POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) was founded in 1986 and is a small, research-intensive science and engineering university. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 106th in the world and fifth in Korea, and it scores among the world’s best for research citations per faculty member. Its campus is in Pohang, a coastal city in southeastern Korea.
POSTECH began admitting international undergraduates in autumn 2026, and every one of them receives a full tuition scholarship and a monthly allowance. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on POSTECH’s own guidance and official Korean government information.
1. Understand the Mueunjae School
All international undergraduates join the Mueunjae School of Undergraduate Studies, which means you don’t choose a major straight away. In your first two semesters you explore POSTECH’s 11 majors, in the third you take core science and technology courses, and you declare your major at the end of the third semester. The majors are mathematics, physics, chemistry, life sciences, materials science, mechanical, industrial and management, electrical, chemical and computer science and engineering, and biomedical engineering (formerly Convergence IT Engineering), but the Department of Semiconductor Engineering doesn’t take international students.
2. Plan for the spring 2027 application window
For spring 2027 entry, applications ran from 25 August to 2 September 2026, preliminary results came on 18 November, and final results are announced on 17 December 2026, with classes starting on 2 March 2027. POSTECH says the autumn 2027 round is expected to open for applications in March or April 2027, with guidelines published in late January or early February 2027. There’s no interview for the International Admissions track. POSTECH: admission schedule.
3. Apply through Study in Korea
You apply online through the Korean government’s Study in Korea portal and pay a fee of ₩60,000 or US$60, which can’t be refunded or waived. International Admissions is for applicants whose parents both hold foreign citizenship, gained before the applicant started high school. The GED, homeschooling and online schools aren’t accepted as a high school education, and POSTECH doesn’t take transfer students.
4. Write four strong essays
Your personal statement has four questions, which you can answer in English or Korean: your future goals, the steps you’ve taken towards them, why POSTECH suits you and your academic plans (up to 500 words); the STEM activity that meant most to you (up to 200 words); a time you worked with people whose ideas or backgrounds differed from yours (up to 200 words); and, if relevant, any special circumstances (up to 300 words). The word count isn’t shown automatically, so check it yourself. See our 50 sample SOPs for ideas.
5. Meet the English recommendation
POSTECH accepts only IELTS Academic, TEPS, TOEFL iBT and TOEIC Listening and Reading, and recommends IELTS 6.5, TEPS 327, TOEFL iBT 83 (4.0 or higher on the new scale) or TOEIC 800. IELTS One Skill Retake, IELTS Indicator, TOEFL Home Edition, TOEFL Essentials and TOEFL MyBest scores aren’t accepted. If your high school taught in English, you can ask for an exemption with an official medium-of-instruction letter. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
6. Send test scores and a recommendation
Standardised test scores, such as the SAT, AP, IB, ACT or A Levels, are optional but recommended; if your school follows the IB, you must have your scores sent directly. Your recommender must email a letter of recommendation straight to POSTECH by the deadline, and you also fill in an Academic History Record form. If you get a preliminary offer, you post your diploma and transcripts with an apostille or Korean consular confirmation; for spring 2027, these had to arrive by 8 December 2026.
7. Make the most of the scholarships
All admitted international students get full tuition for up to eight semesters, as long as they keep a grade point average of at least 3.0 out of 4.3, plus ₩500,000 a month in living allowance, including the vacations. International Admissions students who haven’t lived in Korea in the six months before starting can claim up to ₩2,500,000 for their flight to Korea. After three semesters, every student receives a Pathfinder Voucher worth ₩11,000,000 for personal development, and there’s a ₩300,000 bonus for reaching TOPIK level 4.
8. Understand the costs
Tuition was ₩2,790,000 a semester in 2026 (₩2,924,000 in the first semester), but it’s fully covered by the scholarship. POSTECH estimates a shared room in its residential college at about ₩175,000 a month, health insurance at ₩79,320 a month and meals at around ₩5,000 each, which leaves students paying roughly ₩182,000 a month after the allowance. Pohang is much cheaper than Seoul. POSTECH also takes part in the embassy track of the Korean government’s Global Korea Scholarship. POSTECH: cost of attendance.
9. Get your Certificate of Admission and D-2 visa
Once you’ve accepted your offer and paid your first tuition fee, POSTECH 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, for example, 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 POSTECH?
POSTECH’s graduate school admits international students separately, and its programmes are strongly research-focused. Contact a potential supervisor before you apply, and check your department’s requirements and deadlines. The Korean government’s Global Korea Scholarship for graduate students is another source of funding. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
POSTECH’s international intake is new and small, so apply to other options too. Read our guides to Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University and KAIST. 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 POSTECH’s official Undergraduate Admissions Guideline for spring 2027, its admission schedule, application forms and cost-of-attendance 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 POSTECH’s international undergraduate admissions website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with POSTECH.