Inha University, 2023

• Why did you choose South Korea as the country for your semester abroad ? I wanted to spend my semester abroad outside Europe, in a country with a new language and culture for me. South Korea was therefore the perfect choice for me. I was also fascinated by the history and, in particular, the cuisine.
• When did you start your preparations? Useful tips or further information on preparation: I started my preparations about three quarters of a year before I left. Preparing for the semester abroad involves longer waiting times. In my case, I waited two months for the final acceptance letter from Inha University after submitting my documents. Preparing the so-called Learning Agreement, which you need in order to have modules from South Korea recognised in Germany, is also quite time-consuming. Especially if you are planning to have many modules recognised, I recommend preparing 2-3 alternative subjects, as the choice of subjects at Inha can sometimes be somewhat difficult due to overlapping times or the change of language from English to Korean. It is also advisable to familiarise yourself with the most common apps.
  App recommendations:
  - Naver Maps or Kakao Maps, as Google Maps works very poorly in Korea. Both apps also offer English language.
  - Papago is a translation app that works very well with text, voice and images. The translation from Korean to English works particularly well.
  - KakaoTalk is the standard messenger in Korea - WhatsApp is hardly used
  - KakaoTaxi works like Uber - you can order a taxi to your location and specify the destination in the app. It is also possible to pay the driver directly in cash.
• How does the application process work ? I applied for the semester abroad at Inha University to the Department of International Affairs at the UAS and was accepted after a short time. After that, the registration process at the host university began, which largely involves uploading the required documents to the Inha portal. The documents and explanatory PDFs for the application are sent by email from the International Office of Inha University. There is a separate portal for registering for the subjects. In Korea, in contrast to Germany, the principle of "first come, first served" applies to enrolment. It is therefore advisable to register for the desired subjects as soon as possible after the portal has been activated. Again, you will receive explanations by email in advance.
• What formalities had to be completed before travelling? To study at Inha, you need health insurance abroad before the start of the semester abroad. For the visa, you need the Certificate of Admission, which you can then use to apply for the visa. I did this at the consulate in Bonn. The process doesn't take long and you can print out the visa yourself.
• Do I have to pay fees at the host university ? You don't have to pay tuition fees at Inha University. However, it should be noted that Inha University requires a bank certificate from you or a guarantor stating that you have 5000 USD to cover any other costs incurred, e.g. accommodation or food.
• Did you receive a scholarship to finance your stay abroad ? Yes, the PROMOS scholarship from the DAAD.
• How would you recommend travelling to the host university ? The return flight costs around €800. I flew from Brussels via Warsaw to Incheon with the airline LOT. The easiest way to get to the campus is by taxi from Incheon International Airport, which doesn't take much longer than 30 minutes. The cost of the journey is around €20.

• Where is the best place to live and what are the average housing costs ? There are three different types of accommodation available to exchange students.
  1. On-campus student residence:
  The university has a total of three student residences. Exchange students are accommodated in the 2nd Dormitorie, which is located directly on campus and is the largest of the three halls of residence. There are double and quadruple rooms in the dormitory itself. However, during my stay, only the quadruple rooms were available. The rooms were divided up according to nationality, which meant that I was in a room with 3 other boys from Germany. There were also only other exchange students or international students on our floor, e.g. from Indonesia, Uzbekistan or Canada, which created a nice international and multicultural atmosphere. Each floor also has two bathrooms, each with 6 toilets and 3 showers, as well as a common room with hot and cold water dispensers and a microwave. There is also a free gym, a convenience store open 24/7, a large laundry room, pool tables and a dining hall (Mensa). From Monday to Thursday there is a curfew in the hall of residence from 0:30 to 5:00. You can sign out, but the building is locked during this time and you can only come back in at 5.00 am. However, this does not apply at weekends and during examination periods. The on-campus student residence costs just under €850 for the whole semester and is therefore the cheapest accommodation option on site. The money must be paid in full after the first week in the hall of residence. The easiest way to pay the money is at the Hana Bank branch on campus.

• 2. Off-campus flats:
  An alternative to on-campus student accommodation is a small off-campus flat. These flats are usually located near the back gate of the university and the campus can be easily reached on foot in 15 to 20 minutes. The flats themselves are usually between 15 and 20 square metres in size and have a small kitchen, bathroom, washing machine, desk and bed. Unlike the student hall of residence, there is no curfew in an off-campus flat and the single room offers more privacy. However, at €400 - €500 per month, the flat is also significantly more expensive than a student hall of residence.

• 3. Other housing options:
  The third option is to look for a private room. Air BnB, for example, is recommended. As far as I have heard, the rooms were usually very good and are similar to the off-campus flats in terms of cost and distance to the campus.
• How did the search for accommodation go (are there any contacts for this) ? For both the on-campus student residence and the off-campus flat, you are supported in the organisation by the International Office of Inha University. For the student residence, the organisation is completely taken care of and you only have to select the residence when making your application. For the off-campus flat, the International Office establishes contact with the landlord and provides support with any questions or problems.
• What are the average living costs ? My average living costs during my semester abroad were around €400 per month. However, the €400 does not include housing costs or excursions. The biggest expense during my stay in South Korea was food, as I actually went out to eat most of the time due to the low prices.
• What is cheap/expensive? Expensive: Food
  Buying food in the supermarket, especially fruit and vegetables, is much more expensive than in Germany. Although there are always offers such as 1+1 or 2+1, overall it is worth going to the local markets near the campus, especially for fruit.
  Cheap: Eating out. Compared to Germany, eating out in particular is very cheap. It is therefore hardly worth cooking yourself and also gives you the opportunity to get to know Korean cuisine well.
  Public transport such as the underground and buses are inexpensive and can be paid for with the T-Money Card. The T-Money Card is a prepaid card that can be bought and topped up at any convenience store. Taxis are also cheap and can be booked via the Kakao Taxi App.
• Climate / situation on site: Which items of clothing or other utensils should be in the suitcase ? The climate is similar to Germany, with the difference that it is somewhat more extreme due to the high humidity. It is therefore advisable to take warm clothing with you, especially in winter.

• Briefly describe the host university: Inha University is located in Incheon, a city west of Seoul and the third largest city in South Korea with a population of 3 million. The buildings on the campus itself are all within easy walking distance. The university is partly funded by Korean Air and therefore has a few decommissioned aeroplanes on campus. There is also a lake on campus, which is a great place to sit in the summer. Inha University offers many different degree programmes and you meet fellow students from a wide range of faculties.
• How was the overall quality of the courses and lectures? The quality of the courses and lectures was mostly very good. The study progress itself is quite relaxed, the most difficult thing is the choice of subjects, as described above, there can sometimes be changes in the language. The professors are always very nice and are happy to have international students on their courses.
• What are the facilities like at the host university? The facilities at Inha University are very good. The buildings are very modern and there are enough rooms for studying in each building. There is also a large library on campus, which, in addition to many books, also houses a large study room in the basement that is open 24/7. There is a stationery shop, several convenience stores, a fitness centre, several cafés and a small doctor's surgery on campus.
• Are thereany special features on campus or anything that should be mentioned? Small concerts or events are often organised on campus during the semester. These are usually organised by one of the many student clubs at Inha University. Towards the end of the spring semester, there is also the so-called festival, at which various Korean artists perform over a period of three days. In my semester, the singer PSY, who is known for the song Gangnam Style, was there.
• How many lessons per week did you have on average ? I had 5 subjects per semester, with 3 lessons per week per subject. So I had 15 hours per week. This leaves enough time to prepare for and follow up on the subjects and also enough time to get to know the country and the people better.
• Did you have personal contact with the professors? The professors are usually always available to answer questions as best they can and are also very interested in how you find Korea and Inha University and whether you feel comfortable.
• Are there special introductory courses for visiting students (or an Erasmus week, for example)? There is an introductory event for foreign students at the beginning of the semester. Everything important is discussed there, from national health insurance and the ARC (Alien Registration Card) to choosing the right course. It also introduces all the contacts you can get in touch with during the semester.
• Did you have specific contacts at the foreign university? The most important contact for all organisational matters at Inha University is the International Office. It supports foreign students in finding accommodation, ARC, insurance and all other questions. This is also where you will meet the students of the International Student Network (ISN), who are also available to answer any questions you may have. You can also collect your student ID from the ISN at the beginning of the semester. During the semester, the members of the ISN also organise events and some excursions to attractions in Incheon.
• What are the transport links to the campus like? What should I bear in mind? The transport links to the university campus are very good. There are several bus stops as well as a metro station in the immediate vicinity of the campus. This means you can be in Seoul in about 30 minutes.
• What are the sports facilities on campus like?The campus has a large sports field with three basketball courts, a football pitch, several pieces of sports equipment for pull-ups, a baseball cage and a running track for jogging. There are various student clubs that give you the opportunity to do a wide range of sports with other students.
• Do I haveto pay for the sports facilities? The equipment and sports fields on campus are generally accessible to everyone. In some cases, however, some enclosures, such as the baseball cage, may be linked to a club. Some of these clubs are subject to a fee. However, each club decides on the exact costs itself.
• Other: ARC (Alien Registration Card):
  The Alien Registration Card (ARC) is an identification document that every foreigner needs, including foreign students who are staying in Korea for more than 3 months. The university provides support and detailed information on how to apply for the ARC during the orientation week, which can be done either independently or through the university. If you choose the first option, the ARC is about €10 cheaper and you may be able to get the ARC faster by choosing an early appointment. However, you will then need to make your own appointment with the local immigration office and collect the completed card yourself. For this reason, Inha University offers the option of group registration. With this procedure, you submit the documents online via the university and the ARC is delivered to the campus once it has been completed. However, one disadvantage of this process is that it can take up to 2 months before you receive the ARC, which can be inconvenient for some who want to travel outside Korea earlier in the semester. Personally, I opted for the group application through the university. Although the process went smoothly, I did not receive my ARC until early April. However, this was fine for me as I still had enough time to travel after the semester.

In terms of courses and lectures, the biggest difference to most German universities is that there are 2 examination phases. The midterms halfway through the semester and the final exams in the last week of university. Most of the exams are written exams lasting 1h-1.5h, but there can also be assignments, group projects and presentations. This depends entirely on the professor and the course organisation. However, the structure of the course can be viewed online in the form of a course plan when registering for the course. As a lot of emphasis is placed on attendance, cooperation and oral participation during courses and lectures in Korea, the grading of the individual courses is made up of several factors.

An example of one of my syllabi:
Midterm 15%, Final 15%, Attendance 10%, Group Project 50%, Submission 10%

Subject description and assessment

Spring Semester:

1. ECO1101 Principles of Economics 1, 3 credits (6 ECTS), Prof. Yun Myeong-Su:
   This subject introduces the basic principles of microeconomics. The professor is very nice and likes to talk about his time in America during the lecture. However, the lectures usually drag on a bit and are not necessarily particularly varied.
2. EEE3108 Sensor Engineering, 3 credits (6 ECTS), Prof. Paikkyun Shin:
   The professor did his doctorate in Germany and was happy to speak to me, as a German exchange student, in German before and rarely during the lecture. However, if you are not fully interested in sensors and their technology, the lecture can seem a bit monotonous at times, but for everyone else I can highly recommend the course.
3. ENV3206 Environmental Energy Engineering, 3 credits (6 ECTS), Prof. Jeon Kijoon:
   After my language course, this was my favourite course of the semester. The main content of the course consists of a group project involving the conversion of a university building to renewable energy. The project was a lot of fun as the professor allowed the students to work very independently. The project also gives you good opportunities to socialise with Koreans. The course consists of 2 presentations on the project and a final exam.
4. Basic Korean, 3 credits (6 ECTS), Prof. Ko Ja Yeon:
   My favourite course this semester was definitely the Korean course. At Inha University, there are three different levels of difficulty from which you can choose depending on your language level. If you don't get a place on one of the courses before the start of the semester, it's not a big problem. You can send an email directly to the professor responsible and it is best to address the problem in person during the introductory week. The professor was always very nice and helpful.
5. MEG2160 Dynamics 1, 3 credits (6 ECTS), Prof. Howuk Kim:
   The subject Dynamics 1 is best compared to the German module Technical Mechanics 3. The professor is very well organised and communicates the content well. The subject consists of lectures in which the material has to be copied from the blackboard and calculation exercises, which take place during the lecture period. I chose the subject myself because I was able to have it recognised for the TM3 module in Germany. Under these circumstances, the subject is also highly recommended. Otherwise, it may be a little too time-consuming, as Dynamics 1 is quite demanding and therefore time-consuming.

Fall Semester:

1. BUS2101 Financial Management, 3 credits (6 ECTS), Prof. Choi Dong Hyun:
   The subject deals with the fundamentals of corporate finance and consists of lectures and three assignments. All in all, the subject is quite interesting. The professor is very nice and always supplements the topics with examples from the real world.
2. BUS2201 Organizational Behaviour, 3 credits (6 ECTS), Prof. Chung HyunSun:
   An interesting course that deals with the behaviour of people, as individuals and within companies. The professor is very nice and attaches great importance to the exchange with students during the lecture. She also makes the lectures very varied and uses various games, e.g. whisper chain, to help students better understand group dynamics and behaviour. Apart from myself and three Chinese students, there were no other foreigners on the course, but this made the discussions even more interesting due to the different cultures. An absolutely recommendable course if you are interested in the subject and want to establish contact with Korean students.
3. BUS2501 Principles of Marketing, 3 credits (6 ECTS), Prof. Daechun An:
   There were only other foreigners in this course apart from me, but the course was therefore very interesting and fun. The professor was happy to teach us and, in addition to the written examinations and two reports, we also had two presentations with very interesting topics and tasks. A highly recommended course.
4. MEG3286 General Design of Mechanical Engineering 2, 3 credits (6 ECTS), Prof. Hyunchul Ju:
   The course was interesting. In addition to the normal lecture, he also integrated some practical trainings as part of his teaching. This provided a certain amount of variety and the student assistants who supported the practical trainings were nice and always helpful.
5. NOE3306 Production System Engineering, 3 credits (6 ECTS), Prof. Lee Jang Hyun:
   Although the course is offered by the Naval Department, it mainly deals with the manufacturing processes and production chains used in automotive engineering. The course was very interesting from a technical point of view and more than met my expectations. Unfortunately, the professor gave the lectures mostly in Korean without prior notice and although the subject was advertised in English, he only explained topics in English on request. Although this was not a problem, as both the documents and the written examinations were in English, I would only recommend the course if you are prepared to really familiarise yourself with the subject.

• What leisure activities does the campus offer? In addition to the sports facilities on the campus itself, there is a small park on a hill right next to the campus. This is ideal for a short hike and offers a good view over Incheon. There are also some islands with sandy beaches off Incheon.
• Name a few local sights in the city! Incheon has a Chinatown, which was created because of the city's harbour. You can try traditional Chinese food there and there is a beautiful park right on site. I can also highly recommend Wolmido Island. This is a neighbourhood right on the water, where there is a small funfair, for example. You can also find many restaurants there.
• Which tourist attractions in the surrounding area should you visit? Seoul is definitely worth a visit. There is a lot to see there and the nightlife is also highly recommended. Seoul is not far from Incheon and is easy to reach by underground or bus. I can also highly recommend Busan in the south of South Korea. The atmosphere is very nice and the location right by the sea is particularly great. In the east of the Korean peninsula is Sokcho, where there are great mountains and you can go hiking.
• Are there any restaurants, bars or museums worth mentioning nearby? Where do you go in the evening and what do you recommend? There are many great bars and restaurants, especially in the back gate of the campus. There is something for all tastes. My favourite bar was Hands Up.
• Are there anyspecial things to note about the local cuisine? I found the Korean cuisine very tasty. I was able to try lots of new, unfamiliar things. Basically, the cuisine is very meat-heavy, so it can be quite difficult if you want to eat vegetarian or vegan food.
• Are there anyspecial customs/customs among the locals or any taboos? In Korea, age (who is older) and social status (who is in a higher semester) play an important role. However, foreigners are generally exempt from these norms. Another peculiarity is that people do not speak on underground trains and buses and only whisper when they do. Koreans appreciate silence on public transport.

• How would you rate your stayabroad overall? Overall, I would rate my stay at Inha University in Incheon, South Korea, as very good. The stay showed me new opportunities and I was able to gather many new, wonderful impressions.
• Did you choose the right time for your semester abroad? In my opinion, the timing was right and, especially after the coronavirus pandemic, it was great to be able to study completely on site again.
• Highlights and low points of your stay? The trips to Seoul, Busan, Jeju Island and the DMZ were a highlight of my stay. There was no real low point during the semester.
• Did you make any new friends? What will you never forget? n the Exchange Student Community in particular, I met lots of new people from different countries and also made some good friends. I also got to know Koreans. The various excursions we went on together were definitely a highlight.
• How did you cope with the local language? Are there 1-3 terms that come to mind spontaneously when you think back to your stay abroad? The Korean language is quite different to German. The alphabet is very easy to learn, but the grammar is somewhat different from German or English. Two important terms are:
  안녕하세요 (annyonghaseyo) - Hello
  감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) - Thank you
  Koreans are always very happy when you know a few basic words and are always very supportive when you have questions.
• What advice would you give to other students on your degree programme who decide to spend a semester abroad at this foreign university? I recommend joining a student sports club at the university. This is a very good way to socialise with Koreans outside of lectures. Otherwise, Azit and Inhamate are both student clubs that are all about socialising with Koreans and foreigners.