Free Single Furnished Provided Housing is generally given for those that teach with the Public School English Programs in Korea. The apartment provided by your school is clean, modern, and just for you unless you are hired as a couple position and requested shared accommodation.
Your apartment should be located within a 5~10 minutes walking distance from your school. Though housing is provided to you rent free, you are responsible for your utility bills which include electricity, water, gas, and Internet service if you choose to have service at home (highly recommended as it is high speed and quite cheap). All total you can expect to spend around 50,000- 70, 000 won ($50-$70) per month on utility bills. Korean apartments are efficient and do not require a lot of money to keep comfortable, warm or cool.
Provided Furnishings
Each apartment comes furnished with some basic necessities including a bed, refrigerator, A/C, stove, TV, desk, closet, washing machine, small living room furniture, and a few kitchen utensils. Your contract should have a checklist of items that are provided to you and which must remain in the apartment once you leave. Your housing is provided for you, however you are responsible for providing a security deposit of 900,000 Korean won which will be subtracted from your first three pay periods of 300,00 won each. This will be returned to you at the end of your contract assuming no damage has been done to the apartment outside of usual wear and tear. Up keep and general maintenance is the responsibility of the teacher but If you need a major repair the school will contact the building manager to get it sorted out.
Heating & Air Conditioning
Most likely your apartment will include an “ondol” heating system which warms the floor throughout the apartment regulated by a thermostat which you control using steamed water as opposed to central heating as in the west. It is an efficient heating system and your air conditioner will be a small unit attached to the wall on the inside of your apartment. Running the A/C for just a few minutes can easily cool off an apartment. Running your A/C unchecked for several hours could result in fairly high electricity bills.
Types of Housing Provided
Apartment
An apartment in Korea is similar to that in the west, and will usually have a bedroom that is located speratorly from the living room and kitchen.
Officetel
An officetel is typically a studio apartment located over businesses. Officetels are a newer kind of accommodation that have become popular in metropolitan areas. Officetels usually contain a 2nd floor loft for sleeping.
Studio (or One Room)
A studio is an apartment consisting of one room.
Dormitory
A dormitory is a single room usually located on campus or company property.
Optional Housing Stipend
Sometimes candidates are able to choose if they would like the provided school housing or to take a housing stipend instead to find their own housing. Deposit money however will not be provided by the school. It is recommended for new teachers to use the provided housing as the renting system in Korea usually requires housing deposits of 10,000 USD or more.
[…] I would say, if you’re interested in EPIK, research apartment tours (like you’re already doing, I suppose!) I have a friend who refused to look up any tours on Youtube because she thought, “Well it doesn’t matter what other people have, it won’t be what I end up having.” And that’s true–whatever other people post won’t be your experience perfectly. But even so, if you know your province or city, look up apartment tours from people in those places. It still gives you a reference point, and I believe that’s a good thing, if only to manage your expectations and give you an idea of what to expect from your life in Korea. Also, check EPIK’s list of required amenities. […]
[…] I would say, if you’re interested in EPIK, research apartment tours (like you’re already doing, I suppose!) I have a friend who refused to look up any tours on Youtube because she thought, “Well it doesn’t matter what other people have, it won’t be what I end up having.” And that’s true–whatever other people post won’t be your experience perfectly. But even so, if you know your province or city, look up apartment tours from people in those places. It still gives you a reference point, and I believe that’s a good thing, if only to manage your expectations and give you an idea of what to expect from your life in Korea. Also, check EPIK’s list of required amenities. […]