Sogang University 

Sogang University is one of the leading research and liberal arts universities in South Korea, with its Business school being the flagship faculty. Founded in 1960, Sogang University is a relatively new school which has grown to host 9 colleges (Business Administration, Communication, Economics, Engineering, General Education, Humanities, Law, Natural Science, and Social Sciences), and a student population just over 10,000 students (7,500 undergraduates and 3,000 postgraduates).

School’s Main Website

GPA requirement:

NIL

Language of instruction:

Korean, English

Flying Chalks’ tip: Do note that even for classes indicated as being taught in English, professors may choose to teach in Korean instead for various reasons (own preference, cater to the English standards of Korean students etc). It is advisable to check out the classes at the start of the semester, and plan more course options as a backup plan. 

Courses:

Currently, about 20% of courses in Sogang University and 40% of courses offered in the School of Business Administration are offered in English. These numbers are expected to grow with the university’s increased emphasis on internationalization.

Korean language courses
Students can take Korean language courses at the Korean Language Education Center (KLEC) at Sogang University. Exchange students will receive free enrollment, which is USD 1,500 for one term. However, students are responsible for the registration fee of approximately USD 60 and textbook purchases of approximately USD 45.

For more information, please click here! 

Course registration process:

Registration for courses is via the Fastest-Fingers-First system on the start of the application date.

Flying Chalks’ tips:

• In most Korean universities, professors have the authority to accept students into their class even though it might appear as fully enrolled on the university’s online course registration system.

In addition, professors are usually more understanding towards exchange students’ demands. Having said that, do not bet all your hopes on it!

• As Korean websites tend to require certain plug-ins not used in other parts of the world, it would be good to use Internet Explorer which supports these plug-ins. Browsers like Google Chrome or Firefox may not support the plug-ins needed for the websites to run. ​​

Attendance policy:

The total number of absences permitted for each course during the semester is twice the number of weekly class hours for it. For example, a 3-hours-a-week course allows for 6 absences during the semester; a 2-hours-a-week course allows for 4 absences. Being tardy to a class three times counts for 1 absence.

Should a student exceed these permissible limits, he/she will be given an “F” grade regardless of his/her achievements.

Campus map:

Sogang University's campus map can be found here!

Selected facilities:

Sports
Apart from the usual facilities like basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, Sogang University’s gymnasium also has 3 racquetball courts, a skiing facility, a weight training room, shower facilities, and even an indoor artificial climbing wall amongst many others

Food on campus:

The Gonzaga Plaza is a multi-use complex with a variety of shops and restaurants that include a foodcourt, restaurants, an ice-cream shop bookstore, travel agency, coffee shop, florist, convenience store, mobile phone store, and even an optician's shop.

Flying Chalks’ recommendation: Ramyun at the school cafeteria is rumoured to be one of the best amongst all the universities!

Campus transportation:

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Orientation program:

You will first be welcomed to the school through a mandatory one-day orientation program.

Buddy program:

Sogang University has a buddy program that matches an international student with a local Sogang student to assist international students in adapting to life at the university as well as promote reciprocal cultural exposure.

Student clubs:

There are currently about 80 student clubs at Sogang University. For more information about student clubs and activities, stop by the Office of Student Affairs located in the Student Union Hall.
International students like you may be interested in the following clubs:

HUG (Hands Up for Gathering)
HUG strives to help international students studying at Sogang University to better understand and adjust to the Korean culture. This is done through the many activities that it organizes for students, such as outings to attractions within the city or even travelling out of Seoul! 

ISF (International Student Fellowship)
ISF is another student club that reaches out to international students regardless of their nationality, race, sex, and religion through fellowship. Through the various programs conducted by ISF, students will be able to interact with Korean students, family members, and even Korean companies. 

University events:

The Sogang University Festival is the school’s biggest event which is usually held in Spring each year. Apart from it, there are also various other school activities and events that are held throughout the year.

Sogang University is located in Central Seoul and walking distance away from Sinchon and Ewha Woman’s University. Both of these areas are bustling university towns where shops and activities are all catered to the needs and wants of the students in the vicinity. 

For food:

There are many restaurants that serve cheap and good food around Sogang University’s back gate area. In addition, Sinchon plays host to dozens of restaurants, eateries, themed cafes, dessert cafes, coffee chains, fast food restaurants, Korean BBQ and even street food.

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:
1. “Ninja Sushi” near the school’s main gate
2. Eateries behind the dormitory (Pork cutlet, Cheese rice, Guk-su)
3. Chun-Cheon-Tak-Gal-Bi-Mak-Guk-Su  (signboard reads 춘천집닭갈비막국수) is a Korean restaurant located round the corner near Uplex (Sinchon) that is highly popular with the locals. It serves really delicious Tak-Gal-Bi, a stir-fry spicy chicken dish that is usually topped off with rice at the end, as well as several other variants of the dish such as that of seafood.

For nightlife and entertainment:

You can easily find No-Rae-Bangs (Korean-style singing rooms), bars, pubs, clubs and PC Gaming shops within a stone’s throw distance from one another in Sinchon. Sogang University is also a 15 minutes’ walk away from Hongdae – a place famed for its nightlife and entertainment.

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:
1. Da-Mo-Toh-Ri (다모토리) is a Korean-style drinking joint in Sinchon that offers the perfect blend of highly affordable drinks, great atmosphere, and catchy music that is played at the right volume. It is a popular hangout for both local and foreign students alike, where friends and strangers come together to sing and even dance together!     
2. Hongdae is a place famed for its nightlife and entertainment. It mainly caters to the younger, hipster crowd.
3. Gangnam is another place famed for its nightlife and entertainment, which also received global recognition when Korean artiste Psy’s MV “Gangnam Style” went viral. As compared to Hongdae, it mainly caters to the working and more sophisticated crowd.

For daily necessities and groceries:

For daily necessities and groceries, there are the “Grand Mart”, “Hyundai Department Store” and “Daiso” in addition to the dozens of convenience stores strewn around the area.

Flying Chalks recommendation:
Grand Mart plays host to a two-storey supermarket where you can get groceries and next morning’s breakfast at a much cheaper price than that of Hyundai Department Store’s supermarket.

For shopping:

There are many skincare and cosmetics shops around Sinchon, as well as the “Artbox” where you can purchase fancy stationery. The area also plays host to the Uplex shopping complex and Hyundai Department Store that sells everything from fashion and accessories to that of electrical appliances.

For clothes and shoes, many students love to flock over to Ewha University area (about 10 minutes’ walk) where there are more fashion outlets. 

Flying Chalks’ recommendation:
1. “Express Bus Terminal” is a highly popular place amongst locals and foreigners alike for shopping. The underground shopping features hundreds of shops with products at affordable prices. Having said that, you can always bargain for better prices!
2. Dongdaemun is another highly popular shopping haven where you can literally shop till dawn! For serious shoppers, it is near impossible to finish the entire shopping area even in one full day :O

Sogang University can be accessed via the subway by alighting at any of the following stations:

• Sinchon station (Line 2 Subway)
• Ewha Woman’s University station (Line 2 Subway)
• Daeheung station (Line 6 Subway) 

Getting from Incheon airport to Sogang University:

By Incheon Airport Railroad Express

The Airport Railroad can be said to be the fastest and most affordable option to get from Incheon Airport / Gimpo Airport to the heart of Seoul city.

The Express train (non-stop) allows one to get from Incheon Airport to Seoul station in just 43 minutes! Should your final desired destination not be Seoul station, you can also take the All-stop train which is slightly slower but stops at several stations in between (56 minutes to Seoul station).

Flying Chalks recommendation: This option is highly recommended for students who seek a comfortable ride and yet not want to splurge on commuting! However, do note the train timings in order not to miss it.

First train (Express): 5.20am (runs in intervals of about 30-40minutes)
First train (All-stop): 5.23am (runs in intervals of about 7-15minutes)
Last train (Express): 9.40pm
Last train (All-stop): 9.42pm; 9.57pm (train stops at Digital Media City station)

Directions: From the Arrival Hall, head down to B1 floor and follow the signs “Airport Railroad” to the station. Take the train to Hongik University station, then transfer to Line 2 Subway and head for Sinchon station (1 stop away). Exit at #2 or #3 and Sogang University will be just a 7 minutes’ walk away.

By Limousine Bus

The limousine bus offers a comfortable and relatively inexpensive ride to various places, including that of Seoul.  Passengers can get information about its services and ticketing at the following ticket booths located outside the airport’s Arrival floor:

Exit 4 and 9 (indoors)
Exit 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, and 9C (outdoors)

Directions: Board the limousine bus numbered 6002 at bus stop “5B” or “12A” and it will take you to Sinchon station (Line 2 Subway). From there, it is about 7 minutes’ walk to Sogang University.

The ride will take around 50 minutes and cost around KRW $10,000.

For more information, click here and here!

By Taxi

Taxi is by far the most convenient way of getting from the airport to the campus (especially when you have lots of luggage) but is also the most expensive. You can get a taxi outside the Arrival Hall of the airport and ask the taxi driver to drop you off at Sogang University’s back gate (pronounced “hoo-moon”). The fare of a regular taxi to Sogang University is approximately KRW $50,000.