Yonsei University traces its history to 1885 and is one of South Korea’s oldest and most prestigious private universities. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 42nd in the world, its highest ever position, and second in Korea. Its main Sinchon campus is in western Seoul, and it also has an international campus in Songdo, Incheon.
For international students who want to study entirely in English, the main route is Underwood International College (UIC), Yonsei’s English-taught liberal arts college. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on Yonsei University’s own guidance and official Korean government information.
1. Choose your UIC major
All UIC courses are taught in English. Its Underwood Division offers majors including Economics, International Studies, Political Science and International Relations, Comparative Literature and Culture, and Life Science and Biotechnology. The Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Division includes Asian Studies, Information and Interaction Design, Quantitative Risk Management and Sustainable Development and Cooperation, and the Integrated Science and Engineering Division offers Nano Science and Engineering, Energy and Environmental Science and Engineering, and Bio-Convergence. Yonsei’s Global Leaders College is different: it teaches mainly in Korean.
2. Pick your round: March or September
International students can start in March or September. The first round, for spring 2027, ran from 26 August to 22 September 2026, with interviews on 11 and 12 December and results on 18 December 2026. The second round, for autumn 2027, takes applications in March 2027, with interviews and results in June 2027; the exact dates hadn’t been announced in October 2026. Hard copies of your documents must arrive at the UIC office by the deadline, and UIC says it won’t extend it for any reason. Underwood International College: first-year international applicants.
3. Apply directly or through the Common App
You can apply directly through UIC’s online application, which costs ₩150,000, or through the Common Application, which costs US$150. Either way, you then post your application materials to the UIC office. There are no fee waivers. You and both your parents must be non-Korean citizens, and dual Korean citizens aren’t eligible for the international track. The GED, homeschooling and online schools don’t count as a high school diploma.
4. Show your English level
From 2027 entry, every international applicant must prove their English. You can send a TOEFL, IELTS or CEFR certificate, IB English A or AP English Language or Literature results, with no minimum score. Alternatively, a diploma from a school in the US, Canada (outside Quebec), the UK, Australia or New Zealand, or a certificate showing your whole high school curriculum was taught in English, also counts. If you send scores directly to Yonsei, email UIC with your name and test date so they’re matched to your application. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
5. Send strong grades and test scores
UIC has no fixed cut-offs. In the first stage, worth 200 points, it reviews your high school record, grades, class rank, personal statement and activities, together with any standardised tests. Test scores such as the SAT, ACT, A Levels, IB and AP aren’t compulsory, but UIC strongly recommends them because they confirm your academic level. Yonsei’s ETS code is 9893 and its College Board code is 7441.
6. Get your documents authenticated
Your transcripts and graduation certificate need an apostille, or confirmation by a Korean embassy or consulate if your country isn’t part of the Hague Apostille Convention; if this is delayed, you can submit them after you’re accepted. You also need copies of your and your parents’ passports and a notarised birth certificate, and documents not in English must come with a notarised translation. Chinese applicants must send extra notarised family documents.
7. Prepare for the interview
If you pass the document review, you’ll have an online interview, worth 100 points, after a check-up call beforehand. Your final result is based on the total of 300 points. Practise talking about your chosen major, why you want an English-taught liberal arts education in Korea and the activities in your application.
8. Understand the fees and scholarships
In 2026, UIC tuition for international-track students was ₩8,202,000 a semester (₩8,416,000 in the first semester), plus about ₩56,000 in other fees. All international applicants are automatically considered for an Admissions Scholarship covering full tuition for four years, as long as you keep up your grades. Once you’re enrolled, merit- and need-based scholarships can cover the full tuition, half or a third each semester. Underwood International College: tuition fee and scholarship.
9. Get your Certificate of Admission and D-2 visa
Once you’ve accepted your offer and paid your first tuition fee, Yonsei 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, 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 Yonsei?
Yonsei’s graduate schools admit international students separately, and some programmes, including those at UIC’s graduate departments, are taught in English. Check the language of instruction 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
UIC is highly selective, so apply to other options too. Read our guides to Seoul National University, Korea 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 Yonsei University’s official Underwood International College admissions, FAQ and tuition and scholarship 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 UIC’s website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with Yonsei University.