How to get education in South Korea for citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan? Study in Korea.

I wrote too negatively. But then he gave the article to friends who lived or live in Korea to read and they said that everything is ok ... Like, it's still democratic.

Looking back and looking at my 2+ years in this Asian country, I generally find them not the most productive. Many sad experiences come to mind, ranging from horrific Korean nationalism to being unable to get a normal task at work. But it is worth noting that I am a very active person in life and if everything were bad, I would have left there in a few months. So something kept me there.

People

I liked the Russian speaking community in Korea. I think Russians are not a very close-knit nation, but there it was not felt. Moreover, we communicated equally well with Ukrainians, and with Armenians, and with Belarusians. We sat at the same table, sometimes went out into nature together. It also helped a lot that Eastern Europeans communicate very directly, usually without trying to be tactful. And in Korea, the majority of the Russian-speaking population are engineers. This combination of directness and intelligence helps to quickly understand Korean features and get good advice to solve a variety of problems.

Foreigners here, too, it seems to me, are becoming more outspoken. Even Americans have often been very direct about their problems with Koreans and how they are solving them.

I have already noted in the first part that all English-speaking people greet each other on the street, so it is usually not difficult to get to know two “vekugins”. The only problem is education: if the Russian-speaking population here are mainly engineers, then the English-speaking population is the American military and English teachers. Usually we have slightly different life principles and interests. Although learning English in a distant country is often just a part-time job for a young American or Canadian, just like our students have a part-time job as a waiter. Those. all this is wonderful and interesting if you do not stay too long in this area.
At the same time, I still have American English teachers and the military as friends. Well, when my friend accidentally dug up an American satellite engineer in a Korean gym, it turned out to be amazing person... And now he has become one of my closest friends.

Of course, speaking of people, one cannot fail to mention the Koreans themselves. I must say right away that the problem of the majority of the population is limitation. Although, maybe this is true about any country in the world. But even Korean engineers usually have little interest in the rest of the world.
This is largely due to their life - already from school they study very hard - from 7 am to 11 pm. Moreover, for example, the geography of the world is not the main subject. The main thing is the geography of Korea! As a result, almost no Korean person knows which country is the largest in the world ("China? .. uh ... USA?").
I was also killed by questions like "is it true that Russia is a very cold country?" Especially after I already told that this is the very big country in the world.
The pride of Koreans that their country has as many as 4 seasons a year was also amusing.

But! When I first told unfamiliar Koreans that I was from the Russian Federation, the usual vodka and balalaika never poured in response. Surprisingly, I constantly heard something like: "And ... Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky?" Those. they are taught something in school.

After school, Koreans enter an institute with a similar "study hard". Moreover, from the second year, the entire male population goes to serve in the army. Flat-footedness is not bought here and there are no our military chairs. As a result, they study until the age of 26-27. And when they start working, they have to give part of their income to aging parents (pensions are small here) and at the same time save up for the wedding (this is a mega-expensive pleasure here, especially considering that all colleagues are called to it).

The female population is often much more open and open minded, if only because they have 2 years to travel the world when Korean boys are drilled in the army.

Separately, I would like to note the Koreans who had the opportunity to live abroad. They are often the complete opposite. local population, are much more open and often hate all this Koreanism ... And, as in the comments to my previous part, Mixim333 noted the amazing speed of Koreans in learning Russian, I also sometimes noticed how quickly and deeply they understand the peculiarities of the culture of the country in which they is brought to live.

Of course, our amazing Viktor Tsoi will forever remain the apogee of all this for me!

Leisure

In terms of leisure, what I liked most about Korea was the accessibility of the sea. It is here from all sides, except for the North ...
Most Koreans prefer to swim in the East Sea (no one here knows what the names "Chinese" or "Japanese" mean). There are equipped beaches with lifeguards and crowds of people:

Unfortunately, aside from the excessive number of Koreans wearing T-shirts on non-swim circles, there is another problem: restrictions. You cannot swim behind the track, because there may be deeper than human growth and there is a danger of drowning. If the waves begin to reach 40 centimeters, all bathers are urgently kicked out.

Even here I tried to fight the system - I climbed to swim. Soon, however, I was forcibly pulled out by local rescuers on a boat. Then I tried for a long time to explain that I have a category in swimming and, in general, I am a free person and have every right to swim in the current calm. In response, it was politely explained that they were happy for me, but the danger is that Koreans who cannot swim will climb after me and they will drown. After my bewilderment that we are no longer children and why I should be responsible for some crazy people at all, my gallant rescue opponent finally split: “I was abroad too and I understand that something is wrong here. But what to do, this is such a **** strange country. " I understood him and did not climb any more.

But I am glad that there is also the West Sea (the South is also good, but far away), in which the Koreans do not really swim (they go there more for BBQ). It is, of course, less suitable for swimming, but there are places without people at all, where you can safely stop with tents.

The nature there is also beautiful:

There are no restrictions and paths, however, as well as rescuers. But you need to know the places, since often the sea is shallow near the coast:

Through the forum I have already noted, we sometimes gathered and rode in a giant crowd to the Western Sea. Sometimes it turned out that even in popular places for Koreans, there were more Russian-speaking vacationers than locals.

Sometimes we also went to local lakes, of which there are quite a few near Suwon. The only frustrating thing was that it was officially forbidden to swim there (patrols on boats came immediately). This is because the depth in the lakes is greater than human growth and this is dangerous - you can drown.
So we usually swam closer to sunset.

We were also going to do different kinds sports - from football to snowboard. By the way, ski resorts in mountainous Korea, they are very common and many of them resemble the Alps in their infrastructure. Only a few times lower, they mainly use artificial snow and there is no freeride. But at lunchtime, all tracks are closed and passed by a grader. Riding twice a day on a fresh track is an unprecedented luxury that I have not seen anywhere else in the world!
I also really liked a large number of shops for renting ski equipment at the entrance to the resorts. As a result, sometimes it was possible to negotiate a rental of a snowboard with boots for $ 10-15 per day.
In general, the phrase "Kaka jusayo" (give a discount) works very often in Korea, especially when pronounced by a foreigner in a pleading tone.

There are really many mountains in the country of morning freshness and hiking is very popular. It was often amazed that even barely moving old women would still deliberately wander into the mountains. Perhaps this is one of the factors in the longevity of Koreans.
The most popular hiking destination, by right, is Seoraksan:

The weather in Korea is more stable than in St. Petersburg. It is usually cold in winter (strong cold winds bothered most of all), but the temperature rarely drops below -9. In the summer it may well be +30. Spring and fall are quite pleasant.

Costs

I am very glad that Samsung is fully engaged in the selection and payment of apartments (now, it seems, even my LSI division does not accommodate foreigners in hostels). It is quite difficult to do it yourself here, because usually in Korea there are very large deposits, comparable to the cost of the apartments themselves. Unfortunately, that kind of money is hard to find, and taking it away from Koreans is not the most pleasant thing ... Now more and more Koreans take less than half of the cost of housing as collateral, but you also pay monthly rent (Wolsa). There are also options without it (chonce), but then they are often asked to pay almost 80% of the market value of the apartment.

When I lived in a hostel, $ 700 a month was enough for everything. Having moved to the apartment, they added electricity bills ($ 140 +), gasoline for the car to get to work (now it has dropped in price and costs about $ 1.5 per liter). There are, however, corporate buses, but I already wrote about the temperature there.

Now my friend has described his expenses for living in Korea with his wife:
- rent in summer: $ 200, from November to March $ 600 (we moved to a large, but unsuccessful apartment - it is very cold, so we often have to heat it around the clock);
- Internet at home + contracts with communication for 2 phones - this is $ 220;
- car insurance, tax - $ 70;
- gasoline $ 250;
- doctors $ 50 (medical insurance from Samsung is a free clinic for employees on the territory + small discounts in other clinics);
- products $ 1000;
- plus cafe / sports / entertainment / shopping.

Comes out about $ 2000 + entertainment. But many of my colleagues live more economically.

Real tax that is withheld from wages in Korea - one of the lowest in the world. About 17%. As a result, being a senior engineer (E5 - 책임 (chegim)), you can get more than $ 6,000 net per month (including mandatory bonuses). Which is one of the largest net programmer salaries in the world (excluding Silicon Valley, of course)).
And for this you do not need to go through the interview brilliantly. Just a master's degree + 7 years of experience in the specialty. It is very difficult for a non-Korean to obtain a rank higher than chegima (especially if you do not have Japanese or American citizenship).

Work

So, the first working day. Introductory lecture for foreigners from a fairly senior person in local HR of American origin. I remember 2 statements of this interesting person:

1. I have been working in Korea for a long time, I tried to change them, but this is impossible. I also advise you not to take a steam bath. If earlier in your countries you worked hard and earned little, then here you will be well paid, but it will not be easy to get a worthy task. The main thing is not to worry, do not argue, and enjoy life.
2. Most likely you will find a lot of things wrong in this unusual country. But think about it, if you think everything that is different from the accepted norms in your particular mentality is wrong, then are you right?

I'll tell you right away - I believed in both of these phrases and both of them worked for me for all 2 years.

Even with the salary, everything turned out to be better than I expected, because Samsung has obligatory bonuses 3 times a year.

After several months, I realized that my boss not only does not give me new tasks, but is also not happy with the fact that I cannot come up with a task for myself. He told me right at one of our face-to-face meetings that an engineer differs from a simple programmer in that he is able to come up with tasks that are valuable for the company.

But the reality is different for everyone, and I know people who received interesting tasks in Samsung. True, for this you must either lead a story with the team, or you must be truly proactive and try, no matter what.

I had neither luck nor desire to try. In general, then I was poorly versed in proactivity, my official title was assistant engineer, and there was no particular desire to prove my worth to this strange Korean. Probably, it was also affected by the fact that by that time the local HR had been ugly with me more than once.

I forgot to say that every day I entered work through a metal detector and left through it with the obligatory inspection of my phone and bag. The cameras on the phone were sealed at the entrance and checked at the exit, and if any of the stickers turned out to be removed, then all personal photos were viewed, plus a complaint about me reached VP. Printing was allowed only on special paper, which could not be taken out and therefore it was detected by a metal detector at the exit. All usb outputs were blocked on the computer and there was a bunch of Korean security software that was constantly buggy. At the same time, as an Android developer, I had access to a usb linux machine that was not burdened with their security software. So all of their security looked like a farce given the capabilities of adb.

Local colleagues tried to avoid communication with me, being afraid to speak English.

Most Koreans worked from 7 am to 9 pm. On Saturdays, it was 60 percent, on Sundays - 30 percent. At the same time, I often noticed that they did not work all the time, and sometimes they sleep in toilets (leaving characteristic circles on their foreheads from rolls of paper) or even on keyboards. However, without receiving important assignments (for 2+ years not a single line of my code was included in the official release), as a foreigner, at least I had no problems with reworking - I just left, after serving 8 hours, and that's it.

I felt nationalism here even in nightclubs, when in the whole of Suwon (population 1.2 million) there was only one club, which was allowed to enter foreigners. In the rest, the security guards, without a shadow of a doubt, told me at the entrance: "Only for Koreans."

In general, all this Koreanism quickly got me and after a couple of months I began to get ready to go home ...

But then, as I already wrote, I met different interesting people. They explained to me that I really can relax, enjoy life and do almost nothing. Because Samsung in its entire history fired only one person before the expiration of the contract, and even then they apologized to him for a long time and paid in advance all the money put under the contract. I also managed to get my colleagues to play football in the middle of lunchtime, spring came and life slowly became more fun!

Sometimes the boss’s attempts to come up with a task for me, like “please analyze the rendering in latest version WebKit and prepare an analysis of how you can speed it up. " At that time, open-source developers around the world, as well as companies like Google and Apple, were engaged in this task. I didn’t believe in my abilities as an assistant engineer enough to dare to take this assignment seriously. But I prepared the presentation and even tried to bring some idea.
In a word, work for me went to the 10th plan, and I was fond of communication, mma, football, snowboarding, swimming pool, swimming in the sea, travel and other interesting things.

The processing was not in vain. I note that my boss three times in 2 years got into an institution similar to our mental hospital, so I tried to bother him less and get noticed. Allowed vacation Koreans also did not use it, on average, spending 2 days a year on vacation out of the allowed 3 weeks. To my naive questions of the first days, the boss replied something like: we need to keep it in reserve - suddenly the child gets sick. But even in this case, they did not take leave, and they themselves were sick right at work.

The reason was tradition. From conversations with young people, I realized that this is not a voluntary desire, but the remnants of the recent military dictatorship. And while the "Work Smart" posters were all over the place, they also hid the recent "Work Hard" underneath.
And the Koreans worked hard. They worked so hard that sometimes they died without leaving home. No kidding, when I got a job at the DMC branch, my acquaintances were shown “Samsung widows shops”. They belonged to wives whose husbands had died at work. The new feature of Korean culture once again shocked me, and I became even more confident in the idea that there is no need to strain too much here.

conclusions

And yet, in my opinion, there are cases when it is worth going to Korea:

1. I would like not to take a steam bath, but quietly receive good money, resting in body and soul. On this topic, my colleague from St. Petersburg, who has been working in the android division of Samsung for 4 years, never ceases to amaze me, but does not know at all and is not interested in such a thing as programming in general and android in particular. He simply redirects assignments to third-party Samsung contractors, goes to weekly khveshek (team building dinners with obligatory alcohol) with his Korean colleagues and enjoys life.
I remember that after a year of work, he suddenly had a fear that the Koreans would find out that he could not program ... But soon the fears turned out to be in vain.

2. Purposeful and proactive person (proactive in the sense of the book by Stephen Covey

The educational system developed in South Korea, in its creation was largely based on the achievements of the Japanese, Americans and even the Germans, and this made it possible to develop a special teaching methodology. This technique is somewhat similar to the Russian one. And higher education in the Republic of Korea, it began to actively develop only from the late 1940s, and at that time in the 30 millionth country, there were only 2,000 people with university degrees, obtained, as a rule, abroad. Now the situation is completely different: Korea is one of the first places in the world in terms of student population!

Story

As in Russia, a typical large Korean university consists of 10–20 faculties (they are called “taehak” in Korean). In provincial universities, of course, there are fewer specialties and directions.

Popular specialties

What are the most popular specialties in South Korea? Firstly, those that are aimed at international cooperation, and mainly withEnglish-speaking countries. There are many who want to study economics and law. But, on the other hand, many Koreans (especially males) enter the technical specialties where physics and computer science are studied in depth. The flow of applicants who see themselves as the future luminaries of medicine does not diminish either. The attitude in Korea to teachers, both present and future, is interesting: their status is a priori higher in society than, for example, even among a successful lawyer.

Terms of training

As in Russia, as in almost the whole world, there is now in South Korea both a bachelor's degree (4 years) and a master's degree (plus 2 years after receiving a bachelor's degree). It takes 6 years to complete a diploma in medical sciences. Three more years will be needed for those who wish to obtain a doctoral degree (PhD). Bachelor's and Master's programs in English are often available for international students who do not speak Korean (in this case, of course, a certificate of excellent proficiency will be required when submitting documents English language, but we will dwell on the list of required documents a little later). Please note that education in South Korea does not start in September, as in Russia, but in March! Winter vacations last three months (exams are possible in December), and summer vacations last two (July and August). There are five days of study, Saturday and Sunday are legal student days off.

Three leading universities

Detailed information about the country's universities is collected in the "" section.

In addition to SKY, other higher educational institutions are also popular in South Korea. For instance, Ewha Women's University(Ewha Womans University), Pohang University of Science and Technology(PohangUniversity of Science and Technology), Kunming University(Kookmin University) and others.

And now, if you are already thinking about which university in the Republic of Korea to enter, it's time for a very useful topic ...

Tuition and living costs

Education in Korea is paid. Only cost and services are variable. And, if we talk about bachelor's degree, then a year will cost about 4 million South Korean won, which corresponds to about 111 thousand Russian rubles. The price of a master's program is higher, and it is about 9 million won, or 249 thousand rubles. But these are only approximate prices, and the cost of each program should be found out at the chosen university. For us, Russians, it may be surprising that there is no direct connection between the prestige of the university and the amount of tuition fees, and to study, for example, in Seoul national university will be cheaper than in some provincial private universities.

The cost of accommodation and food depends on the city. Before submitting documents, be sure to make sure that the university allocates a place for you in the hostel! Most universities do this, but there are times when the hostels are overcrowded or are simply far from the place of study (even, it happens, in another city, if educational institution there are several branches!).

You can eat in the university canteen or on your own, in cafes, catering establishments scattered here and there, etc. In most student dormitories, you cannot cook, and, accordingly, there is no kitchen in the full sense of the word, but there are vending machines throughout the campus with drinks, ice cream, buns, and some semi-finished products that can be brewed with boiling water. On the other hand, there are several types of canteens: those in which national food is served, and those in which they are fed "in a European way." In university canteens of the first type, you can often get any amount of rice and spicy sauerkraut kimchi, and sometimes even broth.

Sports, music and other hobbies

If you cannot imagine your life without, say, constant sports training, competition or, for example, playing the drum or modeling from clay, then most likely you will not only be able to continue your favorite hobby at the university, but you will also find like-minded people. Interest clubs - or, as they are called in Korean, tonari- exist in every university in incredible numbers! Participation is free, and from time to time, members of the tonari host parties and even travel together. What can be the theme of tonari? Anything from Brazilian food to mountain climbing or Chinese calligraphy. The only problem you may face is the possible the language barrier, but it is easily overcome among like-minded people.

Additional knowledge

Is perfect knowledge of Korean required to study? No, but at least you need to know English perfectly (preferably - level C of IELTS, TOEFL certificates). Many lectures at universities are read in the language of Shakespeare and Mark Twain, and in it you have to do your homework: presentations, research, essays and other interesting creative assignments. You will need Korean for life: buy a subway pass, order a dish in a restaurant or cafe, ask to try something on in a store, etc. These simple everyday phrases, along with greetings and words of gratitude, learn instantly and will not be difficult to master even according to the phrasebook.

If you've already studied Korean, then that's just fine! If you also have a TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) certificate, which is quite high scores, then be sure to attach it to all other submitted documents. At the very least, it will serve you in your favor in the selection of foreign students at the university and, at the maximum, it can affect the size of your scholarship.

Before the trip, it is worth reading a few books about Korea itself: its traditions, culture and so on, just to imagine where you are going. Particular attention should be paid to subordination in society, because in the countries of the Far East (South and North Korea, China, Japan, etc.), the status of a person is especially important, and all social contacts are based on subordination. Without additional knowledge on this issue, the first time in Korea will be difficult.

And if you are not sure that you can live in South Korea for a long time, then try to start not with full-time studies, but with summer schools - most universities offer Korean language training and campus accommodation during summer holidays... This way you will find out if South Korea is right for you.

Obtaining scholarships for foreigners

Overseas students are eligible for one of two scholarships in the Republic of Korea.

1. The first is "government" (Korean Government Scholarship), and it is issued for tuition fees for master's and doctoral programs, as well as for short-term scientific internships (from six months to a year). This scholarship fully covers the cost of tuition, accommodation, health insurance. Also, once every six months, students receive special amounts "for books".
2. Another scholarship is issued by the Korea Research Foundation and is intended to pay for tuition for master's and doctoral programs. Scholarships of this kind are aimed primarily at undergraduate and graduate students of exact and engineering sciences.

Universities of the SKY group, as well as some others, provide international students with high academic performance with a 50-70% discount on tuition fees.

Required documents

Please note that to enter a Korean university, you first need to study at a Russian university for at least one year. Otherwise, it is impossible, therefore, preferably, choose the same specialty in Russia, the study of which you would like to continue in Korea.

To enroll in a South Korean university, first of all, you need to contact the international department of this university and clarify which programs are available for you (they depend on the level of your foreign language, past education, etc.) and ask for a list of required documents (private universities can present own requirements upon reception). This can be done a year before admission (do not worry if you write the letter in English: the answer will also be in English, and not in any other).

Later, when sending documents, you will need a resume with your details and place of study; copies of certificates confirming your ownership foreign languages; a motivation letter (why did you decide to study at this particular university and in this particular specialty) in English; a notarized certificate translated into English that you are a student of such and such a university in Russia; transcript of the courses attended.

To obtain a D-2 student visa, you need: confirmation from the host university of enrollment, a translated (and notarized) copy of your matriculation or higher education diploma, as well as documents confirming your financial solvency (amounts often change, so they need to be discussed separately with host university). Of course, you also need a valid passport! Please ensure that it expires at least six months after your intended return.

useful links

Ministry of Education of Korea- english.mest.go.kr/enMain.do
National Tourism Organization of Korea- russian.visitkorea.or.kr/rus/index.kto
Portal about studying in the Republic of Korea- www.studyinkorea.go.kr
EwhaWomansUniversity- www.ewha.ac.kr/english
KookminUniversity- english.kookmin.ac.kr
KoreaUniversity- www.korea.edu
PohangUniversityofScienceandTechnology- www.postech.ac.kr
SeoulNationalUniversity- www.useoul.edu
International DepartmentSNU- oia.snu.ac.kr

I wish you good luck and an interesting journey!

As Koreans say, "HuiTing!" Which means "Forward!"

In general, upon arrival in Khabarovsk, I quickly collected Required documents and transferred to another university that had a 2 + 2 program ... ..
I graduated from the Gymnasium of Oriental Languages, and after that I did not want to go to the Pedagogical University, because in fact I did not want to become a translator and then I did not even think about seriously studying Korean (this was another reason for refusal, see article # 1). I wanted to get an economic education, but then I did not know about the exchange program with Korea, or rather, I was not interested in it.
But as I wrote earlier, the summer after the 1st year completely changed me. I found out that one of my classmates is studying at another university on an exchange program with Korea. I resolutely collected and submitted documents and transferred. Korea was a year away. It passed very quickly and very slowly at the same time.
About the exchange program 2 + 2 = 2 years in Russia and 2 years in Korea with a degree in manager-business administration (I wanted it with an economic bias).

And here it is, the long-awaited summer after the 2nd course has passed, and in the fall of 2009 I was in Korea. I couldn’t believe that I’m still in Korea. That I could, that she is my beloved dear Korea ... I was happy.
To begin with, because our level of Korean was very low, we entered the language courses at the institute.

In order to study in a specialty at a Korean university, * at Korean, you need a certain level of knowledge. It was necessary to get level 4 in TOPIK (Test of Proficiency In Korean).
* For those who want to study in English, you need to pass TOEFL (TOEFL). I can't say exactly how many points you need to score for admission. Usually this information is available on university websites.
** What are the standard documents required for admission to language courses at the institute or in the institute itself.
1. * If you do it yourself. Then on the website of the institute you are going to enter, you must fill out an application form. Or send them a letter with an application form for admission. (Depending on the institution).
2. Certificate of secondary / higher education (certificate after the 11th grade or diploma, if you already have). Naturally translated into English and certified.
3. Certificate of the balance of your bank account in the amount of $ 3000 or more in English. This is necessary to guarantee (as I assume) that you have funds for training, * you can make a certificate and immediately withdraw this money.
4. And other documents, depending on the institution and others.
Tuition fees at all universities are about the same if studying for a bachelor's degree. Approximately 3 million won-3.5 million won (2,700 $ -3,000 $) per semester (spring semester March-June, autumn semester September-December), but you can receive a scholarship (here the scholarship is in the form of a discount on tuition).
The cost for Korean courses at the university is from about 1.5 million won-3 million won per semester (semester = 2.5 months).

Life in Korea started out cheerfully. A lot of new and interesting things. And, of course, having escaped from parental care, we felt freedom and began to come off. Clubs, bars, parks, shops. New acquaintances, new friends.
Everything was wonderful the first month ... the second ... In the third month, everyone began to feel depressed. I wanted to go home. Everything was annoying. It seemed that these Koreans were stupid (well, just because our mentality is actually different), that they generally do not live right. True, on the one hand, we wanted to give up everything and go home, but on the other hand, we still liked it in Korea, somewhere in the subconscious we understood this. We tried to somehow fight out of our own stupidity ... But everyone knows that "they don't enter a monastery with their own rules" ... Somehow we began to put up with it.
Then some went home ... Some simply did not manage to stay in Korea any longer, someone still could not come to terms with such a difference in mentality ... in general, so I was left alone ....
It was certainly lonely and sad, I mostly sat at home / hostel. I practically had no friends. It's good that there were also several people who were a year older and also came from my university for this program. We sometimes wrote off, talked on the phone, saw each other. There were acquaintances among the Koreans, of course, but, how to say, we just greeted and knew each other. As you probably already know, Koreans are very modest and very rarely come up and get to know each other. And it was even harder for me, because I myself am modest by nature and plus I do not open up right away ... and I also don’t look like a foreigner, so they never paid attention to me. For example, Koreans themselves approach American students because they want to practice English, and in general Koreans love Americans very much.

Even in pairs. Due to the fact that I have a Korean name, none of the teachers usually noticed that I was an international student. And when I approached, at first everyone thought that I was from Japan, because I had dyed hair and my eyes were not so narrow ... And now many people think that I am Chinese, because Americans, Filipinos and Chinese study at my university. Agree to an American or a Filipina, I do not look like ... then the conclusion => I am Chinese. By the way, I have a very good girlfriend - unnie, recently returned from China. I went to learn Chinese.)

In general, usually everyone is shocked by the fact that I'm from Russia =). But I'm used to it.

The study itself ...

If I were a true Korean, i.e. Hanguchka, it would be really easy to learn. I don’t know, compared to how they teach in Russia, it’s easier here. Yes, here really no one is running after you, here really you are for yourself, you yourself will not try, no one will try. But still, if in Russia, suddenly you do not write down the entire lecture, even after reading a textbook, it is not a fact that you will pass the exam or fail, for example, on additional questions. Either in Korea, the teacher reads lectures strictly according to the textbook, if there is no textbook, then the lectures are posted on the Internet, or even the textbook and lectures are all there. Exams are also taken in writing, there are no oral exams (with the exception of languages). The whole difficulty in my studies is to sit and translate textbooks, and then still understand. Oh, and I really don't like to translate ...

But now, having lived here for 3 years, I gradually began to get used to their way of life, to the way they think ... Some of my friends and dad say that I even became a little like them (which frightens me very much). And I also became stupid, it seems to me. Simply this can be explained by the fact that Koreans are simpler in life ... and even then somehow you don’t need to calculate or recount something yourself, because you know that you will not be deceived (well, at least 4 out of 5 cases will not be deceived for sure) ...

In conclusion. And yet I am not "my own" here. You know, I like to give an example from the social studies course. There is a social. a group of people "marginalized" - those who do not belong to any stratum of society, but somewhere in between. So, I feel like a kind of “marginalized”, because in Russia I was, as it were, “my own” (since I’m a Korean by nationality.), And in Korea I was not “my own”, because I still a true Korean woman is not a Hanguchka
But living in Korea is still good, because everything here is for people ...

Soon my studies are coming to an end and I will again have a choice: to stay to work in Korea or fly home ... Time will tell. After all, work in Korea is also covered with its own myths)).

Innopolis University student Anastasia Kozar told why it is not necessary to know the language in South Korea and how a Russian girl lives among Asian programmers.

“Am I missing from the lists? How so? " I could not register in the system, which contains information about all exchange students. As it turned out later, there were problems with the registration system itself - it is still hard to believe that this is possible in developed South Korea. But there was no registration. No registration - no application for a hostel, and therefore no housing in Korea, which I was counting on. The documents were ready, the tickets were bought, and the suitcase was full of things for all occasions. But at that moment I was very uncomfortable.

My name is Anastasia... I am a fourth year undergraduate student at Innopolis University. At the beginning of this academic year, I went to Korea on an academic exchange program. The first semester I study computer science and engineering at the faculty information technologies Seoul National University (SNU).

When they ask me how I decided on such a long journey, I answer that I am driven by curiosity, a desire to learn and compare studying abroad with studying in Russia. I have heard a lot about the advantages of exchange studies: the experience of living in another country and meeting students from different countries, their culture and customs. I wanted to know about it personally.

When choosing a university, I stopped at Seoul state university... There are several reasons. The university is in the top 30 technical universities in the world and has been accepting students for academic exchange programs for decades. And I have never been to Asia and heard about the high level of Asian programmers. This additional opportunity test yourself and your skills.

Preparations for the 6,000 km journey began with exploring Korea on the Internet. I watched a dozen educational videos about Korea and its capital, read travel guides and travel tips. Before arriving in a new environment, it is important to understand the traditions, culture and way of life in order to more easily adapt to the peculiarities of the local mentality. Even then, I was surprised by the appearance of Seoul and upset by the well-known situation with dogs, if you are looking for information about Korea, it is almost impossible not to stumble upon a post about the fact that Koreans eat dogs.

Live the capital of South Korea impressed me much more. Skyscrapers are combined here in an unusual way, imperial palaces, underground and surface metro and huge shops with endless shelves.

The first stage upon arrival was the search for housing, where problems were decided not to bypass me. On a couchsurfing site where people help each other free of charge when traveling, I met a few guys from Seoul. They were very friendly and promised to help me with the housing issue. The plan was as follows: upon arrival, I live with a new acquaintance for a couple of days, at the same time looking through the options from the Internet. But, coming to inspect apartments and rooms, promises and reality had nothing to do with each other, like prices. However, I was lucky: through an acquaintance, I found a room and received a discount from the hostess. She said that for a beautiful smile.

I know people who find exchange learning an easy and fun journey. Yes, it's fun, but not easy at all. Besides the standard two lectures and homework once a week, we receive a laboratory, comparable in volume to a project for a month. There is also a three-hour practice and test of knowledge of the assembler, machine code, computer device and operating systems. With the latter, the professor's Operating System course helps me a lot. Giancarlo Suchci which I passed at Innopolis University.

I am writing this text so as not to fall asleep while waiting for the professor's lecture. Berhard Egger... He teaches the most difficult of the three courses I have taken for the semester - System Programming. Even before the trip, I was warned that these courses would cost me sleepless nights if I was in the mood for good grades.

Despite the complexity of the material, the Scandinavian professor takes time to tell interesting and unusual facts. From time to time he shares with us in unusual ways how to kill your laptop. So I remembered that, using programming skills, you can build a "Fork bomb" - this program creates its own copies and continues to work, eating up all the memory and processor time.

I pass all tests and labs for maximum scores, but it seems that I spend more time on it than the Korean guys. It is more difficult with exams. There are no results yet, but the feeling is not very good. On the exam there was a question on an unresolved topic, and it cost 25% of the total mark. The local guys finished in 20 minutes, and the exchange students looked at each other in bewilderment. At this point, I was working only on the second question out of seven.

I still cannot understand what the level of Korean programmers is, but they are definitely much more assiduous than newcomers. Although, in my opinion, it is significant that the head of the programming department is a Swiss, not an Asian.

As in Innopolis University, study here cannot be combined with work. For one laboratory course of System Programming, I spend a full 5 days with breaks for sleeping and eating.

Speaking of food. At first, it was difficult to understand how to eat all dishes with chopsticks and a spoon - only these two cutlery are in the SNU student cafeteria. It was even more difficult with the dishes. They are so sharp that sometimes I tried not to breathe so as not to burn the room. Fortunately, there is water on every table to save the lives of inexperienced foreigners like me.

Koreans are masters of rice cooking. They boil it, fry it with vegetables, make wine and sweets from it. Once at the university they were fed snail soup. And once at a barbecue bar, they served pickled beetles and a compote made from sprouted bean sprouts that looked like vegetable soup.

I go to the cafeteria with the guys I met through SNU Buddy. This organization assigns a local student (Buddy) to every foreigner, who can come to the rescue at any time. During my stay in Korea, SNU Buddy organized an overnight trip to the island, rafting, paintball and weekly themed games. Once, on the ocean shore, we all gathered oysters and mussels together. Some of them decided to let go back into the water, and from the rest they made soup.

Particularly memorable was the trip to Gyeongbokgung - the palace complex of the Joseon dynasty. After learning that you can go there for free in hanbok, traditional Korean clothing, we decided to rent it. Prices for these lush dresses go up to $ 5,000. The rent costs $ 30, and we got them for $ 15 apiece, thanks to the group discount.

You involuntarily compare Russia and Korea. Yes, everything is more modern here, but I don't feel that this country has run far ahead of us. It's great though that Wi-Fi covers the entire country. I won't go into detail about talking toilets with heated seats and a bunch of buttons. I will say that sometimes familiar things are more technological here. In the metro, screens with the location of the desired train are everywhere; in the summer in every carriage different level air conditioning - you read on the carriage and choose a comfortable temperature for yourself.

The university has its own nice things: in the study rooms there are small lockers for recharging the phone with all kinds of wires. Online you can view the menu in the cafeteria, book a seat in the library.

Since the university is a whole area of ​​50 buildings, a free shuttle runs between the buildings. A student card (not to be confused with a bank card), confirming that you are studying at Seoul National University, is a universal means of payment with which you can pay for travel, purchases in a store or a restaurant bill.

V Everyday life There are surprises around every corner of the Korean capital. For example, people of advanced age lead a completely non-senile lifestyle and do not lag behind young people in using gadgets: they diligently write messages to someone or take pictures with friends on a smartphone. Seoul parks host retirement dance and gymnastics in the evenings, where grandparents move rhythmically to Latin American music.

More often I communicate with the French and Germans, but I cannot say that I have found friends here. Everyone is obsessed with programming, simple communication is not interesting to anyone here.

As in Russia, there are few female programmers here, but I don't feel any special attitude in this regard either. But on the street I am in the center of attention: they constantly take pictures with me, give compliments, they offered me twice to become a model. The funny thing is that many lean out of their cars to look at me: wives call their husbands to look out the window, and the kids from the school bus all together ask the driver to turn in my direction. It is very pleasant to feel a special attitude towards yourself at every event or party. This is how club owners treat foreigners who come to them to relax. We are admitted to parties free of charge, treated at the expense of the establishment and invited to subsequent performances by Korean DJs.

Sometimes, together with friends, we go out to explore the city. As I said, most of my friends are French and Germans, but I communicate well with guys from other countries: Kia Yong from Singapore, local guy Byeonghoon, Jadamba from Mongolia and Katia from Moscow.

While exploring the city, you notice that the local guys are stylishly and tastefully dressed. I wonder what girls are sure to close upper part body. Sometimes it seems strange: under a dress with a cutout, they wear a sweater with long sleeves, and under short shorts, they also wear black shorts that resemble underwear. Another interesting detail: most couples dress alike here. Either they have completely matching colors, or the same shoes, or all the details of clothing are identical.

Adore here computer games: gamers are considered the stars and pride of their parents, and girls want to meet virtual athletes. I've been to two Starcraft II finals, but it's not very popular with Koreans. Everyone is now playing League of Legends and Overwatch. In Seoul, there are computer cafes on every corner: it is very convenient to eat without stopping from the game.

There are a lot of people in Seoul - it immediately catches your eye. Comparing with St. Petersburg, I found that the Korean metropolis is 2.5 times smaller than its area, but at the same time it lives in the Asian capital 2 times more people... Most of the residents speak English, so I don't study Korean. I recently had a quiet conversation with the bus driver. Therefore, if you know English, you will feel comfortable here.

I miss my loved ones and homemade food and am glad when I come across an ordinary chicken in the dining room. But there is no time to be sad: on the street - plus twenty, the guys are funny, their studies are interesting and life is rich!

It rightfully bears the name of the "Asian tiger". This interesting name was given to the country for its absolutely fantastic economic achievements. Today the economy of this small state is the fourteenth in the world. In particular, it is this fact that attracts students here from all over the world. Today, education in South Korea is no less prestigious than in the most developed European countries.

Panoramic view of downtown Seoul

The education system in Korea today is as follows:

Teaching preschoolers is optional. Of particular interest is teaching in primary and secondary schools.

Glorious elementary school

Young people in South Korea, upon reaching the age of six, enter primary school... There the kids are studying official language and some humanitarian as well as exact disciplines. Particular attention is paid to moral education and cultural development.

Studying in Korea, if a child enrolled in a public institution, implies a lack of freedom in terms of form and hairstyle. There are no strict rules in private educational institutions. Such education is considered to be of the highest quality, although it is not much more expensive.
After graduating from this educational institution, the children enter secondary school.

Upper secondary school

When a child finishes a regular high school, he enters an institution of higher education. A variety of disciplines are studied here, but the emphasis is on preparing for admission to one of the country's universities. Particular attention is paid to the study of the exact sciences, as well as mathematics.

Getting higher education

It is noteworthy that university education in Korea was actively developed only after the Second World War was over. At that time, the Republic numbered no more than two thousand young specialists with a university education.

New realities

Unfortunately, gifted young people could only study at European or American universities. Today the situation has changed exactly the opposite.

Yonsei University Building in Seoul

Education in Korea is considered no less prestigious. Moreover, the Republic occupies one of the leading positions in terms of the number of schoolchildren.

The largest metropolitan university in South Korea has approximately ten to twenty faculties. In universities that are located in provincial towns, directions and faculties are somewhat less.

In-demand specialties

There are specialties in South Korea that are especially popular among students and applicants. So, specialties that involve active development in the international space are especially fond of young people.

Korean students give priority to English-speaking countries. The rest of the applicants express a desire to study law and economics.

Many Koreans choose to study computer science and physics. There are many future doctors in South Korea.
By the way, the specialties of a doctor and a teacher, as in Russia during the Soviet era, are held in high esteem in South Korea. The status of a good teacher or doctor is much higher than that of a highly qualified lawyer or notary.

Information for domestic applicants

Studying in Korea has been attracting both Russian students and Kazakhs and Ukrainians for many years. In order to get higher education in 2019, it is important to prepare the necessary package of documents in a timely manner.

An important nuance

Higher education in one of the South Korean universities in 2019, as, indeed, much earlier, is possible only after completing at least the first year at a Russian university. Otherwise, it is impossible to enter a South Korean university. Therefore, it is important to initially choose the specialty that is actively being studied in South Korea.

In order to become a student at a South Korean university, you need to send a request to the international department.
Employees of this department undertake to advise the applicant from Russia which ones exist for him. educational programs... The choice of the current program may depend on the level of English proficiency and Russian education.

Also, when applying to a South Korean university, an applicant from Russia must request a list of documents relevant for admission. It is important to bear in mind that private higher education institutions often have their own list. This point must be worked out at least a year before admission. It is important to clarify in advance what grants exist. If grants exist, then it is necessary to clarify the list of required documents.

Faculty of South Korean University

Then, in 2019, a Russian applicant wishing to get higher education in one of the South Korean universities is required to submit the following documents:

• resume with correct data and clearly marked place of study;
• high-quality photocopies of all available certificates that can prove proficiency in English or Korean;
• motivation letter;
• a document confirming that the applicant is studying at a specific educational institution.

Registration of student visa

A person who wants to get higher education at one of the South Korean universities undertakes to obtain a special visa document in 2019.

To apply for a visa document, you will need to submit the following documents:

• unexpired foreign passport;
• unexpired civil passport;
• 2 high-quality photographs (color);
• application form (completed in Korean or English);
• diploma or certificate (a photocopy must be certified by a notary);
• a document confirming admission to a particular faculty of a South Korean university;
• a document confirming the payment of tuition;
• a certificate confirming financial solvency;
• medical insurance.

If a person who has not reached the age of majority leaves for South Korea, then in 2019 he undertakes to provide a parental exit permit and a document confirming his birth.

It looks like a student visa to South Korea

Foreign students are eligible for employment. The work should not take more than twenty hours during the training period. During the holidays, you can find a job at any time.

Accommodation and training

In most cases, a foreigner cannot study for free in South Korea. The cost of services can be variable. It is noteworthy that, unlike Russian universities, in South Korea there is no direct relationship between the cost and the prestige of an educational institution.

Thus, education at private universities located in the province is more expensive than at the prestigious university in Seoul.

A Russian applicant, before sending his documents, is obliged to inquire whether the university will provide him with a place in a hostel. If a higher educational institution does not provide such a service in 2019, then it will be necessary to find housing for itself in a timely manner.

Living conditions of students in South Korea

As for food, it is much more profitable to eat in the cafeteria of an educational institution. However, meals in student canteens will not be too expensive either. It is impossible to cook in dormitories, and against this background, a student who is accustomed to homemade food will have a hard time. However, the food in the canteens is good.

If a Russian student is an adherent of the classical European cuisine, he will not be disappointed. If he would like to join national cuisine, then he will meet with real culinary masterpieces.

Exchange training

There are a large number of universities in South Korea that are ready to accept exchange students. Students from Russia also come very actively. These programs involve not so much scholastic classroom teaching as a different, undoubtedly more interesting activities... Great attention is paid to the live communication of students with each other.
This is relevant for those who wish to better understand the language and culture of the South Korean people.