From farm college to university
Kangwon started out as Chuncheon Agricultural College, approved in 1947, and became Kangwon National University in 1978.
Kangwon National University
Kangwon · Chuncheon, Gangwon
Kangwon National University was founded in 1947 and now has four campuses in Gangwon. Exchange students study and live at the Chuncheon campus, the main campus, in a lakeside city about one hour from Seoul.
- Founded
- 1947 as Chuncheon Agricultural College
- Campus
- Chuncheon City bus 300 runs through campus
- Tuition
- Waived under the exchange agreement
- English courses
- 50 to 60 each semester
Kangwon National University, croppedWhat Kangwon is like
Things Korean students all know that are new when you arrive.
A clover for an emblem
The first emblem was a clover for the 4H spirit and four virtues: mind, morals, body and work. Its star stood for the school's ideals, and the round tips for Gangwon's farming and a good harvest.
A bear called Gomduri
The mascot is a bear, the animal that stands for Gangwon, drawn to show Kangwon as the central university of the province. It was redrawn in a friendlier look for the 70th anniversary.
Blue and orange
The current mark is built on the letters KNU, with a square rising upward for a global mind. KNU Blue stands for creative study and clear thinking, and KNU Orange for global leaders and passion.
A lakeside city
Kangwon describes Chuncheon as a lakeside city about one hour from Seoul. The other three campuses are in Samcheok, Gangneung and Wonju.
- Words you'll hear
- Gomduri 곰두리 The bear mascot
- Sugang 수강신청 Course registration
From Kangwon's official pages (the international office introduction, the page on the history of its emblem and the mascot page), checked on 26 October 2026.
People
KNU SPARK
Kangwon matches each exchange student with a Korean student for the semester, who helps with the dorm, course registration, the student card and getting around.
- When they recruit
- Buddy details come by email about a month before your first semester starts.
Country chats
Country chats are for everyone from that country studying anywhere in Korea, not only at Kangwon.
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 Kangwon.
Flash meetups. Anyone can start or join a short meetup in the app, like dinner tonight or a hike on Saturday.
Around campus
Kangwon now has four campuses, in Chuncheon, Samcheok, Gangneung and Wonju. This guide covers Chuncheon, the main campus, where the exchange programme in Kangwon's onboarding guide takes place.
Address in Korean
강원특별자치도 춘천시 강원대학길 1
1 Gangwondaehak-gil, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do 24341
Also on Kakao Map and Google Maps. Naver and Kakao work best in Korea.
- Bus
- City bus 300 runs through the campus, past the main gate, Baekrok Hall, the central library and the back gate. It also stops at Chuncheon Station, Namchuncheon Station and the intercity bus terminal.
- Train to Seoul
- The ITX from Namchuncheon Station reaches Cheongnyangni and Yongsan in Seoul in under 80 minutes with no change. Book on the Korail Talk app.
- From Incheon Airport
- A limousine bus runs from both airport terminals to Chuncheon through Gimpo Airport and takes about 160 minutes. Buy the ticket at the airport bus counter or on the T-money GO app.
- Airport pick-up
- Kangwon runs a free pick-up on a set day, a school bus from Terminal 1 to the dorm at 12:00 and 15:00. The date comes later by email.
- Taxi
- City buses can be far apart, so people in Chuncheon take taxis a lot. Call one with Kakao T.
- International Office
- Room 406, building 212.
- Hospital
- Kangwon National University Hospital, 156 Baengnyeong-ro, has a 24-hour emergency centre. Weekday clinics run from 8:30 to 17:30. Phone 033-258-2000.
Dakgalbi Street and the Soyang River Skywalk within 5 km of campus.
274places to eat near ChuncheonVegetarian options 92Each place shows the menu in English and Korean and walking directions.
1.6 km from campus
Yungnim Hill
A 10-minute walk from Myeongdong. It is an old market alley revived as a young-merchant strip, and each shop picks its own day off.
1.8 km from campus
Chuncheon Dakgalbi Street
About a 15 to 20 minute walk from Chuncheon Station. Most places take orders from two portions, so you may be turned away on your own, and there are no halal options.
3.1 km from campus
Gongjicheon Riverside
About a 20-minute walk from Chuncheon Station, and a good place to watch the sunset. The memorial to Ethiopia's Korean War veterans and a café street are close by.
3.2 km from campus
Soyanggang Skywalk
Open 10:00-20:30 in summer and 10:00-17:30 in winter. The glass floor runs 156m, and high heels are not allowed on it.
4.4 km from campus
LEGOLAND Korea
It sits on Hajungdo island, with a free shuttle from Exit 1 of Chuncheon Station. Hours and closed days change by date, so check the official calendar.
Before you come
0 / 6For 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 Kangwon page. Dates and rules change. Check the details on Kangwon's official site before you apply or book anything. Kangwon exchange programme ↗ Checked on 21 October 2026
Your home university nominates you by 20 October for spring and 20 April for autumn. You need to follow classes in Korean or English, have finished two semesters and hold a GPA of 2.7 out of 4.0.
After the nomination you get a link to K-Cloud, Kangwon's portal. Upload scans of your certificate of enrolment, transcript, recommendation letter, passport and a bank statement by 10 November for spring or 10 May for autumn.
K-Cloud application ↗The bank statement should show at least US$6,000 for one semester or US$12,000 for a year. The certificate of enrolment needs an apostille, but students from OECD countries can skip it. Your embassy may still ask.
Results and the certificate of admission go out in early December for spring and early June for autumn. Then you apply for the visa.
In early February or early August you upload your flight ticket, a medical check-list with a TB chest X-ray and the dorm application to K-Cloud.
A TB test certificate and proof of two measles shots, uploaded by 15 February for spring or 15 August for autumn. Without them you can't move in.
Other dates
- Late DecemberDorm move-out
- 10 NovemberApplication deadline
- Early DecemberAdmission letter
- 15 FebruaryDorm health papers due
- Late FebruaryAirport pick-up, move-in and orientation
- Early 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
- When and where
- Register within 90 days of arriving. Book a visit on HiKorea, go to Chuncheon immigration for your fingerprints and collect the card about four to six weeks later.
- 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.
- Health insurance
- International students have to join National Health Insurance, at about ₩79,000 a month in 2026. Each month's premium is due by the 25th of the month before.
- Insurance helpline
- NHIS answers in English and other languages on +82-33-811-2000.
- 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 Kangwon with a friend? Send them this page.
Housing
Exchange students can live in a Kangwon dorm. Kangwon assigns the building, room and roommate each semester, and you can't choose them.
Kangwon dorms
Paid after check-inin early March or early September
- On campus
- Dasan Hall for men and Yejiwon for women. Rooms for two, with shared showers and toilets on each floor and no kitchen.
- Off campus
- The Global and International Dorms, 600 m from campus, for men and women. There's a shared kitchen on the first floor of the Global Dorm.
- Meals
- If your dorm has no kitchen, you have to buy the cafeteria meal plan. You can pay it in cash, so bring some with you.
- Holidays
- In the International and Global Dorms you keep your room. From Dasan Hall and Yejiwon you move to Iroom Hall for the break.
- House rules
- No going in or out from 01:00 to 05:00. No smoking, drinking or cooking in rooms. Breaking the rules costs demerit points and can get you removed.
- Special needs
- If you need a set room for religion, allergies, health or other reasons, Kangwon suggests finding a place off campus.
Kangwon's exchange student onboarding guide for spring 2027 and its exchange programme page. Checked on 21 October 2026.
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
- English courses
- About 50 to 60 courses a semester are taught in English, including six or seven on Korean culture. The list is final at the end of February for spring and the end of August for autumn.Course lists ↗
- Global Korean Studies
- Five or six English courses about Korea every semester, such as Korean history, language and culture.
- Korean classes
- Korean for international students comes in two levels, below and above TOPIK 3, for 2 credits each. There is also Korean History for International Students for 3 credits. Sign up in the normal course registration.
- Registration
- Online in mid-February or mid-August, with a last chance to change in early March or early September.
3 more
- Closed to exchange students
- Nursing, medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy and law. Graduate students can take undergraduate courses in English if their home university accepts the credits.
- Final semester
- Kangwon advises against coming in your final semester, as you can't graduate straight after the exchange.
- Transcripts
- After each semester Kangwon emails your English transcript to your home university. You can also print it yourself from the portal.
Questions exchange students ask
How does course registration work at Kangwon?
Online in mid-February or mid-August, with a last chance to change in early March or early September.
Are there courses taught in English at Kangwon?
About 50 to 60 courses a semester are taught in English, including six or seven on Korean culture.
The list is final at the end of February for spring and the end of August for autumn.
How much is the dorm at Kangwon?
Kangwon dorms · On campus, or 600 m away
Paid after check-in
In early March or early September
What do I need for the visa to study at Kangwon?
Results and the certificate of admission go out in early December for spring and early June for autumn.
Then you apply for the visa.
How do exchange students meet Kangwon students?
KNU SPARK
Kangwon matches each exchange student with a Korean student for the semester, who helps with the dorm, course registration, the student card and getting around.
Is there a group chat for Kangwon exchange students?
Yes.
Kangwon has a room on A-CHA where exchange students meet, and you can join before you land.
How do I get my residence card at Kangwon?
Register within 90 days of arriving.
Book a visit on HiKorea, go to Chuncheon immigration for your fingerprints and collect the card about four to six weeks later.
Do exchange students at Kangwon need health insurance?
International students have to join National Health Insurance, at about ₩79,000 a month in 2026.
Each month's premium is due by the 25th of the month before.
How do I apply to Kangwon as an exchange student?
After the nomination you get a link to K-Cloud, Kangwon's portal.
Upload scans of your certificate of enrolment, transcript, recommendation letter, passport and a bank statement by 10 November for spring or 10 May for autumn.
Who do I contact at Kangwon?
Official links and help
International Cooperation Team+82-33-250-6979
intn@kangwon.ac.krStudent life
- Events
- Kangwon runs a first-day orientation, a Chuncheon city tour, the autumn festival, an international food day and a farewell party. The list can change.
- Health centre
- First floor of Narae Hall. Weekdays 9:00 to 18:00 with a lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00. Medicine for a mild cold or headache is free with your student ID. Phone 033-250-8079.
- Student ID and bank
- The student ID doubles as a Shinhan Bank debit card and a T-money transport card. Open the account at the branch on the first floor of Taebaek Hall once you have your residence card.