Preparation 

• Overall the preparation was good. I got into my first choice and there weren’t too many hiccups.
• In terms of preparation for entering into another culture (regardless of if it is where I went or not) I would highly suggest reading up on culture shock. I have just finished reading a short book called “Transitions across cultures: A guide to culture shock for travelers and those who love them” by Stephen W. Jones. It is quite good and not a long book so it’s quite manageable and it covers culture shock, exercises to do beforehand to prepare yourself as well as reverse culture shock. 

Financing (What are the living costs there?)

• I prepaid for one meal at the dorm cafeteria per day and ate out for my other meals.
• There is a “snack shop” near the dorm that has really good food at a very low price (3,000-9,500 won, 2.01-6.35€) and seemed relatively healthy/healthier than the instant ramen and convenience store food might be, although the ramen is cheaper. This store was my go-to for a cheap dinner that was yummy and felt healthy.
• While I did not rent an apartment some did, and the deposit and rent were both shocking in opposite ways. If renting an apartment, the largest cost will most likely be the deposit which can be around 6,700€ while the monthly rent ranges from 200-550€. I found these numbers online after I got back as I did not actually rent an apartment. If you would like to rent, please look up the number yourselves. It is quite easy to get an apartment though. I have known people to go to the real estate agents and get an apartment by the end of the week. 

Arrival / How are new students looked after? (Welcome Events)

• There is a fully planned orientation week filled with activities and events. Students are placed into groups and go to seminars where you learn a bit about the Korean culture and laws and there are also activities like learning how to make (and eat) kimbap.
• A fair warning though, as someone who has lived on her own for a while and is generally quite independent the orientation week felt a bit odd at first. I had already been in Korea for a few days before the orientation week and already explored a bit so being suddenly thrust into our groups felt a bit like whiplash (as I felt like I was treated a bit like a child). The reason this happened though is because this orientation week is also for all the incoming freshmen so there were many students 17-18 years old, who had never left their home country before, who may have needed a slower introduction. Just remember that Europeans (especially Germans) are raised more independently than others. 

Accommodation

• I stayed in the dormitory and while it was overall a good experience for me, there were definitely some things I wish I had known before: 

Plus side

• When paying for the dorm, one meal a day (at the cafeteria) is automatically included so you know you will have some food even if you get low on cash. 
• If you want to eat at the cafeteria more, all it costs is 4,000 won (around 2.70€) per meal 
• Overall, the price for living at the dorm is quite good for a whole semester given what is included (it was roughly 1,300€) (this includes the one meal per day for the whole semester)

Down side

• There is a 23:00 curfew (doors are opened back up at 05:30) and while you can sign out to stay overnight somewhere else there are certain limitations to that.
• For me this was irritating because my roommate left part way through the semester meaning that I had to stay up until 23:00 every night to open my room door to show the RA that I was there.
• While there is a kitchen, you have to purchase all the things that you want to use on your own (pots, pans, utensils, spices etc) and (when I was there) there were some problems with people not cleaning up after themselves. You are also sharing the kitchen with the entire dormitory (literally all of the people that live there) and you have to sign up for time slots (I think that’s how it worked). I have seen the kitchen used very practically when a group of students would buy pots, pans etc together and then cook and eat as a group. The kitchen is not accessible after curfew.
• I did not use the kitchen, but this is what I heard and learned from others who did use it. And there is a microwave in the dorms that can be accessed even after curfew if you just need a microwave.

It can be a gamble as to whether or not you get a good roommate and you should be prepared for the fact that you will be sharing a room with another person (possibly someone you don’t know) (I say this because I know that this is not such a common thing in Germany) Overall, I had a good time in the dorm. I had a lovely roommate, and we had a lot of fun on our floor, so I would suggest getting to know the ppl on your floor (or another floor). 

Studying at the host university 

• I don’t have much to complain about when it comes to studying. Of course there were some teachers that I didn’t like or some classes that I wish I hadn’t taken but you get that everywhere. Overall the classes were good and quite interesting. I specifically liked the project management and HR management classes.
• There were a quite a few trips planned by the student counsel where we would go to Busan, Gyeongju (see pic) and Seoul. These were all day trips where we would take the bus to the different cities and then the bus would take us back at the end of the day. There were also different clubs that you could join such as volleyball, basketball, dance, hiking etc.
• There was also a festival at the Woosong University (SolBridge College is a part of Woosong University). At the festival 4 different kpop groups performed including Big Ocean and Lee Youngji. 

Everyday life and leisure time

• Within Daejeon there are quite a few things to do. (I am not someone who likes to go clubbing or go out to drink so I don’t really know much about that.) There is a great shopping area called SkyRoad (see pic) that also has a lot of restaurants and arcades. There are also quite a few restaurants even closer to the dorm.
• If you want to take a weekend trip to another city in Korea it is really easy. The bus tickets are no more than 20€ (if you’re going for the expensive ones) or 10€ for a cheaper ticket.
• If you want to stay the night but are only traveling alone, and don’t wanna spend a lot on a hotel room, I suggest staying at a 24hr sauna. I did this a few times and it was overall a good experience. I did this in Seoul and can recommend Sparex. While there are gender separated sleeping rooms in the changing room area, they can fill up fast at night, so be warned that if you come later it may be more challenging to get a spot. Regardless I would suggest at least visiting a sauna while you are there. I stayed up all night at the sauna right before my flight back to Germany and it was a lot of fun going into the different saunas, trying the massage chair and exploring the food available at the food court.
• When in Korea please don’t rely on google maps but look into Naver Maps or Kakao Maps. Also use Papago over google translate. 

General experiences on site

Overall I had a great time. I tried a lot of new food, fell in love with 붕어빵 (bungoppang) a fish shaped bun with various fillings. I met a lot of amazing friends and learned so much about Korean culture. I enjoyed my classes and got to take some classes that I thought were really interesting. 

A semester abroad: to recommend or not? 

I highly recommend doing an exchange semester at SolBridge. While it may seem like I pointed out a lot of disappointments it was a really fun experience and I had a great time and learned so much, not just academically or culturally but also about myself and in my personal life.  

Even before starting my master's degree, I had given a lot of thought to planning a semester abroad. Since I had already spent a semester in Europe during my bachelor's studies, I knew that I wanted to go to Asia for my master's. Asia is an economically dynamic region, and I am convinced that we can learn a lot from it. I was particularly interested in the cultural environment, which is vastly different from that in Germany. The dual master's program was an ideal opportunity for me to gain academic, cultural, and personal experience while facing new challenges. Since I am enrolled at BSP Berlin because I am particularly interested in the Korean dual master's program, I did not look into other study abroad options in great detail. My decision to pursue the Korean dual master's program was made early on.

Upon arrival in Korea, I was required to open a Korean bank account with HANA Bank because Solbridge has a partnership with this bank, although I did not actually have to use it. Additionally, taking out Korean health insurance was mandatory, costing around 50 euros per month. An important tip for future students: bring about six passport photos, as they are required for various official documents. If not, they can also be easily obtained on-site.

After all the preparations were completed and I had received my visa on time, I was finally able to fly to Korea. After the flight, I landed in Incheon and bought a bus ticket to Daejeon directly at the airport. The journey took about two and a half hours but was very pleasant, as buses in Korea are very comfortable. From the bus station in Daejeon, I took a taxi to my Airbnb, which I had booked for the first few days. The support from Solbridge was very good. I was assigned a buddy who helped me find my way around and take care of all the organizational matters. I was also added to a WhatsApp community that provided many valuable tips. The one-week orientation week was particularly helpful, providing a lot of important information. Even after that, there were always contacts available who were almost reachable around the clock.

I lived in a one-room apartment, which I found through an agency on-site. The apartment search was surprisingly quick; within a few days, I had found a suitable place. My rent was about 300 euros, and my friends paid similar amounts. I paid my rent six months in advance, which reduced my deposit to only 300 euros. Summers in Korea are very humid, which can make some apartments feel damp. It is therefore advisable to check for any musty odors to ensure that the apartment is dry. However, there are many modern apartments that meet Western standards, and I felt very comfortable during my stay.

Public transportation is excellently organized. A bus ride in Daejeon costs around one euro, regardless of the distance. Payment is made using the T-Money Card, which can be purchased at any convenience store, making travel within the city very affordable and easy.

Application process

Applying to Solbridge turned out to be a challenge. I assumed that it would work out smoothly due to the partnership between the universities, but unfortunately, there were many uncertainties regarding required documents, requirements changed during the process, and everything took longer than expected. The most demanding aspect was that the application coincided exactly with my exam period. One definitely needs strong nerves and should take care of everything early, although that does not prevent one from receiving all documents only shortly before departure. Since there are fixed deadlines, one cannot speed up the process on their own. A major hurdle was obtaining an apostille for my bachelor's degree certificate, which had to be acquired from my bachelor's university and the relevant authority. The application process took a long time, so at some point, I had to book my flight and hope that my visa would be issued in Berlin in time. Added to this is the eight-hour time difference, which makes quick communication with Solbridge difficult and causes additional delays.

I had already heard from students from the previous year that some only received their visa a day before departure. Additionally, while students are officially enrolled at Solbridge for a full semester, BSP only grants a five-month exemption despite the partnership, so this should be factored into financial planning.

Course registration at Solbridge was somewhat complicated, as there was no updated course catalog. Instead, I received a list of all courses upon arrival, but only a few were actually available. Unfortunately, some of the most interesting courses I wanted to take were not offered. For my dual master's program, I had to take three required courses: Accounting & Decision Making, New Venture Creation, and Financial Management. Additionally, I took Global Supply Chain Management (highly recommended), International Business in Asia (okay), and the International Immersion Program (highly recommended). The latter included a six-day trip to NTU in Taiwan, where we worked on a real business case, and it was one of my most valuable experiences during my semester abroad. All courses were offered in English. The grades were manageable, but due to the grading system at Solbridge, there was also strong competition among students.

My daily routine was structured by the strict attendance policy at the university, as each absence automatically impacted the grade. Nevertheless, I had plenty of opportunities to explore Korea and other Asian countries. I was particularly impressed by Seoul, Busan, Jeju Island with Mount Hallasan, and Gyeongju. I also took the opportunity to travel extensively within Asia, which I can only recommend, as flights to neighboring countries are reasonably priced.

All in all, Korea was a great experience and helped me grow personally. My absolute highlight was the ABC program in Taiwan, where we worked on a business case and met many international students. The biggest challenge was the organization beforehand, as many details were unclear or changed throughout the process. My tip for future students is to stay well-organized and get in touch with previous semesters early on.

Although I had a great time, I was looking forward to returning to Germany. Nevertheless, I would recommend a semester abroad to anyone!

I decided my exchange semester rather spontaneously but I don't regret it one bit. The months abroad have taught me a lot about the world, about me and about my aspirations for the future. It was truly one of my most cherished experiences and will be part of me forever. I made amazing friends from all over the globe and saw a different side of the world. Everything that happened, the good and the bad, help me grow as a person 

Planung: Am Anfang vom Masterstudium wurde vom International Office eingeladen und über die verschiedenen Möglichkeiten informiert. Es stehen unterschiedliche Länder und Universitäten zur Auswahl. Die Auswahl der Hochschule? Recht simpel, wenn man an einem Dual Degree interessiert ist, dann ist ein Auslandsstudium in Südkorea die einzige Option.

Organisation und Bewerbung bei der Gasthochschule: Motivationsschreiben und Lebenslauf über die jeweiligen Kanäle einreichen. Auf die Antwort zum Auswahlverfahren abwarten und das Prozedere an der südkoreanischen Universität durchlaufen. Interview, Rechnung zahlen, offizielle Dokumente per Post einreichen (WICHTIG! Rechtzeitig den Apostillen-Prozess starten. Dauert in der Regel 4-6 Wochen.)

Finanzierung
Es gibt Stipendien, am besten selber darum kümmern oder im International Office erfragen. Folgende Kosten grob im Überblick:

Gebühren Universität ca. 6.000 EURO
Kontostand ca. 16.000 EURO
1-Zimmer-Apartment außerhalb Wohnheim 250 - 400 EURO pro Monat
Kaution 1.300 - 3.500 EURO
Essen 600 - 1000 EURO pro Monat
Unternehmungen variabel
Anreise / Wie ist die Betreuung der neuen Studierenden gestaltet?
Die Anreise ist super einfach. Nach Ankunft am Flughafen hat man die Möglichkeit direkt mit dem Fernbus nach Daejeon zu fahren (ca. 3h) oder man nimmt die U-Bahn zum Hauptbahnhof Seoul Station (ca. 1h) und dann den Schnellzug KTX nach Daejeon (ca. 1h 15 min). In Daejeon angekommen sollte man sich um eine T-Money Card bemühen. Entweder am Automaten in der U-Bahn oder in den Convenience Store (CU, GS25 oder 7Eleven). Aufladen geht an den Automaten oder in den Stores, jedoch nur mit Bargeld.

Es gibt zwar öffentlichen WLAN, es empfiehlt sich jedoch recht zügig eine koreanische SIM zu kaufen. Hier ein Shop der englischsprachig ist, 50m weiter an einer Kreuzung ist ein weiterer. Es gibt auch noch andere SIM Shops auf der Straße, oft die die Sprachbarriere das Problem. Es gibt eine „Welcome-Week“ mit unterschiedlichen Gruppen. Jede Gruppe hat einen „Peer- Group-Leader“, der alles organisiert, dieser ist ein regulärer Student und kennt sich an der Universität gut aus. Es gibt verschiedene Events und Informationsveranstaltungen, um sich besser mit den koranischen Regeln und der Kultur besser vertraut zu machen. Nach der Woche ist man auf sich gestellt, durch die anderen Austauschstudenten wird jedoch recht viel unternommen und erkundet.

Essenzielle koreanische Apps
Essenzielle koreanische Apps, ohne die es nicht geht:

• Naver Map Navigation
• KakaoMap Navigation
• KakaoT Taxi etc.
• KakaoTalk Chat
• Papago Übersetzer
• KORAILTALK Zugtickets
• Karrot wie Kleinanzeigen
• Unterkunft für ein Auslandsstudium in Südkorea
• Entweder überteuerte Wohnungen auf Airbnb finden oder über den offiziellen Weg – Makler.

Hier hatten wir sehr viel Glück, da wir englischsprechende Makler gefunden haben, was gar nicht so einfach ist! Man gibt den Rahmen der Kautionssumme und der Miete an. Gas und Strom müssen separat gezahlt werden (was jedoch recht günstig ist).

Studium an der Gasthochschule
Nachdem man angenommen wurde, bekommt man am die Zugangsdaten für die MS365 Account. E-Mails lesen, am Ende der Orientierungswoche die Kurse für das kommende Semester wählen. Achtung: Es hat sich geändert! Ich hatte 3 Blöcke je 5 Wochen. Nach der Hälfte kam ein Mid-Term-Exam, zusätzlich noch Aufgaben oder Präsentation und am Ende ein Final-Exam. Mittlerweile finden die Kurse im Semester wie an der BSP statt. Die Note setzt sich offiziell wie folgt zusammen:

Anwesenheit

• Aktive Teilnahme an der Vorlesung
• Mid-Term-Exam
• Final-Exam
• Aufgaben/ Präsentation

Alltag und Freizeit
Kann jeder für sich gestalten. Oft werden fürs Wochenende Trips geplant, z.B. nach Seoul (1- 1,5 Stunden mit dem Zug), Busan oder auch andere Städte (diese sind oft besser mit dem Bus zu erreichen)

Allgemeine Erfahrungen vor Ort
Verkehrsmittel sind recht günstig, z.B. kostet der Schnellzug nach Seoul oder Busan ca. 16 € und das egal wann man bucht. Fernbus kostet ca. 6 € zu anderen Städten. Bus oder U-Bahn in Städten ca. 0,90 € pro Fahrt.

Essen und Lebensmittel in Supermärkten oder kleineren Märkten sind recht teuer, was sich auf Dauer bemerkbar macht. Obst und Gemüse sind in der Regel sehr viel teurer und manchmal kaum bezahlbar.

In Seoul und Busan ist es sehr angenehm, in Daejeon oder kleineren Städten merkt man allerdings, dass Koreaner sehr abweisend sein können. Sprechen kaum Englisch, demnach ist die Kommunikation manchmal sehr kompliziert.

Rückkehr und Anrechnung von Kursen
Sollte problemlos ablaufen, da DoubleDegree und nicht die ersten Studenten, die ins Ausland gehen. Jedoch keine persönlichen Erfahrungen bisher. Allerdings ist das International Office der BSP und Academic Affairs an der SolBridge sehr kontaktfreudig und hilfsbereit.

Ein Auslandsemester: zu empfehlen oder nicht?
Ein Auslandssemester ist definitiv zu empfehlen! Man lernt viel, wenn man offen gegenüber anderen Kulturen ist. Man kann Netzwerken und so viel lernen, nicht nur in den Kursen. Manche Professoren leben in ihrer eigenen Welt und haben wenig mit der Realität zu tun. Ein International Immersion Programm, wie das ABC-Programm, ist sehr zu empfehlen! Dabei arbeiten drei sehr gute Universitäten in Asien zusammen, um den Studierenden Case-Studies mit realen Unternehmen zur Verfügung zu stellen. Jede Gruppe, bestehend aus jeweils zwei Studenten aus Indonesien, Südkorea und Taiwan, muss ihre Vorschläge und Lösungskonzepte präsentieren. Eine Woche voller Spaß und vollem Programm erwartet die Teilnehmer. Das Programm findet jedes Jahr im Januar statt und wechselt zwischen den verschiedenen Universitäten, darunter die Prasetiya Mulya University, die National Taiwan University und die SolBridge International School of Business.

Besonderheiten (z.B.: Online-, Hybrid- oder Präsenzkurse)
Die meisten Kurse finden in Präsenz statt, allerdings gibt es auch einzelne die online sind, da manche Professoren in den USA sind und nicht jedes Semester vor Ort sind.

In der Regel werden in Korea hohe Kautionen bezahlt. Miete ist etwas geringer. Wenn der Vermieter nett ist, dann zieht er die Kosten inkl. Nebenkosten (Gas und Strom) von der hinterlegten Kaution ab. ACHTUNG: Es gab Fälle, bei denen hat sich der Vermieter nicht gemeldet oder ist untergetaucht. Dann muss man zum Fraud Service gehen und Formulare ausfüllen. Das Geld sollte man spätesten nach 6 Monaten erhalten haben.