Are you starting your university journey in Korea? Familiarizing yourself with the everyday expressions and terms Korean students use can make your experience smoother and more enjoyable. Today, we’ll introduce commonly used words in Korean campus life, their meanings, and usage examples.

title-Essential-Korean-University-Vocabulary-for-Smooth-Campus-Life

 

Table of Contents

  1. MT and OT
  2. "공강" and "휴강"
  3. "대출" and "복사"
  4. Class Year and Relationships
  5. Clubs and Academic Societies
  6. Assignments and Group Projects
  7. Finals and Midterms
  8. Other Frequently Used Terms

 

1. MT and OT

MT (Membership Training) and OT (Orientation) are essential experiences for Korean university life.

l  MT refers to a short trip where classmates and seniors gather to bond and build camaraderie.

l  OT is held at the beginning of the semester to introduce new students to the school, the department, and campus life.

 

📌 Examples:

l  "이번 주말에 MT 가는데 뭐 가져가야 해?"
"What should I bring for the MT this weekend?"

l  "선배님, OT에서는 학교와 학과만 소개해 주나요? 캠퍼스 생활에 대해서도 알려주죠?"
"Senior, do they only introduce the school and department at OT? They’ll also talk about campus life, right?"

 

2. "공강" and "휴강"

l  "공강" (Gonggang) refers to the free time between classes when students don’t have lectures scheduled. It’s an excellent opportunity to relax, catch up on personal tasks, or engage in other activities.

l  "휴강" (Hyugang) means a canceled class, usually due to the professor’s circumstances.

 

📌 Examples:

l  "수요일은 공강이라 하루 종일 쉬어."
"I don’t have any classes on Wednesday, so I can rest all day."

l  "금요일 교양 강의가 휴강이 됐어, 우리 부산 여행 갈까?"
"The general education class on Friday got canceled. Should we go on a trip to Busan?"

 

3. "대출" and "복사"

l  "대출" (Daechul) refers to borrowing books from the library, an indispensable resource for studying and research.

l  "복사" (Boksa) is the act of photocopying lecture materials or other documents, which is also a common practice among students.

 

📌 Examples:

l  "시험기간이라 대출하려는 책이 하나도 없어."
"It’s exam season, so there are no books left to borrow."

l  "지난 시간에 교수님이 나눠준 강의자료 갖고 있어? 나, 자료 잃어버려서 복사 필요해."
"Do you have the lecture notes the professor gave last time? I lost mine and need to make a copy."


4. Class Year and Relationships

In Korean universities, students are categorized by their year of admission, called "학번" (Hakbeon). This forms the basis for senior (고학번) and junior (저학번) relationships, which play an essential role in fostering connections between students.

 

📌 Examples:

l  "고학번 선배님들께 인사 잘해야 해."
"Make sure to greet your senior students properly."

l  "저학번 친구들 잘 챙겨!"
"Take good care of your juniors!"


5. Clubs and Academic Societies

l  "동아리" (Dongari) refers to clubs where students engage in hobby-based activities.

l  "학회" (Hakhoe) are academic societies that focus on scholarly and professional activities, often related to specific majors or fields.

 

📌 Examples:

l  "이번 학기에 동아리 가입할까 고민 중이야. 다른 학과 친구들도 사귀고 싶거든."
"I’m thinking about joining a club this semester. I want to make friends from other departments."

l  “이번에 한국사 학회에서 나 "고려시대의 무신정권"에 대해서 발표해. 참관하러 올거지.”

"I'm presenting on 'The Military Regime of the Goryeo Dynasty' at the Korean History Society this time. You're coming to watch, right?"


6. Assignments and Group Projects

l  "과제" (Gwaje) refers to individual assignments students must complete and submit.

l  "조별과제" (Jobyeol Gwaje) are group projects where students collaborate to achieve shared goals. Teamwork is especially crucial for the latter.

 

📌 Examples:

  • "이번 조별과제는 발표도 해야 해서 준비할 게 많아."
    "This group project includes a presentation, so there’s much to prepare."

 

7. Finals and Midterms

Korean university semesters are punctuated by two major exams: "중간고사" (Midterms) and "기말고사" (Finals). These exams significantly impact grades, making the library a bustling place during these periods.

 

📌 Examples:

l  "기말고사 끝나면 같이 여행 가자!"
"Let’s go on a trip together after finals!"

 

🗣️ Below is the audio file of the example sentences above.


 

8. Other Frequently Used Terms

 

복전-복수전공: Double major

예문: “복전 신청을 하려면 학과 사무실에 문의하세요.”

📌 Example sentence: “To apply for a double major, please contact the department office."

 

전공필수 - 전공 과목 중 반드시 들어야 하는 과목
Major requirement - A course within your major that you must take.

예문: “이번 학기에 전공필수 과목을 모두 수강해야 해요.”
📌 Example sentence: “I must take all the required major courses this semester.”

 

캠퍼스 커플(CC) - 같은 학교 학생끼리 사귀는 커플
Campus couple - Students from the same university who are dating.

예문: “저희 동아리에도 캠퍼스 커플이 있어요.”
📌 Example sentence: “There is a campus couple in our club, too.”

 

새내기 - 신입생
Freshman - A first-year student.

예문: “새내기 환영회는 언제 열리나요?”
📌 Example sentence: “When will the freshman welcome party be held?”

 

졸업앨범 - 졸업 시 찍는 사진 앨범
Graduation album - A photo album taken at the time of graduation.

예문: “졸업앨범 사진 촬영이 다음 주에 있어요.”
📌 Example sentence: “The photo shoot for the graduation album is next week.”

 

복학생 - 군 복무를 마치고 이번 학기에 복학한 학생
Returning student - A student who has returned after completing military service.

예문: “복학생 선배들이 학과 행사에 많이 오셨네요.”
📌 Example sentence: “Many returning seniors attended the department event.”

 

과잠 - 학과에서 맞춘 점퍼
Department jacket - A jacket customized by a department.

예문: “이번에 과잠을 새로 맞추기로 했어요.”
📌 Example sentence: “We decided to get new department jackets this time.”

 

팀플 - 팀 프로젝트
Team project - A project completed in a group.

예문: “이번 팀플은 조원이 정말 중요해요.”
📌 Example sentence: “Team members are important for this team project.”

 

족보 - 시험 관련 자료
Exam cheat sheet - Previous exam materials or notes.

예문: “선배에게 족보를 빌려달라고 부탁했어요.”
📌 Example sentence: “I asked my senior to lend me the exam cheat sheet.”

 

🗣️ Below is the audio file of the example sentences above.

 

학점 - 수업에서 받은 성적
Credits - Academic grades earned from classes.

예문: “학점 관리를 잘 해야 장학금을 받을 수 있어요.”
📌 Example sentence: “You must manage your credits well to receive a scholarship.”

 

연강 - 연속으로 이어지는 강의
Back-to-back classes - Consecutive classes without a break.

예문: “연강이 끝나면 너무 피곤해요.”
📌 Example sentence: “I’m so tired after back-to-back classes.”

 

자퇴 - 학교를 그만둠
Withdrawal - The act of leaving school permanently.

예문: “자퇴를 고민 중이라면 신중하게 생각해야 해요.”
📌 Example sentence: “If you’re considering withdrawal, think carefully.”

 

전과 - 전공 변경
Change of major - Transferring to a different major.

예문: “전과 후에 새로운 전공에 적응하려면 시간이 필요해요.”
📌 Example sentence: “It takes time to adjust to a new major after transferring.”

 

휴학 - 학업 중단
Leave of absence - Temporarily suspending studies.

예문: “휴학 후 복학 일정도 미리 확인하세요.”
📌 Example sentence: “Check your return schedule in advance after taking a leave of absence.”

 

수강신청 - 수업 등록
Course registration - Enrolling in courses.

예문: “수강신청 서버가 자주 다운돼요.”
📌 Example sentence: “The course registration server often crashes.”

 

계절학기 - 방학 중 개설되는 학기
Seasonal semester - A semester offered during vacation.

예문: “계절학기를 통해 졸업 요건을 빨리 채울 수 있어요.”
📌 Example sentence: “You can quickly fulfill graduation requirements through a seasonal semester.”

 

스터디 그룹 - 함께 공부하는 모임
Study group - A group formed to study together.

예문: “스터디 그룹을 만들면 공부에 더 도움이 돼요.”
📌 Example sentence: “Forming a study group helps with studying.”

 

리포트 - 과제 보고서
Report - An assignment submitted as a written document.

예문: “리포트 제출 마감일을 꼭 확인하세요.”
📌 Example sentence: “Be sure to check the submission deadline for the report.”

 

🗣️ Below is the audio file of the example sentences above.


 

시험기간 - 시험 준비 기간
Exam period - The time for preparing and taking exams.

예문: “시험기간 동안 도서관이 항상 붐벼요.”
📌 Example sentence: “The library is always crowded during the exam period.”

 

장학금 - 학비 지원금
Scholarship - Financial aid for tuition.

예문: “장학금을 받으려면 학점이 중요해요.”
📌 Example sentence: “Good grades are essential for getting a scholarship.”

 

교환학생 - 다른 나라에서 공부하는 학생
Exchange student - A student studying in another country.

예문: “교환학생 준비를 위해 영어 공부를 열심히 하고 있어요.”
📌 Example sentence: “I’m studying English hard to prepare for being an exchange student.”

 

어학연수 - 외국어를 배우기 위한 해외 연수
Language study abroad - A program to learn a foreign language overseas.

예문: “어학연수를 통해 외국어 실력이 많이 늘었어요.”
📌 Example sentence: “My language skills improved greatly through studying abroad.”

 

인턴십 - 직업 경험을 쌓는 프로그램
Internship - A program to gain work experience.

예문: “인턴십 경험이 취업에 큰 도움이 돼요.”
📌 Example sentence: “Internship experience greatly helps in finding a job.”

 

공모전 - 경연 대회
Contest - A competition for showcasing skills.

예문: “공모전에서 수상하면 좋은 경력이 돼요.”
📌 Example sentence: “Winning a contest becomes a great achievement.”

 

봉사활동 - 자발적으로 하는 사회 서비스
Volunteering - Engaging in voluntary community service.

예문: “봉사활동을 통해 많은 것을 배웠어요.”
📌 Example sentence: “I’ve learned a lot through volunteering.”

 

아르바이트 - 시간제 노동
Part-time job - A job done on a part-time basis.

예문: “아르바이트로 용돈을 벌고 있어요.”
📌 Example sentence: “I earn pocket money through my part-time job.”

 

🗣️ Below is the audio file of the example sentences above.

 

Conclusion

Knowing the essential terms used in Korean university life will make your campus experience much smoother and more enjoyable. Use these words naturally and dive deeper into Korean campus culture!