If you have questions about this program, email the
program leader listed below.
Korea Temple Stay: Bridging Technology, Arts, and Mindfulness
Program Details
The arrangements for the travel, housing, meals, excursions and course content of
this program have been made by the leader. Questions about this program can only be
answered by the program leader listed below.
|
| Program Type |
Departmental |
| Program Location |
Seoul, Yangyang, Yesan-gun, and Daejeon, South Korea
|
| Course # |
SA 10907
|
| Duration |
Summer
|
| Upcoming Program Dates |
| Summer 2026 |
05/18/26 to 06/01/26
|
Please Note: Programs may be altered or adapted with little notice
Program Description
The Korea Temple Stay program invites juniors and seniors in Purdue Polytechnic Institute’s School of Applied and Creative Computing to develop interdisciplinary, collaborative leadership through a two-week, culturally immersive study-abroad experience during Maymester 2026 (May 18–June 1). The program weaves Korean Zen tradition with contemporary culture and everyday life, including stays at four historic temples, visits to film and media labs at the Korea National University of Arts, and a collaborative workshop with computer science students at Chungnam National University.
In the morning light at the mountain temple, the rain-washed paths shine and the courtyards rest in stillness while lanterns are vivid with color. You breathe into mindfulness that feels true to you, in quiet awe of Korea’s gently rising mountain ranges.
Walk from quiet paths to the ocean’s edge, past dark wall tiles, green pines, and a bright red lighthouse, and discover how centuries of Korean Zen tradition remain in service to everyday life. This is Naksansa in Yangyang on Korea’s east coast, a cliffside temple where the sea feels close enough to touch. From this vista, you look over the horizon stretching endlessly, an outlook that invites a long breath and a calm, present mind.
Academic Credit
SA10907 is the instructional shell for this study-abroad experience. Upon completion, it posts to your plan of study as TECH 38155: K-Temple Stay for Tech & Arts. Anchored in Purdue Polytechnic’s vision to unite applied technology with creative practice, TECH 38155 is a 3-credit intercultural immersion that blends experiential fieldwork (temple stays and site visits) with reflective making and collaboration.
Students train in mindfulness at historic Korean temples, take part in hands-on workshops with CS students in CNU, and visit film and media labs at K-Arts. The course builds focus, resilience, and teamwork while linking classroom theory to real contexts, an approach aligned with the college’s interdisciplinary research ecosystem and its commitment to societal impact.
Eligibility
To participate in the K-Temple Stay program, you must be a rising third- or fourth-year student in the School of Applied and Creative Computing and be in good academic standing at the time of application. Submit your essay through the Qualtrics application and complete an interview with Dr. Cho Smith. Korean language proficiency is not required.
Program Cost
Students pursuing program participation accept financial responsibility. Purdue will take measures to mitigate financial risks, although will not be liable for loss.
Students pursuing program participation accept financial responsibility. Purdue will take measures to mitigate financial risks, although will not be liable for loss.
Estimated program cost: $2,500 inclusive of most meals, hotel logding, temple stays, site visits, ground transportation, insurance.
- Does not include: airfare, some meals, and personal expenses.
The estimated cost of this program has been subsidized through generous support from the School of Applied and Creative Computing and the Office of Globalization.
Global Leaps Scholarship
Participants who are US citizens or permanent residents are strongly encouraged to apply for the Global Leaps Scholarship through the MyStudyAbroad system. Global Leaps awards are based on total family income and require having a FAFSA on file. For this summer program, participants are eligible for the following amounts of scholarship funding, which can be applied to the program fee billed by Purdue but also expenses like airfare.
- Total family income of $75,000 or less: $1500 applied to the program cost
- Total family income of $75,001 to $100,000: $1000 applied to the program cost
- Total family income of $100,001 to $125,000: $800 applied to the program cost
- Total family income of $125,001 to $150,000: $400 applied to the program cost
- Total family income of $150,001 or greater: Ineligible
For complete details on eligibility, application procedures, and deadlines, please visit https://www.studyabroad.purdue.edu/programs/aid/details.cfm?scholarid=228. Additional financial aid information can be found below!
Please do NOT make any financial commitments toward the program (such as purchasing airfare) until instructed by the program leader.
Application Deadline
Priority will be given to students who submit the Participation and Cancellation Form and pay the $500 deposit by December 1, 2025.
Students must complete the Qualtrics application and participate in an interview with Dr. Cho Smith before they can be accepted into the program.
Mireuk Daebul statue of the bodhisattva Maitreya at Bongeunsa (2022) from Wikipedia
Financial Aid
Purdue University financial aid may be applied to the costs of studying abroad. Students interested in receiving financial aid should
NOTE: Recipients of certain tuition remission and scholarship programs should pay careful attention to the regulations for using those benefits for study abroad. Ask your financial aid advisor about any limitations.
Click here for a list of scholarships and grants available to assist with the costs of studying overseas.
