Office of International Affairs OIA

<Ajou University Incoming Exchange Program FAQ> 

This FAQ is updated as of December 21st, 2021 and is subject to change depending on the Korean government regulation and KCDC guidelines. The questions in red have been updated. If any important changes are made, we will notify our partners and students as soon as possible and update at our website https://oia.ajou.ac.kr/oia/notice/notice.do. 

Please note that university does not hold accountability for any fees that might be occurred by the change of government policy to cope with the COVID-19. (ex. Fees of flight Change or quarantine periods change, etc.)

Q1) Is exchange program for Spring 2022 open to international students? 

A1) Yes, Ajou University welcomes international students for the upcoming spring semester. We continued with physical exchange program during the semesters of 2020 to 2021. In case of any changes, we will notify our partners and students as soon as possible.

Q2) Where can I check the current COVID-19 situation in Korea? 

A2) Students can check the updates of COVID-19 situation in Korea at http://ncov.mohw.go.kr/en/. All the information can be found in English, Chinese and Korean from the language option on the top right corner of the website. 

Q3) Is it possible to get my visa rejected? 

A3) As of now, there has not been any exceptional visa restrictions due to COVID-19. However, the visa application may vary depending on the severity level of COVID-19 in your country. Please consult with the Korean embassy beforehand for details. The embassy may ask for additional documents such as information and agreement on self-quarantine. 

Q4) What kind of teaching method will be carried out throughout the semester?

Ajou University has a principle of having face-to-face(offline) classes from Spring. 2022. In case the classrooms are not big enough for face-to-face(offline) lecture, those classes might divide students into two groups, one group will attend the face-to-face lecture and the other group will participate in the online lecture at the same time. Or, in case a course is composed of both theoretical part and laboratory part, the theoretical part may be carried out online and laboratory part may be held face-to-face. If above both ways are not possible for some classes, the classes will be run with only online classes. We will update the information on our website at https://oia.ajou.ac.kr/oia/notice/notice.do.  

Q5) Can I take classes online at my home country? 

A5) No, we don't offer Virtual Exchange Program for Spring 2022. If any important changes are made, we will notify our partners and students as soon as possible and update at our website.

Q6) Do I need to be quarantined? (Updated)

A6) In accordance with the Korean government regulation and KCDC, all overseas travelers, Korean and foreigner, must be quarantined for the 7 days upon their arrival in Korea. More updates will be re-announced at a later date regarding the Quarantine Exemption issuance operation if there are any.

Q7) When should I arrive in Korea? (Updated)

A7) As the quarantine requirement for international travelers has been shortened from 10 to 7 days effect from 00:00 February 4th, Students are strongly recommended to arrive in Korea from February 12th to after 15th to carry out the mandatory quarantine. Please book your flight to arrive from February 12th to from February 15th. If students cannot arrive during this period, please let us know at your earliest convenience. We highly recommend students to be present when the semester begins. The availability at the quarantine facility cannot be guaranteed if students arrive later than the aforementioned period. 

The Spring 2022 semester is from March 2nd to June 29th. Please refer to the attachment to see the academic calendar for 2022.  

Q8) What are the quarantine facility options? How much is it? (Updated)

A8) We provide only ONE option for the quarantine facility. 

Recommended facility – a residential hotel located either in Seoul or Suwon, provides overall services including airport pickup service, COVID-19 testing pickup service, meal delivery 3 times a day, provision of essential necessities, and room for 7 days. 

We keep close contact with the people working at the facility in case of any emergencies. All of this service will be provided for around KRW 1,000,000 (approx. USD 850).  

<Price Details>

* Transportation Fee: After the Quarantine Period, the transportation fee from Quarantine facility to University is on students’ charge. But facility can help arrangement for transportation(taxi) on students’ requests) 

** No refund for the Meal fee once ordered on the requests / Meal should be ordered based on the 7 days, cannot be ordered per meal. Ordinary meal: 8,000 KRW per meal, Special meal (e.g. Halal, Vegetarian): 9,000 KRW per meal.

The quarantine facility application will begin on early January via on-line and we will provide the detailed information via email soon. Once you buy your flight ticket, please submit your arrival information at https://ko.surveymonkey.com/r/82PS5NP. The deadline for cancellation of the quarantine facility is January 20th, 2022(Please refer to  Refund Policy that we sent via email). Late cancellation may cause room deficiency of other students needing quarantine services. Please inform the OIA at your earliest convenience. 

Quarantine Facility Reservation : 

Option 1

https://stay4korea.com/

  - Sign up -> Log in -> Quarantine Reserve -> University: ETC-A, Fill out the form and "FINISH"

Option 2

https://stayfordorm.com/

 * For those who arrive before 13th Feb. in Korea, we suggest you to choose an option 2 

Q9) What should I do if I have to arrive in Korea after the recommended date? (Updated)

A9) We strongly recommend that you arrive in Korea from February 12th to 15th for the next schedules including Quarantine, and move-in to dorm to be on time. But, inevitably, if you have to arrive in Korea after the recommended dates, you can still contact and need to reserve the above quarantine facility by yourself.   

Q10) Can I find my own quarantine facility? 

A10) NO, individual quarantine is not allowed as the fake reservations were reported last semester and this has scared the safety of the entire international students. If no reservation is made with Ajou University, international travelers will be guided to the government’s designated places upon entering Korea. Also, if the immigration concludes individual reserved facility as inappropriate, students will be sent to government facility where Ajou also needs to follow by. The absence of supervisor to monitor the students during the quarantine period also does not qualify as adequate quarantine facility. 

Q11) How can I order food? 

A11) If you are quarantined at the recommend facility, the meals will be delivered to your room considering your dietary restrictions. However, please bring enough snacks from home that will not easily go bad for the 10 days. If you have any dietary restrictions, we highly recommend to bring plenty of snacks for yourself. 

Q12) What do I need to bring? 

A12) Bring plenty of masks in case of shortage in Korea. Laptop, charger, and adapter are must to bring to keep yourself accompanied during the quarantine as well as lectures and other activities after quarantine. Besides, some snacks are needed during the quarantine, and other necessities for your school life in Korea. Basic beddings are provided at the recommend facility but bring extra blankets if you easily get cold. 

Q13) When can I go to the university dormitory? 

A13) After finishing the quarantine, students can arrive at the university dormitory. Unless told otherwise, we highly recommend students to come directly to the university dormitory after the quarantine. The dormitory opening date is February 22nd. 

* If you arrive on February 12nd, your quarantine period is calculated as follows: Count starts from February 12nd. Quarantine officially ends on 12:00(noon) of February 22nd.

Q14) Can I live off-campus? 

A14) We highly recommend students to live on campus as the OIA and the Office of Residence can easily approach the students in case of any emergencies and effectively support students. If you decide to live off-campus, students need to inform OIA the address of residence before arrival for immigration policies.

Q15) What happens if I get infected to COVID-19? 

A15) If you are confirmed positive when entering Korea, you will be sent directly to the hospital. The financial support scheme from the Korean Government will be varied according to your nationality, based on reciprocity between the countries. In general, it could be said that Korean Government will take full responsibility for "domestic" infection cases. But if a traveler is infected from abroad and brings the virus to Korea, the spectrum of financial support will vary depending on the patient's nationality.

Q16) Can I get COVID-19 tested whenever I want? 

A16) If you experience any symptoms, students can get tested at Yeongtong-gu Health Care Center with no charge. Students must be quarantined until the test results comes out. 

Q17) Can I receive insurance benefits in Korea? 

A17) All students must apply for an insurance covering at least first 2 months in Korea and we will ask for copy of insurance before your arrival. Students can apply for international insurance at your home country which covers your stay in Korea. If students want more coverage on the insurance and have concerns regarding the COVID-19, we recommend that you purchase the insurance from your home country. 

Moreover, all international students are subject to a mandatory subscription to the Korean National Health Insurance Services(NHIS). Exchange students will be automatically joined to the service, when you apply for the Alien Registration Card(ARC). With NHIS coverage, exchange students can get the identical health insurance benefits like Korean nationals. 

Q18) Is postponement possible? What should I do if I want to withdraw or postpone my exchange program? 

A18) If students are concerned regarding COVID-19 or mobility changes made from the home university, the postponement is possible with the approval from your home university. Students can withdraw from the program by January 20th. If any cancellations are made after this date, it will not be allowed. Please inform the incoming coordinator at Ajou University via incoming@ajou.ac.kr at your earliest convenience. 

Q19) When can I receive the necessary documents? 

A19) The admission package which includes Letter of Invitation and Certificate of Admission will be sent in early January via email and post. The original copies will be sent to the university. If the student needs to receive the original copies due to COVID-19, please ask your coordinator to let us know. 

Q20) When do I need to apply for the dormitory and the course registration?

A20) The dormitory application will be open from January 15th to February 2nd via online. The detailed guideline for dormitory application and course registration will be included in the pre-arrival information package which will be sent to the students via email in early January. The tentative list of courses offered in English for Spring 2022 will be uploaded at https://www.ajou.ac.kr/oia/incoming/english-course.do in the end of December or early January. The final list of courses will be uploaded in the end of January. The course registration for both physical and virtual exchange program will be held in mid-February.