Getting your visa approved feels like the finish line, but there’s a second checklist between “accepted” and “actually settled.” Here’s both halves of it.

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Before You Fly

Documents

• Passport (valid 6+ months past your travel date)
• D-2 visa (approved and stamped)
• Certificate of Admission (printed + digital copy)
• Funding/scholarship confirmation letter (printed + digital copy)
• Passport-sized photos (for ARC application later)
• Copies of everything above saved to cloud storage, separate from your physical copies

Health

• Any required vaccinations completed
• Enough prescription medication for at least the first month (bring the prescription/doctor’s note too)
• Travel insurance for the gap before NHIS coverage kicks in

Money

• Notify your bank of international travel to avoid card freezes
• Bring enough cash/card access for the first 2–3 weeks (see the cost breakdown post)
• Confirm your card works for overseas withdrawals
• Consider a multi-currency card like Wise (referral link, free card for new signups) — real exchange rates instead of your home bank’s markup, and it holds KRW directly

Packing

• Weather-appropriate clothing — Korean winters and summers are both more extreme than many students expect
• Universal power adapter (Korea uses Type C/F plugs, 220V)
• A small supply of toiletries/medication that are hard to find or pricier locally
• Korea eSIM bought and QR code saved before you fly, so you land with data already working — I bought mine through the Klook app (referral link, RM15 promo code for new signups) and would recommend it

Housing

• Dorm application confirmed, or private housing arranged
• Move-in instructions (building, room number, contact person) saved somewhere accessible

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Your First Week in Korea

1. Get from the airport to campus. Know your route in advance — airport bus, KTX, or taxi — before you land with jet lag and heavy luggage.
2. Report to the international student office. This is usually your first stop and where you’ll get onboarding instructions specific to your university.
3. Apply for your Alien Registration Card (ARC). You have 90 days, but earlier is better — almost nothing else (bank account, phone plan, health insurance) can be finalized without it.
4. Open a Korean bank account. Requires your ARC, so this typically happens a few days after you apply.
5. Get a local SIM card if you haven’t already, once you can register one under your own name.
6. Attend orientation sessions. They’re often mandatory and cover practical logistics you won’t find written down anywhere else.
7. Meet your professor and lab. Confirm your desk, building access, and expectations for your first few weeks.

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Quick Recap

• Documents, health, money, packing, housing — sorted before departure
• International office visited on arrival
• ARC application submitted
• Bank account opened
• SIM card active
• Orientation attended
• Lab check-in done