Tuition

After getting accepted to Sogang, I had to pay for the tuition. The tuition is 1,575,000won (include tuition: 1,515,000 KRW, application fee: 60,000 KRW).

Dear XXXXXXXXXX

Congratulations, you have been accepted into Sogang Korean Language Education Center’s program.

If you transfer total tuition to us, your application process will be finish.

So, please transfer 1,575,000won (include tuition: 1,515,000 KRW, application fee: 60,000KRW) to below account by end of January 2011.

---------- Wire transfer information ----------

Woori Bank (Sogang University Branch)

Depositor : Sogang University

Seoul Korea

Account # : 1006-301-271661

Swift Code : HVBKKRSE

Application Name and Passport number.

Address : Korean Language Education Center. Sogang University 1-1 Sinsoodong,

           Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-742, KOREA

------------------------------------------------------

---------- Domestic transfer information ----------

우리은행

Depositor : 서강대학교

Account # : 1006-301-271661

-------------------------------------------------------

※ Textbooks fee is not included at the above mentioned fee. You must buy your textbooks at the Sogang University campus bookstore by yourself according to your placement test result.

If you can’t wire it in KRW, you can send it in USD, JPY and EURO also according to daily exchange rate. But, if the transferred amount is less than KLEC needs caused by different exchange rate, please pay the difference after you arrive in Korea. (Of course you can get surplus if the transferred amount is more than KLEC needs.)

And, I will send a Certificate of admission after I receive your total tuition.

Thanks again for applying to Sogang KLEC’s program and I’m look forward to meeting you soon at Sogang University Korean Language Education Center.

Best Regards

Kim Hyung-il

Err....how am I suppose to do that? I searched around the internet and found out that Money Gram has a partnership with Woori Bank. I went to CVS where you can just pick up a Money Gram phone and it dials itself to their automated line. Hm....yea, the automated system is kind of stupid. I kept saying "KOR-EA" when they asked what country I'm sending the money to and they never took it. The automated system would say, "Did you say Syria? I would say "NOOOO" several times and get frustrated. So I said it another way, "KO-REA", "KAR-EA", and "KER-EA".....still saying a different country than what I wanted. Out of nowhere a white lady comes up and was like "LET ME TRY". In my head, I'm thinking, "Uh....did I not say KOREA CLEARLY....in ENGLISH? Did it seem like I had an accent, stuttering, or saying it incorrectly in any sort of way?" I just let the lady say "KOREA" anyways cause I didn't want to make a scene. Well.....she got it wrong too. At this time I was frustrated and irritated, but didn't show it. I just waited on the phone until I got customer service in which.....still didn't go so well. At one point I forgot to get the amount for the tuition I was suppose to send, so I had to drive all the way back home and get it. Anyway, it seems like you can't send money to a company or university. You have to send money to an actual person. I waited an hour at CVS for no reason. After I went home I realized I should've said "South Korea", duhhh, hahaha.

Next, I sent a message online to my bank about wiring money to Korea. I thought you had to do through the phone cause that's how they replied to me. I called them and they said I didn't have an agreement to do wire transfer through the phone and I will have to go to my local bank. I was at the bank several times that week so I could withdraw money and deposit the money bank when I went to CVS. It just feels awkward going back so many times, haha. I ended up going to my bank at a different location and was finally able to wire my tuition to Sogang University. I justed talked to the teller and gave them all the information. They did everything on the computer. We tried to send the money through as KRW cause it's more accurate, but my bank didn't allow that. We ended up wiring $1450 USD. My bank said it costs $45 for a wire transfer, but only charged me $25. The final paperwork had the wrong address for the bank, so I was extremely worried it wouldn't go through. This is from my wire receipt from my bank:

What my bank statement showed:

Yea.....as you can see, all the information gathered got me so confused. I emailed Sogang anyway and told them I wired the money with the reference number provided by my bank when I did the wire. Two days later, Sogang said they received the money, but I had overpaid 16,023 KRW.

Dear XXXXXXXXXX

Thanks for sending your tuition.
I've received 1,591,023 KRW well.
However, as you see it is 16,023 KRW more than KLEC needs.
I guess it is caused by difference exchange rate.
Sorry for bothering you but, for refund it, you must let me know the bank account information that opened at bank in Korea.
And, you can get your certificate in 10days.
If not, please let me know it soon.

Lastly, when you receive your certificate of admission and certificate of enrollment, you can find last date is 1 week later than we posted at the web site. If we notified the last date at the certificates, student visa will also expires that date. In that case, students must leave Korea by last day of term. Therefore we give 1 more extra week for students who need time to finish the life in Korea.

All the best,
Kim Hyung-il

I asked if I could get the refund when I arrived, but they said because of a rule, they can't give me cash.

Dear XXXXXXXXXX

So sorry but, we can't five cash at the office because of Sogang's rules.
You must open the bank account for refunding and if you will bring your passport to the bank at first floor of KLEC building, you can open it.

Sincerely
Kim Hyung-il

This finalizes everything and can say that I am definitely going to Korea.