Hello Kampers,

My name is Sasha🐯. Today, I am going to fill you in on what you need to know before graduating from a university in Korea!

There are two major graduation periods in Korea: February and August. February is the most common time for students to graduate, as it aligns with the end of the academic school year, which begins in March.

Students graduating in August may do so for various reasons. They might have enrolled in September, taken time off, served in the military, completed an internship, or decided to graduate a semester early.

While most universities in Seoul hold commencement ceremonies in both February and August, some universities, such as Korea University and Chung-Ang University, only hold one graduation ceremony each year in February.

Regardless of when you graduate, here are some important tips you need to know before you graduate.

Check Graduation Requirements 📝

To graduate, ensure that you have earned all the required credits and met every graduation requirement of your school and department.

Before starting your final semester, double-check your graduation status.

The following is an abbreviated list of Korea University’s Basic Requirements for Graduation:

• Earn all credits required to graduate

• Complete all general education courses required by your department, division, or school

• Earn all credits required for your major, including first major, second major, and intensive major

• Pass the Human Rights and Gender Equity course four times (once per year, for four years)

• Achieve an overall GPA of 1.75 or higher

• Satisfy any special graduation requirements outlined by your department, division, or school

• Fulfill the necessary foreign language requirements needed to graduate

The process of checking your graduation requirements can be time-consuming, so it’s best to work on it during school vacation when you have some free time. Confirm your graduation status and remaining credit count before the course registration period of your last semester.

I made a chart for myself to confirm that the courses I had taken met my graduation requirements. When gaps appeared, I knew exactly what classes I needed to take the following semester to meet all my requirements.

However, it doesn’t hurt to be extra thorough. Contact your school, most likely your department’s office, to verify your graduation status and inform you of any remaining requirements.

Double-check your graduation requirements and status ahead of time to ensure everything is set for your big day.

Graduation Photos 👩🏻‍🎓

After sorting out the technical aspects of graduating, you can move on to the fun parts!

For those from North America, you are probably familiar with taking a cap and gown graduation photo in your senior year of high school. The same tradition exists in Korea. During their senior year, Korean university students take a cap and gown photo for a graduation album. These yearbooks include pictures of all the students graduating in both August and February.

Because the graduation album covers an entire academic year, it is typically prepared in time for the February commencement ceremony. Therefore, August graduates may have to wait until February to receive their albums.