Description
Study computer science at KAIST, the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology! Starting as Korea’s first research-oriented graduate school, KAIST has come to be known as one of the best academic institutes of science and technology from across the globe, where more than 700 international students from over 70 countries are studying at KAIST.
Quick Facts
Partner Program Type – Exchange
Minimum GPA – 2.85
Eligibility – Good academic and disciplinary standing, Min Age: 18, Open to All Majors, Junior or Senior class standing by the time of departure
Term Options
Fall Semester – early September to mid-December
Spring Semester – early March to mid-June
- students must miss both winter and spring quarters at UCSC to participate in this session
Academic Year – early September to mid-June
Partner Program deadline dates
Cost
Location
City & University
KAIST is located in the northwestern part of Daejeon. Daejeon is the fifth largest city in Korea with a population of approximately 1.5 million people. Located in the center of Korea, Daejeon serves as a hub of transportation. Daejeon is also known as the city of science, and many science and research institutes are established here.
Accommodations
Housing is guaranteed. In your first semester, you do not need to apply for housing yourself. As a new student, you’ll be automatically assigned to a dormitory room for two or three people. Starting from the second semester, you will be asked to apply for the dormitories by yourself. For more information, see KAIST Dormitory System.
Student Support
KAIST’s International Student Support team provides a range of services and support for exchange students. Additionally, KAIST offers resources and opportunities for exchange students to integrate successfully into the culture and society.
Country Information Resources
- U.S. Department of State Country Information Page
- CDC Travelers’ Health
- OSAC Country Security Report
Students with Disabilities
If you need support services abroad, notify your UCSC Disability Resource Center (DRC) Coordinator.
The Student Life Team at KAIST can provide disability services and accommodations
Identities Abroad and Away
UC Santa Cruz Global Learning is committed to inclusion and equity in our various program options as well as striving to make everyone’s experiences abroad enriching, positive, and safe.
Learn more on our Identities Abroad and Away webpage.
Academics
Host University Courses
As a KAIST exchange student, you will enroll full-time in courses alongside other local and international students for a semester or full academic year.
Course Search
View the KAIST Academic System to search courses.
- Select “English” in the language filter to narrow down your results to courses taught in English.
- You can study Korean language courses from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Search for “Korean” in the KAIST Academic System.
Satisfying Requirements
It may be possible to satisfy major, minor, GE, and/or electives on this program.
Learn more about:
- How to request major or minor credit
- How to request GE credit
Course Load Requirements
You are required to enroll in a full-time course load while abroad as defined by your host institution:
- A minimum of 4 courses, 12 semester credits, maximum of 8 courses, 24 credits
As a UCSC student, you must also continue to meet UCSC Satisfactory Academic Progress, which requires students to enroll in a minimum of 12 UCSC quarter credits per quarter. At KAIST, you are required to ensure you meet this requirement by enrolling in the equivalent of at least 12 quarter credits in fall semester and 24 quarter credits in spring semester after conversion (see below).
Credit Conversion
KAIST uses semester credits. These will be converted to UCSC quarter credits when added to your UC transcript.
- 1 semester credit = 2 UCSC quarter credits
- 2 semester credits = 3 UCSC quarter credits
- 3 semester credits = 5 UCSC quarter credits
- 4 semester credits = 6 UCSC quarter credits
Academic Restrictions
Some courses abroad may have enrollment limitations and/or restrictions, such as prerequisites. Review course information provided by the university partner to understand any course limitations and/or restrictions prior to official course enrollment abroad.
If you are unsure about your eligibility to enroll, please contact UCSC Global Learning at globallearning@ucsc.edu before applying to this program.
Academic Differences
Please note that the academic system, such as assignments, exams, course structure, grading system, etc., at your host institution may be different from what you are used to at UCSC. We highly recommend researching the academic system at your host university in advance to best prepare for your experience abroad.
Academic Calendar
We recommend comparing the host university academic calendar to the UCSC academic calendar to see how the academic calendars, holidays, and breaks differ.