Your First Week in Korea as an International Student: A Practical Checklist

Landing in Korea for a semester or a full degree is exciting, but the first week is mostly paperwork and small errands. The good news: almost everything can be done within a few days if you do it in the right order. Many tasks depend on each other — a bank wants your registration card, the registration office wants your address — so the sequence below is designed to avoid going back and forth.

Day 1: Get connected and get moving

Phone and data. Buy a prepaid SIM or eSIM at the airport or a carrier store so you have data from the first hour. You will need a working phone number for nearly every sign-up that follows, including delivery apps and university portals. Once you have your residence card, you can switch to a regular postpaid plan if you want a cheaper long-term option.

A transport card. Pick up a T-money card at any convenience store (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven) and load it with cash. It works on subways, buses and many taxis across the country. We wrote a separate guide on getting around Seoul with T-money.

The apps that actually work here. Google Maps is limited for walking and driving directions in Korea, so install Naver Map or Kakao Map. Add Papago for translation and Kakao T for taxis. KakaoTalk is how classmates, landlords and professors will contact you.

Days 2–3: Address and residence registration

If you will stay in Korea for more than 90 days, you must register as a foreign resident at your local immigration office within 90 days of entry. In practice, do it as early as you can — your residence registration card (still widely called the ARC) unlocks bank accounts, phone contracts and many online services.

What you typically need:

• Passport and visa
• A completed application form
• A passport-style photo
• Proof of enrollment from your university
• Proof of address in Korea (dormitory confirmation or a lease)
• The application fee

Appointments are booked online through the HiKorea website and slots can fill up weeks in advance around the start of each semester, so book on your first day if possible. Your university's international office can usually tell you which office covers your address and may even arrange group registration.

Requirements change from time to time. Always confirm the current document list on HiKorea or with your university before your appointment.

Days 3–5: Bank account and money

Most major banks will open an account for international students, but many branches ask for the residence card first. Until it arrives, rely on an international debit card and some cash. Branches near large universities often have staff used to helping foreign students, and some offer English-language support — it is worth choosing one of those.

When you open the account, ask for a debit (check) card that works with mobile payments. It will make online shopping, delivery apps and transport top-ups much easier.

Health insurance

Students on D-2 (degree) and D-4 (language training) visas are generally enrolled in Korea's National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) once they register as residents. You will receive a monthly premium notice, and you can set up automatic payment from your Korean bank account. Keep an eye on the paperwork: unpaid premiums can cause problems when you extend your stay.

Day 6–7: Settle in

• Find the nearest pharmacy, clinic and 24-hour convenience store.
• Learn your building's rules for separating trash and recycling — they are taken seriously.
• Save the emergency numbers: 119 for fire and ambulance, 112 for police, and 1345 for the immigration contact center, which offers multilingual help.

A simple order to remember

1. SIM card and transport card
2. Map, translation and messaging apps
3. Book your immigration appointment
4. Register your address and apply for the residence card
5. Bank account and mobile payments
6. Health insurance set-up

Getting these done in the first week frees you to enjoy the rest of the semester. If you are planning weekend trips once you are settled, keep an eye on our Travel Korea section.