Why would you want to study abroad in the South Korean capital? It is a culture clash city, where its fashion and technology are lightyears ahead of the rest of the world, whilst remaining deeply traditionals. To a pounding K-pop beat, Seoul combines temples, palaces, mountain trails, and cutting-edge design.
Technology & Internet
The technology and internet access in Seoul are among the best and the most convenient in the world. For example, in some universities, students can reserve and choose their preferred seats in the library through a live online monitoring system. This system helps maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of students’ experiences in the library. In addition, in order for international students to improve their Korean listening and comprehension skills, they can watch national TV even without an internet connection and free of charge on their mobile phones.
Furthermore, providing one of the fastest internet connections in the world (four times more than the average world speed), students can enjoy more than 10,000 free Wi-Fi spots in Seoul: university campuses, libraries, coffee shops, restaurants, stores, healthcare centres, subways, railway stations and even taxis, to name a few. And, best of all is the powerful internet connection in prepaid Sim Cards that allows users to have internet access anywhere, ranging from inside the elevators to underground (basement) levels.
Diversity
Many South Korean universities offer courses in the English language and help international students with many types of scholarships and research funds. In addition, with the recent popularity of Korean Pop Culture (e.g. K-Drama and K-Pop) among international fans, many people from all around the world have started studying, living, and working in South Korea. As a result, universities have a great rate of cultural diversity and the probability of international students feeling homesick is extremely low.
Moreover, there are many opportunities for both national and international students to get to know each other and become friends. For example, universities pay extra attention to include group projects in each course (which also means less individual assignments!) and most of the time groups are made randomly by the professors. This is one of the best methods to become closer to classmates. In addition, there are many student clubs and extracurricular/leisure activities that are offered for the students to enjoy their hobbies and get to know people who share similar interests.
Economy
As the capital city of South Korea, Seoul has an extremely powerful economy; which helps the students with a high employment rate as well as relatively moderate prices (e.g. living costs, tuition fees, and books). In Seoul, international students enrolled in a regular study course are generally allowed to work 20 hours of part-time jobs per week and limitless hours in the school holidays (which includes two long vacations with a total of 5 months duration). One of the most favourite jobs among international students is part-time English language teaching. Students with decent levels of Korean language abilities can also apply for a variety of part-time jobs through job portals and websites.
Food Culture
Korean people pay extra attention to their food and believe that a healthy diet consists of eating three meals per day. The principal aspects of the Korean diet include a high number of vegetables, some legumes and fish, and very little red meat. In addition, a variety of local restaurants and reliable delivery services are considered some of the other advantages of food culture in Seoul. Furthermore, Seoul not only offers traditional Korean food in its restaurants, food stalls, and food markets, but provides international students with a taste-of-home experience with American, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, British, French, Italian, Mexican, and Indian cuisines.
Safety
Seoul is an extremely safe city with a low rate of crime and violence. Its level of safety is similar to that of most European cities and higher than most of the American cities. International students can rest assured and enjoy the city attractions and appreciate the nightlife; whether solo or together with friends.
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