Seoul National University

Seoul
Republic of South Korea

Language of instruction

Korean
English

   Limited places available. Unlikely to be available as a second or third preference.

As South Korea's first national university, Seoul National University has a tradition of standing up for democracy and peace on the Korean peninsula. SNU is currently ranked within the Top 100 universities worldwide. Graduates have long served as public servants in key positions of the Korean government.

SNU offers its students outstanding cultural and recreational opportunities with a wide variety of additional entertainment options available in the city of Seoul. Gwanak Campus, the main campus of the university, covers a vast area at the foot of the magnificent Gwanak Mountain – one of eight mountains surrounding Seoul.

Semester dates

UQ SemesterHost SemesterDates
Semester 1Spring SemesterMarch–June
Semester 2Fall SemesterSeptember–December

View the SNU academic calendar.

Guides and additional information

SNU has online resources to help get more from your exchange:

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)

Student testimonials

Full-time study load

Undergraduate: 15 credits per semester at SNU is equivalent to 8 UQ units.
Postgraduate: 12 credits per semester at SNU is equivalent to 8 UQ units.

Host university requirements

GPA

  • General undergraduate students will need a minimum cumulative GPA of 5.0 to study at SNU.
  • SNU College of Business Administration requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 5.25.
  • Postgraduate students will need a minimum cumulative GPA of 5.25. 

Language
Students wishing to take courses taught in Korean will require a TOPIK level 5 or above.

Study Options
You must choose a specific SNU college/department and take the majority of courses within the chosen college/department. Cross-college/department study is allowed but not recommended, as some courses have enrolment restrictions as outlined below. 

Law at SNU: Please read the Academic Restrictions section below regarding undergraduate Law exchange at SNU.

Other Requirements

  • Department of Korean History / Psychology / Statistics: Students who apply for these departments must provide proof of their Korean language ability. A satisfactory level of Korean language ability should be either Level 5 or above of the official Korean Language Proficient Test or Level 5 or above of the Korean Test conducted at the SNU Language Institute.

Note: Host university eligibility criteria are at the discretion of the host and may change without notice.

Find courses

Search the SNU course catalogue

SNU has about 15% of courses are taught in English. Please read the instruction on How to search SNU courses.

Search the Credit Precedent Database to find courses offered by your host university that have been previously approved for credit at UQ. The database should be used as a general guide only. 
You must still check the host university course catalogue to see if courses from the Credit Precedent Database are still on offer and in the correct semester of your exchange.

Study areas taught in English

Undergraduate
Aerospace engineering
Art history
Biological sciences
Biomedical engineering
Business administration
Business information systems
Chemical engineering
Chemistry and biochemistry
Civil engineering
Communication, digital media and PR
Computer engineering
Computer science
Earth and Geographical Sciences
Economics
Electrical engineering
English literature
Environmental engineering
Film, TV and media
International business
International relations
Korean
Law
Leadership and Management
Linguistics
Marketing
Mathematics and statistics
Mechanical engineering
Mechatronic engineering
Music
Nutrition science
Peace and conflict studies
Physics
Psychology
Software engineering
Postgraduate
Business administration
Chemistry and biochemistry
Environmental studies
Religion

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)

Accommodation

Exchange students at SNU can apply for accommodation in on-campus residence halls, but places cannot be guaranteed. The Office of Internation Affairs provides SNU student accommodation information and tips for finding private accommodation.

Cost of living

Guides are available to help you understand the cost of living while studying at SNU and prepare a budget for your exchange.

Financial support

A range of funding for student exchange including scholarships, grants and loans are available to UQ students.  

Host University Scholarships
Exchange students at SNU may be nominated by their home university for the Global Korea Scholarship for Exchange Students. The SNU Office of International Affairs has information on the application and selection process for available scholarships.

Hyun Family Korea Scholarship 
Enables undergraduate students studying Korean who have an interest in journalism, media and/or communications to participate in semester-long exchange programs in South Korea. Read the Hyun Family Korea Scholarship page for full details including the eligibility criteria.

Insurance

Students approved to participate in a Semester-based Exchange are automatically covered by UQ’s Travel Insurance for the country of their host university only.

For more information, read the Student Travel Insurance Policy Summary on UQ’s Travel Insurance web page (login required).

If you plan to travel outside of your host country, you should purchase additional insurance.

All international students are required to have an adequate health insurance plan for the entirety of their stay in Korea.

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)

Organise your visa

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa for the country where you will be studying. As the Global Experiences team is not a visa-issuing authority we cannot provide visa advice.

SNU provides visa and immigration information for incoming exchange students.

Contact the Korean Embassy for more visa information.

Travel risk levels

The University of Queensland cannot and does not allow students to travel to any country with a risk level of 3 (Reconsider your need to travel) or above, as assessed by the Australian Government.

If a country's risk level changes to 3 or above, experiences to that country are suspended until the risk level improves.

Find out the risk level and travel advice, and sign up to receive updates for your host country on the Smartraveller website.

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)