One of my longest stays in Korea was in the summer of 2017, where I enrolled in Korea University’s International Summer Campus (KU ISC). I mainly did it for two reasons: (1) I needed to clear modules after taking a 6-month leave of absence from school, (2) I really wanted to study in Korea (duh!).

I’ve talked about my amazing experience in Korea during that summer with so many of my family and friends that they’re probably sick of it by now. Heck, I still talk about it almost a decade after I went! But in all honesty, those were the best 6 weeks I’ve ever had.

Here’s a quick summary of my KU ISC experience which I hope will be useful!

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Key details

Here are the key details about my time in KU ISC:

• Duration: 6 weeks
• Housing: CJ International House
• Meal coupons: Bought 40 to use in Anam Dormitory Cafeteria
• Modules (please note that I mapped modules from NUS Business School, you’ll have to check with your own school regarding module mapping)
  • ISC129A Strategic Management –> BSP3001
  • ISC305 Corporate Finance –> FIN3101
  • ISC311 Global Leadership and Management –> MNO2007

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Educational experience

Some programme participants may tell you that it’s all about having fun and not really about the studying.

However, if you’re of the camp that you probably should be taking your studies more seriously during summer campus, you’ll be happy to know that the balance is just nice.

I found that the pace was rigorous enough to cover enough content, yet manageable to balance both work and play throughout the 6 weeks.

Again, do note that this may differ based on the type of modules you take. I find that most people tend to enjoy their Korean language lessons the most due to the fact that you can apply it as soon as you step out of campus.

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Housing

There are a few different dorms you can choose from, and I picked CJ House.

My room in CJ International House was spacious and well-ventilated, the bed was comfortable, and the toilet clean. I also liked the kitchen where we could eat and drink, with fridges provided as well.

The only thing I didn’t like too much was the fact that it was a bit of a walk (the slope really killed us). But it’s great for burning off all the calories you’re gonna get from eating fried chicken.

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Dorm cafeteria food

A lot of friends have asked why I chose to do that and deprive myself of the chance to try more types of food sold on the streets.

The main reason was that proper meals in Korea tend to be a lil pricey, usually above 3000 won (~ SGD 3.70). As a student on a tight budget, consistently spending about 5000 won for every meal would probably bankrupt me before the programme was even over. Hence, I decided to save myself some money by buying cheaper meals.

The cafeteria changes the menu quite often, but you’ll usually get the same type of food the next week. Their Korean food is really good – my favourites are odeng and galbitang. I wouldn’t recommend their breakfast and Western food options though.

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If you’re interested to read more details about my experience at KU ISC, you can check out my review done here in my bid to win a BTS album from Korea University (which I did! YAY)

NOTE: I’ve not been paid, sponsored, or requested to review or introduce KU ISC, but genuinely love the program so much that I’d highly recommend it to anyone. It also helps to know a lot more about what you’re signing up for because I was an absolute blur sotong and stumbled my way through a lot of the details.

Interested to know more or would like to ask detailed questions regarding KU ISC? Please feel free to drop a message or send an email! 😊