Outbound Programs | Yonsei University OIA

Students must participate in the exchange/visiting program only during their regular semesters of enrollment. However, your exchange semester must fall before graduation (within your 8 regular semesters), and you may need a leave of absence to adjust the timing.

• Extra semester: Exchange in the 2nd semester of the 4th year is possible only if you submit an "Extra Semester Pledge Form" (one semester only, no extension).
• 2nd semester of 1st year: Apply after that semester's grades appear on your transcript(early July or early January).
• During a leave of absence or military leave: Allowed. You only need to return to enrolled status and pay tuition for the exchange semester. Students on military leave who apply around their discharge date may have difficulty with second-round documents, so please inform your regional officer in advance after placement.
• See the recent guidebook booklet for details.

• Transfer students: Eligible regardless of prior exchange. Second-year transfers may apply after completing 2 or more semesters at Yonsei and may be dispatched from the 2nd semester of the 3rd year; third-year transfers may apply after 1 or more semesters and may be dispatched from the 1st semester of the 4th year. A previous-university GPA of at least 2.8/4.3 is required, and the maximum recognized credits may be lower, so check with your department office.
• Graduate students: Eligible. Master's students (4-semester programs) may go in their 3rd or 4th semester; 5-semester special graduate schools, from the 3rd semester. Doctoral students may go for one semester during coursework (not after completion). The number of eligible host universities is limited, so read the guidebook carefully.
• International students: Eligible regardless of nationality. However, a host in your home country may decline admission, so confirm eligibility in advance. A D-2 visa may need to be reissued for a one-year dispatch.
• See the recent guidebook booklet for details.

All schedules and university lists are announced each semester on the OIA website notice board (exact dates vary by semester).

• Spring Dispatch: Info-session (early May) → List of host universities (mid-June) → 1st round of application (early July) → Placement (end of July) → Pre-departure orientation & pledge (mid-November) → Departure with tuition paid and enrolled for Spring Semester
• Fall Dispatch: Info-session (early November) → List of host universities (mid-December) → 1st round of application (early January) → Placement (end of January) → Pre-departure orientation & pledge (mid-May) → Departure with tuition paid and enrolled for Fall Semester
• List of Host Universities: The spring list is announced in mid-June and the fall list in mid-December. OIA University Finder: https://oiaunivfinder.netlify.app/
• Counseling: Available by phone or email without an appointment.
• OIA website: https://oia.yonsei.ac.kr/

Your major does not have to match. However, you cannot apply through an ineligible major, and you must check each major's prerequisites and requirements in advance (a major mismatch may lead to a rejected admission at the host university, especially UC).

• In the portal's "College and Department of Application," enter the host university's department name in English (not your Yonsei department).
• Double-major students may apply under either major if it is already registered in the portal.
• Rules on taking courses outside your assigned major vary by host university, so contact the host directly.
• See the recent guidebook booklet for details.

If the application button goes through, your application is received; OIA contacts you only if something is missing (individual confirmation requests are not accepted). An "unpaid" status during the application period is normal and is reviewed together after the deadline.

• Both the application and the fee payment must be completed within the designated period. Refunds are available only when the applicant withdraws during the online application period.
• When paying the fee, you must include your full name and department on the deposit record; otherwise, the payment may not be matched (for example, due to identical names). If your banking app limits the number of characters, abbreviate your department to the shortest identifiable name and enter it with your name.
• If you entered the depositor name incorrectly or omitted your department, do not make a second deposit; instead, immediately contact the OIA (exch@yonsei.ac.kr) with your name, student ID, date and time of deposit, and details of the error.

For the English track, only TOEFL is accepted. IELTS, TOEFL Home Edition, TOEFL IPT, Duolingo English Test, and TOEFL Best Score are NOT accepted.

• Submission: Applicants must submit their TOEFL score report via the Yonsei Portal during the online application submission period. Screenshots and unofficial scores are not accepted; only a single official test-center score is recognized.
• Validity: Language certificates must be valid 'within two years of the program starting date'. Please note that some host universities may require scores from tests taken within one year of the application.
• If the PDF will not download: Contact ETS immediately, notify OIA of the situation, and submit it once it becomes available. We do not accept belated submission.

The non-English track does not require a TOEFL score, and you may apply under only one language track among six languages (cross-track application is not allowed).

• Advance submission: Non-English-track applicants are given selection priority, so you must submit your language certificate through the academic portal during the advance submission period. You must still complete the online application and fee payment within the official period.
• If your official certificate is issued late: First submit a document that verifies your score (for example, an HSK score verification or a DELF result screen), then submit the official certificate to abroad@yonsei.ac.kr before the final deadline (include your student ID and name).

* From 2026, the non-English track changes from a test to certificate submission. See the guidebook for details.

Language test score submission is exempted if you meet at least one of the following:

• (1) Native speakers from the relevant country ㅡ for English track: from United States, Canada (excluding Quebec), the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand;
• (2) Students who completed the full 12 years of regular education in the relevant language prior to enrollment at Yonsei.
• Required documents: a passport from the relevant country, or documents verifying completion of the 12 years of education (a transcript, diploma, or certificate of admission through Yonsei's Overseas Korean Admission, etc.). Submit them to the Office of International Affairs via email (abroad@yonsei.ac.kr) within the language exemption application period. You must still submit the online application and pay the fee (KRW 10,000) within the application period.
• Score calculation: If the exemption is approved, the TOEFL score will be converted based on the maximum score (120 points) and applied proportionally to the applicant's CGPA. (For example, a CGPA percentile of 92.5/100 is converted to 111/120.)

All language certificates must be valid within two years of the program starting date, and must meet the minimum requirement of the OIA criteria. The score must be submitted within the online application period. Please note that some host universities may require scores taken within one year.

• The official score report takes time to issue, so schedule your test early so the report is ready before the application period. If you cannot submit an official score within the application period, you must apply the following semester. OIA is not responsible for delays in score issuance.

We recommend matching the English name on all documents to the name on your passport; even minor differences such as hyphens or spaces between syllables are treated as a mismatch.

• Take language tests under your passport name.
• If they already differ: Email the difference and the reason to abroad@yonsei.ac.kr for review (requests by proxy or simple typos are not accepted).
• If English name on the passport and on the Yonsei Portal differ: To correct the English name on your record, apply for the Yonsei Portal [Academic Information System > Student > Application for Correction of Record] with a passport copy (Inquiries: Academic Affairs Support Team, 02-2123-2090).
• For dual nationality and similar cases, use the name registered at Yonsei. Contact the relevant regional officer for further inquiries.

Students with higher total scores are placed first, according to the preferences they listed (preference order is only your own priority; score takes precedence).

• Choosing preferences: Consider the host's admission criteria (language, GPA), courses offered in your field, and the location and academic environment. Focus on what you want to gain rather than rankings alone.
• Cut-off lines, average scores, and competition rates are not disclosed, and admission predictions are not provided as each student has different preference.
• Placement quota: "Persons" means one semester each for that number of students; "Semester" divides the semesters among applicants. If only one semester slot remains, a one-year application cannot be placed.
• Preference order can be changed only by cancelling and reapplying before the application deadline.

After placement is confirmed, changing the host university, cancelling, extending, or shortening the period is, in principle, not allowed; completing the dispatch as assigned is the basic rule.

• Before the placement announcement (withdrawing the application): No penalty. The application fee (KRW 10,000) is refundable only when the applicant withdraws during the online application period.
• Cancellation after placement is confirmed: Submit a cancellation request to OIA by the designated deadline. Penalties apply regardless of the date of withdrawal, with no grace period. Because a cancellation reduces another student's opportunity and affects the future exchange ratio with that university, a mandatory service obligation (40 hours of on-campus volunteer service) is imposed, the student is permanently disqualified from reapplying to any OIA exchange program, and the fee is not refunded.
• Cancellation form: Download it from the academic portal [International Student Exchange > Student > (OIA) Overseas Dispatch Form Files], review the notes, and submit. Approval is solely at OIA's discretion and is not guaranteed.
  
  
• If not selected: You may reapply without penalty. However, additional applications are not accepted if you forgot to apply or missed the deadline.

OIA does not require a specific type of insurance; any insurance valid for the entire dispatch period is acceptable, with proof documents (showing identifying information such as your name and the coverage period). The host may have its own requirements, so confirm before enrolling.

• Host-university insurance also requires a certificate submission.
• If coverage starts before your departure date: Submit only the departure report on the Yonsei Portal and notify exch@yonsei.ac.kr.
• If coverage starts after your departure date: Enroll in additional travel or study-abroad insurance covering the gap from departure to the coverage start date, submit its certificate together with the report, and submit the host-university certificate once enrolled.

* If the certificate is issued late, notify OIA in advance and you may submit it later.

From the spring 2026 semester, submission changed from email to the Yonsei Portal.

• Path: Yonsei Portal > Academic Administration > International Student Exchange > (OIA) Overseas Dispatch Document Submission. Submit at least one week before departure.
• The departure report requires the signatures of both the student and a guardian (handwritten or electronic; typing is not allowed). For which date to enter (already departed or traveling before the semester), see the next item.
• Visa: After receiving your letter of acceptance, you apply individually (not through OIA); refer to the relevant embassy website.
• Inquiries: exch@yonsei.ac.kr / 02-2123-8453

Enter the date you actually depart or begin traveling on the departure report.

• If you have already departed: Report through the Yonsei Portal immediately, entering your actual departure date.
• If you are traveling before the semester (to the host country or nearby): Enter the date your travel begins.

You must pay your Yonsei tuition according to Yonsei's registration schedule, regardless of the host university's calendar. Failure to pay within the registration period results in cancellation of the dispatch and academic dismissal.

• Inquiries: Finance and Accounting Team, 02-2123-4500

The maximum recognized credits are within 1/8 of your total graduation credits for a one-semester dispatch (1/10 for the 5-year Architecture major), and within 1/4 for two semesters (1/5 for Architecture).

• Europe (ECTS): The Office of International Affairs converts the total ECTS earned at the host university into Yonsei credits at a 1:0.5 ratio (i.e., half of the total ECTS).
• US quarter system: 2 quarters = 1 semester and 3 quarters = 2 semesters. For quarter-system universities, only two-thirds (2/3) of the credits earned at the host university are recognized, within the limits stated above.
• For detailed credit-recognition criteria and procedures, see the OIA credit transfer page.
  

Credits earned at the host university are recognized within the maximum limit and can be recognized as Yonsei courses through an approval process. To have a course recognized, describe the course content and obtain approval:

• Major courses: review by the professor in charge and approval by the department chair.
• Undergraduate College courses: review by the professor in charge and approval by the dean of the Undergraduate College.
• General electives: approval by the Academic Affairs Support Team.
• CC courses at UIC require confirmation by the professor in charge and the CC chair professor.
• When applying in the portal, attach a screenshot of the approval; there is no separate form.

* Credit recognition is allowed only once before graduation, and changes or additional approval are not possible after submission, so apply carefully.
* Inquiries: Academic Affairs Support Team, yshaksa@yonsei.ac.kr

From spring 2026, if your transcript includes official issuance elements such as an "Official Transcript" label, a verification code, QR, or electronic signature, and the school seal, a transcript you download and submit yourself is accepted (not accepted if marked provisional, unofficial, or temporary, or if it lacks a seal). Submit to: exch@yonsei.ac.kr.

• Arrival confirmation: OIA sends a notice when your transcript arrives (if urgent, contact exch@ or your regional officer).
• Application period: Recognition is only available during the designated period, but if issuance is delayed for reasons beyond your control, it is possible within an additional period if shared in advance.
• Timing and status: For the timing and status of recognition, contact the Academic Affairs Support Team (yshaksa@yonsei.ac.kr).