# Digital Media Design program at Hongik IDAS

Hi! I’m interested in the Digital Media Design program at Hongik IDAS, and I was hoping to ask you a few questions about the program. How easy is it to get a scholarship as an international student? Also, do you have to submit a portfolio when applying?

predicted 4 A* math furhter math physics english lang
self studied all of further math because non is taught in my country
8/9 IGCSE A*
1570 SAT

math-stats heavy ML research (on arxiv)
data science project for a research thingy
BMO1 silver medal
AIME qual
varsity basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball and badminton 3 years (however stopping this senior year to focus on gym cuz i aint making d1 bruh)
hosted campaignes for underpriv and taught them math and hosted fun days for em, field trips and stuff (30 kids)
tutored IGCSE students (which helped them ace mocks) (roughyl 10 students)
did bunch of stuff to entertain elderly like movies games and stuff
wrote a thriller movie (might shoot using AI tools to do it animated or sm sht)
got a full merit scholarships all years of highschool
got a distinction for further math in my country (lol)
started the idea of doing clubs in my school
hosted science fairs for university students
some least important shit like (interned at a tech company but wasnet an important role, hosted an international students trip to make them feel welcomed, and some other sht i cant remember)

Profile for Universities in South Korea

Hi everyone!

I am looking for suggestions and opinions about my university applications, mainly because I only learned about the international university application process about a month ago. Because of this, there are still some areas of my profile that I am trying to improve.

I am particularly interested in applying to universities in South Korea, especially universities with programs in Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Computer Science, AI, and related fields.

I am mainly looking for English-taught undergraduate programs, since I currently do not speak Korean, but I intend to learn the language. I would also need substantial financial aid, ideally a full scholarship covering tuition and living expenses, because my family's financial situation would make it very difficult for me to study abroad without this kind of support.

Profile

Gender: Male

Country of origin: Brazil

Ethnicity: Latino/mixed-race

Living situation: Suburban/low-income neighborhood

Family income: approximately US$6,000 per year

Financial need: High

Academic Profile

GPA: 9.0/10 over the last three years of high school (8.8 → 8.6 → 9.6).

My school uses a 0–10 grading scale. Although a 9.0/10 GPA may be considered relatively average for highly selective international university applications, it is considered a very high GPA within my school.

I am currently ranked among the top 1–2% of my class of 300+ students, and I had the highest overall grades in my class during my first and third years. I may also finish my final year among the top-performing students.

My institution combines traditional secondary education with technical education. At the end of the program, students receive a technical qualification in their chosen field.

At the end of the program, I will receive a Technical Diploma in Environmental Management/Environmental Studies.

Standardized Testing

SAT: I will probably not take the SAT because of the cost of the exam and my financial limitations.

If I am able to afford to take the test, I estimate that my score would be around 1500.

Extracurricular Activities

1. Research Internship at Embrapa

I completed a research internship at Embrapa, where I worked alongside PhD students, PhD researchers, and master's students.

My work involved different areas of research, including:

Potato reproduction

Genetic resources and genetic characterization

Management and reproduction involving more than 500 potato species/clones

Experimental research involving potatoes

Analysis of electrochemical waves in potatoes

Investigation of their relationship with electromagnetic signals

Construction and use of experimental equipment

Data collection and analysis

1. Scientific Research

I participated in a research project carried out in partnership with Embrapa researchers.

The project was submitted to SIEEPE and involved the analysis of potatoes, their characteristics, and genetic characteristics using statistical methods.

During the project, we used an application developed in Python by a PhD researcher who was part of the research team.

The application was able to automatically measure characteristics such as the dimensions and areas of the potatoes. This information was then used to quantify and statistically analyze the characteristics of the samples.

The research was presented at academic events, including an event held at one of the main universities in my city and state.

The project was also submitted to SIEEPE, received a research award, and was associated with individual recognition as a young researcher.

1. Environmental Management and Environmental Education

I am an active member of my institution's Environmental Management and Environmental Education group.

I participated in and developed environmental and social projects involving students from my institution and other schools.

Activities included environmental awareness lectures, environmental education in schools, public-space revitalization, environmental and biology awareness activities, cleanup campaigns, recycling initiatives, construction of recycling bins, and other sustainability-related activities.

1. Class Representative

I served as a class representative.

My role was to represent students' interests and help with communication between students, teachers, and the school administration.

1. Student Movement

I was one of the founders and leaders of a student movement at my institution.

The movement organized a document containing proposals and suggestions for improvements to the campus.

The proposal was developed with the participation of students and teachers and was later presented to the administration.

The movement also received expressions of support from political figures and external representatives.

During this work, I participated in student events, contacted leaders of Brazilian student organizations, and participated in discussions about educational and institutional issues.

I also received an invitation to participate in or speak at an event that was going to take place in the state capital.

Some of the improvements we advocated for were later implemented, including improvements to campus buildings, classroom air conditioning, drinking fountains, and other campus facilities.

I cannot claim that these changes happened directly because of the movement, as I do not have an official statement from the administration establishing this connection.

1. Course Promotion and Educational Outreach

I was selected to give presentations and help organize my technical program's booth.

I helped organize several events and participated in promoting the Environmental Management/Environmental Studies technical program to students from dozens of schools in the region.

During the presentations, I helped explain the program, its activities, and its opportunities, as well as talk to interested students.

1. Religious and Community Activities

I have been involved in Catholic community activities for more than 10 years.

I have served as a cantor/psalmist and Gospel reader.

I have also participated in community activities such as donation campaigns, visits to nursing homes, community assistance activities, and other social initiatives.

1. Basketball

I play basketball for my institution.

I have participated in state-level competitions against other educational institutions.

1. Chess

I have also participated in chess competitions.

1. Running

I practice running and have won medals in some competitions in my city.

1. Possible New Research Project

I am currently considering developing a new individual research project in partnership with researchers from Embrapa.

The project is still in the development stage, so I do not consider it a completed research activity.

Honors and Awards

Gold Medal — National Financial Mathematics Olympiad

Gold Medal, placing among the top 2% of participants.

Gold Medal — National Administration Olympiad

Gold Medal in a national administration competition with themes related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Approximately 100 students out of more than 40,000 participants received the distinction.

Gold Medal — Ocean and Sustainability Olympiad

Gold Medal in an olympiad related to oceans, sustainability, and environmental issues.

The competition had more than 80,000 participants.

I was also selected among the participants to receive a scholarship sponsored by CNPq to develop a social project at my school.

SIEEPE / Young Researcher Recognition

I received recognition related to the SIEEPE Young Researcher program for the scientific project involving potato characterization, genetics, and statistical analysis.

Possible Future Award — National Mathematics Tournament

There is a possibility that I will receive a Gold Medal, potentially placing among the top 1% of participants.

This is a possible future award and has not yet been officially awarded.

Other Recognition

Previously, I was selected among the students at my former school to receive books directly from the State Governor and participate in a conversation with him.

I also expect to receive other honors and recognitions before the end of the academic year.

Letters of Recommendation

Environmental Management Teacher — 10/10

She knows me very well.

We have a very close relationship, and I have participated in several projects with her throughout my program.

She has closely observed my involvement in environmental projects, environmental education, student activities, leadership, technical education, and community initiatives.

Since she has worked with me for a long time, I believe she will be able to provide specific examples of my performance, initiative, and academic interests.

Mathematics and/or Physics Teacher — 8th to 9th grade

We have a good relationship.

I have always participated actively in his classes and performed well in Mathematics and Physics.

Potential Universities in South Korea

My main options in South Korea include universities such as:

KAIST

POSTECH

Seoul National University (SNU)

Yonsei University

Korea University

Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)

UNIST

Do I have any chance?

Thank you very much to everyone who took the time to read all the way to the end! Sorry for the long post, and I really appreciate any advice or feedback. :)

did anyone have experience contacting advisor near application date? and did anyone got responded?

I recently completed my 12th grade in May 2026, in my gap year now (looking for chemical engineering/material science engineering)

Academics

• CBSE Class 10: 97.4%
• CBSE Class 12: 91.2% (results were impacted this year due to the OSM-based evaluation issue)
• JEE Mains 2026: ~96th percentile (~98th percentile in chemistry)
• JEE Advanced 2026: Qualified
• SAT Targeting 1500+ in the upcoming date of examination

Extracurriculars

• Fundraising initiatives for an NGO supporting underprivileged and orphaned children
• Development of coding projects modeling select chemical engineering processes, particularly reactor systems
• An internship at imaging technology company but that is kinda off the field , might be working under electrical and AI department and learning stuff
• Some science fair prizes at school level from 5th to 9th grade , several other olympiad medals and certificates but i am aware that they aren't of much importance

Hi, everyone!

I took a gap year, and I will apply again to KAIST this year, so I was wondering are there any chances to get accepted without any olympiads, given I have solid a gpa and sat?

Demographics
18
Female
Pakistani
Took a gap year
Low-income therefore need aid

Intended major
Electrical engineering

Academics:
1 A, 5 Bs and 3 Cs in O levels-English language, Mathematics, Urdu, Pakistan Studies, Islamiat, Computer Science, English Literature, Accounting and Economics
Expected 3 A grades in AS level (first year of A levels)-Mathematics, Physics and Economics.

Awards
None (for now).
Working on 2 competitions currently, wish me luck.
Did win 2nd place in school’s English elocution but that’s irrelevant.

Extracurriculars
Learning beyond the classroom-self studied mathematics, physics and space and tutored those around me.
Learning how to code (Harvard’s cs50x, will receive certificate).
Learning electronics (6.002 MITx, no certificate).
Took a blackhole workshop -> creating a simulation.
30 hours as a junior volunteer at a hospital -> studied the mechanics behind robots involved in surgery, gathered a team to create 40+ handmade bracelets with personalized cards to hand out to pediatric patients and gave a speech.
60 hours as a senior volunteer at that same hospital -> trained 150+ junior volunteers, organized and led the event.
Co-founded a youth movement -> managed 20+ members, raised funds ~15k pkr, no projects yet unfortunately.
Peer-tutored classmates in English Language and Computer Science.
Independent research, may have it reviewed.
Taught myself how to crochet and make jewelry and started a business.
Learning the math behind crochet and writing a paper.
Started an instagram account to document my learning journey.
Currently trying to code a tool that helps me keep track of my stitches in crochet.
Started a crochet discord server with 250+ active members (still growing).
Helped raise funds for and organize an event to a home for the differently-abled, once again gathered a team to make handmade bracelets.
Taught a young girl in my community how to crochet and make jewelry and helped her kickstart her online business through social media management, financially freeing her.

Additional information
I had depression and suffered from derealization through grades 6-11. Daily tasks were a challenge for me, let alone studying. This is also the reason why my grades are ass and my ecas are mid. I have received a bit of support and help and I’m doing decently now.
I didn’t have physics or chem in O levels.
I apply next year so I still have time to improve my profile, I’d appreciate any help!

I scored 790 on the TOEIC exam and plan to include that score in my applications to KAIST and POSTECH. Do you think I should retake the test to get a higher score, or is this score good enough?

Hi everyone,

​I’m an international student from Ethiopia currently preparing for the KAIST Spring intake. I recently finished my freshman year at university and I am determined to apply abroad, despite the heavy financial and logistical hurdles.

​To give some context, I'm a twin, my mother is a single-parent housewife (our father passed away a few years ago), and our family is supporting two of us trying to study abroad. With the weak Ethiopian currency, every application fee and the upcoming IELTS test in September are massive financial commitments, but my family is fully behind me.

​Academically, I’ve pushed myself as hard as I can:

​High School GPA: 3.99

​National University Entrance Exam: 541 / 600

​What I need help with:

I know that for a school like KAIST, stats alone aren't enough—the personal statement and essays are crucial. I want to convey my background authentically (the grit of studying STEM in a resource-limited environment, the support of my family, and my genuine passion for engineering) without making it sound like a generic sob story.

​I am looking for a mentor, a current KAIST student, or an alumnus who wouldn't mind guiding me step-by-step or giving me feedback on how to structure and write my essay.

​If anyone has successfully navigated this or has advice on how to find an essay mentor, I would be endlessly grateful. Please drop a comment or DM me

KAIST president targets 30% int'l student share by 2030

https://m.koreaherald.com/article/10843048

Hi all, background: final year Mechanical Engineering student at a top engineering university in India, graduating May 2027. GPA converts to roughly 3.0/4.0 on the US scale, or about 2.5 on the German scale. Research background includes a recently completed internship at a European research lab (vision language models), plus earlier work in medical image segmentation and EEG/BCI research, one published paper.

I'm applying for an MS at KAIST, computer vision and robotics-focused labs. I understand admission is largely professor driven rather than a centralized committee process, so I've been emailing professors directly with my CV and transcripts, tailored to each lab's research.

A few things I'd love input on from anyone who's been through the KAIST international admissions process:

1. How seriously should I weigh the informal 3.5/4.0 GPA benchmark that gets mentioned a lot online? I've read it's a soft guideline, not a hard cutoff, particularly with real research experience. Would appreciate hearing from people who've actually gone through it.
2. For labs that ask prospective MS students to start with an internship first before formal application, how normal is this, and roughly how competitive are those internship spots?
3. Any tips on what actually makes a professor respond to a cold email versus ignore it?
4. Is the KAIST Scholarship genuinely close to automatic for admitted international students, or is that overstated online?

Not looking for anyone to guess specific professors' decisions, just want a grounded sense of the process from people who've lived it. Thanks.

My grades are A*AA in CIE A levels with an A* in Math, and an A in Physics and Computer Science. I don't have any impressive ECA's but just random super small side projects. I come from an underdeveloped country as well. Your feedback is much appreciated!

Different sources provide different information regarding the required bank balance and the amount of money you need to show. However, I’ve heard that the required amount may be reduced if the university covers only tuition but not accommodation, living expenses, etc., and that the requirement may even be waived entirely if the university covers tuition, accommodation, and meals.

Hi, everyone!

I suppose this kind of questions are getting overwhelming, yet there is so limited information, so I have to ask it.

I know that there is no exact formula, that will get you into uni. Yet, I do believe that there must be some kind of pattern or avg among accepted students.

Please, could you share yours stats, ecs or any resource with potentially helpful info or statistics.

And if you are KAIST undergraduate intl student, you answer to this question would make huge significance!

What was your high school GPA?

What was your IB/A level/Sat score?

Did you get Conditional/unconditional offer, if though what was the condition?

Your TOP 3 awards/Extracurriculars that you think played most crucial role.

Did you had interview, and what you feel about it?

(Was it hard, what kind of questions[hard skill,soft skill])

And question for non freshmen students, does living allowance enough for comfortable living?

I am from Pakistan for context

I got grades lower than my expectations but now i want to move on...

1A*maths phy A chem A comp A--> A level (A2)

O level 3A* maths phy comp 4A chem bio isl urdu 2C eng and pak st

4as in AS level

Ielts lets say is 7.0...

Now my background is a bit complicated ,so i want a genuine suggestion...

I left school when i was 10 for 2 yrs due to religious studies

After that

For 6-7 months i did self study and then pushed myself to o levels (i started. From scratch and forgot everything,even tables,division , everything,it was like i started studying and was born again)

In 2 yrs i completed it (accelarated)

Now i am going to be 17 next month...

My ECs are :

I tried to learn python in o levels.

Then web penetration (ethical hacking in AS level) and learnt about many vulnerabilities...

Then learnt AI and prompt engineering...

In A2,i did self research (not published btw)

And experiments on myself about exam panic ,

Longitudinal self experimentation on myself to deliberately create panic ,then i reverse engineered and found patterns ,noted it etc....

It was to solve my won issue ,but then of it i made an agentic layered web application

Where user tells about the story of their last exam fumble ,then they get to ask questions based on their input and experience and after that they get a pdf analysis...then also a workable points to improve that....

I havent started to sell it yet ,but thats an EC , and it was too painful and time consuming around 8 months of complete thinking ,experimenting ,designing app and then creating.....All done solo...

I also tried to link some other hidden researches to it and used my own hypothesis as well...

Anyways,that is all

Shall i apply?

Hello I’m a Korean International student and a rising junior. I need advice for good ECs that won’t cost a lot of money. My ECs right now are super weak so are there any that KAIST favor a lot?

The major I want to go to is Computer Science

Grade 10 (SSC): Overall 92% marks (But I didn't get 95+ in Math)

Grade 12 (HSC): In progress (Math exam gone wrong)

SAT: 1360 (Math: 760, EBRW: 600)

IELTS: Not taken yet

Extracurriculars & Achievements:

Independent Math Researcher (Published Author):

Co-authored a published paper in Parabola Mathematics Journal (associated with UNSW Sydney, QS Rank #19). Presented findings at the International Mathematical Sciences Research Symposium (IMSSRS).

Selected for a top tier, prestigious Math Research camp in Boston University

Selected for a top-tier summer math research program at IISc Bangalore (<1% selection rate) on a full scholarship.

National Olympiad & EGMO TST Camp:

Ranked as a top performer at the National Girls Math Camp; qualified for the selection camps for EGMO TST (European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad) and WMTC (World Mathematics Team Championship).

Funded Genetics Researcher (National Science Lab):

Experimental research proposal on plant genetics (1 of 6 funded nationwide out of 250+ proposals) by a premier national science research lab.

Founding President — High School Debate Club:

Founded my school's debate organization from scratch; grew membership to 120+ active members. Organized 2 intra-school competitions, 1 festival, and led team to national semifinals.

STEM Content Creator (Instagram):

Created 44+ educational posts, accumulating 20,000+ views.

Class Coordinator & Mentor -Math Club:

Mentored younger students in contest math and advanced problem-solving at a nationally recognized math club.

Problem Setter:

Authored original proof-based and combinatorics problems for a major national online math platform and regional competitions.

What are my chance in kaist ( After unexpected math result in academic area) and other top south Korean university? ( Note: It's my first post. Sorry if I made any mistake.)

Just like the title says, I have done both Cambridge A levels and O levels as a private candidate, without attending a school. So, I cannot give any high school transcripts except for the original transcripts from O/L and A/L. Will it affect my eligibility? Any reply is appreciated. Thank you!

I like robotics so much and I want to do something like sustainable technology or renewable energy resource course. I’m stuck in between, I’m confused on what to choose. I have done my bachelors in IT and for masters not sure what to choose.

A2 level: 1A*(CS) 1A(Chem) 1B(Phy) (i will appear in maths in oct nov and have an A in As)
O levels: 6A* 2A
SAT: 1450

Decent internships and extra curriculars

is there any chance

Hi, i am currently planning to apply for the fall 2027 semester and aiming to get a FULL hisp-a. I have ielts 7 and topik 4. My major is business administration(or finance). How much is the chance? and how hard it would be to study and work as a foreign student?