Hello, everyone!
It’s Vijob. 👋
When you start studying in Korea, the biggest concern after school is finding a place to live.
Especially if you are an international student who has just arrived in Korea, terms like deposit, monthly rent, maintenance fee, registry certificate, and fixed date can feel difficult at first.
Today, we’ll briefly organize only the things foreign students should check when finding housing in Korea, from before signing the contract to after moving in.
🔎 1. Before signing, check the place in person
It is best to avoid signing based only on online photos or sending money in advance.
Visit the place in person and check the following.
✔ Whether the photos match the actual room
✔ Whether there is mold or water leakage
✔ Whether the heating and air conditioner work properly
✔ Whether appliances such as a refrigerator and washing machine are included
✔ Whether utilities such as water and internet are included in the maintenance fee
It is important to check the actual housing cost by adding the maintenance fee to the monthly rent, instead of looking at the rent alone.
📄 2. Check the owner in the registry certificate
Before signing the contract, check the certificate of registered matters (등기부등본).
Here, you can
find out who the actual owner is
see how much debt or mortgage is attached
check whether there are issues such as seizure
You can verify these things.
👉 Be sure to compare whether the landlord named in the contract is the same as the owner listed in the registry certificate.
✍️ 3. Check the contract details carefully
At minimum, the following details must be clearly written in the contract.
📍 Address
💰 Deposit · monthly rent
📅 Contract period
💳 Payment date for deposit and balance
🏠 Move-in date
🧾 Maintenance fee and included items
👤 Landlord and tenant information
If Korean is difficult, do not sign right away without understanding it.
💰 4. Send the deposit only after checking
In Korea, it is common to pay the deposit first when signing a contract.
However, the deposit is not always set at 10% of the full deposit amount.
Before sending money, be sure to proceed in this order: check the home → check the registry certificate → check the contract details → check the account holder name .
In particular, be careful about sending money right away to someone you have contacted only through SNS or messenger without seeing the place.
🔑 3 things you must do after moving in
① Report a change of residence — within 15 days
If a foreigner who has registered as an alien moves, they must report it within 15 days from the date they moved to the new residence.
Depending on the situation, the report can be made through
🏢 Community center / city, county, or district office
🛂 The competent immigration and foreigner office
💻 Hi Korea
and other channels.
② If there is a deposit, check the fixed date (확정일자)
A fixed date is a procedure that officially confirms when the lease contract was concluded.
It is important to secure this to protect your deposit.
To remember it easily,
Move-in → Change of Residence Notification → Fixed Date (확정일자)
Check these three together.
③ Check whether the lease is subject to monthly rent reporting
A rental contract that exceeds a certain amount may be subject to housing lease reporting.
In general, in reporting-designated areas,
deposits over 60,000,000 won or monthly rent over 300,000 won
you should check whether the contract must be reported within 30 days from the date the contract is signed.
The application may vary depending on the contract type and region, so check with a licensed realtor or the Real Estate Transaction Management System (부동산거래관리시스템).
✅ Remember this house-contract order only
1. Find a house
2. Check the condition of the house
3. Check the registry and the landlord
4. Check the contract terms
5. Sign the contract
6. Recheck before move-in
7. Report after move-in
8. Protect the deposit
When looking for a home in Korea, it is more important to keep your deposit safe than to find a cheap place quickly.
💬 Do you have any questions while looking for a home?
If you have any questions about the contract, deposit, change of residence, fixed date, and more, feel free to leave a comment!
Or ask directly in the Vijob community. You can also refer to real tips and experiences from foreign seniors who have already found housing in Korea. 🙌
From studying in Korea to finding housing, part-time jobs, employment, and settling down.
Vijob will be with you through A to Z of life in Korea. 💙