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International students in Korea surpass 300,000

Published: 23 Sep. 2025, 16:23 Updated: 29 Sep. 2025, 13:59

YOON SEUNG-JIN
[email protected]

International students work on their resumes at the Job Fair for International Students in Busan on Aug. 19 at the Bexco convention center. [YONHAP]

The number of international students currently enrolled in universities or language schools in Korea has surpassed 300,000 for the first time.

According to monthly data released by the Korea Immigration Service under the Ministry of Justice, the number of international students reached 305,329 in August.

International student enrollment in Korea surpasses 270,000 for the first time

By visa type, 225,769 students were enrolled under the D-2 visa for university degree programs, 79,500 students held the D-4-1 visa for Korean language training, and 60 students were on the D-4-7 visa for foreign language training.

By nationality, Vietnamese students accounted for the largest share at 107,807 or 35.3 percent, followed by Chinese students at 86,179, Uzbek students at 18,155, Mongolian students at 17,870 and Nepalese students at 15,515.

The number of international students has been steadily increasing for four consecutive years, rising from 163,699 in 2021 to 197,234 in 2022, 226,507 in 2023, and 263,775 in 2024.

Regarding undocumented extended stays, the number of D-2 visa holders newly classified as individuals in the country illegally rose from 1,183 to 1,359 — a 14.9 percent increase from the same period last year — while the figure for D-4 holders dropped from 1,841 to 1,347, a 26.8 percent decrease.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [[email protected]]