Join us for Rice in Korea, a six-week summer study abroad program in Seoul, lead by Dr. Eun Young Oh and Dr. Jaesu Choi. While in Seoul, Rice students will be immersed in the language and culture through homestay, excursions, and community service experiences. New for 2027, the program will offer two separate tracks: Language & Culture and Medical & Culture. Students will select one track, and both tracks will share KORE 321 and program-wide cultural activities. The Medical & Culture Track will combine academic study with clinical and community-based experiences. Planned activities include university hospital and local clinic visits, medical shadowing, hands-on learning, and research projects and lectures led by medical and Medical Humanities faculty. Courses are taught by Rice professors and a local instructor from our partner Seoul National University. If you have completed KORE 263 and 264 or have been placed into KORE 301, you are eligible to apply.

The program is open to students of any Rice major. Scholarships are available to offset the program costs. Students who receive need-based aid during the academic year are eligible to receive financial aid for summer coursework. Pell Grant recipients may apply for Pell Grant funds toward summer session costs.

• Apply for Rice in Korea - Applications open November 2nd!

Rice in Korea Facts

Prerequisites	KORE 263 & 264 or Placement in KORE 301. Additional Medical Humanities requirements are being finalized for the Medical Track.
Location	Seoul, South Korea — Kyung Hee University (KHU), including collaboration with Kyung Hee University Medical Center and the Department of Medical Humanities for the Medical Track.
Program Dates	May 10- June 18, 2027
Courses	Language & Culture Track: KORE 330 + KORE 321 Medical & Culture Track: Proposed 400-level MDHM course + KORE 321 A new 400-level Medical Humanities practicum course is being developed for the Korea Medical Track.
Applications Open	November 2, 2026
Application Deadline	January 18, 2027

See below for more important dates.

Application Period	November 2 - January 18, 2027
Decision and Scholarship Notification	February 26, 2027
Acceptance Deadline	March 1, 2027*
Program Dates	May 17 - June 26, 2027

Estimated Program Cost

Expense	Rice Students Pay
Tuition*	$11,400*
Airfare (estimated Houston - Seoul)	$2,000
Daily Lunch	Included on weekdays
Local Transportation	Included
Books and Supplies	Included
Personal Expenses	$500
Sub-total	$2,500
Total	$13,900

*Tuition includes: Lodging with a host family, 2 meals per day, excursions, and cultural experiences.

Some financial aid is available.

Learn about financial aid options at this link: Rice in Country Financial Aid

Wagoner Scholarship / Rice in Country Partnership

Students may combine Rice in Country with research through a partnership between CLIC and the Center for Civic Leadership (CCL). Rice in Country participants may extend their stays to conduct research on topics of interest through the CCL's Wagoner Research Pathway Scholarship. To find out more about the Wagoner Scholarship, use this link to log in to Canvas.

For more information, consult with the Faculty Leaders, Dr. Eun Young Oh (oh@rice.edu) and Jaesu Choi (jc276@rice.edu).

• • Six Rice credit hours
  • Six-week homestay housing
  • Meals: breakfast and dinner with host families; weekday lunch meal vouchers at the local host institution
  • Required textbooks and workbook
  • Program-related local transportation
  • Cultural activities, excursions, and admission fees;
  • Local host-institution instructional and administrative costs
  • Rice-provided international travel/health insurance.