Over 600 years old
SKKU traces itself to Sungkyunkwan, founded at the start of the Joseon Dynasty in 1398, and says it has trained leaders for more than 600 years. It calls itself the oldest university in East Asia.
Sungkyunkwan University
SKKU · Seoul and Suwon
A university in Seoul and Suwon that traces itself to a royal academy founded in 1398, and calls itself the oldest university in East Asia. It has grown fast since 1996 with Samsung's backing. Exchange students study at either the Seoul or the Suwon campus.
- Founded
- 1398 as the Joseon royal academy
- Campus
- Seoul · Suwon humanities in Seoul, sciences in Suwon
- Dorm
- Not guaranteed C-House or M-House in Seoul, about US$1,700 for four months
- Course load
- Up to 18 credits about 6 to 7 courses
S h y numis, CC BY-SA 4.0, croppedWhat SKKU is like
Things Korean students all know that are new when you arrive.
The old academy still stands
Myeongnyundang was the academy's main lecture hall. Daeseongjeon, which holds the memorial tablets of Confucius, burned down during the 1592 invasion and was rebuilt in 1602.
Two old ginkgo trees
Two giant ginkgo trees planted at Sungkyunkwan in 1519 are Natural Monument No. 59 and a symbol of the school. Confucius is said to have taught under a ginkgo, and the leaves turn bright gold in autumn.
Backed by Samsung
SKKU says it has been growing fast since 1996 thanks to its partnership with Samsung.
The theatre street below campus
Daehangno, Seoul's theatre street, is right below the Seoul campus, around Hyehwa Station.
- Words you'll hear
- Seongdae 성대 Short for Sungkyunkwan University
- Insa-kaem 인사캠 The Seoul campus, for humanities and social sciences
- Jagwa-kaem 자과캠 The Suwon campus, for natural sciences
- Kingo 킹고 SKKU's login and student portal
From SKKU's official English pages (history overview, old Sungkyunkwan and the university tree), checked on 26 October 2026. The Daehangno card is A-CHA's own note.
People
Clubs and accounts for international students at SKKU.
HI-Club
SKKU students who help international students settle in. They run cultural events and welcome parties, and post buddy matching dates on Instagram.
@skku_hiclubSG MAPLE
Pairs you with an SKKU student who helps you settle in. Run by the international office with HI-Club, so sign-up dates go up on HI-Club's Instagram.
SKKU International
SKKU's international Instagram, linked from the English website.
@skku.intlInstagram accounts checked on 18 October 2026.
Country chats
Country chats are for everyone from that country studying anywhere in Korea, not only at SKKU.
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 SKKU.
Flash meetups. Anyone can start or join a short meetup in the app, like dinner tonight or a hike on Saturday.
Around campus
SKKU has a campus in central Seoul for humanities, social sciences and business, and one in Suwon for natural sciences and engineering. Check which campus your courses are on before you choose a dorm or a room. Orientation is in Seoul.
Address in Korean
서울특별시 종로구 성균관로 25-2
25-2 Sungkyunkwan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03063
Also on Kakao Map and Google Maps. Naver and Kakao work best in Korea.
- Subway
- Hyehwa Station (Line 4), Exit 1, then about 200 m straight on. The campus shuttle from the same exit costs ₩400 and stops at the Front Gate, 600th Anniversary Hall and the Basketball Court.
- From Incheon
- Airport bus 6011 from stop 5B (Gate 6) to the Sungkyunkwan University stop, about 90 minutes, then a 10-minute walk.
- Dorm
- Myeongnyun-haksa. Exchange students live in C-House or M-House, off the main campus. Places are not guaranteed.
- Where people live
- Myeongnyun-dong and Hyehwa. Daehangno, the theatre street, is right below campus.
Address in Korean
경기도 수원시 장안구 서부로 2066
2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 16419
Also on Kakao Map and Google Maps. Naver and Kakao work best in Korea.
- Subway
- Sungkyunkwan Univ. Station (Line 1).
- Dorm
- Bongnyong-haksa, on campus, with about 3,800 beds in five halls. Exchange students live in Shin-Kwan. Cafeterias in Ji-Kwan and Shin-Kwan, meal tickets bought per semester.
- Where people live
- Yuljeon-dong, around the station.
Palaces and old streets within 2 km of the Seoul campus, and every place to eat nearby.
1,672places to eat near SeoulRestaurants 975 · Cafés 516 · Bars & pubs 181 · Vegetarian options 112 · · Open late 248Each place shows the menu in English and Korean and walking directions.
0.9 km from campus
Changgyeonggung Palace
Along with Deoksugung it stays open until 21:00, last admission 20:00. Those are the two palaces you can walk after dark. It closes on Mondays, the opposite of Gyeongbokgung.
1.0 km from campus
Changdeokgung Secret Garden
Garden tours run six times a day, starting on the hour from 10:00. The last one is at 15:00 from November to February, and at 16:00 from March to October. Each slot takes 100 people per language, 50 booked online and 50 sold at the gate. So arriving early still works when the online slots are gone. Changdeokgung is closed on Mondays.
1.1 km from campus
Bukchon Hanok Village
Tourists are barred from the lanes from 17:00 until 10:00 the next morning. Breaking the rule carries a 100,000 won fine.
1.6 km from campus
Ikseondong Hanok Alley
Cafes and bars packed into narrow hanok alleys. Everything sits close together, so rain barely gets in the way.
2.0 km from campus
Gwangjang Market
The food alley runs 09:00-23:00 every day. Only the regular shops close on Sundays.
- Coffee & dessert 384
- Western 170
- Korean home food 141
- Soups & stews 125
- Korean BBQ 108
- Japanese 105
- Pocha 102
- Pub & Bar 79
- Street food 78
- Bakery 71
- Seafood 53
- Noodles 51
Checked by A-CHA
- 뽀글뚝배기냠냠비빔밥
Students call it 'Ttukbi'; a reliable home-style set-meal spot when Hong Sundubu's line is long.
- 이명근떡볶이
Side-gate tteokbokki with long, chewy rice cakes; split three ways, it costs very little.
- 포마이카이
Back-gate café: acai bowls, ₩2,000 americano; becomes a bar in the evening.
- 벅벅
Popular SKKU burger spot: patties grilled in-house, free fry refills, burgers around ₩7,000.
- 삼삼오오
Neighborhood diner right in front of Hong Sundubu; smoky squid-and-pork bulgogi with plenty of vegetables.
- 홍순두부
Top side-gate pick: low prices, free ramen noodle add-on, unlimited rice and bean sprouts.
- 일송칼국수
Kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) shop at SKKU's front gate in Myeongnyun-dong.
- 아트트레블에이치
- 그래도베이커리
- 명분
- 인생건어물맥주 대학로점Try: Long Filefish Jerky, Butter Grilled Squid, Semi-dried Squid
Second-floor bar by the front gate: solo-friendly window seats, beer from ₩4,000, common for group meetups.
- 맥덕스
Pizza and beer on an outdoor terrace along SKKU's stone-wall street; the outdoor seats are popular.
Before you come
0 / 5For 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 SKKU page. Dates and rules change. Check the details on SKKU's official site before you apply or book anything. SKKU exchange programme ↗ Checked on 19 October 2026
Your home university nominates you, then you apply online with the code it sends you. Nominations close on 15 October for spring and 15 April for autumn, and applications at the end of that month.
You need at least one year done at your home university and a GPA of 3.0 out of 4.5 or higher (2.5 out of 4.0, 2.7 out of 4.3 or 3.3 out of 5). Business majors also need proof of English, such as TOEFL iBT 80 or IELTS 6.0.
Get your D-2-6 student visa at home before you fly, with the admission letter SKKU sends in late June for autumn or late December for spring. SKKU says it is not responsible if you come in on a tourist visa or K-ETA.
Instructions come by email, and only once all your admission documents are in. Apply in GLS on a computer, as it does not work on a phone. SKKU's usual windows are late January to early February for spring, with payment in mid February, and late July to early August for autumn, with payment in mid August.
Course registration runs online only, and late arrivals get no extra session. SKKU cancels the exchange if you are not in Korea by the date in your factsheet. Orientation is a few days before classes, on the date in your factsheet.
Other dates
- 18 DecemberAutumn semester ends
- Last spring: 26 FebruaryOrientation
- Early MarchSemester starts
After you arrive
Residence card
No trips abroad until your card arrives.
SKKU registers all exchange students as a group each semester, and SKKU says it takes about 45 days. A single-entry visa works only once, so leaving early can stop you from coming back on it.
You need the card to open a phone contract in your own name, open a bank account and sign up for most Korean apps. Plan any trip abroad for after midterms, as SKKU itself suggests.
Booking the immigration visit. Papers, fee and HiKorea screens step by step. Read the guide
- Health insurance
- Once you have the card you are enrolled in National Health Insurance, about ₩79,000 a month in 2026. SKKU recommends private insurance as well, since not everything is covered.
- Help in English
- Immigration 1345 · NHIS +82-33-811-2000 (English).
- Fee
- The government fee for the card is ₩35,000.
- 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.
Going to SKKU with a friend? Send them this page.
Housing
From 2026, SKKU can't promise a dorm place to every exchange student, and it picks your building and room at random.
C-House and M-House
About US$1,700for four months in C-House or M-House, no meals
- Rooms
- C-House is mostly rooms for two, with their own bathroom and washing machine. M-House has flats for six, two to a bedroom.
- Buildings
- Seoul's international houses are C-House, I-House and M-House, with rooms for two, four or six. SKKU emails which one you get.
- Kitchen
- A shared kitchen in both houses.
- Curfew
- Yes. Ask the dorm office for the hours. It has been lifted for exams and pushed back for festivals.
- Bring
- Towels, toiletries, a hair dryer, a LAN cable, a laundry basket and detergent.
Shin-Kwan
About US$1,400for four months, meals extra
- Rooms
- Rooms for two to six people.
- Meals
- Cafeterias on campus. Meal tickets are paid separately.
- Kitchen
- Shared kitchens are in In-Kwan and Ui-Kwan. International students can ask to use them.
- Curfew
- No going in or out from 1 to 5 a.m. It may be lifted during exams.
- Visitors
- Only residents can go into the dorm.
- Holidays
- Residents who stay over the break usually move into one building.
Before you apply
- Check your campus first. Apply for the dorm on the campus where your courses are.
- Random rooms. Building and room type are assigned at random and can't be changed.
- Pay on time. Bank transfer only, in full, by the deadline. A late payment cancels your place, and transfers from abroad can take several days.
SKKU's autumn 2026 factsheet and dorm websites. SKKU says fees may change. Checked on 19 October 2026.
Private rooms
SKKU lists three providers. They are independent of the university.
Deposits. Rooms near the Seoul campus are studios, which Koreans call one-rooms. Deposits are much higher than in Europe and that is normal. You get it back when you move out.
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
- When
- About one week before the semester starts, until the end of the first week of classes.
- Where
- The course catalogue and registration are in the KINGO portal.Course catalogue ↗
- How much
- Up to 18 credits, about 6 to 7 courses. A 3-credit course is 45 hours a semester.
- English courses
- Only courses marked International Language are taught in English.
5 more
- Closed to exchange students
- Graduate and specialty schools, Medicine, Pharmacy, Law, Public Affairs, and the Theatre major. The College of Art is open but has very few English courses.
- Korean
- Sungkyun Language Institute courses are 3, 6 or 12 credits, depending on the programme.
- Transcripts
- Grades are final about two weeks after the semester. Sending a transcript to your home university can take up to a month.
- Attendance
- Korean universities usually fail you after a set number of absences, whatever your grades. Ask each professor in week one.
- Calendar
- Exam weeks and holidays.SKKU calendar ↗
Questions exchange students ask
Are there courses taught in English at SKKU?
Only courses marked International Language are taught in English.
How much is the dorm at SKKU?
C-House and M-House · Off campus
About US$1,700
For four months in C-House or M-House, no meals
Shin-Kwan · On campus
About US$1,400
For four months, meals extra
Does the SKKU dorm have a curfew?
Seoul
Yes.
Ask the dorm office for the hours.
It has been lifted for exams and pushed back for festivals.
Suwon
No going in or out from 1 to 5 a.m.
It may be lifted during exams.
What do I need for the visa to study at SKKU?
Get your D-2-6 student visa at home before you fly, with the admission letter SKKU sends in late June for autumn or late December for spring.
SKKU says it is not responsible if you come in on a tourist visa or K-ETA.
How do exchange students meet SKKU students?
SG MAPLE
Pairs you with an SKKU student who helps you settle in.
Run by the international office with HI-Club, so sign-up dates go up on HI-Club's Instagram.
Is there a group chat for SKKU exchange students?
Yes.
SKKU has a room on A-CHA where exchange students meet, and you can join before you land.
When should I arrive at SKKU?
Course registration runs online only, and late arrivals get no extra session.
SKKU cancels the exchange if you are not in Korea by the date in your factsheet.
Orientation is a few days before classes, on the date in your factsheet.
How do I get my residence card at SKKU?
No trips abroad until your card arrives.
SKKU registers all exchange students as a group each semester, and SKKU says it takes about 45 days.
A single-entry visa works only once, so leaving early can stop you from coming back on it.
Do exchange students at SKKU need health insurance?
Once you have the card you are enrolled in National Health Insurance, about ₩79,000 a month in 2026.
SKKU recommends private insurance as well, since not everything is covered.
How many credits can I take at SKKU?
Up to 18 credits, about 6 to 7 courses.
A 3-credit course is 45 hours a semester.
How do I apply to SKKU as an exchange student?
Your home university nominates you, then you apply online with the code it sends you.
Nominations close on 15 October for spring and 15 April for autumn, and applications at the end of that month.
Who do I contact at SKKU?
Official links and help
International office (OIR)+82-2-760-0156 · weekdays 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–17:30
incoming@skku.eduStudent life
- Health centre
- SKKU has a health centre on each campus. Hours and services are on its website.Health centre ↗
- Inbound exchange programme
- Course information
- Seoul dorm
- Suwon dorm
- Directions to both campuses
- Campus map and buildings
- Sungkyun Language Institute