Pre-Registration:
1. Look at the course equivalency sheet on the Shidler website 2. Look at the Yonsei course catalog 3. Talk to Rikki if you need to petition/double check courses Note: Not all the courses were offered when it came time to actual registration. Make sure you have 9 credits to be full time at Yonsei and 12 credits to be full time at UHM. For me I registered for four classes but I only had 2/4 before the add/drop period. This is my current Fall 2019 schedule:
0 Comments
Housing is VERY COMPETITIVE at Yonsei! That being said, make sure to be on top of everything when it comes to dates, times, and payment. Also, check your emails daily!
Pre-Housing Application: WRITE DOWN THE DATE AND TIME when it comes in your email. Tip: Everything is in Korean time so make sure you set your alarms and take into account the time difference between Hawaii and Korea. Application Process: 1. Select which dorm (SK Global or International House) 2. Select which type of room (Single or Double) 3. Submit Michelle and I went to South Shore Market to do this together but we ended up getting different dorms despite submitting our application at the same time. Beware: A lot of students from all over the world are on the website at the same time for housing so it crashed multiple times so we thought we weren't going to be able to submit it but we did. Payment: 2-3 weeks after the notification of which dorm room you received, payment is due. 1. Go to your bank (I had Bank of Hawaii so I went there) 2. Let the bank teller know you want to make a international transfer to Korea 3. Make sure you have the Bank Account # for Woori Bank ready 4. They will prepare all the documents and have you sign a couple of disclosure forms 5. The wire transfer can take up to several business days so do it ahead of time After I completed this I emailed Yonsei a copy of my receipt just incase so that they know the payment is on the way and to hold my spot for housing. There are two options for housing for International exchange students:
SK Global:
International House:
Both have air conditioners, heating systems, laundry rooms, lounges, and computers. There is no meal plan included but there is a GS25, Cell Phone Store, Coffee Shop, Burger Shop, Dessert Store and Cafeteria below both of the dorms to grab food and other necessities. After completing everything I needed in order to get a D-2 Visa, when I got to the Korean Consulate Office in Hawaii I found out that I have Dual-Citizenship! Meaning that I'm both a Korean and American citizen. After finding out that my parents both got their American Citizenship after I was born, I had to go through a long-process of gathering all the documents I needed in order to obtain a Korean ID and passport.
On August 21, 2019 as I left Hawaii to go to Korea I found out again that since I was traveling on a tourist visa that lasted 90 days I would need to have a returning flight somehow somewhere only having a one way ticket to Korea. I needed to book a roundtrip flight to Japan for 3 days so that I could leave Hawaii knowing that I would leave Korea within 90 days on a tourist visa. So I booked a flight to Japan from November 9-11 that costs $480 USD not knowing where or who I was going to go with. If anything I'm taking a solo weekend trip to Japan. As of September 16, 2019 my parents have completed all the paperwork and I'm currently waiting on my Korean ID but it's taking a bit longer since it was just Chuseok "Korean Thanksgiving". For all other students that have a D-2 Visa it's time to apply for their Alien Registration Cards (ARC). Tip: If you have any Korean blood in you, please visit the consulate early to find out if you hold dual-citizenship or check with your parents! I highly recommend to figure it all out early so that you have it before you depart for Korea unlike me. Please refer to my fellow Yonsei friends Michelle and Michael for D-2 Visa requirements! Once you received a nomination from MIX, you may apply to Yonsei University. Yonsei will send a email with your log in information and the link to the application.
Things you will need for the application: 1. Student Photo ID: A passport photo of yourself with specific guidelines. Tip: It costs $5 at the UHM Ticket, Information, and ID Office to get it done but you will need to scan it after to upload for the application. 2. Official Transcripts: A most recent copy at the time of your application. Tip: It costs $5 (regular) or $15 (rush) at the Records Office to get it done but you will need to scan it after to upload for the application. 3. Health Insurance: MIX provides both the placeholder and official document to upload for the application. 4. Scanned copy of your passport: You can scan it with a printer. Tip: You can use your iPhone notes, hit the plus sign in a circle, select scan documents. 5. Study Plan: Four questions that you will have to provided detail answers for. Choosing a ProgramOnce you decided on where in the world you want to study abroad.
There are two programs that are available with the University of Hawaii at Manoa: 1. Manoa International Exchange (MIX): https://manoa.hawaii.edu/mix/ 2. UH Study Abroad Center (SAC): http://www.studyabroad.hawaii.edu/ Both programs are very good! UHM is partners with a lot of universities. It essentially comes down to time, money, and what country you want to go too. Also, there are differences between MIX and SAC that you can read more about here: http://www.studyabroad.hawaii.edu/students/study-abroad-vs-exchange/. The biggest difference to me is that MIX offers more options in Asia and SAC offers more options in Europe. Tips to consider when applying: 1. DO RESEARCH I really recommend doing your research on what countries and universities interest you so that you can find the best fit! If you're really clueless and want to learn more. Join the International Business Organization (IBO) *shameless plug*: https://www.ibouhm.com/. As a member I learned a lot about studying abroad through Global Analysis Workshops, it occurs after every general meeting and is open to students so you don't have to be a business major to attend or join the club. Past scholars and students who have studied abroad present about their experiences abroad which I found to be really useful when trying to figure out where I wanted to go. I ended up choosing South Korea and I'll be attending Yonsei University for the Fall 2019 semester. 2. APPLY EARLY The process in studying abroad is a pretty long one so make sure you know when the deadlines are! For MIX here are the dates: Summer, Fall, and Academic Year Exchanges: Application Opens: August 1 Application Deadline: December 1 Spring Exchanges: Application Opens: January 1 Application Deadline: May 1 As for SAC the dates differ depending on the university you're attending. Make sure to keep the dates in mind and apply early! 3. TALK TO YOUR ADVISOR I highly recommend talking to your advisor about taking courses abroad so you know the course equivalency in order to transfer back your credits to UH. For me and other Shidler students it'll be with Rikki Mitsunaga, the Shidler Undergraduate Academic Advisor. *shoutout* to Rikki for being the best IBO advisor and helping me with the entire process of studying abroad, I couldn't have done it without you. 4. PLAN AHEAD It's a year long process, make sure to plan ahead once you get accepted by booking flights, getting a place to live, figuring out wifi/transportation, and if you plan to visit other cities, countries, and do activities while you're there. 5. SAVE UP $$$ Studying abroad can be a financial burden for a lot of people but with scholarships and savings it's doable. I never thought that I would be living in Korea for four months but thanks to the Freeman scholarship, friends, and family I'll be able to fulfill my dream. Take into consideration how much money you spend now and try to budget before going abroad so that you'll have enough money to spend while you're there. I would recommend getting a summer/seasonal job, applying for scholarships, and financial aid. |