Getting a Visa
If you are a student who has been admitted into SNU or a professor/researcher who has been accepted into a position at SNU, you should begin by obtaining your visa documents. If you are a newly admitted student, the OIA will provide a “Certificate of Admission” which is required for visa issuance. Once you have received the documents, you must visit the local Korean Embassy with the other required materials. On the other hand, if you are a professor or researcher, your respective college department may support your visa application process. Find more information related to the visa application at Immigration on our website.

Medical Care
Although you can get qualified medical and dental care in Korea, you may find it difficult to utilize local hospitals due to the language barrier, as well as expensive medical fees if you don’t have any medical insurance. Therefore, it is recommended that you take precautionary measures before you leave your home country. If you need to continue taking a certain drug, bring your prescriptions translated into Korean or English. In case you can’t find an equivalent drug, you should bring enough of it with you.

Money Usage
You may open your bank account during your first few days in SNU, but it might take several days before you can have money wired from your country. Therefore, it is advised that you bring a credit card for purchases or an ATM bank card to draw cash from your local bank account. It is never a good idea to travel with large amounts of cash, but you will need some cash in Korean currency for transportation fares, food, and others. Try to get some 1000KRW bills as they can be handy in paying for transportation fares and in using vending machines.

Housing
Housing is an important matter to be considered when preparing to come to SNU. SNU offers Student dormitory, Gwanaksa, which is facilitated for the undergraduate as well as graduate students. Living in the dormitory can help international students rapidly adjust to campus life and Korean culture. The BK International House is operated for professors, researchers, and graduate students, while the Faculty Apartment is only for faculty members. If you need to find a place to stay off-campus, it is recommended that you come to Korea early and take time in looking for a house.

Temporary Accommodation
It is highly advised that you arrive in Korea at least a week before the start date of the semester or work so that you can be settled in and adjusted to the new environment before starting your duties. However, you may not be able to move into the arranged place on the exact day of your arrival. Therefore, you should confirm whether it will be possible for you to move into the house before you leave home. If not, you should reserve a temporary accommodation located on and off campus.
 
Packing your Bags
Try to pack as lightly as possible, and only bring items that you really need. You will be able to buy anything you forget to bring here. There are many stores for food and personal care products near campus.

Clothes
Since Korea has four seasons, you will experience weather ranging from very hot and humid in the summer to quite cold and freezing in the winter. You will need to bring clothes suitable for each season. For the summer, light and casual clothes will do. For fall throughout spring, you will probably need at least one jacket. For winter, you will need some sweaters and heavy coats. If you cannot pack all the clothes you will need, you can buy them here in Korea at nearby outlet or department stores.

Household Items
Plan on buying most of your household items (small electrical appliances 220V, bed sheets and towels, cooking and eating supplies) once you arrive. If you have a lot of space in your suitcase, you might want to bring a set of sheets and towels from home to get started. You can always purchase what you need at second-hand or discount shops.