Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies facts for kids

Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies (HAFS) is a special private boarding school in Yongin, South Korea. It was the first high school in Korea created by a partnership between the government and a university. HAFS is known as one of the most selective and respected boarding schools in the country. It's famous for its high academic standards and for helping students get into top colleges.

HAFS History Highlights

• 2002 October 16: The mayor of Yongin and the president of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) decided to create HAFS.
• 2003 November 27: Construction began for Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies.
• 2005 March 3: The school building was finished. HAFS welcomed its first students and its first principal, Mr. Bong-chul Nam.
• 2005 July 2: The U.S. College Board made HAFS an official test center for tests like PSAT, SAT, and AP.
• 2008 February 7: The first class of students graduated from HAFS.
• 2008: The school's official Korean name changed, but the English name stayed the same.
• 2010 November 1: Dr. Song-ki Kim became the second principal.
• 2011: HAFS became an Independent Private High School for a five-year period.
• 2014: The official Korean name changed again, but the English name remained the same.
• 2015 July 3: HAFS was approved to continue as an Independent Private High School for another five years.
• 2018: Mr. Jeong Yeong-woo became the third principal.

Why HAFS Was Built

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) and the local government of Yongin City decided to build HAFS. They wanted to stop smart students from leaving Yongin to find better schools elsewhere.

Yongin City gave about $16 million USD for the school's construction. HUFS provided 13 acres (53,000 m²) of land from its Yongin Campus. Because of this, the school's official Korean name had to include both Yongin City and HUFS. Also, HAFS must accept at least 30% of its new students from Yongin each year.

In 2011, the school became an Independent Private High School. Its official Korean name changed to reflect this. Even with these changes, the official English name "Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies" has always stayed the same.

Who Helps Run the School?

HAFS has 16 staff members, including the principal, Mr. Jeong Yeong-woo, and the vice principal, Mr. Park In-ho. These staff members handle many important jobs. They manage student admissions, organize tests, and look after the dormitories where students live.

Meet the Teachers

The school has 103 teachers, also called faculty members. They are divided into seven different departments: Korean, English, Foreign Languages, Social Sciences, Arts, Science, and Math. Many teachers are highly qualified, and some have even worked for EBS, which is a national educational TV system in Korea. Teachers who are not from Korea usually teach language classes focused on conversation. There is also a special college counselor who helps students in the international division plan for universities abroad.

Getting into Top Colleges

Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies is well-known for its students getting into great colleges. For example, in the class of 2014, 96 students were accepted into Seoul National University. Three students went to Harvard University, two to Princeton University, and one to Sciences Po Paris. In the class of 2016, 80 students were accepted into Seoul National University. One student each was accepted into Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Caltech.

HAFS is an official test center for important exams like PSAT, SAT, AP, and ACT. It was also the first school in South Korea to offer the GAC program.

School Life: Foreign Language High School Period (2005-2010)

When HAFS first opened, it was a "Foreign Language High School." This meant all students had to choose a foreign language to "major" in. The school had 10 classes, and students were grouped by their chosen language.

Here's how the classes were divided:

• English Major (Classes 1-3): These classes followed the US education system. They offered advanced (honors) and AP courses. Most students aimed for colleges in the US, but some went to colleges in the UK, Korea, or Hong Kong.
• Asian-European Majors (Classes 4-10): These classes followed the standard Korean education system. Students prepared for the College Scholastic Ability Test to get into colleges in Korea.
  • French Major (Class 4)
  • German Major (Class 5)
  • Chinese Major (Classes 6-8)
  • Japanese Major (Classes 9-10)

In 2011, the school changed its system from a Foreign Language High School to an Independent Private High School. After this change, choosing a foreign language was no longer the main way classes were divided.

School Life: Independent Private High School Period (2011-Present)

Since 2011, HAFS has been an "Independent Private School." This means it has more freedom from government rules. It can design its own classes and admission process. This change helps the school attract many talented students with different interests.

The school is now divided into three main groups, called "tracks":

• International Track (Class 1): Students in this track aim to go to colleges outside Korea, mostly in the US, UK, or Hong Kong. Their classes follow the US education system. Since 2019, there has been one class for the International Track.
• Humanities & Social Science Track (Classes 2-4): Also called the Humanities Track, this group focuses on advanced studies in literature, social science, and foreign languages. Most students here plan to attend colleges in Korea, but some apply to universities in Europe, Japan, or China. Their classes follow the standard Korean education system.
• Natural Science Track (Classes 5-10): This track helps students study science subjects like Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus in depth. They get many chances to do experiments. Most students in this track aim for science, engineering, or medical programs at colleges in Korea. Their classes follow the standard Korean education system.

Each class usually has about 35 students. Students in the International Track and Humanities Track must learn at least one foreign language besides English for three years. They can choose from Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, and German. Students in the Humanities Track and Natural Science Track prepare for the College Scholastic Ability Test to get into colleges in Korea.

International Track Studies

The International Track at HAFS follows the US education system. Students here mostly prepare for colleges outside Korea. They have more choices for their courses, and class sizes can vary. Courses include Pre-calculus, AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Economics, English Literature, AP World History, and Foreign Language. All these classes, except for Korean Language and Korean History, are taught in English.

All teachers who teach AP courses have special AP certificates. After students finish AP courses, they are encouraged to take the AP tests, which are given at the school. Many students also prepare for AP tests that are not part of the regular courses. Popular AP tests include AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, and AP World History.

Students also take the SAT and/or ACT tests at school. HAFS helps them prepare by offering special elective courses. Most students in this track apply to colleges in the US. Some graduates have also gone to colleges in other countries, like the UK and Hong Kong. Many are also accepted into Korean colleges, such as Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University, through special admissions. Most college admission results come out between October of senior year and April after graduation in February.

Fun After School: Extra-curricular Activities

HAFS students have many different extra-curricular activities. These include debate clubs, public speaking clubs, and volunteer clubs that teach English to younger students. Doing well in these activities is important, along with good grades and test scores, for college admissions.

Sports clubs are also a big part of school life. There are teams for boys' and girls' lacrosse, flag football, soccer, basketball, badminton, and baseball. Other active clubs include B-boy & Poppin' dance, Vocal Rock band, Hip-hop, Samulnori (traditional Korean folk music), English drama, Korean drama, and Musical clubs. These clubs perform at events like freshmen orientation and school festivals. The main school festival happens every July. There are also other open events like "Drama Night," where all drama clubs perform, and "Zesty Concert," which showcases the HAFS Orchestra and Choir.

HAFS also competes in the International History Bee and Bowl and similar competitions. The school won the Varsity level of the Academic Bowl of Asia in 2016 and 2018. In the 2018 Asian Championships, HAFS placed second in the Varsity Bowl.

Recently, HAFS students have also been recognized for their startup activities. Some teams have won national startup competitions and even gained international recognition. In 2015, a startup team called "CED" won first place in the Asia Pacific JA Company of the Year competition in Seoul. With the same idea, CED also won a Gold Medal at the SAGE World Cup for UN MDG: eight. In 2017, another startup team called "Cyclo" received the FedEx Global Possibility Award at the same competition. Most recently, in 2020, a team called "VicData" made a national record by being recognized as the third Best Startup out of 31 nations at the SAGE World Cup. VicData also received a Gold Medal for UN SDG: four at the world cup. All these teams have been featured in the news for their amazing work.

How to Get Into HAFS

Students from all over Korea can apply to HAFS. There was one exception in 2009, when only students living in Gyeonggi Province and Gwangju-si could apply due to government rules for Foreign Language High Schools.

The admission process looks at many things. These include an applicant's middle school grades, essays, letters of recommendation, and interviews. The admission rate for HAFS was 9.4% in 2004 and 8.1% in 2005. This means only about 8 to 9 out of every 100 applicants were accepted.

The admission tests have changed over time. Until the class of 2011, exams in Korean, English, and Math were required for most students. For the class of 2013, the process was very detailed. It included middle school grades, interviews, debates, and an English listening test. When the school changed to an Independent Private School for the class of 2014, the admission process became different. Now, students are chosen based on their middle school grades, essays, and thorough interviews.

School Rules and Policies

Students in the International Track take most of their classes in English. They must follow the English-Based Campus (EBC) policy, which means speaking English on campus. Students in the Humanities Track and Natural Science Track mostly have classes in Korean. They are also expected to practice the EBC policy during breaks and lunch. The only exceptions are classes like Korean Literature, Korean History, and Ethics.

The Global Leader Monitor (GLM) team helps make school policies. Students elect GLM members at the start of each semester. These members join the Class Representative Council with class presidents and vice-presidents. They actively help shape the school's rules.

School Buildings and Dorms

HAFS is known for its unique dormitories, where two students share a room. This is quite rare for boarding schools in Korea. All students must live in the school dormitory for all three years. They are allowed to leave only on weekends. Once a month, usually on the last weekend, the dormitory closes, and all students must go home. The school provides buses to take students to nearby transportation spots. Students can choose to stay in the dorm during school breaks if they need to.

Dormitory facilities include a small store, two laundry rooms (one for boys, one for girls), several study rooms, a mail room, and a small gym. There are two dormitory buildings, usually one for each gender. Students are not allowed to enter the parts of the dorm used by the other gender.

The school provides all three meals a day, plus an extra snack at night. Older students (seniors) are expected to pick up their night snack during dinner so they don't have to interrupt their studies later. There's also a small store in the basement of the dormitory. It sells snacks, drinks, ice cream, and basic school supplies. In 2012, this store became a convenience store.

HAFS is also famous for its school uniform, which was designed by Andre Kim for free. There are four designs: two for winter and two for summer. The uniform set includes a coat, PE uniforms, and a ribbon or necktie. Students can buy extra uniform items at the dormitory. After dinner, students can change into comfortable clothes like PE uniforms or special school, club, class, or division hoodies. Students design and order these hoodies themselves. All hoodies must be approved by the school and have the HAFS logo on the shoulder.

Dormitory Rules

The dormitories are separated by gender. Students are not allowed to enter the living areas or laundry rooms used by the other gender. During school hours, students cannot enter the dorms unless they have a special "pass" signed by a teacher or staff member. Students can go to their rooms during dinner time and after study hours. Teachers can give students a "pass" to stay in the dormitory after dinner if needed. There are strict rules about electrical appliances in dorm rooms. Students are also not allowed to bring in any food that can spoil.

There is a curfew at midnight. All lights must be off, and students should go to sleep around 1 AM. During exam periods, and for senior students, these rules are more relaxed. Residential Advisors (RAs) take turns checking the hallways at night.

To leave campus on weekends, students must sign out and sign back in before the weekend. Parents can also pick up their children on campus.

Students receive "points" for misbehavior, like being late for school or breaking curfew. If a student gets too many points, their parents will be told by the RAs. Students can earn "counterpoints" by helping an RA. All points are reset at the end of each month.

School Clubs

HAFS is known for having many different school clubs. There are currently 260 clubs at the school, covering various subjects and activities.