Are you a fan of K-pop music and considering moving to Korea to learn the language? Or do you want to study Korean in Korea because you love its ancient culture? Nowadays, learning a new language may seem easily accessible via online courses or mobile apps, but if you really want to study in depth, this route is not always the most effective one. Korean is a complex language with a different alphabet and grammatical structure from English. This is why it is ideal to study in Korea – you can embrace the customs and traditions of Korean society while getting the most out of learning Korean. This article will explain the best place to start!
Language programmes in Korea
Korean language programs in South Korea are offered at universities or private schools, and you will first have to choose the type of school that best suits your needs. Let’s see what options there are.
Studying Korean at universities
Unlike other foreign countries where language courses are run by public schools, the best Korean courses in Korea take place at universities. Korean universities, in fact, offer language courses in the foreign language department, and they are open to anyone who wants to study the language intensively.
Korean language courses at universities run from Monday to Friday, for four hours a day, and are usually divided into trimesters of 10 weeks each. Average class attendance and grade point average are crucial for continuing the course in the next term (and level). This is why university courses are made for those who want to devote themselves fully to their studies.
Go! Go! Hanguk collaborates with some of the best universities in Korea. We can help you with the enrollment process at Konkuk University, Hanyang University, Dongguk University and Sejong University in Seoul. In Busan we partner with Silla University and, for those who wish to avoid the big cities, in Daegu we work with Yeungnam University.
What is special about the language programmes run by the universities is that you can make full use of the school facilities. You can access the canteen, join clubs and extra-curricular activities, use the library and make friends with Korean students at the university. In addition, once you arrive in Korea, universities offer full support with visa renewal and provide many student services, for example, assisting with opening a bank account in Korea, or purchasing health insurance.
Studying Korean for a few weeks at Lexis Korea
Lexis Korea offers Korean language courses as well. However, as a private school, they cannot guarantee a student visa. Programs offered by Lexis are low-intensity courses for those who want to have a short study experience in Korea. Lessons at Lexis are flexible, which means you can even sign up for a one-week course, and the price is calculated per week.
New courses begin every Monday regardless of your starting level, and you will get plenty of free time to explore Korea after class.
The school has one campus in Seoul and one in Busan. They offer various types of affiliated accommodation (mini studios, homestay, service apartments, etc.). Contact us to find out more.
Choosing accommodation
Korean universities provide their students with on-campus accommodation. These are dormitories, with double or private rooms, often with an en-suite bathroom. Dormitories are particularly convenient, in terms of the distance from the campus and their affordable prices. Staying in a dormitory is not, however, compulsory. If you opt for other options, Go! Go! Hanguk will help you find the right accommodation. We have a wide choice of share houses, mini studios and homestays, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you need help with accommodation in Korea. In the meantime, if you are interested, you can check out our accommodation page, and read more on student life in a dormitory.
Cultural immersion
Studying Korean in Korea has the advantage of being able to practise the language on a daily basis. You can practise what you learnt from the books by going to the supermarket or to any event with friends after class.
Most university programmes organise cultural activities that are open to everyone, such as cooking classes, karaoke competitions (noraebang) and K-pop dance classes, or short excursions. These cultural programmes aim to bring gyopos (i.e. Koreans who have lived abroad) together with foreigners from Europe or South-East Asian countries. Koreans of various ages actively participate, with whom you will have the opportunity to establish lasting friendships and have support during your study period in Korea.
By living in Korea, you will have the opportunity to learn the Korean language as it is used by the locals, or to delve into idioms and everyday expressions. If you make friends with Koreans, you will also learn to use slang! And don’t forget that Korea is the home of K-pop; you could attend live concerts of K-pop music and meet your favourites in person! At noraebangs, you will have the opportunity to sing your favourite songs, leaving your new Korean friends in awe.
If you want to study in Korea for a short period while having a full experience of Korean language courses and cultural activities, we recommend our study trips. Click here to see the available trips.
What is the first step to studying Korean in Korea?
The first thing to do when you want to study Korean in Korea is to choose a language school. The teaching method among various schools is quite similar, but the difference lies in the intensity and pace of the lessons. They are all courses of 20 hours a week, divided into four hours a day from Monday to Friday. Classes are in Korean and there are no classes conducted in other languages, but at each university there is always a staff member who speaks English. Should you have any doubts or questions, you can always seek help from them.
Once you have chosen your school, the enrollment process begins. The required documents and application procedures depend on the duration of the course you choose, as well as the school itself, so contact our staff to find out how to proceed and what visas are available for you to study in Korea.
Courses at universities start every March, June, September, and December (except at Silla University, where new intakes are in March and September only). Courses start from a minimum of 3 months to a maximum of 2 years, and the programme follows the language knowledge and skills required in the various levels of the TOPIK (official Korean language exam).
Enrollment deadlines can be found on the homepage of Go! Go! Hanguk or on each university’s website. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about enrollment or courses!
If you can’t go to Korea, but you’re serious about learning the language, sign up for our online Korean courses in partnership with Hanyang University and Dongguk University. Click here for information and details.
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Keep following the Go! Go! Hanguk blog to learn about various aspects of Korean culture.