Seoul, South Korea

Arts + Sciences

AACSB and EQUIS ✓
Click to scroll down and read more

Information for term Arts + Sciences

Application deadline, and cost information.

Application Deadline

April 1, 2023
weeks
days
hours

Program Deadlines and Pricing Info

  • Tentative Dates: Aug 24 – Dec 22, 2023 (17 weeks)*
  • Credit: 15 - 18 semester hours / 22.5 - 27 quarter hours
  • Eligibility: 2.5 Overall GPA

Application Deadline

The application deadline has passed.

Program Deadlines and Pricing Info

  • Dates: Feb 22 – Jun 22, 2023 (17 weeks)
  • Credit: 15 - 18 semester hours / 22.5 - 27 quarter hours
  • Eligibility: 2.5 Overall GPA

Application Deadline

October 1, 2023
weeks
days
hours

Program Deadlines and Pricing Info

  • Tentative Dates: Feb 22 – Jun 22, 2024 (17 weeks)*
  • Credit: 15 - 18 semester hours / 22.5 - 27 quarter hours
  • Eligibility: 2.5 Overall GPA

Application Deadline

April 1, 2023
weeks
days
hours

Program Deadlines and Pricing Info

  • Tentative Dates: Aug 24, 2023 – Jun 22, 2024 (43 weeks)*
  • Credit: 15 - 18 semester hours / 22.5 - 27 quarter hours
  • Eligibility: 2.5 Overall GPA

Application Deadline

The application deadline has passed.

Program Deadlines and Pricing Info

  • Credit: 15 - 18 semester hours / 22.5 - 27 quarter hours
  • Eligibility: 2.5 Overall GPA

Overview

Click to Open

CIEE’s Arts and Sciences program is designed for students to learn at a top-ranked Korean university and experience everyday life in Seoul – a World Design Capital and the center of popular culture featuring the fastest internet in the world. Select from courses taught in either English or Korean at our partner school, Yonsei University, as well as CIEE Seoul across a wide array of subjects, including Korean language, architecture, engineering, computer science, business, international relations, and history. You can also make strides in your language learning by volunteering in the community or practicing with Korean language buddies from the university. All courses are complemented with CIEE co-curricular activities and excursions beyond the city to enhance classroom learning and provide intercultural understanding.

Unique Experiences

  • Select from 1000

    courses in English across many disciplines including STEM; opt to boost language skills and take Korean taught at all levels

  • Experience Korean life

    and spend a weekend with a local family (Covid permitting)

  • Make instant Korean friends

    with the CIEE Seoul Mates program

  • UNESCO World Heritage sites

    9
  • international residents

    3 M
  • floors in Lotte World Tower, Seoul’s tallest building

    123

Location & Culture

Click to Open

Packed with people, it’s no wonder Seoul is the capital and largest city in South Korea. A vibrant business and financial hub, Seoul also brims with culture, with more than 100 museums, numerous religious monuments, parks, markets, festivals, sports teams, and the Gyeongbok and Changdeok palaces. The mighty Han River runs through the city, and rugged mountains loom in the distance.  

CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Seoul.

The Culture

EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES

  • Visit ancient temples, museums, and historic sites. 
  • See the notorious Korean Demilitarized Zone. 
  • Relish the natural beauty of a national park. 
  • Get a taste of family life with a short homestay of one or two nights. Visit Nami Island, a half-moon shaped island that is popular with tourists all year round 
  • Tour ancient palaces while wearing a hanbok, traditional Korean costume 
  • Enjoy CIEE K-pop/ Indie Concerts 

CIEE Seoul Mates

Connect with local Korean students through our Seoul Mates program. Get to know the city, language, culture, and customs with the help of students trained by CIEE to help with orientation, organize social events, host workshops, and more. 

PROJECTS

  • Volunteer. Show appreciation while you connect with members of local communities.  
  • Get to know the city, language, culture, and customs with the help of students trained by CIEE to help with orientation, organize social events, host workshops, and more.   
  • University clubs. Join one of the many clubs and service groups open to international students. Options include music, dance, art, photography, martial arts, hiking, sports, service groups, and many more. 

Program Blogs

Click to Open

Program Blogs

Daily Life

Click to Open
  • HOUSING

    Campus Dorm: Most students stay in a dorm on campus. With separate floors for men and women, rooms house two students and have private baths. There are lounges, a seminar room, and study rooms as well as a fitness center, shared kitchen, and laundry facilities. A convenience store, food court, and other services are on the premises. Internet access is provided. 

    Stay with relatives: CIEE participants can talk to our Study Abroad Advisors about opting out of CIEE-provided housing to live with relatives who reside in Seoul. 

    Housing for academic year students: Housing between semesters must be arranged and paid for by students. CIEE resident staff can provide guidance. 

  • MEALS

    Meals are not included in the program fee and are students’ responsibility. Students can eat at the dorm food court, campus cafeterias,  snack bars, and restaurants throughout Seoul. Students can also use the dorm kitchen or, at the serviced residence, the en suite kitchenette to prepare meals. 

Seoul, South Korea

Where You'll Study

  • A

    CIEE SEOUL

    Based at Yonsei University, one of the most prestigious private institutions of higher education in Korea with 18 graduate schools, 21 colleges, and a student population of more than 23,000, including more than 4,000 international students. Less than 20 minutes from downtown Seoul on a large, attractive campus. Sports facilities including include a fitness center, pool, gym, and basketball and tennis courts.

  • B

    YONSEI UNIVERSITY

    Seoul

What People are Saying

  • "I had a fantastic time and the CIEE Seoul in staff were so attentive and helpful at all times. They were like my family here while on study abroad. I absolutely love this program and I think it's worth every cent."

    Aaliyah A., Howard University
  • "CIEE did all the hard work of getting to the country and they did a great job of integrating us into daily life in Korea. The staff are very friendly and more than willing to help CIEE participants with anything."

    Carrie L., Belmont University
  • "The experience has been life changing, especially with the help of CIEE in making this so much smoother!"

    Danielle H., Howard University
  • "CIEE provides a lot of on site support that really helps students get aclimated to living in a new country, and helped ease some of the anxiety and fears that I had when I first arrived"

    Heba M., Georgetown University

Academics

Click to Open

Academics

A special in-depth orientation and extracurricular program helps students get to know the country, along with 16 weeks of courses in English and Korean at Yonsei University. A typical course load at Yonsei University is four or five courses with one having a Korea-related focus. All courses are taught by Yonsei University faculty except for Intercultural Communication and Leadership, which is taught by CIEE staff.  

Yonsei University is the most prestigious private institution of higher education in South Korea with 18 graduate schools, 21 colleges, and a student population of more than 30,000, including more than 14,000 students from 25 countries. The large, beautiful campus offers superior athletic facilities, including a fitness center, pool, gym, and basketball and tennis courts. 

CIEE Seoul is conveniently located on the Sinchon campus of Yonsei University, 20 minutes from downtown Seoul. 

GPA

2.5

Language Prerequisites

There are no specific language requirements for this program.

Additional Requirements

Applicants must be enrolled in a four-year undergraduate program and show two completed semesters on official transcripts at time of CIEE application deadline. For the spring and fall semester programs, Yonsei University does not allow students enrolled in 2-year programs. Transfer students must show previous institution transcripts and one completed semester on official transcript from the current institution with a 2.5 GPA at time of CIEE application deadline. Previous transcripts and the current transcript must be 2.5 or above.   

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors. 

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.

Program Requirements

Students enroll in 4-5 Yonsei University/CIEE elective courses. 

Program Credit

Total credit range: 15-18 U.S. semester/22.5-27 quarter credits 

Course Credit

  • CIEE course: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours 
  • Intensive Korean language courses: 6 U.S. semester/9 quarter credits; 160 contact hours 
  • Yonsei University courses: 1-3 U.S. semester/1.5-4.5 quarter credits; 16-48 contact hours 

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.

Academic Culture

Yonsei University has a strict course attendance policy: students who are absent for more than one-third of the semester are issued an “F” regardless of achievement. Some professors may have stricter rules. The Korean Language Institute, through which the 6-credit Korean language courses are taught, has stricter policies in which a student cannot be absent for more than 20 percent of the course or they will not receive a passing grade. 

Class Format

Yonsei University classes include both seminar and lecture formats. Some include excursions that relate to the course subjects. Students can take classes designed for only international students or classes alongside local students by enrolling in courses offered by a variety of departments and colleges including engineering, science, and business administration, though some courses may have prerequisites and/or restrictions (e.g. business administration courses are restricted to business majors). 

Students with near-native Korean language skills have many more options, provided they have university-level Korean  comprehension. Students wishing to study Korean language can choose to take an intensive 6-credit course or a less intensive 3-credit course. 

Grading

Assessment using letter grades is based on attendance, exams, quizzes, presentations, and papers. Attendance is critical and directly affects grades (see below). 

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.

Language of Instruction

English and Korean

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.

Courses

Click to Open

Course Information

One elective course must have a Korea-related focus. 

Host Institution Courses

Click to Open

YONSEI UNIVERSITY COURSES

Yonsei University courses are taught in English and available to international students. The following is a representative sample of their extensive course offering. Not all courses are offered every term. The final list of semester-specific Yonsei University course offerings is made available about a month prior to the start of each semester. However, students can get an idea of the courses that will be available by browsing prior terms in the university’s online course catalog. 

Korean Language Institute Courses 

  • Beginning Korean Language I, II, III 
  • Intermediate Korean Language I, II, III 
  • Advanced Korean Language I, II 

Business and Economics Courses * 

  • Business Communication 
  • Corporate Finance 
  • Cost Accounting 
  • Business and Society 
  • Business and the Arts 
  • Microeconomics 

*Note: Most business courses are open only to those who declare business major on the Yonsei University application. 

East Asian Studies 

  • Philosophy in East Asian Literature 
  • International Relations in East Asia 
  • Introduction to East Asian Art 

Intercultural Education 

  • Cold War International History 
  • Bargaining Approach to International Relations 

Korean Studies 

  • Korean Traditional Music and Culture 
  • Korean Language and Society 
  • Introduction to Korean Studies 
  • International Politics of the Korean Peninsula 
  • Introduction to Korean Philosophy 
  • Korean Language (3-credit course) 

Architecture/Engineering/Computer/Science 

  • Computer Architecture 
  • Ecological Engineering 
  • Electric Power Engineering 
  • Geospatial Information Engineering 
  • Developmental Biology 
  • Organic Chemistry (1) 
  • Discrete Mathematics 

 The Yonsei site is challenging to navigate without a guide. To request a guide, please contact CIEE to connect with the CIEE Study Abroad Advisor for the Seoul Arts and Sciences program. 

 

Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.

Scholarships

Click to Open

Scholarships & Grants

CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.

Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:

  • Wollitzer Merit Scholarships in Area or Comparative Studies
  • Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
  • Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
  • CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant

To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application. Learn more at the Scholarships & Grants section of our website.

See more scholarship info

Dates & Fees

Click to Open

Dates & Fees

You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Fees & Housing

Spring 2023 17 weeks Deadline Passed Feb 22, 2023 Jun 22, 2023
$20,950
Click to Close

Program Fees

CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits.

Participation Confirmation = $300 *

Educational Costs = $17,846 **

Housing = $2,520

Insurance = $167

Visa Fees = $117

Total Fees = $20,950

Estimated Costs

Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.

Meals not included in program fee = $3,600

International Airfare = $1,250

Local Transportation = $150

Books & Supplies = $300

Personal expenses = $2,200

Other = $100 ††

Total Estimated Costs = $7,600

Financial Aid

CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.

See Scholarships

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required by their US home institution to study abroad via CIEE's School of Record will be charged a $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

†† Mandatory Covid test upon arrival in Korea

Calendar year 2023 17 weeks Deadline Passed Feb 22, 2023 TBD
Fall 2023 17 weeks Apr 1, 2023 Aug 24, 2023* Dec 22, 2023*
$20,950
Click to Close

Program Fees

CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits.

Participation Confirmation = $300 *

Educational Costs = $17,816 **

Housing = $2,520

Insurance = $197

Visa Fees = $117

Total Fees = $20,950

Estimated Costs

Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.

Meals not included in program fee = $3,800

International Airfare = $1,250 ††

Local Transportation = $300

Books & Supplies = $300

Personal expenses = $2,200

Other = $350 †††

Total Estimated Costs = $8,200

Financial Aid

CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.

See Scholarships

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required by their US home institution to study abroad via CIEE's School of Record will be charged a $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

During quarantine you will spend an average of $8/meal to be delivered

†† round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

††† Covid tests upon arrival in Korea and Korean National Insurance (medical care and medicine will cost lots less for students. Korean insurance covers 70% of most treatment costs)

Spring 2024 17 weeks Oct 1, 2023 Feb 22, 2024* Jun 22, 2024*
Academic year 2023-2024 43 weeks Apr 1, 2023 Aug 24, 2023* Jun 22, 2024*

*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.

To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.

Looking for funding?

What's Included

Click to Open

What's Included

Tuition
Housing
Pre-departure Advising
Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet
Orientation
Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city
On-site Staff
Full-time program leadership and support in your city
Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
Excursions and/or Study Tours
Travel Protection
CIEE iNext and a local liability insurance
24/7 emergency on-site support

Our Staff

Click to Open

Get Started

Here's what you need to do to take the next steps:
  • 1

    START AN APPLICATION
    You're one step closer to an amazing study abroad experience! 

    Apply Now
  • 2

    CONNECT WITH YOUR CAMPUS STUDY ABROAD OFFICE 
    Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad. 

  • 3

    Contact Us

    Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.