Off-Campus Housing Options
Boarding House (Hasukjip)
Residents can stay in a boarding house(Hasukjip) by paying the monthly rent only, without need for a deposit. The monthly rent includes house expenses, utility charges, and breakfast and dinner expenses. Numerous residents live in a boarding house and should share the kitchen, living room, washrooms, etc. Generally, the owner also lives in the boarding house. Many boarding houses are concentrated near colleges.
Share House
Occupants rent a room in the house and share a living room, kitchen, and a bathroom with the other tenants. The cost of rent ranges between 350,000 KRW to 550,000 KRW per month depending on the size of the bedrooms, the quality of the facilities, and whether the room is shared or not. Breakfast and dinner are usually included in the monthly rent.
Private Studio
Studios consist of an open room including a bathroom and a kitchen area. Key money or a security deposit is required, most of the time. The security deposit usually is between 5,000,000 and 30,000,000 KRW along with the monthly rent also ranging from 400,000 to 1,500,000 KRW. The more deposit you pay upfront, the lower your monthly rent tends to be.
In some cases, the security deposit may be waived, but the owner might request that you pay several months of rent in advance. It is advisable to make sure that there are no liens on the studio and to consider purchasing key money deposit insurance.
Please visit http://www.iros.go.kr to determine if there are any liens on the property
Off-Campus Housing options comparison
| Types of Housing |
Boarding House (Hasukjip) |
Share House | Private Studio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $ | $$ | $$$ |
| Freedom | Medium | Medium | High |
| Management | Medium | Medium | Hard |
| Furnishings | O | O | X |
Students’ Experience
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“In 2022, I came to Yonsei as an exchange student. I had a limited budget for housing and wanted to live with other international students. I looked for a Hasukjip(Boarding House) and a Share House near campus. For the share house, I looked up on Facebook Groups such as Housing in Seoul.”
by one of our exchange students
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by one of our graduate students
“In 2017, I wanted to live alone since I will be attending Graduate School at Yonsei. I booked a temporary housing through AirBnB/Hotel via online before deciding a long-term housing. On the day of arrival, I visited a real estate agency(부동산) near campus to find a private studio. From my experience, it was very important to view as many rooms with an agency before deciding(options). The commission fee is around 120 dollars(0.5% of the house price). Also, make sure to report your new address within 14 days to the Immigration Office, otherwise, you will get a fine. Please double-check with the latest immigration law.”
Useful Resources
Housing Contract Guidelines in Korea
- Source : Ministry of Government Legislation
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Housing contract procedure
- Finding a house (Real Estate Agency(부동산)) → Signing a house contract → Moving → Reporting new address within 14 days
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Standard realform
You can download a standard form of the real estate lease agreement in Korea.
Make sure to double-check the contents of the paper before signing.
For more how to find a house guidelines in Korea, click Ministry of Government Legislation.
Yonsei Zipbosam (Student organization to help students to find housing)
- Source : Yonsei Zipbosam
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Yonsei Zipbosam is a student organization, which helps students to find housing.
(Services ONLY in Korean.)
Seoul Global Center - Seoul Life Guidebook
- Source : Seoul Global Center
- You can find information on various type of housing options in Seoul. Guidebooks are offered in various languages for your convenience.
Yonsei Foreign Student Union - Housing Tips
- Source : Yonsei Foreign Student Union
- Housing tips for international students
