Yonsei University

Since its creation in 1885, Yonsei University has been synonymous with international education and exchange in Asia. As the most internationalised and liberal institution of higher learning in Korea, Yonsei enjoys by far the longest history of international education in Korea with the most extensive network of exchange partners worldwide. Exchange students at Yonsei University have the opportunity to receive the best international education in Asia through its globally renowned faculty and innovative and extensive curriculum, with over 1,200 courses taught in English.

Yonsei University is particularly fortunate to be situated in a spacious, quiet, and well-wooded environment with a mountain, located just inside the centre of Seoul's metropolitan area.  

Available exchanges

Yonsei University hosts the University-wide exchange.

Restrictions

  • Certain subject areas are competitive or restricted and entry is subject to meeting strict prerequisite study requirements, as well as available space.   
  • Securing enrolment in Computer Science courses is highly competitive, and the availability of these courses is limited.
  • Business courses are restricted to Business majors only. 
  • Courses offered by Underwood International College are available to exchange students on a 'space available' basis, after Yonsei students have completed enrolment. Courses offered at the Songdo International Campus are not available.  
  • Courses in the following areas are restricted, and not available to exchange students: Medicine / Dentistry / Nursing / Pharmacy, Music, MBA, Law, and Global Leadership Division.
  • In addition to the restricted areas, Yonsei is not suitable for: Divinity/Religious Studies, Classics, Economics, and Computer Science. 

Your responsibilities 

  • The information provided here serves as a guide.
  • It is your responsibility to research whether the partner provides appropriate courses for your degree programme.
  • Even if there are no restrictions on your degree subject, this does not mean that there are appropriate courses for you.

Selected courses are taught in English at this institution. Students looking for English-taught courses should carefully review course availability, to ensure a full English-taught course load is available in their degree subject. This is particularly important for students of subjects with specific academic degree requirements. Expand 'Course information' below for further guidance. 


Courses in the following faculties are available to exchange students: 

  • Liberal Arts    
  • Commerce and Economics    
  • Business (only open to students majoring in Business at their home institution)
  • Science    
  • Engineering    
  • Life System    
  • Theology
  • Social Science
  • Human Ecology
  • Sciences in Education
  • Korean Language (KLI)
  • Underwood International College: Common Curriculum (Sinchon Campus), UD-Comparative Literature and Culture, UD-Economics, UD-International Studies, UD-Political Science and International Relations, UD-Life Science and Biotechnology (Courses offered at the Songdo Campus are unavailable.  Exchange/Visiting students will be given access to UIC course enrolment on a space available basis after Yonsei students finish their enrolment.)

More information on courses can be found below:

Yonsei course Information

For detailed information on courses, please refer to the website and the guideline available for download. Please be aware that there may not be an up-to-date course catalogue currently available. Please use the information available as an indication of what you could study on exchange. 


Guaranteed accommodation?

No

University accommodation

Students interested in staying at on-campus housing must submit a separate online housing application. The International House (female only) and SK Global House accept applications from exchange students. Rooms will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. 

For more information, please refer to the below:

Global One-Stop Service Center

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE - INTERNATION HOUSE

SK GLOBAL HOUSE - INTERNATION HOUSE

Private accommodation

If you do not secure a place in University accommodation at Yonsei, you will be responsible for sourcing your own private accommodation. The Global One-Stop Service Center offers advice about securing off-campus housing at the link below:

Global One-Stop Service Center


How much it will cost to go on exchange to Yonsei University?

You will need to consider establishment costs, which may include buying furniture, paying a rental bond, and setting up electricity, gas and mobile phone accounts. Other expenses, such as visa and medical fees (see ‘Health insurance’, below), as well as return airfares, should also be considered. Students are advised to research the cost of living in South Korea, and remember that exchange rate variations may also affect your budget. 

Students who are non-OECD nationals may be required to have some admissions documents apostilled.  Students are responsible for meeting the cost of this service. 

Yonsei provides an estimated budget per semester in its factsheet, which you can view under 'Partner factsheet', below.  Please note that these figures are estimates.  Living costs will vary depending on your lifestyle.

Visa considerations

You should expect to pay a processing fee to obtain your study visa for Korea.  Visa requirements can vary depending on your nationality.  

Health insurance  

All students must own health insurance that covers the period of their stay in Korea. Proof of health insurance must be submitted to Yonsei University. Students will not be officially registered at Yonsei until proof of health insurance has been uploaded to the application system.

In addition, all students in Korea with a student visa (D-2) will be required to purchase Korean National Health Insurance. The estimated cost is 50-60 USD per month. 


Yonsei's academic calendar can be viewed at the link below:

Yonsei University academic calendar 


Yonsei has provided the following documents for prospective exchange students.


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