International Student Welcome Packet

South of Seoul volunteers would like to welcome you to South Korea. Deciding to move to Korea as a student may bring both a mix of joy, excitement, fear, and sadness. Some of our volunteers have also studied in Korea and relate to the stress and struggle to find the right information at the right time.

What types of students study in South Korea?

As an international student in South Korea, you may meet other students studying in:
  • International high schools
  • Bachelor's programs
  • Master's programs
  • Doctorate's programs
  • Certificate programs
Since international students choose to study in Korea due to different reasons, information in this International Student Welcome Packet may apply to different levels of education or different visa types.

Does everyone have the same experience in Korea?

Each international student experiences life in Korea from their own social/cultural lens. Such lenses may be based on their country of origin, health care needs, culture, race, Korean language ability, location, and so much more. This means that each educator may experience Korean life in different ways unique to them. South of Seoul volunteers seek to provide information that can be easily emotionally accessed and viewed through a variety of social/cultural lenses. We do this in order to support the international student community with empathetic and equitable information.

What’s in a Virtual Welcome Packet?

South of Seoul volunteers compiled a Student Virtual Welcome Packet to help with this transition. Such a virtual welcome packet for international students includes information regarding commonly asked questions or shared experiences:
  • Health Care
  • Visa compliance
  • Housing
  • Hobbies
  • Community building
  • Mental health support
  • Types of educational programs available
  • University information

Where does this welcome packet information come from?

South of Seoul volunteers compile lists of commonly asked questions from a cross-section of ex-pat-focused Facebook Groups and personal interviews. We then review the information available online and contact the appropriate government agencies to confirm, clarify, and verify the information. After researching the information, we create blogs that address the information needed in the educational community. That said, South Korea uses an agile government model which means information may change quickly and with minimal notice. Always confirm and cross-reference information between sources.

Will I read this information once and have the best life in Korea ever?

Absolutely not. As previously mentioned, each international student brings their own social/cultural lens. Such lenses may impact such things as 1) the perception of information included in blog articles, 2) the meaning of interactions and experiences in daily life, and 3) perceptions of how information, interactions, and experience relate in life. South of Seoul volunteers HIGHLY recommend reading each of these blog articles more than once over time. Such articles provide readers with a great deal of insight which it might take time to relate to. For example, read the SOS blogs before arriving in Korea and then a month after arriving in Korea. Different information will become important during those times.

I read all the blogs but I still have questions!

If you have ideas for blogs that need to be added to this list, feel free to let us know in the comments or message us at southofseoul@gmail.com.

Where can I find all of South of Seoul’s information?

Download the South of Seoul app! We have designed an app specifically for international residents living in South Korea with a focus on Pyeongtaek and the surrounding areas. After you read these blogs the app will take your life to the next level. Click on the Google Play or App Store icons.

International Student Welcome Packet Articles

Trust us, international students need the information in the following blogs.