Mobility specification

Country:South Korea

Institution:Ewha Womans University

City:Seoul

Program:ISEP Exchange

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2025/2026

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Science

Study level abroad:Master

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?manageable

Are your credits converted?yes

Can you give an example?One course at a Korean university was usually worth 3 Korean credits = 5 ECTS.

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?In my case, the teaching was much less discursive than I am used to at MUNI. At MUNI, professors at least try to keep students' attention with questions to the plenary. I didn't encounter this in Korea at Ewha (except at Yonsei, where I went voluntarily just to peek). Korean students are shy and especially afraid to speak in English, so they are often afraid to communicate, and I had several professors independently confirm this. If Korean professors want to win students over with anything, I think it's their life stories. They like to tell them.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?The orientation day was super informative and everyone there was helpful. We received several emails about volunteering to tutor English or helping out at a camp for North Korean refugees. I signed up for the Ewha Peace Buddy program, which worked by having one Korean Buddy receive a group of students. Unfortunately, the Buddies would organize things like lunch for the foreign students and we would meet other Korean Buddies and their students, so we ended up talking to the foreign students in English and them in Korean and they didn't try very hard to connect us. At the same time, the Ewha Peace buddy program held several events during the semester. The opening and closing ceremonies were super organized, but the rest were not so hilarious. There were really few events and I was quite disappointed that there weren't more (in comparison, I knew students from other Korean universities and they had events almost every week, they even went on trips, organized different games for international students, etc.).

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Psychological counseling

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:8000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Korean National Insurance (about 2000 CZK for 2 months and I got my bill even 3 times). Opinions vary as to whether one would get some sort of penalty if they didn't pay and I preferred to pay. Because if you ever want to go back to Korea, there could be a problem with that. And from my experience with the healthcare system there, it was better to have proof that you have Korean national insurance if you needed emergency treatment. I also expected to get an exemption from reimbursement due to the extensive ISEP insurance. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. I would recommend that you investigate thoroughly.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Street food>> some Michelin restaurants are not expensive at all. The most expensive will probably be European food :( when you miss your home country, you'll pay extra. The convinience stores take advantage of the 1+1/2+1/3+1 free events. I heard that ordering cheap through Coupang is also worthwhile, but I didn't take advantage.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?with gestures

How does public transport work in the city?runs like clockwork

And what about transport outside the city?runs like clockwork

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?I've always traveled around Korea on buses. Trains were more expensive, but faster.
All connections can be searched via Naver maps.
You can also buy tickets through Klook, but it will be cheaper at the ticket booth. But again, you run the risk of the connection being sold out.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?yes

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?I've seen better

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Seoul has several districts, each quite specific - for nightlife, definitely Myeondong and Hongdae. For cafes and a nice traditional atmosphere, Insadong, Bukchon Hanok Village. Then, of course, the Han River and the parks adjacent to the river are the best spark from the cycling saddle, as there are plenty of wonderful bike paths. And Lotte Tower - the 6th tallest building in the world.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Busan, Seoraksan National Park, Bukhansan National Park

Share your best experience:There are several of them, but I think my most beautiful experience in Korea was the day I tried wearing their traditional hanbok all day. Which came with my hair and makeup. I think the most beautiful place I visited was the Korean island of Jeju and from there I took a ferry to Udo Island, which is beautifully colourful and its beaches were like something out of a dream.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?yes

Where can it be arranged?Korean Embassy in Prague

What is needed?14 documents that need to be delivered to the embassy (including your passport) and picked up at the embassy. All on the embassy website, subject to change. At the same time prepare the fee in USD cash.

How long does it take approximately?It took about 2 weeks to process.

How did you get to the place?Plane

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?The journey is long so think about being comfortable. And do more research if you have a transfer, I did a transfer in China and was surprised at how really detailed the immigration check was.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?All-weather clothing, I experienced all seasons during the fall semester except spring. Specialties from Bohemia to give away as gifts. Possibly some brochures, pamphlets, souvenirs from my hometown, university town. Find out if the host university provides bedding. I knew there wouldn't be any and decided to buy everything on the spot.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?An unforgettable experience that you won't regret, because when will you get to experience such a different culture again?