Seoul Global Student Center helps int'l students bridge gap from campus to career

International students attend a Test of Proficiency in Korean preparatory class at the Seoul Global Student Center in Seodaemun District, Seoul, May 12. Korea Times photo by Park Ung

Every week, Shapolayeva Aisulu spends nearly three hours on a round trip from Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, to the Seoul Global Student Center in Seodaemun District. For the Kazakh student studying in Korea, every minute of the commute is worth it.

“Korean language programs at universities can cost over 1.5 million won ($997) per semester, but here you can take nearly the same course for free,” the 24-year-old told The Korea Times. “I recommend it to anyone who wants in-person feedback from teachers or the chance to connect with other students.”

Shapolayeva is among the growing number of international students seeking to build careers and settle in Korea after graduation, a trend the Seoul Metropolitan Government is stepping up to support.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the number of international students in Korea reached 308,838 as of December 2025, up 17.1 percent from the same month the previous year. A 2023 Ministry of Data and Statistics survey of 188,000 international students found that 63 percent hoped to remain in Korea after graduation.

Opened in May right next to Sinchon Station on Seoul Subway Line 2, the Seoul Global Student Center is designed to help international students settle in Korea through employment and entrepreneurship support. The neighborhood was chosen for its dense concentration of universities, including Yonsei, Ewha, Sogang and Hongik.

The center serves international students with dedicated spaces and programs to support their job searches and entrepreneurial ambitions. With one building for employment and another for startups, the center offers spaces for lectures, networking, team projects and individual study, as well as meeting rooms.

A meeting and study space at the Seoul Global Student Center in Seodaemun District, May 12. Korea Times photo by Park Ung

Programs include resume and cover letter workshops, business Korean classes, Test of Proficiency in Korean preparatory courses and hands-on work experience programs. The center also hosts a career day connecting international students with mentors, with a job fair matching students with domestic companies slated for November.

The center is also deepening ties with universities. Last month, it held a roundtable with the above-mentioned four Sinchon-area schools as well as Hanyang University and Korea University, which enroll particularly large numbers of international students. It now works with 32 four-year universities and 10 junior colleges across Seoul.

For Shapolayeva, who hopes to stay and build a life in Korea after graduation, the center has already proven its worth.

“I didn't have many opportunities to use academic Korean in depth, but the center's classes have been a huge help,” she said, adding that she also plans to sign up for business and job preparation classes next semester.

“I'd love to work at a research institute in sociology or Korean studies, but I'm also interested in exploring opportunities in the semiconductor industry,” Shapolayeva added.

Anna Korotkova, 36, a Russian national pursuing a master's degree at Seokyeong University, shares a similar appreciation for the center.

“After three years of studying Korean on my own, I hit a wall,” she said. “But the center's classes helped me build the language skills I needed. What I love most is meeting people from so many different countries.”

She took a business Korean class last year and plans to enroll in more employment-linked programs going forward. “I hope to stay and work in Korea, with my sights set on overseas sales in the cosmetics industry targeting Central Asian countries,” she added.

Yuka, a 26-year-old Japanese national pursuing a graduate degree in sociology at Yonsei University, faced the same struggle as Shapolayeva.

Everyday Korean was manageable, she said, but academic writing at the graduate level was a different challenge. “I found a program at the center that helps with exactly that, and being able to get direct feedback from an teacher was an opportunity I truly cherished,” she said.

Having benefited from the center herself, Yuka believes more initiatives like it would be a welcome addition. “The center is in Seoul, so students in Gyeonggi Province and other regions like Shapolayeva may have a harder time accessing it,” she said.

“It mainly targets international students, but marriage migrants and foreign workers are also joining the classes,” Yuka said, adding that she hopes to see more programs tailored to their specific needs.