How I learnt Korean at Korea University (Complete guide & experience)

 *This is based on a real life experience and insights shared by an international student previously enrolled in Korean Language Centre, Korea University in South Korea. For more details, please refer to the content below.

A. About KUKLC

Q1: What is the Korea University Korean Language Center (KUKLC), and why did you choose it?

I studied at KUKLC from December 2023 to May 2025, completing levels 1 through 6 in one and a half years. It’s not a degree program, it’s more like a certificate course. You receive a certificate, not a degree, and completion doesn’t equal a TOPIK score.

I chose KUKLC because a friend recommended it, and I loved the environment, being on a prestigious university campus motivated me immensely. KU is part of the SKKU–Yale–Yonsei grouping, so there’s a real sense of pride to studying there.

Q2: Who attends these courses, and how diverse is the student body?

In levels 1 to 3, most students are fresh high-school grads aiming for bachelor’s programs, so they’re quite young. Levels 4 to 6 often attract master’s hopefuls or adults aiming for career shifts.

There’s a great age range: classmates in their teens, while others were in their late 30s or even 50s. Nationalities are broad, with many from China, Russia, Mongolia, Vietnam, and Japan, plus students from India, Europe, Morocco, the U.S., and more, making up about 30% of the student body. Gender-wise, most students are female, with typically two or three males per 14-member class.

Q3: How does the application and placement process work?

The minimum requirement is a high school diploma (higher degrees are accepted but not required).

Step-1: You submit documentation, and if you write your self-introduction in Korean in the application, that helps determine your placement.

Step-2: There’s an online interview with a KUKLC teacher. I could answer very few questions, so I started at level 1, which is totally fine if you’re a beginner.

B. Classes and Levels

Q4: What are the levels like? How do progression and failure work?

Each level lasts three months, with 20 hours per week, that is 4 hours a day, Monday to Friday. Totaling 200 hours per semester.

If you accumulate 40 hours of absence, you fail the level; exceed 80 hours, and your visa could be cancelled and you could even be barred from KUKLC.

Level 7 exists but is research-based: small classes, no textbooks, and you work on media and your own papers. Students do skip-level tests when material feels too easy; after passing, you can move up a level.

Q5: What’s daily class like in terms of schedule, teachers, learning environment?

Classes run either morning (9:00–13:00) or afternoon (1:45–5:45). Level 1 newcomers get assigned based on seat availability, but returning students choose their time slots. With ~14 students per class, you get a good group size.

Each class is broken into small segments, like two 50-minute lessons divided by breaks, and two teachers rotate in each session. So you experience varied styles. Teachers are seasoned, fair, and unbiased, they don’t treat students differently based on background, age, or aptitude.

From day one, instruction is entirely in Korean. In level 1, it feels like kindergarten with body movements and gestures to explain. But because classmates speak different languages, Korean becomes the only common language, which forces immersion and accelerates learning.

Q6: How are you assessed? What kinds of assignments or exams exist?

Every level includes weekly quizzes, as well as midterms and final exams covering speaking, writing, listening, and reading.

For speaking assessments, you do tasks with peers and solo presentations.

Graduating level 6 means delivering a full 15-minute presentation and even participating in a debate in Korean.

Q7: Are there extracurricular or cultural activities included in the curriculum?

Yes! Every semester includes at least one special activity like museum visits, performances, or a “making a stamp” craft in winter. In level 6, there was a fully covered 2-day one-night field trip to locations like Gongju or Buyeo, plus a graduation ceremony.

You can also join teacher-led student clubs (tongaries). We had taekwondo, K-pop dance (which I joined), K-pop song, and samulnori (traditional drumming). These are absolutely free and run once a week. There are also optional paid classes like kimchi-making for a small extra fee.

Q8 : What about student life privileges like festivals and facilities?
We received student IDs and could get a library card to access the university library. However, we weren’t full KU students, so we couldn’t get premium access to events like the Ipsy Lente festival. We could attend but not access VIP areas or meet performers closely.

C. Accommodation and Finances

Q9: How did you handle accommodation and finances?

Dorms: New students get priority. In level 1, I shared a 2-person dorm on campus for about ₩400,000/month. From level 2 on, I lived alone in a “one-room” off-campus studio for ₩450,000/month, plus ~₩20,000 extra for utilities. Both were within walking distance.

Tuition: About ₩1.8 million per 3-month semester (one level).

Living costs: Lunch out cost about ₩10,000 per meal. Snacks and light meals added up to ₩500,000/month.

Transportation ₩50–60k per month), internet (₩22k/month for 6 GB), and daily expenses vary.

I funded everything with my savings.

Q10: What about scholarship or work options?

KUKLC offers academic scholarships based on performance but only if you enroll in at least two semesters. The top student among roughly 1,000 gets 100% cashback, the top 0.5% get 50% cashback, and the top 3% get 30%.

Some classmates had GKS (Korean Government Scholarships) for graduate studies which cover both language training and beyond.

Regarding work, D-4 visa holders can work part-time (up to ~20 hours/week after 6 months, especially with TOPIK level 2).

Other visas like working-holiday or family visas have different conditions.

Q11: Are you fluent after level 6?

I’m not fluent or native-level yet. But I can comfortably hold daily conversations, read news snippets in class, write essays (aided by tools), and understand about 80–90% of K-dramas without subtitles.

I still make grammar errors when speaking but level 6 gives you a strong foundation. Full fluency takes real-life practice beyond the classroom.

D. Study Tips

Q12: What would you suggest for people choosing levels?

It depends on your goal. Level 2 is enough for basic conversation. If you’re building strong foundations, go to level 3. Levels 1–3 focus on self and personal expression.

To work, study, or engage with complex topics levels 4–6 are essential. 4–6 explore broader social, economic, and political themes, building academic and objective usage.

Personally, I believe your effective skill level is often two levels below your current classroom level application in real life lags classroom progress a bit.

Q13: Any final study tips?

1. Find friends whose only common language is Korean. My best friend was Japanese. Neither of us spoke English well, so we spoke Korean all the time. It helps immensely.
2. Use apps, but rely on teacher explanations first. I took notes during class, then later used a translator app only when needed. And always with context. This preserved the nuance.
3. Reading and listening immersion: I watched shows with subtitles early on. By level 5–6, I ditched them and my understanding improved dramatically.

* This is the end of the article. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments.

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