I know what you're thinking—it's Seoul National University! The best university in Korea, ranked 31st in the world, the dream school in every K-drama. And here you are, a foreign student with no support system, wondering how you could possibly apply to such a prestigious institution. Trust me, I’ve been there. I’ve heard horror stories from other Turkish students about applying multiple times only to face rejection with no clear reason. And let’s be real—if you do get in, how will you afford tuition and living expenses?
Then, the doubts creep in. What if they reject me? What if I lose my dream? Will I be okay if I don’t get in? Am I even good enough? Stop right there. Tell your imposter syndrome to shut up. The worst thing that can happen is rejection, and guess what? Life moves on. No one is going to judge you for trying. Life is full of ups and downs, and every experience—win or lose—teaches you something valuable. Stay dedicated, accept every possible outcome, and tell yourself, It was a good experience—then keep going.
My Journey: From Rejection to Acceptance
I know this is easier said than done. I’ve been through it. I got rejected from the GKS scholarship three times and was even told by interviewers that I might never get into a SKY university. But guess what? I got accepted to SNU GSIS—my dream faculty and major—on a fully funded scholarship. If I can do it, so can you!
In this post, I’ll walk you through the application process for SNU GSIS. I’ll cover the scholarship I received and other funding opportunities in upcoming posts.
Step 1: Be Realistic About Your Goals
If you studied history for four years and suddenly decide to apply for an engineering major, getting accepted will be tough. If you don’t speak Korean and apply for a fully Korean-taught program, it’ll be hard to convince the committee you’re the right candidate. Be honest with yourself.
Go to the faculty website and check every detail. Find what suits you and your future goals best, and plan accordingly. Before writing my essays, I checked the website over 100 times.
Initially, I thought I was more suited for Area Studies, but after reviewing the syllabus, I realized that International Development aligned better with my skills and career goals. Decision made! Choose your major wisely.
Step 2: Understanding SNU’s Application Cycles
Like most Korean universities, SNU has two semesters and accepts applications for both. I applied for the Fall semester, but you can apply for Spring depending on your timeline.
Each semester’s guidelines are updated, so check the official website frequently. Fall applications usually open in February, and Spring applications in November. Keep an eye on announcements!
Step 3: Creating Your Online Account & Choosing Your Admission Type
Once you access the SNU admissions website, you’ll need to:
- Create an account (follow the step-by-step guidelines).
- Choose your admission type:
- Type 1: Fully foreign applicants (both parents are foreign, and you were educated outside Korea).
- Type 2: Korean nationals who studied entirely abroad.
Be careful! Once you make the payment, you CANNOT change your admission type. Choosing the wrong one can disqualify you.
Step 4: Submitting Language Proficiency Scores
At the time of my application, IELTS was not accepted for GSIS (it still isn’t), but I submitted my IELTS 7.0 score anyway. I also had TOPIK 6, which I believe played a key role in securing my scholarship.
If you don’t have these scores, don’t panic! Check your major’s language requirements. For GSIS, English is the most important. Having neither English nor Korean proficiency makes admission difficult—so at least show proof of English ability.
If you pass the first round, you’ll need to send hard copies of these scores. TOPIK results are easy to print from the official website, but notarized copies of IELTS results can be expensive. I took a risk and submitted a photocopy with a note about verifying authenticity via QR code—and it worked!
Step 5: Filling Out Personal Information & Getting Recommendation Letters
The personal info section is straightforward—just fill it out.
Now, recommendation letters—this part can be tricky. SNU required two academic recommendations, so I asked two of my favorite professors. However, even they found the system confusing!
⚡ Pro tips:
- Provide your professors with their school email addresses for submission.
- The recommendation request is only sent after you pay the application fee—so don’t leave this until the last minute.
- Follow up with your professors to ensure successful submission.
- I even made a PowerPoint guide for my professors on how to submit the letter. Don’t assume they’ll figure it out—help them!
- Make sure your recommenders write a realistic letter, related to your intended major.
- After their submission, check the system a few times to ensure it was successfully submitted. The system can be confusing, and your professors might lose their way in the application process!
Step 6: Applying for Scholarships (GSFS & More)
