Seoul National University

Overview

Seoul National University (SNU) is a prestigious national research university located in South Korea. Founded in 1946, the university opened its doors with six colleges and one graduate school, all geared towards producing, in great numbers, intellectual elites to lead the newly liberated country.

The journey to becoming the first comprehensive university, however, started way before 1946. It began in 1895 with the establishment of a well-structured higher education system by Korean Emperor Gojong of the Joseon Dynasty. Later that year, the legal training school was formed, followed by the medical school (1899), and schools of commerce, engineering, and agriculture (1901). On August 27, 1946, 10 schools (including the aforementioned and others) around Seoul were merged to form the Seoul National University.

The university was originally located in Dongsung-dong, but in February 1975, the main campus was relocated to Gwanak-gu. SNU has continued its upward trajectory in all aspects and today, in addition to the main campus in Gwanak, it has three other campuses in Yeongeon (dedicated to the medical field), Pyeongchang, and Siheung.

The Seoul National University, as a whole, is organized around 15 colleges, one graduate school, and 11 professional graduate schools. These schools and colleges follow an autonomous, convergence education system geared towards strengthening character and creativity. To this end, they offer a wide range of courses, including more than 80 undergraduate degrees, and 99 masters/doctoral programs across five fields of study.

The SNU is home to over 31,000 students and more than 5,500 faculty members (including 1,558 professors, 406 associate professors, and 166 assistant professors). The institution has more than 300,000 alumni spread across academia, entertainment, medicine, business, and public services. One of the main high-profile alumni of SNU is Ban Ki-moon, the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations. Also, with SNU being one of the most distinguished universities in South Korea, it is no surprise that one out of four Korean presidents studied in the institution.

Seoul National University strives to create a community of knowledge to lead the future. To do so, the institution blends cutting-edge research, world-class education, an exceptional alumni network, and vibrant campus life. It also has a well-stocked library with more than 5,600,000 holdings, including (five million books, more than 200,000 periodicals and newspapers, and more than 200,000 non-book materials).

Beyond education, SNU is known to spend more on systematic career programs to help students have a wider view of the job market upon graduation. The Career Development Center, in particular, streamlines the transition from learning to work. It offers a wide range of customized career development programs, including mentoring, career design workshops, individual counseling, and practical training to bridge the gap between students and the world.