University of Seoul Summer Program

Areas of Study:

The Summer School offers two tracks: Business in Korean perspective and Korean Culture Studies

Course Information:

Students can choose one morning and one afternoon class, plus the optional 2 credit Exploring Asian Culture class which consists of three field trips. 3 credits = 1 UCalgary half course; 6-8 credits = 6 UCalgary units (2 half-courses)

The summer program typically runs from late June to late July.

Students may apply for housing on campus during the program. This is available on a first come first serve basis so apply early once the housing application opens. 

A common cooking facility is available in the dorm building, and you can find a cafeteria near the building for your meals. Detailed information on the facilities of the UOS dormitory can be found at http://global.uos.ac.kr →  For International Students  →  Living in Seoul  →  After Arrival Information  →  On-campus Housing.

This exchange is open to regular, full-time students in any faculty at UCalgary, who have completed at least 1 full year (10 courses) at the post-secondary level, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.

Do I have to speak Korean?

No prior knowledge of Korean is required for this exchange. The Seoul International Summer School (SISS) offers a variety of courses in English.

Student Experience: "I found that Korean people are quite straightforward and easily express their opinions. As well, most of them are quite self conscious about their ability to speak English so it was important for me to make sure they were comfortable around me when they spoke English. Even though I did not speak or read Korean, it helped that I understood a little bit. I would recommend being able to read Hangeul which is really easy to learn. Mostly people spoke minimal English, so it wasn’t too bad. As well, it helped that we had a lot of Korean friends who spoke English well who translated for us."

What supports or services are available on the SISS program?

SISS offers a buddy program "Peer Advocate" for international students. Peer Advocates are UoS Korean students who help international students adjust to life in Korea. Peer Advocates live with international students in the dorm and participate in most of the programs offered by SISS with all of international students.

Students in the program come from Korea, Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile, China, Columbia, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Hungary, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UK, USA, and more.

What's great about Seoul and SISS?

Not many people would come to South Korea for its outdoors, but the hikes around Seoul are some of the most scenic in the world. The University of Seoul is a fantastic student-experience oriented university in South Korea. There are a multitude of great events and gatherings for you to meet and interact with other international and Korean students. The location of the dorms at UoS also provide easy access to great pathways and hiking trails right up into the hills around Seoul for incredible views of the campus and beyond.  

The UoS-subsidized Jeju Island trip is a highlight for many students on the program - the 4-day field trip tours the volcanic island, which is full of breathtaking natural beauty as well as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, and will give you a better understanding of Korea.

Other field trips on this program help you to learn about Korea’s past, present and future - you will experience various kinds of activities while visiting meaningful spots in Korea such as Jeonju’s Hanok Village, Taekwondowon, Chuncheon (a famous film location), watching a NANTA Show, and enjoying the summer at an Amusement Park (Everland or Caribbean Bay).