Drexel in Korea: Seoul National University
SNU was established in 1946, and is one of Asia’s top universities. There are 16 colleges, 66 research institutes and 6 graduate programs. 20,000 undergraduates and 11,000 graduate students are enrolled at SNU. A globally focused institution, SNU welcome about 600 exchange students each year, and offers a wide range of student support services.
The Drexel exchange program with Seoul National University (SNU) is open to all Drexel students. Students are immersed into Korean education and culture as they take courses with local Korean and other international students, at the country’s most prestigious university. Located in Seoul, the capital of Korea, students have the opportunity to explore both ancient traditions and a high-tech modern metropolis.
- 3.0 minimum GPA
- KOR 101 language requirement
- Sophomore, Pre-Junior, or Junior
Course Availability
Classes at SNU are taught in both English and Korean. Students must complete Korean 101 in order to apply for this program. However, you are encouraged to continue your language studies as course options are greater with an advanced level of Korean.
Use the
Course Catalog to search for SNU classes. Follow the directions below.
- The initial page is in Korean, but you can find the “English” tab on the right top of the page
- Click "Course Search" tab to for courses offered in English using the "advanced search" tool, checking the "English Lecture" box
- Set Year and Semester to better search for courses offered in your proposed study period. (1st semester = Spring semester, March-June; 2nd semester = Fall semester, September-December)
- As you click a title of a course on the search results screen, a new window will pop up and you can find specific details and information on the course. There is a “syllabus” tab and you can download a file there.
- If a syllabus is not available, then you need to contact a department office directly. Contact information can be found here.
Students participating in the program are asked to complete an academic pre-approval form. For this form, we ask you to review the course offerings at the host institution and discuss with your academic advisor which courses are best suited for your plan of study. You must obtain approval by the appropriate department for each course you plan to take abroad. For example, if you want to take a sociology course at the host institution for Drexel credit, its equivalent must be pre-approved by the Sociology Department at Drexel. Students are encouraged to elect 8-10 courses on the pre-approval form in case there are scheduling conflicts, or your top choices are not available.
Course Equivalencies
This is a list of
pre-approved SNU courses. These are courses Drexel students have taken at SNU before, which means you do not have to go through the course approval process again. However, you must still complete the pre-approval form. Please note there is no guarantee that pre-approved courses will be offered in the future.
Grading
Students are taught and graded by Korean faculty at SNU. Grades are noted as "CR/NCR" on their transcript and will NOT affect their GPA. In order to receive CR students must earn the equivalent of a "C" or above at the host institution. Students may take up to 17 credits while at SNU. The goal is to be a full time student at the host institution while also taking the equivalent of a fulltime credit load at Drexel.
SNU operates on a semester system. Click here for the
academic calendar.
Fall Semester Dates and Itinerary (Semester 2)
| Program Start Date |
Early September |
| Program End Date |
Mid December |
Students will need to leave spring/summer co-op a few weeks early to arrive at SNU in time for orientation.
Spring Semester Dates and Itinerary (Semester 1)
| Program Start Date |
Early March |
| Program End Date |
Mid June |
Students will need to leave fall/winter co-op three weeks to one month early to arrive at SNU in time for orientation.
The Gwanak campus is the main campus of the SNU. Exchange students are able to apply for the Kwanaksa (Gwanak campus dormitory), but it is not guaranteed that you will get a room. Off-campus housing is available around the campus. It is the students’ own responsibility to find accommodation outside campus.
A student visa (D-2) is required to study in Korea if a student is not of Korean nationality. In most cases, students can acquire their D-2 visa easily when they present their Certificates of Admission issued by SNU to the relevant passport officials in their home country. Please contact your nearest Korean Embassy or consulate for more detailed information on the visa application process.
Please refer to the following two links for more information:
Exchange students are allowed to work on campus for 20 hours a week.
Program Costs
This is a Drexel sponsored program, thus all of your Drexel tuition and financial aid remain the same during your term abroad. For additional program costs, such as housing, visa, and other expenses, please consult the budget sheet.
Scholarships
If you receive Federal Work Study, consider applying for the Study Abroad Online Journalist work study position. The application is available to students after acceptance into the program.
To seek additional funding, review the Scholarship & Funding Opportunities. Remember that scholarship deadlines may be much earlier than study abroad deadlines, so plan accordingly. Students may also want to submit a revised budget to the Financial Aid Office to see if additional funding may be available.
- Students who receive Federal Pell Grant should apply for the Gilman Scholarship. Awards up to $3,000 for U.S. citizen undergraduate students that receive the Federal Pell Grant.
- Students going on this program are eligible to apply for the PaCIE and The Asia Institute’s joint scholarship. Awards up to $1,000 to support students seeking to participate in global learning experiences in Asia.
- Students going on this program are eligible to apply for the Freeman-Asia scholarships. Awards up to $5,000 for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
