Study Abroad in Korea
Explore a new culture, learn a new language & broaden your horizons by enrolling in a program to study in Korea with YFU. Discover our programs today.
Study in Korea
Venture on an enticing journey to South Korea! Learn about its ancient heritage and tradition, and see how the new Korea, the "Asian Tiger", is now a major player on the world stage. Go discover a culture very different than U.S. culture.
+ More About Korea
안녕하세요(annyeong-haseyo -- hello in Korean!) Discover a culture as different from U.S. culture as East is from West.
As you spend time with your Korean host family, it will become clear that family is the center of traditional Korean society, bound together by a sense of obligation and respect to elders. You might live in a brick house or high-rise apartment found in urban cities, or a house with paper doors and windows more common in rural South Korea. You will experience a unique food adventure as you try dishes like live baby octopus or kimchi, a popular spicy vegetable dish.
Koreans highly value education, taking between 11 and 15 subjects per semester varying from liberal arts to science. After school, you may be able to join new friends as they watch movies in the DVD-bang (DVD or video room), sing karaoke at the noraebang (singing room) or play video games in the PC-bang (computer room). Private specialized academies for personal interests like dancing, drawing, or physical fitness are are also popular in South Korea. During weekends, many riversides are occupied with picnickers and the mountains are filled with hikers.
If you’d like to experience life on the other side of the world, then South Korea is a great fit for you!
+ Scholarships Available
To learn more, please visit our Scholarships Page to find details on the following scholarships eligible for Korea:
YFU Legacy Grant
YFU Financial Aid Fund
WEH Foundation Scholarship
Holcomb & Farnell Foreign Study Fund
Karla Topolka Scholarship Fund
Passport to Equity
+ Application Deadline
Applications for Spring/Winter programs must be submitted by October 31 for review. Applications for summer or fall departures must be submitted by March 15. Programs can often fill before these deadlines, so we encourage early submission!
+ Additional Information
Visa Information
YFU will provide students with necessary documents to apply for visa. Upon arrival in Korea, students should be prepared to pay an approximate $100 visa conversion fee and a $30 obligatory foreign registration fee directly to the Korean government. Information regarding visas and other immigration processes will be provided upon enrollment.
Additional Costs
Due to COVID and travel restrictions, we are anticipating a mandatory two-week quarantine for summer students upon arrival. The cost of quarantine will be the responsibility of the student. The program will be extended from 4 to now 6 weeks. Please contact us for additional information at info@yfu.org.
Important Information
Due to cultural differences, local customs, and school regulations, vegetarians, vegans, and students with strict dietary requirements have not been successfully placed in the Korea program. Additionally, students how are home-schooled will be considered on a case-by-case basis for the trimester program.
Choose Your Program
+ Spring Break K-Culture Tour Program
NEW- Spring Break K-Culture Tour Program
Ready for the most AMAZING 3-weeks of your life? Join fellow K-Culture enthusiasts as you tour South Korea this March. After your arrival in Korea, you will attend your first group orientation (2 days) and 6-hours’ worth of language instruction. You will then move on to live with a Korean family for the first week and attend a Korean school, experiencing Korean family and school life first-hand.
The following 10 days/9 nights will be a whirlwind of Korean history, fun, nature, and K-pop! This cultural tour with your YFU group and YFU chaperone includes traditional palace tours, the Unification Observatory, a K-drama set, Everland Amusement Park, a cruise with a Seoul night view, the Cherry Blossom Festival, and K-pop dance class.
Tuition includes all accommodations, breakfasts, transportation, activity/entrance fees, and guides. Students will need to bring additional spending money for lunch and dinners.
Want to see more information? Check out the program brochure created by our YFU Korea Office.
Additional information
Many Koreans live in apartments and sleep on mats generally heated by underfloor heating called "On-dol".
To best connect with your host family, you can show respect to elders by greeting directly in both morning and night. This tradition comes from Confucianism.
Age Requirement
- 2024 Winter K-Culture Tour- Students born November 28, 2006- November 29, 2009
- Students who do not meet this age requirement will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis.
| PROGRAM | DEPARTURE | RETURN | FULL TUITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Winter K-Culture | Mid-March | Early April | $8,995 |
Tuition Includes
- Placement with a host family
- 3-4 days of Korean school
- 6 hours of Language training
- Accomidations and breakfasts while on tour
- All entrance fees to attactions and YFU guide
- Airport transfers
- Domestic and international travel
- All pre-departure and post-arrival orientations
- Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
- Support from a YFU Korea Area Representative while on program
- Comprehensive insurance
Host Family Placement
Mostly urban areas or small cities. Though Korean families are often very busy, they usually place a large emphasis on family life.
Language
Korean. Previous language is not required for short-term K-culture students.
+ Trimester Program
Discover Korea
On this 90 day program you'll be immersed in South Korea's daily life, giving you the learning opportunity to live in a host family and be immersed in Korean language and culture. While you do not need to have Korean Language skill to be selected for this program, learning some basic phrases will help you connect with your host family! The post-arrival orientation also includes 10 hours of Korean language training.
Your spring trimester in South Korea includes a host family stay as well as an opportunity to join some optional trips such as visits to the city of Busan and discovering the wonders of Jeju Island, horseback riding and touring local markets. Throughout these cultural excursions, you will find yourself surrounded by Korean culture and landscape and will be able to compare ancient Korean life. School is in session during the trimester program. This will allow you to put your language skills to the test and make new friends!
Additional information
Many Koreans live in apartments and sleep on mats generally heated by underfloor heating called "On-dol".
To best connect with your host family, you can show respect to elders by greeting directly in both morning and night. This tradition comes from Confucianism.
As most Korean families are very active, we encourage students to join an activity while on exchange like learning K-pop dance, Taekwondo (Korean martial arts), musical instruments, etc. in a private academy.
Optional Excursions
Students will also usually have the option of participating in a number of educational trips and excursions during their stay, at an additional cost. **These are examples of past excursions and are subject to change.
**Busan Cultural Tourism Trip: ** This 2-day trip explores the city of Busan by guided tour. This additional fee includes transportation, guided tour, lodging, and meals. The cost is $330.
**Jeju Island Trip: ** In April - May, take part in this 3-day, 2-night trip to explore the island of Jeju and its attractions! This trip includes Tour including a cruise and horseback riding, transportation, guided tour, 2 night lodging and meals. Airfare for the round trip between Seoul and Jeju is covered. The cost is $410.
Age Requirement
- 2024 Spring Trimester Program: Students born January 30, 2006 - January 31, 2009.
- 2025 Fall Trimester Program: Students born August 1, 2007 - July 31, 2010.
- Students who do not meet this age requirement will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis.
| PROGRAM | DEPARTURE | RETURN | FULL TUITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Spring Trimester | Early March | Late May | $13,959 |
| 2025 Fall Trimester | Early September | Late November | $14,959 |
Tuition Includes
- Placement with a host family
- 10 hours of Language training
- Airport transfers
- Domestic and international travel
- All pre-departure and post-arrival orientations
- Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
- Support from a YFU Korea Area Representative while on program
- Comprehensive insurance
Host Family Placement
Mostly urban areas or small cities. Though Korean families are often very busy, they usually place a large emphasis on family life.
Language
Korean. Previous language study is required. Students should have studied Korean language and culture for at least 3-months in preparation of their exchange for the trimester program. Students must pass a TOPIK test or submit a video clip of student's self-introduction in both Korean (50%) and English (50%).
+ Short-Term Summer Program
Discover Korea Summer
On this month-long program, you'll be immersed in South Korea's daily life, giving you the learning opportunity to live in a host family and be immersed in Korean language and culture. While you do not need to have Korean Language skills to be selected for this program, learning some basic phrases will help you connect with your host family! The post-arrival orientation also includes 10 hours of Korean language training. During this time, YFU Korea works with students to create a "to-do" list for their summer, allowing students to have lots of input into the kinds of activities that they wish to participate in.
Your 2024 summer in South Korea includes an 8-night/ 9-day K-Culture tour. This tour with a YFU Korea staff member and your fellow YFU students features K-pop, K-Beauty, K-History, K-Fun, K-Nature, K-Food, and K-Shopping.
2024 Tuition includes all accommodations, breakfasts, transportation, activity/entrance fees, and guides. Students will need to bring additional spending money for lunch and dinners.
Want to see more information? Check out the program brochure created by our YFU Korea Office.
School is in session during the summer program. They will have a final examination period over the summer, during which exchange students are not permitted to attend classes. Pending the permission of your host school, you may be able to attend school for a day or so to see what it is like to attend school in Korea. This will allow you to put your language skills to the test and make new friends!
Additional information
Many Koreans live in apartments and sleep on mats generally heated by underfloor heating called "On-dol". To best connect with your host family, you can show respect to elders by greeting them directly in both morning and night. This tradition comes from Confucianism.
As most Korean families are very active, we encourage students to join an activity while on exchange like learning K-pop dance, Taekwondo (Korean martial arts), musical instruments, etc. in a private academy.
Age Requirement
- 2024 Summer Program: Students born February 29, 2008 - March 01, 2010.
- Students who do not meet this age requirement will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis.
| PROGRAM | DEPARTURE | RETURN | FULL TUITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Summer | Late June | Late July | $10,995 |
Tuition Includes
- Placement with a host family
- 8 hours of Language training
- Airport transfers
- Domestic and international travel
- All pre-departure and post-arrival orientations
- Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
- Support from a YFU Korea Area Representative while on program
- Comprehensive insurance
Host Family Placement
Mostly urban areas or small cities. Though Korean families are often very busy, they usually place a large emphasis on family life.
Language
Korean. Previous language is not required for summer students. Post-arrival orientation includes 10 hours of language training.