In this blog, I shall talk about the different choices available for student housing while attending Yonsei University. There is are three options overall for student housing: two on-campus choices and off-campus choices.
On-Campus
The two on-campus choices include International House and SK Global. In order to receive these housing, you must create an account on the Yonsei Housing website and apply before the due date. You must have been accepted into the YISS program since you will need your Yonsei ID. Unfortunately, since my application has been processed later, I was unable to apply for these housing options. Be sure to apply as soon as possible as these spots fill fast!
I believe that the school has installed Wi-Fi for these dorms, so you may connect your devices wirelessly. However, there are also LAN connections available (the wire comes with an additional cost).
International House
This option is the cheapest option out of the three, being 731,000 â‚© for six-weeks during the summer. It is a double room, meaning that you will have a roommate living with you; in addition, there are common bathrooms on each floor which you will share with other students. A bed, bedding, desk, and air conditioner are included in the room. There is a study room, laundry room, lounge, seminar room, and kitchen on each floor. However, keep in mind that this is limited only to females.
SK Global House
This option offers a single room (no roommate) for 1,161,000 â‚© and a double room (with a roommate) for 860,000 â‚© for six-weeks during the summer. Each room has its own private bathroom alongside a provided bed, bedding, desk, and air conditioner. There is a study room, laundry room, lounge, music room, and a multi-functional room on each floor with a common kitchen on the B3 floor
Off-Campus
If you were not accepted to the on-campus housing, don't fret! There are many other options available to you, but you may have to search harder. On the Yonsei website, they provide a suggestion for off-campus housing. Besides that, you can find places to stay on other websites and services such as Airbnb for example.
DMCville - Serviced Apartment for Foreigners [Summer 2018]
This was the dorm where I lived while attending Yonsei during the summer, so I can provide the most accurate information based on personal experience. For 47 days, my stay in a double room cost 1,541,000 â‚©; though the price may seem expensive, it comes with many great amenities that makes the location great!
In my apartment room, I had three other roommates since there are two double rooms in one apartment. In the apartment, there are two bedrooms: each with two bedrooms, a closet, and its own bathroom. In the bathroom, they provided tiny hotel-like bottles of shampoo, body wash, conditioner, and lotion for your time there. In addition, there is a large kitchen with provided kitchen utensils, refrigerator, and equipment, allowing residents to make their meals at home. There is also a living room area with a large television connected to cable and a streaming device, a couch, and a desk. They also provide a private washer and a drying rack for your clothes. There is also weekly housekeeping held on Tuesdays where they clean the bedrooms, change the provided towels, and collect the trash.
Alongside the apartment, there are many amenities included in this complex. In the building, there is a gym, a multi-purpose room with mirrors, a driving range, squash courts, a kids room, a pool, and a sauna. On Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm, the gym offers Pilates and yoga respectfully. Its location is very convenient, being close to restaurants, Woori Bank, cafes, and 7-Eleven. Since it is located in Digital Media City, it is also close to the television stations which is a plus if you plan to go to their showings. Specifically for Yonsei students, they provided shuttle buses that take students to and from Yonsei. They also provide complimentary breakfast for the residents from 7:00 am to 10:20 am, having toast, cereal, rice, and soup available. I really enjoyed my time during the summer at DMCVille with all those amenities.
Airbnb - [Fall 2019]
For my fall 2020 semester along with my other three friends studying abroad in Korea, we searched for an Airbnb rather than staying with the university dorms. We decided to find our own apartment to rent so we would be more immersed in the Korean community (and also not be restricted to any of the harsh dorm rules). Thus, we found a place that would be located in the middle of Yonsei University and Chung-Ang University for four months, located in Yongsan-gu area near Itaewon. The cost overall per person was about $2,400 in total; that means each person would pay $600 per month, which is still reasonable compared to the housing prices in Hawai'i. The Airbnb location placed us right in the middle of town with plenty of activities all around. The major downside of selecting this housing option was the amount of time that we would need to allocate in order to get to our separate campuses, taking time to commute from home to university. However, it was the same time as commuting to UH Manoa and transportation is very advanced in Korea, so there is not really a big difference.
Goshiwon
Another option that is available is goshiwons, a small living space with all the needed things a college student would need. The room is typically very cramped and includes a bed, desk, chair, small fridge, and a shower. These are usually very cheap alternatives and are located in Sinchon near Yonsei University. Unfortunately, I do not know much about this option, but it did not seem desirable for me because of the cramped living space.
Overall, there are many different options you can choose from, each with its separate pros and cons. Be sure to look over each option and select the best option to fit your needs!