Seoul, the capital, has recovered from the devastation of the Korean War to become a bustling and sophisticated commercial center. There are, however, still many glimpses of its past, including royal palaces, markets, museums and traces of the ancient walls. Seoul has been the nation's capital since 1394 and is still laid out in the traditional square pattern adopted by many Chinese cities. The city was encircled by 16km of high walls, and when it was threatened all nine gates were closed. Four of the gates still remain.
A tour of ancient and modern Seoul includes a visit to Changdokkung Palace, which has been used for royal functions since the 17th century and is now a listed UNESCO World Heritage site. The main gate to the palace is believed to be the oldest in Seoul. Adjoining the palace are the Secret Gardens, a picturesque area of lakes and woodland which was once a retreat for members of the royal family. The UNESCO-listed Chongmyo Shrine, a wooded garden containing the royal ancestral tablets of the Choson Dynasty, is also worth a visit; one of Korea's interesting ceremonies takes place there on the first Sunday in May, when an annual Confucian ceremonial rite is celebrated in public.
Toksukung Palace was once a royal villa, but is now the Museum of Modern Arts, while Kyongbokkung Palace, which dates back to 1394, was burned during the Japanese invasion of 1592 and was left in ruins until 1868, when it was rebuilt. The grounds house many of Korea's most historic stone pagodas and monuments. The Great South Gate of Seoul, called Namdaemun, is regarded as Korea's foremost national treasure. It was built in 1448, but had to be repaired after the Korean War.
Seoul's Pagoda Park commemorates the spot where the Korean Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in 1919; the park was designed as a setting for the huge Wongak-sa Pagoda, built of marble and granite. A good viewpoint is Namsan Mountain in the middle of the city. On the top is the Seoul Tower, a TV transmitter with an observation deck, which has spectacular views extending west to Inchon. Other spots for city sightseeing include the Octagonal Pagoda, built in 1348, and the East Gate Market Place; and the Everland leisure complex, which consists of three theme parks - 'Festival World' (offering flower festivals and a zoo), 'Carribbean Bay' (a gigantic theme water park) and 'Speedway' (Korea's best racing track).
It is the participant's responsibility to have a valid passport and any necessary visas and permits to study abroad. Visit G3Visas for comprehensive information on visa, passport, permit and general country entry requirements.
Most students now arrive via the new Incheon International Airport (IIA) opened to handle the international traffic for the Seoul area. Airport transfers are not available and students catch public transport to the school. Depending on traffic, it can take 1 1/2 to 2 or more hours between the airport and downtown Seoul by bus or taxi.
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Various festivals and traditional sports and games
Great food
Lively night life scene
Buddhist Temples - Bongwon-sa
Historical Areas - Dongnimmun (Independence Gate)
Scenic mountains, hiking trails and skiing
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Our partner University in Seoul was the very first institute to provide an intensive Korean language course and is the oldest university in Korea,
The University was established in 1885 and the language department was opened in 1959. Since then the language center has been teaching Korean and also introducing Korean culture to students, missionaries, business people and diplomats from around the world.
Students come from all over the world and from all walks of life (over 53,000 since it was established), the result is a lively, international mix of students who provide a stimulating environment for learning the Korean language. The professional staffs (over 100) continually work towards providing an enriched environment for their students and this environment provides many opportunities for diverse discussions and cross-cultural exchange that promote conversation skills and make for a better understanding of each other.
Its spacious, quiet, well-wooded campus is located just 20 minutes away from Seoul at the north end of Sinchon. The streets of Shinchon are located between three of the most prestigious universities in Korea and the streets are always full of students. The streets are aimed at students and offer coffee shops, student shops, bookstores, numerous restaurants, bars, rock cafes, and nightclubs that line the alleys. The Sinchon subway station (Seoul Line 2 (green) will get you downtown in 25 minutes.
The modern University campus offers 16 graduate schools, 18 colleges, and 111 subsidiary institutions and is known as the leading institution of international education in Korea, with over 420 partner universities in 42 countries around the world.
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Long Term Program: Two types of courses are offered:
Course A is a 6 level course and takes 1.5 years to complete from the beginning level.
Course B is an 8 level course and takes 2 years to complete from the beginning level.
Set terms throughout the year 10 weeks in length, 4 lessons per day.
Summer Program :
In addition to the regular ten-week Korean language program, A 5 week summer special program in the Korean language is available, 4 lessons a day with cultural activities, workshops and optional 1 - 3 day field trips.
Short Term Program :
A 3 week program with 4 lessons per day is offered to those who wish to take advantage of their summer or spring vacation to learn Korean. Dates are very limited and applicants are accepted on a first-come first-serve basis.
Our programs cater for all language levels from absolute beginners to the more advanced, include the use of course materials and provide a variety of options to enhance your program.
Whatever program you select, each student will be expected to take a short placement test (unless a complete beginner) before the program starts, to determine the students language level and ensure placement in the correct class.
Classes are held five days a week (Monday - Friday) and lessons usually start at 09:00 to 13.00, leaving the afternoons free for social or cultural activities, trips, workshops, short excursions or free time to relax or explore on your own.
A wide variety of teaching methods is employed at the University. In the beginning stages the emphasis is on conversation, reinforced by writing. Further class hours are spent on practical conversation, listening tasks, reading, composition, and cross-cultural communication.
Credits are transferable and grades are determined by mid term and final examinations, class participation, and assignments. Grading is on a 100-point scale, please see the information on your selected program above.
After classes are over for the day, our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture, traditions, customs and everyday life. Optional cultural and social activities allow you to make new friends among your new international classmates, experience cultural and social activities together, and also practice your new language skills in real life situations. In some cases, a small additional fee will be charged to cover local transport and entrance costs.
Activities could include workshops in Korean Pottery, Oriental painting, Samulnori, Taekwondo, Kumdo, Calligraphy or trips to and places of interest such as Buddhist Temples or National Parks. Various festivals allow people to watch and participate in many traditional sports and games.
At the weekend many students can arrange to take optional excursions to local cities or local places of interest, ski resorts, national parks, etc. These excursions are slightly more expensive than the daily activities ($10-$40), as they are normally full day or full weekend excursions and could include (transport, meals entrance fees and even accommodation). If you are interested in sight-seeing by yourself or with other class mates, our school staff are more than willing to assist you with any questions you may have and help you book local travel or excursions.
VERY IMPORTANT: The programs have strict deadlines, require additional forms to be completed, student photographs and all students will require a visa to gain entry and study in Korea. To apply for a visa you will need a letter from the university, therefore please allow a MINIMUM of 10 - 12 weeks from your proposed start date, when applying for this program.
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School Dormitories: (shared room) no meals
Students will be accommodated on campus in the university dormitories however the school has limited accommodations and rooms are reserved on a first-come first-serve basis.
On Campus School Dormitories
Students will share accommodation with other students studying at the university. The dorms are modern and equipped with a bed, study desk, study chairs, closet, fan and shoe cabinets. (The dorm is not air-conditioned) Only lamps, hair dryers, clocks, stereos, and electric razors may be used in the room (220V current). Bed linen is supplied and extra blankets etc are available.
Students have access to all campus facilities. Laundry rooms are located in the basement of each dorm and bathrooms are located on each floor.
Each room has a phone for receiving phone calls only. Each phone has a phone number starting with 2123. The next four numbers are different from each room. You may also make internal calls to other rooms by pressing the last four numbers. To make outgoing calls, you must use the pay phone in the lobby or the entrance of each building. You can purchase phone cards at each convenience store.
The Dorms are locked between 1:00 A.M. and 5:30 A.M. Curfew is strictly enforced.
Visiting between different sexes and smoking is not allowed.
Meals are not included in the accommodation options, however meals and snacks can be purchased on campus in the dining facility or various restaurants. You have a wide selection of the types of food. Meals are available at the cost of 2,000 ~ 3,000 Won in the dorm cafeteria.
Host families are not available in this program.
Off-Campus Housing
If necessary we will help students find off-campus living accommodations near the Yonsei campus. An off-campus accommodation is called a "hasook jib (boarding house)." A landlord of a hasook jib usually rents several rooms to students, provides two Korean style meals (breakfast and dinner) daily, and provides light laundry service.
The cost of housing will vary as living conditions will vary for each hasook jib. Students may choose to live in a single room or a double room. The rooms are usually unfurnished. On average a single room will cost approximately USD 400 a month.
NOTES: Airport transfers are not available, extra nights may be available before / after course (at an additional cost), please check price page for details. The Sunday night accommodation before your course begins on Monday, is included in the program price.
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