâs belief that every individual woman is worth respecting, rather than lumping them all under one word, âWomenâ. It may not make sense grammatically, but symbolically, I think itâs an honorable tradition.
Ewha Womans University Archive Building
When I first came to Ewha, I didnât care too much for my universityâs history. I felt Iâd exhausted my loyalty and fervor for my school legacies when I was at UNC, but after coming to Ewha and visiting the Ewha Archive Building (on the way up to the Hanwoori Dorms), I was blown away by the sheer historical importance of this school. During wars and eras when women didnât have the opportunities weâre so easily given today, Ewha was a testament to the belief that women deserved equal educational opportunities, empowerment, and the opportunity to flourish.
I sound so ridiculously patriotic in this post, Â but trust me, it took me two years of studying here to slowly build up this much love for my university in Korea. Not all aspects are perfect about Ewha, especially today with disputes between the student body and the administration, but we fight for what we think is right for this school that provides such opportunities for us.
Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery
Before I end, I wanted to just mention a somewhat related personal anecdote! This last year, I had to visit the Yanghwajin Foreign Missionaryâs Cemetery for a class. I went without expecting much from a cemetery, but was surprised when - behold - it was absolutely beautiful, and actually had a tombstone honoring none other than Mary Scranton herself, in addition to Yonseiâs founder, Underwood, and other influential foreign missionaries. I stood in front of her grave for a while, silently thanking her for what she did for higher education in Korea, humbled by this small yet meaningful trip.Â
Mary Scrantonâs TombstoneÂ
I hope you enjoyed this long post, and Iâll post again next week~ Thanks for reading!!
