Gachon University was born from a merger of four different universities. The current campus is located on the outskirts of Seoul and is near Gangnam, Jamsil, Bundang, and Pangyo. It is a full-fledged university with 14 colleges, ranging from the social sciences to medical sciences. It has a total of 26,000 students, of which about 10% are international students. These students mostly come from China, Taiwan, Japan and Singapore.  

School’s Main Website

http://www.gachon.ac.kr/english/

International / Exchange Student Website

http://oia.gachon.ac.kr/eng/

GPA Requirement

2.5/4.0

Language of Instruction

Korean, English (There are about 50 courses taught in English every semester)

Courses

As Gachon University was formed between a merger between Kyungwon University and Gachon University of Medicine and Science, it is strong in both the humanities and the medical sciences. Kyungwon University was known for its investment in Bionano sciences, and its strength in the humanities. The merger has thus turned Gachon University into a leading research university in various disciplines.

You can find out about the courses here. 

The list of English courses is only released about a month before the start of the semester and exchange students will sign up for the courses when they arrive at the university.

Korean Language Courses

Gachon University offers Korean language courses at its International Language Center. For more information: http://oia.gachon.ac.kr/eng/korean/korean01.php

Flying Chalks’ tip: There are many Global Management courses conducted in English. 

Attendance policy

Any student who is absent from a course for more than 1/3 of the semester will be given an “F” grade regardless of his/her achievements. You will also be penalized for tardiness, and will be considered absent if you are late for 3 times. 

Campus Map

http://www.gachon.ac.kr/english/sub01/campus_kw_eng.html

Selected Facilities:

There are many facilities on campus. Convenience stores dot the campus, and you can find a stationery shop in Tower A.

The gym is free for students to use. However, you will have to enquire before using the gym, as it is usually reserved for the college students’ physical education. Other than the gym, there is also a soccer field, basketball court and an athletic track, located in front of the dormitory.

You can also find a photocopying shop at Tower A. Do visit the central library if you would like a quiet place to study! There are also reading rooms in Gachon hall and the Global Zone.

If you’re into the arts, there are also many performance halls within the campus that often hold cultural events!

Food on Campus

You can find a variety of food on campus. The food stalls are located within Tower B, the Creativity Hall, and Gachon Hall.

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:

• Chinese – China Spoon
• Vietnamese – Phobab
• Pizza – Pizza Tour
• Hamburger – Popeyes
• Korean food – JJeong’s, Mambo
• Coffee and beverages – Pascucchi, Café Ro, Grazie (Gachon Hall 2^nd floor)
• Bakery and doughnut – Paris Baguette, Dunkin doughnut

Campus transportation

There is an eco-bus service on campus. It looks like a lady bug and hence is referred to as ‘mudang-e’ by the students. This bus would not operate during rainy days as it does not have any windows. You can check the bus timetable in front of “Serom Hall”.  

Student life

At Gachon, there is a work hard, play hard culture. There are many activities for the students to enjoy outside of class time.

Orientation program

You will be welcomed by a free Airport pick-up at Incheon Airport, an orientation program and a campus tour. You will also be paired with a buddy and he/she will help you integrate into life at Gachon.

The Office for International Affairs will send you the schedule for the airport pick-up. You will also meet your buddy at the airport. You can find out more by emailing the Office of International Affairs, exchange.gu@gmail.com

Buddy Program

Each international student will be matched with a “Goodwill Ambassador”. They will help you adapt to life at Gachon, and be an advisor to you during your exchange semester. You can also learn more about Korean culture from them!

There is no need to sign up for this program, as the ambassadors will be assigned to you before the start of the semester. You find out more by emailing the Office of International Affairs, exchange.gu@gmail.com

Student Clubs

There is a variety of clubs catered to different interests! Do visit the club union at Sejong hall to find out about the clubs available at Gachon. Here are some clubs you might be interested in:

• Dance: E pu
• Bands: Goun-sori, Hyuneum, moon-chang
• Photography club: Snap shot
• Play club: Areum

University Events

Golden Bell Contest

The Golden Bell contest is held once a year. International students are invited to take part in this quiz to see how well they know Korea!

Gachon University Festival

The Gachon University Festival is held in the second semester (Fall) each year. You can enjoy performances by k-pop stars and the school’s dance clubs. There will also be a computer game competition, flea markets, stores selling street food and a fashion show.

Surrounding environment

It is easily accessible by public transport as there is a subway station named after the university, and there are several bus stops just next to the university. The subway station, ‘Gachon University Station’, is connected to the university and its lecture halls via an underground passage. Moreover, the newly opened highway bus stop makes the transit easier for students who live further away from the university.

‘Bokjeong street’ is where many Korean students go after class. There, you can find a variety of restaurants, coffee shops, PC rooms and karaoke rooms!

For Food

There are many coffee shops and bubble tea shops near the university. You can find Ediya, Gong-cha and Mammoth Coffee within walking distance from the university.

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:

• If you want to work in a café, “Cityracoon’s café R42” is a good place to go. The prices here are a tad higher than other coffee shops in the area, but the interior is decorated beautifully to make patrons feel welcomed and comfortable.
• If you want to try the quintessential Korean BBQ, you should go to “Chin-Chin”. It is located on Bokjeong street. This restaurant is famous for offering juicy barbeque meat for reasonable prices.
• You can also find Indian food at ‘Diwali’! Prawn/Chicken curry, Tandoori Chicken and Naan bread are the most popular dishes here. It is located on the 2^nd floor of Kyongwon Plaza, a short distance from the university.

For nightlife and entertainment

The area around Seo-Hyeon station is the place to be if you are looking for entertainment. It is only 5 stations from Gachon University station, and has a theatre, Karaoke studios, PC rooms, coffee shops and arcade. There are also many street performances at night.

For daily necessities and groceries

For daily necessities, go to Daiso. It is located outside Exit 3 of Gachon University subway station.

Flying Chalks’ tip: If you’re going back to the student dormitory after shopping, we recommend that you share a taxi with 3-4 students as the dorm is quite far from Daiso.

Alternatively, you can visit “Homeplus express”. It is located in Bokjeong-dong and is a short walk from the dorm. You will find many groceries with cheap prices.

If you would like a wider selection, go to ‘Homeplus’ and ‘NC’ department store. They are located in Tayap station, and are only 3 stations from Gachon University station.

For shopping

Gangnam station has an underground shopping area. The goods there are relatively cheap and it has a wide variety of shoes, bags, clothes and accessories. However, this area gets very crowded on weekends and Friday nights. Thus, it is best if you visit it from Monday-Thursday. There is another underground shopping area at Sujin station. The variety of goods is similar to Gangnam but is less well-known and thus less crowded.

There is also a gigantic shopping center called ‘Garden 5’ at Jang-Ji Station. There are a wide variety of shops selling goods ranging from clothes and household appliances to electronic goods.

For leisure

Lotte World is located near the university and is one of the most popular amusement parks in Korea. There is also an exhibit featuring K-pop artistes at Coex SM Town near Samsung station. 

Accessibility

The nearest airport is Incheon International Airport. As mentioned in the earlier part of the guide, there is a free airport pick-up on your first day in Korea. Thereafter, you will have to rely on your own transport to get to and from the university.

Getting from Incheon International Airport to Gachon University

You can take bus 6006 to ‘Hanyang Apt’, and then transfer to the subway. Jukjeon Station is a 2-minute walk from the bus stop. From Jukjeon, simply take the subway to Gachon University Station.

Alternatively, you can take bus 5300 to ‘Moran’, then transfer to bus 9403, and alight at Gachon University Station. You can also transfer to the subway to go Gachon University station. We recommend that you take a taxi at ‘Moran’ if you have heavy luggage. It cost about 4000 Korean won if you take taxi from ‘Moran’ to Gachon University dormitory.

If you have the budget, you can also take a taxi directly from the airport to the university. It will cost between 90,000 – 110,000 Korean Won.