It began as a farm school
UOS counts its foundation from 1 May 1918, when Gyeongseong Public Agricultural School opened. It became Seoul Agricultural Junior College in 1950 and a four-year college in 1956.
University of Seoul
UOS · Seoul
A university in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, that has been run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government since 1975. Its roots go back to an agricultural school opened in 1918. Exchange students study and live on its one campus.
- Founded
- 1918 as an agricultural school
- Campus
- Seoul Line 1, Hoegi Station
- Dorm
- From ₩764,000 a semester, 2025 rate
- Course load
- 6 to 20 credits 15 recommended
University of Seoul, resizedWhat UOS is like
Things Korean students all know that are new when you arrive.
Why it is called University of Seoul
In 1975 the Seoul Metropolitan Government took over running the school. In October 1981 it took its present name, University of Seoul.
An S for Seoul
The emblem uses the letter S for Seoul. The inward flow stands for harmony among professors, students, staff and alumni. This version was refreshed for the 100th anniversary in 2018.
A young hawk mascot
The mascot is called Irumae. It is based on a young Jangsan Golgae hawk, which the school calls its symbolic animal, and it is brown with a UOS mark on the chest.
- Words you'll hear
- Siripdae 시립대 Short for the University of Seoul, a city university
- Irumae 이루매 The school mascot, a young hawk
- Hoegi 회기 The station by campus, shared with Kyung Hee
- Sugang 수강신청 Course registration
From the University of Seoul's official English pages (chronology, emblem and mascot), checked on 26 October 2026.
People
The International Office runs a buddy programme and has student staff who help at orientation.
SeoulMate
The International Office's buddy programme. It pairs you with a Korean student and holds a welcome event and monthly meetups.
- How to join
- No sign-up. SeoulMate emails you about a month before the semester.
- When they recruit
- Korean buddies are picked in June and December.
Instagram accounts checked on 19 October 2026.
Country chats
Country chats are for everyone from that country studying anywhere in Korea, not only at UOS.
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 UOS.
Flash meetups. Anyone can start or join a short meetup in the app, like dinner tonight or a hike on Saturday.
Around campus
UOS has one campus, in Dongdaemun-gu, about 10 km north-east of City Hall. The dorms are on it too.
Address in Korean
서울특별시 동대문구 서울시립대로 163
163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02504
Also on Kakao Map and Google Maps. Naver and Kakao work best in Korea.
- Subway
- Walk from Hoegi Station Exit 2, or from Cheongnyangni Station Exit 3. From Exits 4 and 5 at Cheongnyangni, buses 121, 420, 720, 2230, 3216 and 3220 stop in front of Lotte Department Store.
- From Incheon Airport
- Limousine bus 6002 from stop 5B at Terminal 1 or stop 34 at Terminal 2, ₩17,000. It ends at Cheongnyangni. Get off there, or stay on for one more stop to University of Seoul. By subway, change to Line 1 at Seoul Station. A taxi for up to four is about ₩80,000 to 90,000.
- From Gimpo Airport
- Line 5 to Dapsimni Station, then a taxi of about ₩7,000 from Exit 3 or 4. A taxi all the way is ₩40,000 to 50,000.
- Dorm address
- For parcels write 서울특별시 동대문구 서울시립대로 163 서울시립대학교 생활관, then the building, room number, your name and a phone number that works.
Seoul Forest and Seongsu within 5 km of campus, and every place to eat nearby.
1,948places to eat near JeonnongRestaurants 1,345 · Cafés 385 · Bars & pubs 218 · Vegetarian options 170 · · Open late 374Each place shows the menu in English and Korean and walking directions.
4.1 km from campus
Children's Grand Park
Located in Neung-dong and easy to reach. The zoo inside runs 10:00-17:00.
4.5 km from campus
Seongsu Cafe Street
Plenty of large warehouse-style cafes. Individual shops are often closed on Mondays.
4.5 km from campus
Sindangdong Tteokbokki Town
The birthplace of jeukseok tteokbokki (즉석떡볶이), cooked at your table. Many places take orders from two portions up.
4.7 km from campus
Seoul Forest
The butterfly garden and the deer enclosure are free. It is at its best during cherry blossom season and when the ginkgo trees turn.
4.7 km from campus
DDP Night Illumination
The LED rose garden and Seoul Light only run in season, so check the schedule first.
- Coffee & dessert 260
- Korean BBQ 222
- Soups & stews 198
- Korean home food 171
- Pocha 139
- Street food 135
- Western 124
- Fried chicken 105
- Japanese 88
- Seafood 83
- Pub & Bar 79
- Bakery 79
Checked by A-CHA
- 샹츠마라 서울시립대점
- 해피디쉬클럽Try: Fresh Arugula Pizza, Double Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza
- 부스부리또
- 모킹버드Try: Signature Cocktail, Signature Mocktail, Classic Cocktail
- 윤가네
- 후루사토Try: Chicken Thigh (2 skewers), Thigh and Green Onion (2 skewers), Thigh and Garlic (2 skewers)
- 온반한상
- 럭키식당
- 가위바위보떡볶이
- 최원석의돼지한판&서해쭈꾸미시립대점
- 카페시사
- 실크로드Try: Fries and Sausages, Chilled Yellow Peaches, Grilled Squid
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 UOS page. Dates and rules change. Check the details on UOS's official site before you apply or book anything. UOS exchange programme ↗ Checked on 19 October 2026
Your home university nominates you by 15 October. You then apply online by 31 October 2026, and admission letters go out in early December. Read the manual before you start.
How to apply ↗Two finished semesters and a GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0. You don't need a language test score. All graduate courses for exchange students are in Korean, so without Korean UOS suggests coming as an undergraduate.
A nomination isn't an admission. UOS says to book your flight after the admission letter comes.
You need a D-2 student visa.
About a month before the semester, a SeoulMate buddy emails you.
Orientation is on 26 February 2027. Bring a 3.5 × 4.5 cm photo on white for your residence card.
Other dates
- 2 MarchClasses start
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
- At orientation
- UOS collects the residence card papers from new exchange students at orientation. You can also open an account at the bank on campus there, and orientation covers academic rules, timetables, the UOS portal and Korean classes.
- Health insurance
- With a D-2 visa you join National Health Insurance from the day you register and pay every month. Unpaid premiums can stop your cover and shorten a visa extension.
- Insurance questions
- The International Office can't help with these. Call National Health Insurance in English on +82-33-811-2000.
- 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 UOS with a friend? Send them this page.
Housing
UOS guarantees a room only if your home university guarantees one for UOS students. Ask your coordinator at home before you apply.
UOS dorms
₩764,000 to ₩1,120,000a semester of about four months, 2025 rate
- Residence Hall
- Double rooms in building 101 with shared bathrooms on each floor. ₩764,000.
- International House
- Single rooms in buildings 102 and 103, two to five to a flat with a shared bathroom. ₩1,120,000.
- Kitchen
- No cooking in your room. The shared kitchen in building 102 is open 6:00 to 1:00.
- House rules
- Fingerprint entry, no guests in rooms and no alcohol. Tell the office if you're away more than three days.
- Internet and laundry
- Bring or buy a LAN cable. Washing machines are in building 101, ₩500 a wash by card.
- Moving out
- There's no luggage storage, and anything left in the room after check-out is thrown away. Staying late costs ₩20,000 a day in Residence Hall and ₩25,000 in International House.
- Over the break
- You can stay about two more months, ₩382,000 in Residence Hall or ₩560,000 in International House.
- Contact
- +82-2-6490-5186, weekdays 9:00 to 18:00.
Before you apply
- Apply with your application. You ask for a room in the online exchange application. Men and women live in separate areas and rooms are assigned at random, one or two months before the semester.
- Health papers. A TB test or chest X-ray result and proof of two MMR shots in English, with both dates on one page.
- Leaving early. Cancel before check-in and you get 95% back. After that the refund drops every 15 days, and from day 76 you get nothing back.
- Paying. You get the bill at check-in and pay by the deadline. The deposit comes back minus any charges.
UOS's housing page and Partner Information (2025 rates) and the dorm guidebook. Checked on 19 October 2026.
- Off campus
- Each semester UOS shares a list of places near campus and in the city. The contract is between you and the place.
- Living costs
- UOS guesses ₩800,000 to 1,000,000 a month for food, transport, books and going out.
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
- How much
- 6 to 20 credits a semester, and UOS suggests 15. Most courses are 3 credits, and 1 credit is 15 hours.
- Language
- Most courses are in Korean. The International Office lists the ones in English.Courses in English ↗
- Registration
- On the exchange student system at wise.uos.ac.kr. The list is final about a month before the semester, in early February, and you can change courses in the first week.
- Limited courses
- Outside your major, places in STEM, architecture, economics and design aren't guaranteed and need the professor's approval. Some courses are for majors only.
4 more
- Korean classes
- Beginner to advanced Korean for exchange students, 3 credits each. The International Office signs you up and a level test places you. Make sure they don't clash with your other classes.
- Asian Studies
- Courses in English run by the International Office. UOS suggests taking at least one.
- Grades
- From A+ (4.5) down to D0 (1.0). Below 60 points is an F.
- Spring 2027
- Classes run from 2 March to 18 June 2027, with midterms in April and finals in June.
Questions exchange students ask
How does course registration work at UOS?
On the exchange student system at wise.uos.ac.kr.
The list is final about a month before the semester, in early February, and you can change courses in the first week.
How much is the dorm at UOS?
UOS dorms · On campus
From the last semester₩764,000 to ₩1,120,000
A semester of about four months, 2025 rate
What about living off campus at UOS?
Each semester UOS shares a list of places near campus and in the city.
The contract is between you and the place.
What do I need for the visa to study at UOS?
You need a D-2 student visa.
How do exchange students meet UOS students?
SeoulMate
The International Office's buddy programme.
It pairs you with a Korean student and holds a welcome event and monthly meetups.
Is there a group chat for UOS exchange students?
Yes.
UOS has a room on A-CHA where exchange students meet, and you can join before you land.
When should I arrive at UOS?
Orientation is on 26 February 2027.
Bring a 3.5 × 4.5 cm photo on white for your residence card.
Do exchange students at UOS need health insurance?
With a D-2 visa you join National Health Insurance from the day you register and pay every month.
Unpaid premiums can stop your cover and shorten a visa extension.
How many credits can I take at UOS?
6 to 20 credits a semester, and UOS suggests 15.
Most courses are 3 credits, and 1 credit is 15 hours.
How do I apply to UOS as an exchange student?
Your home university nominates you by 15 October.
You then apply online by 31 October 2026, and admission letters go out in early December.
Read the manual before you start.
Who do I contact at UOS?
Official links and help
Office of International Affairs+82-2-6490-6662
exchangein@uos.ac.krWhere to ask. Seoul Global Ambassadors: Students working for the International Office who help at exchange orientation and campus tours. The International Office points to @uos_global on Instagram. For anything else write to exchangein@uos.ac.kr. Open ↗
- Calendar for exchange students
- How to apply
- Housing
- Courses in English
- Before you arrive
- Exchange FAQ