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Justice Ministry reveals new visa track for int'l students in STEM courses

Published: 24 Sep. 2025, 11:08

LEE TAE-HEE
[email protected]

The Ministry of Justice explains the "Korea-Science & Technology Advanced human Resources" (K-STAR) visa track that plan to create to universities during a meeting on Sept. 23. [MINISTRY OF JUSTICE]

The Ministry of Justice announced plans to make it easier for international students in STEM courses to get the F-2 visa right after graduation through a new track, with select universities to participate in the program.

The Justice Ministry announced Tuesday it will create the "Korea-Science & Technology Advanced human Resources" (K-STAR) visa track for international students studying in STEM.

The K-STAR visa track will allow international students studying in master's, doctoral or postdoctoral programs in STEM fields at designated universities to get the F-2 long-term residency visa upon graduation. Students will need to get a letter of recommendation from their university president to be eligible.

F-2 holders can generally apply for the F-5 permanent residency visa five years after receiving the F-2, depending on visa type, but K-STAR visa track students will be able to do so in just three years.

The K-STAR visa track is an expansion of the current fast-track visa for international students pursuing a master’s or doctorate in STEM fields, which offers the F-2-7S visa upon graduation. However, the fast track is only applicable to students of five science and technology institutes, which are: KAIST, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology and University of Science and Technology. Like the K-STAR program, students must obtain a recommendation letter from their university president. The F-2-7S then allows them to stay in Korea for up to five years and become eligible to transition to an F-5 after three years.

According to the Justice Ministry, around 100 people per year have been getting visas through the existing fast-track since it was created in January 2023. But with the expansion, it expects the number to rise to around 400 per year.

Ahead of creating the K-STAR visa track, the Justice Ministry held a meeting with 27 universities to explain the new program on Tuesday.

The ministry will accept applications from universities that wish to participate in the K-STAR visa track program throughout October and announce selected universities in December.

When evaluating universities, the Justice Ministry will look into factors such as the universities' international student management system, educational environment and international student support measures.

Presidents of selected universities will have the right to issue recommendation letters for the K-STAR visa track for three years. The Justice Ministry will evaluate overall progress in the end of 2028 to see if the universities can maintain the designation and even choose new universities that will be part of the program.

"The K-STAR visa track is a program designed to help outstanding international talent, who will play a key role in shaping the future of Korea's science and technology, to settle in the country and focus on their research," said Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho. "We will also establish cooperative relations with universities to support the students' path toward permanent residency or naturalization."

BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]