More Korean universities open spring admissions for international students

For prospective international students hoping to study in Korea for next year's spring semester, this month may be the last chance to secure a spot.

The following are some of the schools that are set to open their applications this month.

Sogang University

Sogang University will open its online applications for international students at 10 a.m. on Oct. 12. Applications and original document submissions will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Nov. 20.

The university has not set fixed recruitment quotas but will recruit freshmen for selected divisions and departments, including the Division of Humanities, Division of Social Sciences and the School of Media, Arts and Science.

Applicants apply to a department rather than directly to a major. They can choose their major within the department starting in their second year.

Students cannot change their division after enrollment, so applicants should carefully consider which division and department to apply to.

Sogang also offers an English track for international students in the Division of English, the Department of Economics, the Department of Business Administration, Global Korean Studies and International Studies. However, these students may still be required to take some major or elective courses in Korean.

Successful applicants are scheduled to be announced on Dec. 24.

Pusan National University

Pusan National University (PNU) will open applications for its undergraduate programs for the spring semester at 9 a.m. on Oct. 12. Applications will be accepted until 6 p.m. on Oct. 23.

Interviews are tentatively scheduled for Dec. 7. Applicants residing in Korea will attend interviews in person, while those living abroad will participate by phone or video call.

Final admission results are tentatively scheduled to be announced on Dec. 18.

Applicants should also check where their intended major is based before applying. PNU operates campuses in different cities, with the College of Engineering, for example, located at its Yangsan campus and the College of Natural Resources and Life Sciences at its Miryang campus. Both campuses are located in South Gyeongsang, while PNU’s main campus is located in Busan.

Language proficiency requirements vary by department.

Kyungpook National University

Kyungpook National University will open its applications at 9 a.m. on Oct. 12. The application period will run through 6 p.m. on Oct. 30.

Interviews are tentatively scheduled between Nov. 18 and Nov. 27.

Applicants cannot change their major after the application period closes. Final admission results are expected to be announced on Jan. 6.

The university is recruiting students for both its Daegu and Sangju campuses in North Gyeongsang, so applicants should check where their preferred major is offered before applying. Daegu campus is the university's main campus.

Gachon University

Gachon University will open applications for international students for the spring semester at 10 a.m. on Oct. 12. The first round of applications will run through 4 p.m. on Oct. 23. The university plans to hold three rounds of admissions, with the second round running from Nov. 23 to Dec. 4 and the third from Dec. 28 to Jan. 4, 2027.

Final admission results will be announced on Nov. 20 for the first round, Dec. 24 for the second round and Jan. 22, 2027, for the third round.

The university will recruit freshmen for departments at its Global Campus in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, which is also its main campus. Business administration and computer engineering are offered as English-track majors.

Students enrolled in the College of International Studies cannot transfer to other colleges within the university unless they have achieved at least Level 4 on the Test of Proficiency in Korean, or Topik.

Chonnam National University

Chonnam National University has already opened applications on Thursday, which will run through Oct. 23.

The application period is divided into two rounds. The first round will close at 6 p.m. on Oct. 14, while the second round will open on Oct. 15 and run through Oct. 23. The results will be announced on two different dates for each round. Admission results for the first round are expected on Nov. 16, while results for the second round are scheduled for Dec. 21.

If the required documents do not arrive by the first-round deadline, the application will automatically transfer to the second round.

The university will recruit students for both its Gwangju and Yeosu campuses.

Prepare documents early

Applicants should also begin preparing their academic documents as early as possible.

For the verification of academic certificates, universities in most cases require documents to be authenticated with an Apostille or verified by a consulate. Obtaining and preparing original documents can take time, particularly for applicants applying from overseas, so prospective students should check each university's requirements well ahead of the deadline.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]