The number of students who are applying for the International Exchange and Study Abroad programs is increasing. Currently, Ewha is sending a total of 210 students abroad of which 120 students go to universities in English speaking countries, 50 to Japanese universities, 20 students to Chinese speaking universities, 10 to German universities and 10 to French universities. Here is the Ewha Voice to applying and following up as an exchange student. 1.GPA The minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) required for students applying as exchange students is 3.0. Additionally, GPA makes up 50 percent of the total score awarded to each student applying for an Ewha exchange program, with the other 50 percent coming from scores on the written parts of the application and interview (25 points each). Students are selected regardless of major, and students are given their choice of university and length of stay in order of their ranking. Thus, it is important to maintain a high GPA. 2. Language Tests Exchange students must have official TOEFL (CBT) score over 220, PBT scores over 557, or IBT scores over 83 to apply to universities in English-based countries. There is no other written examination for students applying for English-based universities; instead their English proficiency is evaluated based on TOEFL scores. Students that have JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) scores over level two or HSK, the Chinese proficiency test, level six can be exempted from the written examinations in Japanese and Chinese prepared by Ewha. However, the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) recommends students to take the Ewha exams. Students applying for German or French-based do not need official test scores. After they take written examination in the language of their choice, students are interviewed in the same language. 3. Applications Official announcements that the OGA is accepting applications for exchange programs appear on Ewha website in May and November each year. Along with the announcement is the date of an explanatory seminar which gives an overview of the exchange student program. This semester, the seminar was held on May 11. Students must submit their applications and official test scores between June 1 and June 4. Written examinations and interviews are planned to be from June 18 to 22. 4.Tips Carefully select which school you want to go to because you will not be allowed to change your decision. Final acceptance is up to the host, but according to Jenny Park, the Program Coordinator at the OGA, only about one in a hundred students get rejected if the student does not meet the expectancy of the host school. Beginning last year, the OGA has offered scholarships for students who need financial assistance. “Within a year or two, the vision of OGA is to send almost every student who wants to go abroad, as long as they fulfill the requirements of an adequate GPA and language skills and have the strength of character to survive a year at a foreign university,” said Kim Hyo-gun (Business Administration), the Dean of the OGA.