- Overview
- Location and Housing
- Academics
- Pricing and Dates
- Program Staff
- Application Instructions
- Additional Information
Study engineering in South Korea! The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) was established by the government of Korea in 1971 as the nation’s first research-oriented science and engineering institution. It is home to more than 10,000 students, including 700 international students from over 70 countries! Will you be one of them?
KAIST is a member of Global E3, an exchange program of Engineering Schools from around the world. More than 60 universities worldwide—33 in the United States and 31 in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East—comprise the Global E3 consortium. This consortium is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
You must apply to both the Swanson School of Engineering Global Experiences and Engagement Office (link on this page) and to the Global E3 consortium (link on Global E3 page). Prior to application, please review the Global E3 KAIST specific page and the KAIST exchange website for application instructions, deadlines, course descriptions, academic calendar, etc. To complete your application, you will need to meet with the program manager. Make an appointment with Alicia here. In the past, application deadlines have been early September for spring semester programs and early March for fall semester programs.
Typically, semesters are:
- Fall: early September to late December
- Spring: early March to late June
As an active and engaged participant on this program, you will have the opportunity to develop:
- the ability to succeed independently in a foreign education environment.
- non-US based perspectives on your field of study and/or future career path.
- a global network of peers in similar fields of study and connections with faculty in South Korea.
Office Responsible for International Exchange Students
International Relations Team | irt@kaist.ac.kr
KAIST is situated in the northwestern part of Daejeon. Daejeon is the fifth-largest city in South Korea, with a population of approximately 1.5 million people living in an area of 540 km2 (the total area of the Korean peninsula is 222,154 km2). Located in the center of Korea, Daejeon serves as a hub of transportation. Major expressways and railways connecting the country from the north to south converge in Daejeon. With this wonderful transportation network, it is possible to travel anywhere in the country within half a day from Daejeon.
For more information, please visit the Daejeon Metropolitan City homepage.
On-campus housing is available. Please review the GE3 website for more information.
Use the links below to see if the specific departments offer the types of courses you would like to take while studying abroad. We suggest you review courses available with your Faculty director of your program prior to applying to the program.
Academic Departments:
Visit the University's website to learn more about course offerings. The following disciplines have been listed as available:
Disciplines Available
- Aerospace Engineering
- Bio & Brain Engineering
- Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
- Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Industrial & Systems Engineering
- Industrial Design
- Knowledge Service Engineering
- Materials Science & Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Nuclear & Quantum Engineering
- Web Science & Technology
Of note:
- All courses must be approved by the Faculty Director of your department in the Swanson School of Engineering. A course approval form must be completed and submitted to SSoE’s Engineering International Initiatives Office.
- Additionally, for the purpose of full-time status here at Pitt, students should be prepared to take what is equivalent to at least 12 Pitt credit hours.
- Courses taken abroad will be treated as transfer credits and will be marked as pass/fail (S/NC) on a Pitt student's transcript. In other words, transfer credits will not affect your Pitt GPA. However, students must receive a C grade or higher in order for the credits to transfer. Actual grades earned will appear on the transcript from the exchange university.
- There are a number of courses offered in English
- Language Requirements: Non-native English speakers may be required to show evidence of English proficiency.
In order to gain Pitt credit, you must receive a C or higher for each course you will transfer back to Pitt for credit.
Information about the grading scale abroad can be found on the Global E3 page.
Transcripts: Please request that your university send a hardcopy to the Engineering International Initiatives Office. Make sure that you follow their instructions on how to ensure that an official copy of your grades are received. Hardcopies should be sent the following address: International Engineering Initiatives, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 152 Benedum Hall, 3700 O’Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Exchange university transcripts typically do not arrive from the exchange university until 3 to 4 months after the end of exchange period. Therefore, Pitt students should be mindful of how this may affect their ability to graduate, especially when exchanging during one's senior year. Another consideration is how this may affect your financial aid package, as the S/NC grades are not posted until transcripts are received.
For global scholarship opportunities, check out:
- the Pitt GEO scholarship page for links to national, provider and private scholarship samples
- PittFund$Me for Pitt sponsored funding including Pitt wide global scholarships, Nationality Rooms, VIH, etc.
- PittFund$Me for the SSOE Global Experience Scholarships!
SSOE Global Experiences and Engagement Office Team
Our team is so excited to assist SSOE students in deciding which global programs work best for them. Stop by during our walk in hours or make an appointment!
Schedule an appointment
Our team is so excited to assist SSOE students in deciding which global programs work best for them. Stop by during our walk in hours or make an appointment!
Alicia JF Olalde, M.A.
Hello! Konnichiwa! I am the Director for Global Experiences and Engagement in the Swanson School of Engineering. After working for the JET program in Japan for just over two years, I decided to pursue a career in international education. I returned to the US via a few months of travel -slowing making my way west with many stops in stunning locations and with amazing people. Whenever possible, I continue explore new countries and cultures and have had the good fortune to work, study and travel all over the world. I have been fortunate to work both as an administrator and as a classroom educator in higher education; my areas of interest are international, adult and comparative education. I enjoy assisting engineering students seize global opportunities!
Schedule an appointment
SSOE students: schedule an appointment with me using Pathways via this link!
non-SSOE students-- send me an email and we'll set up a time to meet!
- Fall term: early September to mid December
- Spring term: early March to mid June
The University of Pittsburgh automatically provides international health and accident insurance for students participating in study abroad during the official program dates. More information about the type of insurance and coverage will be provided to you by the GEO office. However, you may need to purchase additional insurance if the school you will attend requires you to purchase a specific health insurance per their regulations. It is your responsibility to ensure you know the cost of that insurance prior to committing to the program.
- Visa application
- Valid Passport
- Verification of acceptance from sponsoring university (exchange university)
- Financial Documents, such as bank statements, tax documents or pay statements.
- Passport photos
- Application fee
- Medical/physical examination (likely to require a doctor's appointment so plan accordingly)