January in Seoul
Unique Experiences
Walk the Old City Wall
and four major gates: Bukdaemun, Tongdaemun, Namdaemun, and Seodaemun
Travel by Subway
across 20+ lines to explore Seoul, one of the best in the world for ease of use
Enjoy K-Pop Performances
at renowned venues around the city, from intimate underground clubs to massive concert halls
Your Destination
Seoul is South Korea’s cosmopolitan city, celebrated for its mild winter climate and rich cultural heritage. January is the perfect time to experience the city's charm with fewer crowds while exploring iconic landmarks like Gyeongbokgung Palace and N Seoul Tower and enjoying traditional winter festivities like the Seoul Lantern Festival. Whether you are majoring in business, science, engineering, technology, communications, psychology, health sciences, liberal arts, language, or fine arts, Seoul is the perfect place to study abroad on winter break.
Program Highlights
- Academic Course: Take one CIEE course delivered in-person at the CIEE Center.
- Immersive Experiences: Participate in activities, excursions, study tours, and more that showcase your host city's culture, values, and local art, film, music, cuisine, and sports scenes.
Excursions & Activities
CIEE’s excursions and cultural activities in Seoul will open doors for you to explore South Korea's rich diversity, language, culture, history, and timeless beauty in ways that will enhance your time abroad.
Samples of past excursions and activities:
- Take a Korean cooking class or indulge in a street food tour
- Travel to Nami Island, a popular film location known for ecotourism
- Check out Seoul Forest, a man-made eco-friendly park that is one of the city’s most beautiful green spaces
Please note: Activities are based on past programs and subject to change at CIEE's discretion to adapt to local circumstances and participant feedback. Our goal when arranging activities is always to enhance your experience.
Program Blogs
Put Yourself Out There: Being Open Despite Being Uncomfortable
While very excited, I was quite nervous about going to a place as new and different from what I know as Seoul, but now that I am here, I am... keep reading
From Midterms to Mosh Pits: Turning 21 at EDC Korea
Electric Daisy Carnival or EDC is a vibrant international music festival with editions all over the world, the biggest being the neon-drenched, glitter-bombed madness in Las Vegas. But did you... keep reading
I Got a Saju Reading So You Don't Have To
Aside from a few tarot readings from friends and reviewing each others’ astrological birth charts, I’ve had little to no professional experience with “fortune telling.” I’d only heard of Saju... keep reading
Housing & Meals
Housing
CIEE Seoul offers convenient housing to ensure you’re comfortable in your home away from home. Housing is located in neighborhoods with easy access to public transportation, shops, cafés, and eateries.
Standard Housing: Includes a double room shared with another student. Each room features beds, desks, chairs, closets, Wi-Fi access, and a private bathroom. Students also have access to common facilities, including lounges, a shared kitchen, a laundry room, and a fitness center.
A note: The default criterion to assign housing is first-come, first-served; however, other factors may also be considered. If we cannot accommodate your first housing choice, we'll let you know before you arrive. Non-standard housing options require an additional fee that can be found in the program Dates and Fees.
Meals
Meals are not included. Students can eat at restaurants throughout Seoul.
Academics
CIEE Seoul: Study in the heart of downtown Seoul in Jonggak, just steps from Jonggak Station (Line 1, Exit 10). The CIEE Center features cozy lounges, quiet study spaces, and fast Wi-Fi, with cafés, restaurants, shops, and cultural landmarks just around the corner. With easy access to public transportation and nonstop city energy, Jonggak is the perfect home base while abroad.
Course Information
Communication, Journalism, and Media
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 & 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:
- Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program January 2026 3 weeks | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $4,150 |
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.
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 protection with benefits.
| Participation Confirmation | $300 * |
| Educational Costs | $2,370 ** |
| Housing | $1,400 |
| Insurance | $80 |
| Total Fees | $4,150 |
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.
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 | $398 † |
| International Airfare | $1,250 †† |
| Local Transportation | $75 |
| Books & Supplies | $50 |
| Personal expenses | $170 ††† |
| Total Costs | $1,943 |
*non-refundable fee
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
†For groceries if you plan on making your own meals, budget more money if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
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 travel protection
24/7 emergency on-site support
Our Staff
Philip Jung
Center Director
Raised in Toronto, Canada, one of the world's most culturally diverse cities, Philip developed a deep passion for cross-cultural connections and education. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics with...
Teddy Choi
Senior Program Manager
Teddy’s passion and love of international education was driven by his life-changing study abroad experience in the US. He tries to go the extra mile for every single student to...
Beatrice Jaeeun Cho
Senior Academic Coordinator
Beatrice Jaeeun Cho holds a Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling from Andrews University. After moving back to Korea, Beatrice joined CIEE Seoul as a Senior Academics Coordinator in April...
Get Started
1
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.
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