Hankuk University of Foreign Studies South Korea
About School

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS)

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) is one of the leading private universities in South Korea with two campuses in Seoul and Yongin. Originally founded as a college for studying foreign languages in 1954, it is now home to more than 50 departments including Social Sciences, Humanities, Asia-African Studies and Natural Sciences, with about 17,000 undergraduate and 4,200 graduate students. HUFS is widely known for its strengths in Social Science and Languages.

School’s Main Website | International/Exchange Student Website

Exchange Student Handbook | Guide for Exchange Students

Academics

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:

For more information on the syllabus and class offerings, click here!

Korean language courses
Students can enrol for Korean language courses at the Center for Korean Language and Culture (CKLC). The Korean language program is offered for free to exchange students. However, students may be asked to pay tuition fees incurred for enrolment for the next term if they fail the first tem due to poor (low) attendance (More than 40 hours out of 200 hours - each term)

Flying Chalks’ tip: Do note that the Korean language course will not appear on the same transcript as the regular semester courses, but on a separate one issued by CKLC. Hence, verify with your home university if credits can be transferred for this course.

Course registration process:

There are 2 ways for you to register for courses:

  1. Use the online registration system. Your HUFS ID and Password for this system will be given during the orientation

  2. If you are unable to register for classes using our online registration system, you can use the class registration approval form, which will be posted on our web-based bulletin board. Fill out the form with the classes you would like to enrol in, get the professor’s approval to register for that course during the first week of the semester, and return the form to HUFS’ exchange program coordinator.

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:

It varies across professors. Some students had marks deducted from their final overall score, some professors allowed for only 2 maximum absences, while other professors did not bother about attendance.

My Campus

Campus map:

Hankuk University's campus map can be found here.

Selected facilities:

Fitness Centre
The Fitness Centre is open to all HUFS students free-of-charge. It is open from 7.30 am to 9:00 pm Monday through Friday, and from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturdays.

Computers & Internet Access
Desktop computers with high-speed broadband Internet are available at the main library (3rd and 4th floors) and in the computer labs.

Food on campus (Seoul campus):

Student cafeteria
Located on the 1st floor of Humanities Building, if offers a variety of food from that of proper meals to snacks.

Opening hours:  8am – 6.40pm (Monday through Friday); 10am – 2pm (Saturday)
Price Range: KRW 1,800-2,500

Dormitory cafeteria
Located on the 1st  floor of Dormitory Building

Opening hours: 8am – 5pm (7 days a week)
Price Range: KRW 2,200 - 2,500

Faculty cafeteria
Located on the 2nd floor of Faculty Office Building II, it offers a buffet spread and is available to everyone at HUFS.

Opening hours: 11am -2 pm (Monday through Friday)
Price: KRW 4,500

The Sky Lounge
Located on the 13th floor of Main Administration Building, it is a first-class restaurant that offers great food along with a dynamic view of HUFS.

Flying Chalks’ recommendation 1: For all those on a tight budget, eating on campus will be a really good choice!
Flying Chalks’ recommendation 2: Coffee D.N.A is a café popular with HUFS students.  

Food on campus (Global campus):

Student Cafeteria (1st floor of Language and Literature Building) is a restaurant that serves 5 main dishes at 4 counters daily.
Opening hours: 10.30am – 5.30pm

Student Cafeteria (1st floor of Welfare Building) is a restaurant that serves Korean, Chinese and Western cuisines.
Opening hours: 10.30am – 6.30pm

Faculty Cafeteria (2nd floor of Welfare Building)
Opening hours: 11.40am – 1.40pm (lunch); 5.30pm – 6.30pm (dinner)

Academy for Global Education Cafeteria (1st floor of Dormitory)
Opening hours: 7.20am – 8.30am (breakfast); 12noon – 1.30pm (lunch); 6pm – 7pm (dinner)

Dormitory Cafeteria (1st floor of Second Dormitory) offers a different menu for each meal of the day. Students staying at the dormitory should use their designated coupons.
Opening hours: 8am – 9.30pm (breakfast); 12noon – 2pm (lunch); 5.30pm – 7 pm (dinner)

Campus transportation:

The only mode of transportation to get around the HUFS campus is on foot.

Student Life

Orientation program:

You will first be welcomed to the school through a mandatory one-day orientation program where you can meet your exchange program coordinator as well as students from other partner universities.

Buddy program:

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

Student clubs:

HUFS has about 78 student clubs on its Seoul campus and 59 on the Yongin campus, ranging from performance, arts, sports and academics, to religion.

University events:

HUFS World Cup
The HUFS World Cup is an event hosted by the Football Club since 1981 where players fight for the honour of their departments. HUFS students will appear in strengths to support their favourite teams and soak in the festive atmosphere on this special day.

World Folklore Festival
The World Folklore Festival is a cultural-rich event that has participants performing native songs and dances in ethnic outfits of different countries. Other than the main performances, ancillary programs such as the “World Music” and “World Food Show” also add to the festivity. The event is sometimes held outdoors and draws much interest from the public. 

International Film Festival
The International Film Festival screens a variety of independent movies from all over the World. The late-night screenings at the open-air theatre are not only welcomed by the students, but also the local community.

Surrounding Environment

HUFS is located in Imun-dong, which is like a small university town with restaurants, pubs, No-Rae-Bangs (Korean-style singing rooms), pool table shops and many more. It is close to much nature and history.

Taereung is the royal tomb of Queen Munjeong (1501 – 1565) from the Yun Family

Uireung is the royal tomb of the 20th King Gyeongjong (1688 – 1724) of the Joseon dynasty and his lawful second wife Queen Seonui from the Eo Family

For food:

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:

  1. Possam (sliced pork in red sauce) near Hoegi station
  2. Korean pancakes at Pajeon Alley near Hoegi station
  3. Grilled Chicken Chop near “Be Bridge Beverage”
  4. Kimchi stew near “Be Bridge Beverage”
  5. Japanese food beside Ediya, on the second floor
  6. Fried Fish opposite Lotteria

For nightlife and entertainment:

There are a select few No-Rae-Bangs (Korean-style singing rooms) and bars in the area. Should you be willing to travel a little further, there is also the Lotte Department Store & Cinema (indicated by the red pin on the map below) within a 10 minutes’ bus ride. 

However, should you want to go clubbing, students will usually travel out of the area.

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:
Hongdae is a place famed for its nightlife and entertainment. It mainly caters to the younger, hipster crowd.
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 is an E-Mart (indicated by the red pin on the map below) that can reached with a 5 minutes’ walk from school. Apart from it, there are also many convenience stores strewn around HUFS. 

Flying Chalks tip: E-Mart is a Korean hypermarket chain where you get everything from your daily supplies to kitchenware and even electronics!

For shopping:

There are many skincare and cosmetics shops around the area.

Flying Chalks’ recommendation:
“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!
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

 

Accessibility

HUFS is located in Imun-dong and is most commonly accessed via the subway by alighting at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies station (Line 1 Subway).

Bus lines 120, 147, 261, 273 and 1222 stop at bus-stops in front of HUFS.

Getting from Incheon airport to HUFS:

Private Pickup Service
HUFS has contracted Airport Help Center Int'l, a transportation company that specialises in ferrying passengers arriving/departing at Incheon Int'l Airport, to offer its students an airport pickup service. Online Reservation is available in English, Japanese and Korean. 

Website here!

Drop-off at HUFS Dorm (Seoul Campus)
  a. Choose "Dongdaemun-Gu" for the "other areas"
  b. Type "Hankuk University of Foreign Studies" for the address
  c. Identify yourself as an international exchange student on the Special Note section
     - Fare : KRW 80,000 (for a van limited to 4 people). Note that the fare is subject to changes.
     - Pay when you board

Drop-off at HUFS Dorm (Global Campus) 
  a. Choose "other area" for the "other areas"
  b. Type "Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Global (Yongin) Campus" for the address
  c. Identify yourself as an international exchange student on the Special Note section
     - Languages available : Korean, English, Japanese
     - Fare : KRW 110,000 (for a van limited to 4 people). Note that the fare is subject to changes.
     - Pay when you board

Contact:
Tel: 82-32-743-7911, 82-2-723-7873
Email: service@airhelp.co.kr

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 Seoul station, then transfer to Line 1 Subway and head for Hankuk University of Foreign Studies station.

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 6002 Cheong-nyan-ni direct bus at bus stop “6A” or “12B” and alight at Cheong-nyan-ni. From there, take a bus or taxi to HUFS.

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. The fare of a regular taxi to HUFS is approximately KRW $90,000.

By
2016-11-01 01:59:22
My visa application cost SGD 125 and took 2 weeks to be approved. I had to undergo medical examinations on top of the usual filling up of application forms. I would definitely recommend those who are looking to travel outside of Korea to apply for multiple visas, take the opportunity to try out new things and step out of your comfort bubbles. If you’re already thinking of the negative “what ifs”, purchase an insurance plan from your trusted source. On top of that, as mentioned in the other reviews, plan for contingencies! ALWAYS have plan Bs especially with cash! I managed to spend as little as SGD40 on transport but printing and photocopying cost me about SGD100 (which I hadn't plan for)… So I guess top tip for anyone looking to embark on their overseas studies or exchange is expect the unexpected and not to forget, Enjoy Yourselves! :D
By
2016-10-15 19:07:44
My overseas study experience was an unforgettable on that benefited me greatly! I enjoyed every bit of my exchange at Ewha University. Not only did I get to build my independence, confidence and social skills, I also managed to really exit my comfort zone, explore places alone which I never used to do before and make lifelong friends! New skills like conversing in Korean and improved interactive Skills were also picked up during my exchange! One important thing that I’ve learnt is that one’s greatest gift to others is self-development become more independent, to take care of myself and others’ needs. Coming home to Singapore was really much of a reluctance as I miss everything about Korea. But it felt good to be back home where my friends and family are.
By
2016-10-12 02:41:57
My experience at HUFS was an eye-opener in the sense that I managed to understand new cultures and sensitivities. When we first arrived, we were told that Singaporeans speak very quickly, making communication challenging. In addition to that, as the educational system in Singapore trains us to be competitive “kan chiong spiders”, studies in Korea were pretty laid back, making group work difficult to manage because we weren’t used the way people work. Through my exchange, I also learnt to appreciate little things that many take for granted, such as Singapore’s cleanliness. Even if you visit a city twice, you won't have two identical experiences. Therefore I recommend going for the exchange!
By
2016-10-10 21:30:56
I would definitely recommend staying in the accommodation provided by the University! The en suite, well-furnished, double-bed room comes with internet access and everything a student needed while remaining affordable (SGD500 per month). As it is located near the town area, we managed to spend as little as SGD30 per month on transport! Talk about convenience, the university also has banking, money transfer and medical services can be found on campus! You can secure your accommodation through the university’s online portal before leaving your home country!