Students and teachers browse through instructions before submitting admissions applications for the 2027 academic year at a high school in Gyeonggi on Sept. 7.YONHAP
A record number of students applied this year to university programs that come with a coveted perk: a guaranteed job at major tech giants.
A record 8,994 students sought admission to 13 industry-sponsored programs that offer a job after graduation at seven major companies — namely Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and Hyundai Motor — for the 2027 academic year entrance, Jongro Academy said Tuesday.
Applications grew by 1,387, or 18.2 percent, from 7,607 the year before. Accordingly, the average competition rate increased to 23.48 applicants per slot from 20.67.
By field, applications to five semiconductor-related programs rose 19.4 percent to 5,992 from 5,020 a year earlier. The number of applicants competing for each seat rose to 28.53 from 23.9.
Applications to cybersecurity programs climbed 15.1 percent from 139 to 160. Automotive programs drew 430 applicants, up 10.3 percent from 390 a year earlier.
By contrast, battery programs saw the steepest decline, as applications plunged 36.2 percent to 206 from 323. Applications also fell in mobile technology by 21.3 percent, telecommunications by 11 percent, AI by 2.7 percent and display technology by 1.1 percent.
SK hynix led the gains among companies. Its three affiliated programs drew 3,152 applicants, up 27.3 percent from 2,477. It was the largest increase among the companies surveyed.
Telecommunication service provider LG U+ recorded a 15.1 percent rise, followed by Hyundai Motor at 10.3 percent and Samsung Electronics at 4.2 percent. Samsung SDI saw a sharp reversal, as applications to its affiliated programs fell 36.2 percent. LG Display also recorded a 1.1 percent decline.
Parents of college applicants attend an information session held at Jongro Academy in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Sept. 6.NEWS1
Competition was fiercest at Sogang University’s system semiconductor engineering program, an SK hynix-affiliated program. A total of 1,323 students applied for just 20 seats.
At Hanyang University’s SK hynix-affiliated chip engineering program, 44.41 students competed for each spot. The figure stood at 14.57 at Korea University’s corresponding program.
A Samsung Electronics-affiliated system semiconductor engineering program at Sungkyunkwan University drew 2,026 applicants for 55 places.
Essay-based admissions proved especially competitive.
At Sogang University, 893 students competed for just three seats in the general essay-based track for the system semiconductor engineering program, leaving nearly 300 applicants vying for each spot. Hanyang University's SK hynix-affiliated program drew 211 applicants per seat through its essay track, while Sungkyunkwan University’s math-focused essay track for the Samsung-affiliated program attracted 124.1 per seat.
The newly launched so-called smart home appliance engineering program at Pusan National University (PNU) in Busan — established in partnership with LG Electronics — drew 603 applicants for 20 spots, or 30.15 applicants per seat. That made the program more competitive than PNU medical and dental schools, which drew 22.69 and 10.44 applicants per seat, respectively.
Pusan National University's information session for the admissions for the 2027 academic year is held in Seoul.PUSAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
PNU was also chosen as one of three institutions for package funding under a government plan — nicknamed the 10 SNUs initiative — to develop 10 Seoul National University-level universities nationwide. The Busan university is set to receive more than 130 billion won ($95 million) in additional funding over the next five years.
PNU will add a new industry-sponsored program next year in partnership with three Hanwha affiliates: Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Ocean and Hanwha Engine.
“We held an admissions briefing in Seoul’s Gangnam District in June for the first time since the university was founded, and all 300 seats at the venue were filled,” said Kim Hyoung-nam, PNU’s director for planning and a professor of electrical and electronic engineering. “Parents showed strong interest in programs affiliated with major companies that guarantee jobs after graduation.”
The appeal of such programs reflects a broader anxiety over jobs, according to Jongro Academy. As securing employment has grown more difficult, programs that come with jobs at major companies have established themselves among the preferred choices of top science-track applicants.
“Demand has strengthened beyond semiconductors, extending to smart home appliances, automotive engineering and cybersecurity,” said Lim Sung-ho, CEO of Jongro Academy. “Competition for these programs may also rise or fall each year as industry conditions change.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
