Korea University was founded in 1905 and is one of South Korea’s top private universities, long known for business, law, economics and the social sciences as well as engineering and medicine. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 52nd in the world, its highest ever position, and third in Korea. Its main Anam campus is in northern Seoul.
Korea University admits international students in spring and autumn, and most degrees are taught in Korean, although it also offers an English-taught track. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on Korea University’s own guidance and official Korean government information.
1. Choose your admission type and major
International Undergraduate Admission I is for applicants whose parents aren’t Korean citizens, and you can list a first- and second-choice major; Admission II is for students who completed all their schooling abroad, and leads to the Global Open Major, where you study general subjects and Korean in year one and then choose a major. You can apply to both at once, paying a fee for each. If you don’t yet speak Korean, look at International Studies (English Track) or University College, a one-year programme of general studies and intensive Korean, after which you choose from 46 departments.
2. Apply in March for September entry
For autumn 2026, applications were open online from 2 to 27 March 2026, documents had to arrive by post by 31 March, and results were published on 12 June 2026. Korea University says the autumn 2027 round will again open in March 2027, with results in June 2027, but the exact dates hadn’t been confirmed in October 2026. The spring 2027 round opened on 3 August 2026. Results appear only online, and you won’t be told individually. Korea University: international undergraduate admission guide.
3. Submit an official language score
From spring 2027, Korea University no longer offers its online Korean level test, so you must submit an official score from the last two years. For Korean, that’s TOPIK (or TOPIK iBT), completion of a level at a recognised university language centre in Korea, or intermediate completion at the King Sejong Institute. For English, it’s TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic; TOEFL MyBest, TOEFL Essentials and IELTS Indicator aren’t accepted. A letter from your school confirming that all your secondary education was taught in Korean or English can also count. International Studies applicants must prove their English. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
4. Know how your Korean level affects your studies
Your Korean level decides how much Korean training you’ll need. With TOPIK level 5 or higher, there are no restrictions. At level 4, you’ll take a semester of compulsory Korean and can take only 6 credits of major courses each semester; at level 3 or below, you’ll take two semesters of Korean and can’t take major courses until you finish. Some departments exempt students with strong English. Before choosing a major, check how many English-taught courses it offers.
5. Write a clear statement of purpose
You write a Statement of Purpose as part of the online application, and if you apply for both admission types you need a separate one for each. Explain why you want your major, how your studies so far have prepared you and what you hope to do after graduating. Korea University may penalise or reject applications it suspects of plagiarism or ghostwriting, so write it yourself. See our 50 sample SOPs for ideas.
6. Pay the fee and post your documents
The application fee is ₩150,000 for humanities and science majors and ₩200,000 for Art and Design. After uploading your application, you must post your original documents, including your transcripts and graduation certificate with an apostille or Korean consular confirmation, so that they arrive by the deadline. You can also send up to 10 pages of optional documents, such as test scores, a school profile or evidence of activities.
7. Understand how you’re assessed
There’s no fixed quota for each major. Korea University assesses your whole application, looking at your academic ability, your aptitude for your chosen field, your language level and your activities. Some fields may also ask for an interview or a skills test, and you’ll be told in advance if so. The GED, homeschooling and online schools don’t count as a high school education.
8. Understand the fees and scholarships
In 2026, tuition was about ₩5,800,000 a semester for the humanities and social sciences, ₩6,700,000 for the natural sciences and ₩7,700,000 for engineering, the Global Open Major and University College. Scholarships are awarded based on your admission results, with no separate application. The Anam Global Scholarship gives full tuition for eight semesters to the top-ranked student in each track, the KU STEM Scholarship gives full tuition for four semesters to outstanding STEM students, and KU Global Friends gives full tuition for four semesters to top students from Africa, South America and other developing countries. Other awards cover half of tuition. Korea University: tuition.
9. Get your Certificate of Admission and D-2 visa
Once you’ve accepted your offer and paid your first tuition fee, Korea University issues a Certificate of Admission, which you use to apply for a D-2 student visa at the Korean embassy or consulate in your country. You’ll need to show that you can pay for your studies and living costs; Korea University asks admitted students for a bank balance of at least ₩20,000,000 for the visa. Make sure your school documents carry an apostille or have been confirmed by a Korean consulate, because Korean universities require this. Within 90 days of arriving, you must register with the immigration office to get your residence card, and you’ll be enrolled in National Health Insurance, which KAIST and POSTECH estimated at about ₩76,000 to ₩80,000 a month in 2026. HiKorea (Korea Immigration Service).
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
You can’t work on a D-2 visa until the immigration office gives you permission, and you need a job offer first, because the employer starts the application. You also need at least a C average in your last semester. On weekdays, first- and second-year undergraduates with TOPIK level 3 can work up to 25 hours a week, but only 10 hours without it; from your third year you need TOPIK level 4 for the higher limit. Master’s and PhD students with TOPIK level 4 can work up to 30 hours (15 without). If you meet the language level, there’s no hourly limit at weekends or in the vacations. After graduating, you can switch to a work visa such as E-7 if you have a job offer, or apply before your D-2 visa expires for a D-10 job-seeker visa. Korea extended how long the D-10 can last in 2025, so check the current rules, and remember that Korean language skills make a big difference to your job prospects. Korea JoongAng Daily: part-time work rules for international students.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at Korea University?
Korea University’s graduate schools admit international students separately, and some programmes, such as those at its Graduate School of International Studies, are taught in English. Check the language of your programme and contact a potential supervisor before you apply. The Korean government’s Global Korea Scholarship for graduate students, through a Korean embassy or a university, covers tuition and living costs. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Korea University’s most popular majors are competitive, so apply to other options too. Read our guides to Seoul National University, Yonsei University, KAIST and POSTECH. Our guide to studying in South Korea explains how the Korean system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from Korea University’s official Application Guide for Fall 2026 Freshman, its international admission guide and tuition pages, Korean government information and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on Korea University’s international admissions website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with Korea University.