Home > National > Social Affairs

Two-thirds of universities raise tuition for 2026, cite rising costs

Published: 29 Apr. 2026, 21:26 Updated: 30 Apr. 2026, 00:05

A student organization protests against tuition hikes in front of Seoul City Hall in Jung District, central Seoul, on Jan. 23, 2025. [YONHAP]

The average university tuition cost per student in Korea has exceeded 7.27 million won ($4,915) this year, as two-thirds of the country's institutions have raised fees.

A total of 130 out of 192 four-year universities, or 67.7 percent, have raised tuition in 2026 so far, including general universities and specialized universities of education. The figure is a slight decrease from the 70.5 percent the previous year, according to the Ministry of Education and the Korean Council for University Education on Wednesday.

The average annual tuition per student increased by 147,100 won, or 2.1 percent, from a year earlier.

Rising costs and financial pressure on universities are widely cited as key factors behind the tuition increases, with the burden on students and parents continuing to grow.

Private universities charged an average of 8.23 million won, nearly double the 4.25 million won average at public universities. By region, universities in the greater Seoul area averaged 8.27 million won, compared to 6.62 million won for those outside the capital region.

By field of study, medical programs recorded the highest tuition at 10.33 million won, followed by arts and sports at 8.34 million won, engineering at 7.68 million won, natural sciences at 7.32 million won and humanities and social sciences at 6.43 million won.

Junior colleges with two-year programs also saw widespread price increases, with 102 out of 129 institutions nationwide, or 81.6 percent, raising tuition. The average tuition reached 6.65 million won, up 174,400 won, or 2.7 percent, from the previous year.

Public universities, however, largely maintained a tuition freeze.

Only three institutions — Korea National University of Education in Cheongju, North Chungcheong; Cheongju National University of Education in Cheongju; and Chuncheon National University of Education in Chuncheon, Gangwon — raised tuition among 41 public universities and junior colleges.

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.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]