Visas, flights, housing, PCR test, course registration, and more!
Visas
You'll need to apply for the D-2 student visa. I applied during the middle of July & got it on 8/5 (took 3 weeks to process my visa application). Please be OVER-PREPARED with documents as you'll never know you might need other documents based on your situation.
What they needed from me:
Visa application form
Passport
Passport photo
- has to taken within the last 6 months
- white background
- ears visible
- hair back
- neutral face
State issued ID
Birth Certificate
Business Registration Certificate (KU provides)
Letter of Acceptance
Bank Statement
$45 fee
Official Transcript or Verification of Enrollment
Short written study plan
- what you plan to do in Korea
- I wrote half a page, single-spaced
Address: 2756 Pali Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96817, United States
*walk-in only
Open from 8:30 AM - 4 PM, M-F
Booking Flights
I booked through Hawaiian Airlines because it was the cheapest option for me. It is a 9hr 50 min direct flight from Honolulu to Incheon Airport. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the usually the cheapest flights and I recommend booking your flights in incognito mode.
Housing Accommodation
I decided to go for a goshiwon since it's affordable & the dorm at KU is competitive. I recommend booking a goshiwon ASAP because they get filled up quickly. I wish I booked the goshiwon earlier even if I didn't get the email confirmation that I got into KU so that I could have gotten a bigger room.
PCR Test or RAT & QR Code
As of July 25th, 2022, quarantine is NOT required as long you tested negative regardless of vaccination status. Depending on the COVID-19 situation, please visit this website for the most updated information.
Upload your test results to South Korea's Q-code for a smoother process to arrive in South Korea. I recommend printing out the QR code just in case!
Course Registration
THIS WAS SO STRESSFUL!!! Registering for business courses in KU is super competitive due to its high demand. You have to be quick with your fingers and fast wifi because each millisecond counts. KU suggested to use Internet Explorer because the registration website is optimized for that browser. For MAC users, Safari worked fine. Course registration is split into three rounds: preferred course registration, regular course registration, and add/drop course.
I was not able to get any of the courses I want during the preferred course registration. During the regular course registration, I only got one of the course that I want.
Money Exchange
I recommend exchanging your money at a bank before you go so that you have some cash on hand to pay for transportation, food, and etc.
Taxi & SIM Card
I booked my taxi and ordered my SIM card through trazy.com. I personally recommend getting a taxi because you might have a lot of luggage and you're going to be tired from that long flight. So it's best to have the taxi directly pick you up and drop you off at your accommodation.
Getting your SIM card delivered to you before you go to South Korea takes the stress away from trying to find a SIM card once you land. Especially since the South Korean government requires a Korean phone number for the PCR test. The SIM card took about 10 days to arrive.
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