A teachers college
Kongju opened in 1948 as a two-year teachers college run by South Chungcheong Province, sharing buildings with the Gongju women's normal school. It became a four-year teachers college in 1954.
Kongju National University
Kongju · Gongju, South Chungcheong
Kongju National University began in 1948 as a two-year teachers college in Gongju and became a university in 1991. It now has campuses in Gongju, Cheonan and Yesan, and calls itself the only comprehensive national university in South Chungcheong.
- Founded
- 1948 in Gongju, as a teachers college
- Campus
- Gongju and Cheonan and Yesan
- From Seoul
- About 1 hour 30 minutes by bus from Gangnam or Nambu terminal
- From Daejeon
- About 30 minutes by bus from Yuseong terminal
Gongju campus. Mickofoxx17, CC BY-SA 4.0, resizedWhat Kongju is like
Things Korean students all know that are new when you arrive.
Becoming a university
It became a comprehensive university in 1991. An agricultural college in Yesan joined in 1992 and a technical college in Cheonan in 2005, which is why Kongju has three cities.
The bear
Kongju's symbol animal is the bear, chosen for strength and patience. The school ties it to Ungjin, an old name for Gongju, and the local Gomnaru legend.
Ginkgo and white magnolia
The school tree is the ginkgo, after the story of Confucius teaching under one, a nod to Kongju's start as a teachers college. The school flower is the white magnolia. Both were chosen in 1980.
- Words you'll hear
- Gongju-dae 공주대 Short for Kongju National University
- Singwan 신관 The neighbourhood of the Gongju campus
- Gom 곰 Bear, the school animal
- Sugang 수강신청 Course registration
From Kongju's official Korean pages on its history, its symbols and its campuses, checked on 27 October 2026. Its English site was empty that day.
People
Country chats
Country chats are for everyone from that country studying anywhere in Korea, not only at Kongju.
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 Kongju.
Flash meetups. Anyone can start or join a short meetup in the app, like dinner tonight or a hike on Saturday.
Around campus
The international office is on the Gongju campus in Singwan-dong. Kongju also has campuses in Cheonan and Yesan.
Address in Korean
충청남도 공주시 공주대학로 56
56 Gongjudaehak-ro, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do 32588
Also on Kakao Map and Google Maps. Naver and Kakao work best in Korea.
- From Seoul
- Buses from Seoul Express Bus Terminal in Gangnam and from Nambu Terminal take about 1 hour 30 minutes.
- From Daejeon
- Buses from Yuseong Terminal take about 30 minutes.
- From Gongju terminal
- Kongju runs a school bus from the Gongju bus terminal.
- International office
- Room 207 in the Sejong Korean Culture and Education Center. Weekdays 9:00 to 18:00.
- Global Lounge
- A place for international students, open weekdays 10:00 to 17:00. Call +82-41-850-0821.
Every place to eat near campus.
130places to eat near GongjuVegetarian options 47Each place shows the menu in English and Korean and walking directions.
Before you come
0 / 2The emails from the school come first. Use this list to check nothing is missing. Ticks stay in this browser only.
Not an official Kongju page. Dates and rules change. Check the details on Kongju's official site before you apply or book anything. Kongju Office of International Affairs ↗ Checked on 26 October 2026
Kongju doesn't post an exchange application, dorm prices or a course list for exchange students online. Your exchange coordinator at home has the forms and deadlines.
Email the Office of International Affairs at oia@kongju.ac.kr or call +82-41-850-8056 with questions about the dorm and courses.
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
- What to bring
- Go to the immigration office within 90 days of arriving with the application form, a copy of your passport, a photo taken in the last 6 months, a certificate of enrolment, proof of where you live and the fee in cash. Kongju says GKS scholarship students pay it too.
- If you don't rent in your name
- Bring your host's ID copy, their contract and a confirmation that they give you a place to live.
- 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 Kongju with a friend? Send them this page.
Questions exchange students ask
Is there a group chat for Kongju exchange students?
Yes.
Kongju has a room on A-CHA where exchange students meet, and you can join before you land.
Who do I contact at Kongju?
Official links and help
Office of International Affairs+82-41-850-8056 · Weekdays 9:00 to 18:00
oia@kongju.ac.kr- Office of International Affairs
- Contact and Global Lounge
- Residence card guide (Korean)
- Getting here (Korean)