The staffs and students of Inha University were really welcoming! We had an orientation program that lasted about 3 days to learn about the history and culture of the school. On top of that, we were each assigned a buddy to help us settle in and down! Inha University encourages interaction between the local and international students so we felt really welcomed, made lots of Korean friends, got to know Korea from the locals’ perspective and not forgetting, picked up a new language! There were a lot of things to do, such as visiting, landmarks, and places of interests, etc. I would definitely recommend Inha University not only for its renowned status for I.T. in Korean but also its integrated student life!

For my exchange, my friends and I decided to rent an apartment outside school even though accommodations were offered. We took the apartment over from the previous exchange student. It was located 1.5hours away from town so we spent about SGD 50-70 on transport (mostly via subway) per month. Things were more or less settled by seniors when we arrived so all we had to do was sign the contract! I would recommend arriving 3-4 days before, to settle down and familiarized yourself with the neighborhood. 1-2 weeks in advance, if you want to travel. Our apartment was very well furnished with bed, wardrobes, heater, washing machine etc. and even internet access all-in! It cost us about 20,000-30,000KRW but the heater consumed a lot of gas, leading up to SGD200 of utility bills. We were caught off-guard!! So remember to check with your landlord on how your heater works! To end, I would agree with the above review, to anticipate unexpected costs and plan for contingencies because withdrawing money will be a hassle if you’re not used to it at the beginning. On a brighter note, student discounts are available for currency rates in “Hana Bank” so bring some cash from home, in case you run out of KRW!

When I first arrived in Korea, adjustments were not much of an issue as I have experienced Beijing for 2-3months, during my polytechnic years. Nonetheless, embarking on the exchange was probably one of the best decisions made. Not only did I get to develop new skills and broaden my knowledge, I have also grown to be a better and more independent person. On top of that, even though I am from a city with diverse ethnic race, religion and culture, it was only through this experience that I come to appreciate that every culture is unique and that culture is embedded in businesses as well.

I chose Inha University for its diversified learning culture that allowed me to learn more, on top of the intriguing modules offered. The exchange was my first time away from home for such a long period! I managed to improve on my soft skills, interpersonal skills and also be more independent. Even though I went somewhat prepared, having got most information from a senior, adjustments like getting used to the food, currency, language and transport in Korea was inevitable. I wish I had known some basic Korean prior to the trip to converse more fluently though. Living on my own also taught me that expecting outcomes and planning for contingencies are very important. It’s always good to have plan B if the original fails! Proper budget planning is important as important, do keep this in mind!