Understanding the Importance of English Education in South Korea and Exploring the Reasons Why South Korean Students Come to a University in the Midwest

Discovery of UNK.  Twenty-one out of 30 Korean students said that they came to 
UNK from their home university located in Korea; particularly, they applied for the UNK 
program through their Office of International Education.  Through their interviews, most 
of them chose UNK because their home university has had a partnership with UNK.  In 
addition, 2 out of the 21 Korean students, Patricia and Linda, mentioned that the chair of 

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their school’s department continuously promoted the UNK program and because of these 
reasons, they applied for the UNK program.  
 
Ten out of 30 Korean students stated that they decided to come to UNK because 
of their family, relatives, and friends.  One of the 10 students, John, mentioned that his 
uncle and uncle-in-law who currently live in Texas helped him to find the information 
about UNK.  Moreover, his uncle called several times to the Office of International 
Education at UNK and asked about the school and the town of Kearney.  Another student, 
Nancy, said, “I knew one of my friends who had come to UNK as an exchange student.  
She gave me the UNK information.  Because of my friend, I found UNK and finally 
decided to come to UNK.”  In addition, two other students, Robert and Jennifer, directly 
heard from their friend who visited UNK and attended the same school as them before 
applying for UNK.   
 
Through the interview process, the minority of Korean students worked with the 
agency companies; four out of 30 Korean students used their services.  Moreover, 5 out 
of 30 Korean students found the UNK information using the media, such as internet and 
newspapers.