How to get student accommodation in South Korea

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After deciding to study in South Korea, you will need to choose the university in which you will study and determine the appropriate option for student accommodation for you there.

Learn about the top 10 Korean universities.

In the following lines, we will showcase the types of student accommodation in South Korea and how to obtain them, according to the official Korean Education Authority website.

Table of Contents

1) Student accommodation on university campus in South Korea

Most Korean universities provide student housing for university students. Basically, university housing comes at the beginning of your choices when you think of student accommodation in South Korea.

In order to obtain university housing while studying in South Korea, you must follow the instructions for registration. However, these instructions sometimes differ from one Korean university to another.

Therefore, as an international student, you need to look carefully at the conditions for obtaining university housing in a Korean university and take them into consideration.

Some of the agreed general conditions:

Application period for university accommodation: Applying for accommodation in the first semester (fall semester) is in August. While applying for accommodation in the second semester (spring semester) is in February.
Accommodation type: room for one, two, or four people.
Accommodation period: 6 months. Meanwhile, in order to renew the accommodation period, it is necessary to re-apply for accommodation every new semester.
Cost: 1,000,000,000 Korean won (€780) for a 6-month accommodation period. Moreover, sometimes meals are included. (1 EUR = 1,392.84 Korean won)
Some documents and certificates required, according to each university

An example of university accommodation is in Korean Yoonsei University, where it is called the Global House.

It gathers students from all over the world. You will find information on accommodation on the link as well as the method of applying for accommodation through creating an electronic account on the university’s website first and then following the necessary steps mentioned above.

Learn also how to apply to a South Korean university

2) Student Hotel in South Korea

When you do not have the option of university housing, you can then consider the second option, which is the student hotel. It is a small student hotel (guesthouse) that includes a group of students only, in which they share rooms and food in exchange for a price that varies from one region to another in South Korea. Besides, it’s close to the Korean university area.

Basically, the cost ranges from 200,000 to 1.000,000 Korean won per month (€155 to €780), depending on the city. In major cities, the cost is high, while it decreases in small cities. In addition, breakfast and dinner are often provided.

How do you find these student hotels?

The best way to find it is to research by yourself around the areas of your Korean university. Some Korean universities provide helpful information for students on how to find accommodation in student hotels near the university.

Goshiwon student housing in South Korea

They are small rooms off-campus dormitory (no more than 3 square meters) in which university students live to study and prepare for exams in South Korea. Although the room is narrow, it is equipped with air conditioning, a little storage space and a study desk, with a laundry machine shared by students.

You can find goshiwon, also called goshitels, near Korean universities areas. Not far from them, you can find also some small restaurants. Moreover, students share the kitchen and a lobby, and in very rare cases the bathroom.

Goshiwon are among the cheapest student housing available in South Korea. In fact, the cost of goshiwon ranges from 170,000 to 450,000 Korean Won (€130 to €350) per month. Depending on the location, you may be able to find cheaper rooms, but in Seoul, this type of student accommodation cost around 250,000 Korean won a month.

Rent a room in South Korea for students

You can rent one room alone or an apartment, an entire house, which costs are shared with fellow students in South Korea. Moreover, it is common in South Korea that the rooms, apartments as well as homes are not supplied with home furniture. Rather, this is done by the tenant, as he can furnish and choose his house furniture by himself.

Taking into consideration that the cost of the rent in South Korea is not limited. It starts with 500,000 Korean won (€380) for one room with a private bathroom. And the rent reaches up to 100 million Korean won (€780) for a house with 3 bedrooms. Each according to the location of the property as well as its facilities.