Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies
Encyclopedia
Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies or HAFS is a private boarding school
located in the northern part of Yongin
, South Korea
.
decided to fund constructions of the Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies in order to stop the outflow of students moving out of Yongin city for better education.
The City of Yongin provided approximately $16 million in USD while HUFS yielded 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) of its Yongin Campus. In return, the official Korean name of the school was to include both names of Yongin City and HUFS - the result of which is "Yongin Academy of Foreign Studies under Hankuk University of Foreign Studies". The English name for the school was simplified to HAFS.
The City of Yongin also requested that the school select at least 30% of its freshmen from Yongin.
It has also been selected as a PSAT, SAT, AP and ACT test center by the College Board, and was the first GAC program to be conducted in South Korea.
There are several ways of applying. One application process chooses students from the Yongin area, another select applicants from English skills alone. A minority enters by merit of school grades alone, etc.
The Global Leader Monitor(GLM) team members are elected at the start of semester by their fellow students and are serviced by the teachers. The Global Leader Monitors regulate school policy, especially the EBC. They participate in GLM conferences, the results of which are notified to the Class Representative Council. They take active part in forming the policies of the school.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
located in the northern part of Yongin
Yongin
Yongin is a major city in the Seoul National Capital Area, located in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. With a population of nearly 1 million, the city has developed abrutly since the 21st century, recording the highest population growth of any city in the country. Yongin is home to Everland and...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Founding
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) and the local government of the City of YonginYongin
Yongin is a major city in the Seoul National Capital Area, located in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. With a population of nearly 1 million, the city has developed abrutly since the 21st century, recording the highest population growth of any city in the country. Yongin is home to Everland and...
decided to fund constructions of the Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies in order to stop the outflow of students moving out of Yongin city for better education.
The City of Yongin provided approximately $16 million in USD while HUFS yielded 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) of its Yongin Campus. In return, the official Korean name of the school was to include both names of Yongin City and HUFS - the result of which is "Yongin Academy of Foreign Studies under Hankuk University of Foreign Studies". The English name for the school was simplified to HAFS.
The City of Yongin also requested that the school select at least 30% of its freshmen from Yongin.
Staff
The school received its first students in 2005, a total of 355 students: 153 boys and 202 girls. The current principal is Kim, Sung-Ki, who graduated Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and the vice principal was Mr. Sam-cheon Oh, but changed to Mr. Kang-Bae Moon as of 2011.Faculty
Non-Korean teachers in conversation-based courses have a range of qualifications, from up to 10+ years of teaching experience to a work permit in South Korea. Native-speaking teachers include three from China, six from English-speaking countries, two from Japan, one from Germany and one from France.Academic information
There are five language departments, which are often referred to as "majors": English, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese. One staff member is appointed as the head of each department. Although minors do not exist, taking a third language course is required. In every grade, each department is designated into numbers; classes 1 - 3 are English majors; class 4, French majors; class 5, German majors; classes 6 - 8, Chinese majors; classes 9 - 10, Japanese majors. There are approximately 35 students per class.It has also been selected as a PSAT, SAT, AP and ACT test center by the College Board, and was the first GAC program to be conducted in South Korea.
Extra-curricular information
Extra-curricular activities of HAFS students are highly diversified; they range from debate and speech clubs to an environment club dedicated to saving tropical forests. Success in extra-curricular activities explains, to the certain extent, why HAFS students succeeded in college admission in recent years, as extra-curricular activities, along with standardized tests and GPA, are considered the most important factor in college admission.English major
Sometimes referred to as the International majors, students in the English major study almost exclusively for universities abroad, mostly those in the U.S. The curriculum for these students differs greatly from that of the Eurasian major, including subjects such as Precalculus, Calculus, Economics, English Literature, U.S. Government and Politics, Human Geography, and "Debate" are some of the classes offered only to English majors. The 2008 graduates of this program had a perfect acceptance rate to American Universities.Eurasian majors
Students in the Eurasian majors largely aim for admission to Korean universities, while a few seek admission to foreign universities in Europe, Japan, or China. The curriculum, unlike that of the English majors, follows the Korean standard education system.- French Major (Class 4): Most of the students are beginners in the language, with a few students having lived in France, Quebec, or another Francophone country. There are, as of 2008, two Korean French teachers and a French conversation teacher from France. French Majors comprise one class (Class 4 at each grade level) with the number of students ranging from approximately 30 to 38, depending on the grade.
- German Major (Class 5): Like the French major, there is a Korean teacher and a German native speaker. The German major consists of one class (Class 5 at each grade level) with student numbers ranging from approximately 30 to 38 , depending on the grade level.
- Chinese Major (classes 6, 7, and 8): This major consists of three classes. Likewise, students number 30~38 per class.
- Japanese Major (Classes 9 and 10): This major consists of 2 classes, the second largest number of classes in the Asian-European majors.
Admissions
Every year, the school receives applications from Gyeonggi Province where it situated. Students applying for Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies are accepted through HAFS's own admissions test.There are several ways of applying. One application process chooses students from the Yongin area, another select applicants from English skills alone. A minority enters by merit of school grades alone, etc.
Policies
Eurasian majors, who take most of their classes in Korean, are supposed to practice the EBC policy during recess and lunch. However, English majors, considering their goal of being accepted to U.S. Colleges, are ordered to take most of their courses in English. The exceptions are classes in Korean Literature, Korean History and Ethics.The Global Leader Monitor(GLM) team members are elected at the start of semester by their fellow students and are serviced by the teachers. The Global Leader Monitors regulate school policy, especially the EBC. They participate in GLM conferences, the results of which are notified to the Class Representative Council. They take active part in forming the policies of the school.