Summer in Seoul
K-Pop, Culture, & Language

Why Life in Seoul

South Korea has everything: the longest subway system in the world, one of the most efficient writing systems, large and abundant forests, AND the world’s fastest internet connections (Take that, Netflix lag!). Seoul is a “dynamic city” that, according to Lonely Planet, “mashes up palaces, temples, cutting-edge design and mountain trails, all to a nonstop K-Pop beat.”

Still have stars in your eyes from the 2018 Olympics opening ceremony? You’re in luck! Just a 2-hour train ride from Pyeongchang, Seoul is the 9th most visited city in the world and the 4th largest earner in tourism. The metropolitan area around Seoul contains five UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Changdeok Palace, Hwaseong Fortress, Jongmyo Shrine, Namhansanseong and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty.

Live La Vida Local

• Outdoor Parks

  Walk over the pedestrian-only bridge on your way to Seonyudo Park, an island on the Hangang River that was formerly an industrial water treatment plant, but is now home to the Hangang History Museum and Botanical Gardens.

• Cooking Class

  Food is a huge staple in Korean culture - everything revolves around it. Learn to cook and then eat like a local.

• Local Cultural Festivals

  No shortage of celebration here! Seoul boasts the Lotus Lantern Festival, the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival, the Seoul International Fireworks Festival, and the Seoul Kimchi Making & Sharing Festival, among many more.

• Learn to write Hangul

  Hangul is the official written language of both South and North Korea, and is touted as the simplest language systems in the world. If you already don’t know it, see how quickly you can pick it up!

• Visual & Performance Art

  Take a selfie in the wildly colorful Ihwa Mural Village, a revitalized artist neighborhood adorned with murals and filled with galleries, cafes. After, check out these gems within walking distance: Lock Museum, Ihwa-dong Village Museum, and Blacksmith Museum.

Location

Students will be housed in the modern Gonzaga Hall on campus.  Rooms are double occupancy and include a bed, wardrobe, desk, chair, bathroom with a shower, telephone, AC unit, and internet access.

Check out the photo gallery to see what your housing in Gonzaga Hall might be like.

Meals

A partial meal plan is included by Gonzaga Hall, which boasts its own cafeteria offering breakfasts and dinners each day.

Inclusions and Amenities

• Air conditioning
• BathroomEnsuite
• CommuteWalking
• Desk
• Double Room
• LaundryOn-site
• Meal PlanPartial
• Wi-Fi

Housing Note

Inclusions

Program fees are in US dollars and include the following:

• Full-time tuition and fees
• Housing
• Academic advising
• Medical and accident insurance
• CIS Abroad support services before, during, and after the program
• Financial aid counseling
• Assistance with travel arrangements
• Pre-departure orientation
• Airport pickup
• CIS Abroad on-site orientation
• On-site support
• Seoul Walking Tour
• Day trip to the DMZ and one or more overnight excursions
• La Vida Local cultural program
• Sogang University official transcript

Welcome & Orientation

Upon arrival, you’ll take part in both the university and CISabroad orientation program. You’ll learn the “dos and don’ts” of living in Seoul, South Korea. What will your site director cover? Where to go to enjoy some social, cultural and recreational activities, how to stay safe, and where to shop are just a few topics. Oh, and there’ll be a welcome meal, something traditional and yummy, as Korean cuisine is known to be one of the best in the world!

Farewell & Re-Entry Program

Though you’re not an astronaut returning from space, re-entering your home culture after being abroad can be shocking to the system. We’ll walk you through some of the things to expect, rehash your time abroad so that you can remember the highlights and, yep, we’ll feed you one last delicious Korean meal before you go!

We believe that study abroad is still possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, but certain policies and procedures will need to be in place to ensure every student can be safe and healthy during their semester abroad.

Learn more about CIS Abroad’s Risk Management Team’s three step process for operating  our programs around the world and important program refund policies.

Read more below for information related to this program:

On-Site Program Modifications

We want your time abroad to be an experience of a lifetime. We also know that it is a unique time to be going abroad. Below is some helpful information to you so you can make the best decision for your finances, academic career, and personal health and safety.

Our Financial Commitment

CIS Abroad is working with international partners to create refund and withdrawal policies that limit the financial impact on students and families should COVID-19 change a student’s plan to travel. See our refund policy page for more information.
To insure yourself from additional loss, such as the loss of airfare, or any other non-recoverable loss after your program begins, we recommend purchasing trip protection insurance, aka CFAR/IFAR insurance.

Our Academic Commitment

CIS Abroad has carefully selected programs where there is minimal to no academic risk.*

If a student must quarantine or miss classes due to sickness, remote academics are guaranteed. These may be synchronous or asynchronous, i.e, live or recorded.

If a city or country goes on lockdown due to sickness, remote academics are guaranteed. These may be synchronous or asynchronous, i.e. live or recorded.

* If a student cannot travel to their destination due to COVID-19 restrictions, remote academics are guaranteed on select programs and in certain courses. If accessing remote academics from the US are important to you, please contact our advising team to learn more about which program locations or courses are right for you.

Our Health & Safety Commitment

CIS Abroad has developed a site-specific risk management plan for every location so that health and safety protocols are monitored, managed and communicated throughout the semester. We have developed a COVID Care Package included in our program fee to make traveling and living in a host country easier on students, especially those first few weeks on-site:

• COVID compliant airport pick-up and transfer to housing.
• Access to quarantine housing upon entry, if quarantine is required when entering the country; this housing may incur additional charges.
• Information and assistance on meal delivery, if quarantine is required when entering the country.
• COVID-safe classrooms and campus facilities as well as access to masks, hand sanitizer, and cleaning supplies according to country and location specific standards.
• Vaccine requirements for all participants to ensure COVID-safe program excursions and guaranteed housing with vaccinated students.
• Access to accommodation if isolation is necessary due to positive COVID test or exposure; this housing may incur additional charges.
• Access to COVID testing; this testing may be an additional charge.
• Medical and accident insurance that covers COVID-related illness (except for on programs operating in the USA).
• Cultural activities and reflection that emphasize safe, local exploration geared to the specific context of being abroad at this special time.

*if quarantine is required upon entry, we will let you know 60 days before a program starts, or as soon as the information is known to CIS Abroad. Your program coordinator will keep you updated as to any changes in dates, arrival, local restrictions and costs. If it is required, this may entail an earlier departure date and an additional housing and meal cost.

We recognize not every student, family, or university will allow travel this year, despite the risk mitigation outlined above. Should students apply for 2021 programs, and then choose to defer to a future program, we would be happy to move that student’s application to a program with a later start date. We are committed to providing our innovative virtual programs to meet your internationalization goals.

Excursions

We plan to show you the best of what your location has to offer this term; great culture, great food, and interesting people. On the Excursions tab, you can see the day or overnight trips we usually offer. It is too soon to know if we can offer those same experiences or if we’ll stay a little closer to our program base. Just know that great experiences await you.