Applying to university in South Korea: a guide

I have recently received numerous inquiries about applying to South Korean universities from counsellors in international schools worldwide.

Many Korean students typically prefer to return to South Korea because of its high quality of education, coupled with low annual tuition fees (averaging $5,161.98 (£4,140)), as well as familiarity with the culture and strong employment prospects in the country. 

Recently, many universities in Korea have innovatively introduced interdisciplinary major combinations, with a focus on high technological advancement based on students’ passions and interests. Some universities even offer coding or AI classes as compulsory courses for all students.

Applying to study in South Korea: a guide for overseas applicants

There are two types of Korean teukrye (overseas) applicants: the “three-year teukrye” and “12-year teukrye” tracks. The former refers to students who have studied outside Korea for more than three years during their middle- or high-school years, while the latter refers to students who have completed their entire grades 1-12 or Years 2 to 13 education outside Korea.

Based on the 2020 Korea Education Development Institute statistics, South Korea has approximately 240 universities, around 130 community colleges and 45 graduate schools nationwide. This data indicates the diverse range of educational institutions available in Korea for those seeking higher education.

It is notable that Korean universities have two intake periods, in September and March – March is the main round for most students. However, the September intake is specifically for 12-year teukrye students who have studied overseas throughout their entire education.

The majority of Korean teukrye-track students usually apply in July, and the application period typically lasts for less than a week at the beginning of the month. Students may be invited for interviews in August and receive offers in September. Students who have not received early offers in September should not give up hope, as late additional offers are released from December to January.

Students on the 12-year track have the opportunity to apply for September or March intakes. Most seniors in this track apply from March to April and receive their offers by June. If they are not successful in the first round of intake, they can apply in July with the same application timeline as three-year teukrye track students.

What documents are needed?

The application review process is comprehensive and includes high-school transcripts from grades 10 to 12 (British curriculum Year 11 to Year 13), standardised test scores, language-proficiency test scores – such as TOEFL, OPIC, HSK, TEPS and JLPT – and students’ service participation or extracurricular activities documented on the school’s official forms.

The good news for counsellors is that a letter of recommendation or college essay is generally not required, except for KAIST and 12-year teukrye track Seoul National University admissions.

However, students will apply for a place in the July after their high-school graduation, so it is important to help them prepare their school-based documents before they graduate. The review process and the weight assigned to each document may vary among schools, based on their mission and institutional priorities.

It is also important to note that three documents require apostille embassy verification for eligibility checks: transcripts, graduation certificates and letters of enrolment.

For college counsellors, it is important to stay updated on any changes in application or documentation requirements. Additionally, it is worth noting that Korean male students are required to complete compulsory military service, and most universities will accept students’ leaves of absence for military service during their university learning periods.