It began as a seminary
The school's history starts in 1855, when Father Maistre founded Saint Joseph's Seminary in Baeron, Jecheon. The school calls it the first western-style educational institution in Korea.
The Catholic University of Korea
CUK · Bucheon, next to Seoul
A Catholic university whose history starts with a seminary opened in 1855. It has three campuses, and exchange students all study at Songsim, the main campus in Bucheon, just west of Seoul.
- Founded
- 1855 as a seminary in Baeron, Jecheon
- Campus
- Songsim Line 1, Yeokgok Station
- Dorm
- From ₩790,000 16 weeks in a room for four
- Korean classes
- Free regular programme in spring and autumn
The Catholic University of Korea, CC BY-SA 3.0, croppedWhat CUK is like
Things Korean students all know that are new when you arrive.
Two earlier names
The school was authorised as Sungshin University in April 1947, a different school from Sungshin Women's University. In February 1959 it was renamed The Catholic University of Korea.
Songsim joins Bucheon
In March 1982 the Chuncheon campus of Sacred Heart Women's College closed and joined the Bucheon campus. The integrated Catholic University of Korea launched in March 1995.
A pine, a dove and a lily
The school's symbols are the pine tree for integrity and endurance, the dove for love, unity and peace, and the lily for purity and renewal.
Intelligent Blue
The main school colour is 'Intelligent Blue'. The emblem has a central grid that the school says looks like woven threads, a balance of tradition and modernity.
- Words you'll hear
- Songsim 성심 The Bucheon main campus where exchange students study
- Yeokgok 역곡 The Line 1 station by the main gate
- CUBIG The club for international students and buddies
- Sugang 수강신청 Course registration
From the Catholic University of Korea's official English pages (history, symbols and UI), checked on 26 October 2026. The English history lists Sungshin University as an earlier name of the Catholic University of Korea. It is not the Sungshin Women's University in Seoul.
People
CUBIG
Catholic University of Korea Buddy In the Globe, a club run with the Office of International Affairs. It pairs international students with Korean buddies and runs culture events like K-Playground and a sports day.
- How to join
- CUK posts a separate buddy notice for exchange students each semester.
Instagram accounts checked on 21 October 2026.
Country chats
Country chats are for everyone from that country studying anywhere in Korea, not only at CUK.
Netherlands
Germany
France
Spain
Italy
Sweden
Finland
PolandGoing with friends? Make a group in A-CHA for your own crew and send them the invite link.
A-CHA events
All eventsOpen to every international student in Korea, not only at CUK.
Flash meetups. Anyone can start or join a short meetup in the app, like dinner tonight or a hike on Saturday.
Around campus
CUK has three campuses. Exchange students all study at Songsim, the main campus in Bucheon, the city just west of Seoul. The other two in Seoul are for medicine, nursing and theology.
Address in Korean
경기도 부천시 원미구 지봉로 43
43 Jibong-ro, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do 14662
Also on Kakao Map and Google Maps. Naver and Kakao work best in Korea.
- Subway
- Yeokgok Station on Line 1, Exit 2, is a 10-minute walk from the main gate. Sosa Station, Exit 3 on Line 1 or Exit 7 on the Seohae Line, is a 10-minute walk from the back gate.
- Travel times
- Seoul Station to Yeokgok takes 30 minutes and Sindorim to Yeokgok 15. Gimpo Airport to Sosa on the Seohae Line takes 11 minutes.
- Bus
- Village buses 51, 51-1 and 51-2 and city bus 20 stop at Catholic University and Yeokgok Library.
- International office
- Office of International Affairs, Room K340 in Kim Sou-hwan Hall.
Every place to eat near campus.
285places to eat near SongsimVegetarian options 121Each place shows the menu in English and Korean and walking directions.
Before you come
0 / 9For Spring 2027. The emails from the school come first. Use this list to check nothing is missing. Ticks stay in this browser only.
Not an official CUK page. Dates and rules change. Check the details on CUK's official site before you apply or book anything. CUK exchange programme ↗ Checked on 21 October 2026
Your home university nominates you by 16 October 2026. Then you upload your documents online from 26 October to 11 November 2026. CUK sends review results by 11 December.
Undergraduates only, after more than one semester at your home university. CUK doesn't ask for an English score, but suggests a level around TOEFL iBT 60 for classes and daily life. TOPIK isn't needed.
Passport copy, certificate of enrolment, transcript in English, a bank statement for US$3,400 for one semester or US$8,453 for two, a recommendation letter, two short essays and a consent form. Students from outside the OECD need an apostille or a Korean consulate stamp on the enrolment certificate. Post the originals so they reach CUK by 28 December 2026.
CUK issues admission letters from 4 to 8 January 2027, once your originals have arrived. Apply for your visa as soon as you get it.
Exchange students come on a D-2-6 visa, applied for at a Korean embassy or consulate.
One semester or a full year. You can't change the length after you're nominated.
There's no tuition under an exchange agreement. CUK's own estimate for one semester is about ₩3,048,000, with a room for two, ₩400,000 a month for meals and other costs, and ₩200,000 for books.
D-2 students staying more than six months are signed up for National Health Insurance automatically, and the bills go to the address on your residence card. CUK's hospitals give CUK students a discount.
Dorm move-in and orientation are between 23 and 26 February 2027, and classes start on 2 March. Arrive before the semester starts.
Other dates
- 2 MarchSemester starts
After you arrive
Residence card
You need the card to open a phone contract in your own name, open a bank account and sign up for most Korean apps.
Booking the immigration visit. Papers, fee and HiKorea screens step by step. Read the guide
- Immigration booking
- CUK's exchange FAQ shows how to book and cancel an immigration office appointment.Exchange FAQ ↗
- Fee
- The government fee for the card is ₩35,000.
- Trips abroad
- Don't travel to other countries until your card is out. A single-entry visa works only once, so leaving early can stop you from coming back on it.
- Changes
- Report a new address within 15 days of moving, at your local community centre or at immigration. Report a new passport to immigration within 15 days as well. Both are free.
- Immigration helpline
- Call 1345 with visa or residence card questions. It answers in English and other languages on weekdays from 9:00 to 22:00. From abroad, dial +82-2-1345.
Going to CUK with a friend? Send them this page.
Housing
International students get priority for the two dorms on campus. You can live off campus, but you need a stable place and a contract to show for it.
Stephan Hall and Andrea Hall
₩790,000 to ₩1,680,00016 weeks, spring 2027 fees
- Stephan Hall
- ₩1,308,000 for two, ₩1,040,000 for three, ₩790,000 for four. It fills floors 4 to 15 of the Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan International Center, with a lounge, a laundry room and shared toilets on each floor.
- Andrea Hall
- Rooms for two only, each with its own toilet and shower. ₩1,680,000 for the A type, which splits the room into two spaces, and ₩1,508,000 for the B type.
- Men and women
- Both dorms put men and women on separate floors.
- Downstairs
- A convenience store, cafés, Woori Bank and a gym on the ground floor of the International Hub.
Before you apply
- Closed at night. The dorms close from 1:00 to 5:00, and coming in then costs penalty points. Quiet hours run from midnight to 6:00.
- Banned. No smoking or alcohol in the building, no electric blankets, irons, kettles or other heating appliances, and no guests or visits to floors of the other gender. Breaking any of these rules gets you removed from the dorm, and so does reaching 15 penalty points.
- Food. No strong-smelling food in the dorm, and no delivery food brought in after midnight.
- Paying. The dorm office tells you how to pay after you arrive. It takes a Korean bank transfer only, so bring cash or take won from an ATM and pay at Woori Bank in the International Hub.
CUK's autumn 2026 and spring 2027 factsheet and dorm website. Checked on 21 October 2026.
- Cleaning break
- Dorms close for about 7 to 10 days right after the autumn semester and just before spring. The dorm offers a temporary room on campus at a fee during that time.
Room search sites in English
Korean universities point exchange students to these. They're private companies with no tie to any school. Don't send a deposit before you've seen the contract.
Finding a room. Browse rooms near campus in the app. If nothing fits, tell us what you need and we'll ask local agents for you, free.
Courses
- Languages
- You can take classes fully in English, mixed classes that are about 70% English, or classes fully in Korean if your Korean is good enough.
- Classes in Korean
- CUK suggests about 400 hours of Korean study or TOPIK level 2 before you take classes taught in Korean.
- Course list
- CUK posts each semester's course list on its exchange notice board.Exchange notices ↗
- Registration
- Course registration and the dorm application are in early February.
4 more
- Changes
- You can change courses in the first week of the semester.
- Grades
- Letter grades from A+ to F, and some courses are pass or fail. The transcript goes to your home university automatically, about two weeks after the semester ends.
- Korean
- Exchange students can take the regular Korean programme at CUK's language institute for free in spring and autumn, 200 hours a term at levels 1 to 6. Summer and winter terms cost ₩1,015,000 after a 30% discount.
- Attendance
- Korean universities usually fail you after a set number of absences, whatever your grades. Ask each professor in week one.
Questions exchange students ask
How does course registration work at CUK?
Course registration and the dorm application are in early February.
How much is the dorm at CUK?
Stephan Hall and Andrea Hall · On campus
₩790,000 to ₩1,680,000
16 weeks, spring 2027 fees
What do I need for the visa to study at CUK?
Exchange students come on a D-2-6 visa, applied for at a Korean embassy or consulate.
How do exchange students meet CUK students?
CUBIG
Catholic University of Korea Buddy In the Globe, a club run with the Office of International Affairs.
It pairs international students with Korean buddies and runs culture events like K-Playground and a sports day.
Is there a group chat for CUK exchange students?
Yes.
CUK has a room on A-CHA where exchange students meet, and you can join before you land.
When should I arrive at CUK?
Dorm move-in and orientation are between 23 and 26 February 2027, and classes start on 2 March.
Arrive before the semester starts.
Do exchange students at CUK need health insurance?
D-2 students staying more than six months are signed up for National Health Insurance automatically, and the bills go to the address on your residence card.
CUK's hospitals give CUK students a discount.
How do I apply to CUK as an exchange student?
Your home university nominates you by 16 October 2026.
Then you upload your documents online from 26 October to 11 November 2026.
CUK sends review results by 11 December.
Who do I contact at CUK?
Official links and help
Office of International Affairs+82-2-2164-4200
exchange@catholic.ac.kr- Exchange programme
- Autumn 2026 and spring 2027 factsheet
- Exchange notices
- Exchange FAQ
- Dorm (Korean)
- Directions (Korean)