Private Universities in South Korea: Admission and Scholarships

A beautiful country with many centuries of history and vibrant culture, South Korea is famous not only for its K-Pop industry and cuisine but also for its innovations, ranking 2nd in Bloomberg’s Innovation Index 2020. The country’s state education policy is oriented toward attracting international students. By 2023, 200,000 people will have received scholarships and incentives for academic achievements. This article will give you some details about a few private universities.

Why Students Choose South Korea

South Korea values innovation and scientific and technical achievements.

Graduates of major universities have the chance to get a job in world-famous companies, such as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai Motors, with wages starting from $3,700 per month. Note that the average salary in Korea is $2,500 per month.

Foreign specialists are looked upon favorably. In some cases, they might receive free accommodation and medical insurance and have flight tickets and children’s education paid for.

Competition is very high, but so are the stakes. The most persistent and ambitious students have the chance to work with flagship products and pursue a career in any international company.

Private and State Universities in Korea

Half of all South Korean universities are private. Of all the universities, 39 are included in the QS 2021 global university ranking, and 24 of those are private.

There isn’t much of a difference between private and state universities. The key difference is their source of funding:

• National universities are sponsored by the state.
  
• State universities are sponsored by local governments.
  
• Private universities are self-funded.
  

Various funds sponsor universities and dedicate funds to student scholarships in South Korea.

The average tuition cost at a South Korean university is $6,500 per year. One South Korean government scholarship is $650 per month for undergraduate students and $750 for graduate students.

You need to know Korean or English to study. Every university provides 1-year language courses to study Korean. Each has its own features and study programs, which we’ll tell you more about later.

Ajou University

Since it was founded in the 1970s, the campus has been located in Suwon. The total number of students is 14,521, with 800 international students. Undergraduate tuition starts at $3,406 per semester, and graduate tuition starts at $4,000. Language courses are also available at Korean language school, which cost $1,200 to $1,470 per semester.

University scholarships allow you to:

• Cover from 10 to 100% of undergraduate students’ tuition and up to 60-80% for graduate students.
  
• Cover partial or entire accommodation costs in a dormitory for 1 semester.
  

You need to be among the top 5-50% of best-performing students, have a high GPA, and be highly proficient in Korean and English (3-6 TOPIK, at least 75 TOEFL, at least 6.0 IELTS). Instruction is primarily done in Korean. Therefore, students study Korean intensively in their university language courses in their first year. You can study for a Master’s degree in English.

Inha University

Around 200 subjects are taught in English, but you’ll have your Korean level tested with the TOPIK test when you’re admitted. Students who take language courses and have a Korean proficiency certificate (TOPIK 3-6) will be admitted.

Tuition for undergraduate students starts at $3,000 per semester and $4,200 for graduate students, respectively. Studying a Korean Language Program starts at $1,200 per semester.

Scholarships are given out for high GPA scores or high English and Korean proficiency levels. Recipients will get 25-100% of their tuition costs per semester covered, monthly bonuses, and free accommodation in a dormitory. There are even scholarships that cover tuition and part of the entry fee, such as the Jungseok (70%) and Global Vision (100%) scholarships. Available for Master’s students.

Myongji University

This university has 2 campuses: the humanities campus in Seoul and the sciences campus in Yongin. It’s one of the top 20 universities, according to the Study Abroad Foundation (USA). According to the International Architectural League, one of its faculties, Architecture and Construction, is considered the best in the country.

Thanks to this division, the areas of study at each campus allow you to take a deep dive into your specific field. For example, in Seoul, 4 languages are studied: Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese. Digital media, the fundamentals of international trade and international relations, creative arts, Arabic studies, and much more are also taught there.

Tuition starts at $3,200 per semester for undergraduates and $4,000 for graduate students.

Scholarships help cover the cost of tuition: 80-100% for undergraduate degrees and 50-100% for graduate degrees. But you need to study hard to have a GPA higher than 3.5.

Soongsil University

Competition is very high here, especially for business, international trade, and computer science subjects.

Tuition starts at $3,300 per semester for undergraduates and $4,100 for graduate students. The Korean Language Program is just the same as at Inha, and it costs $1,300 per semester.

The university offers its own scholarships that cover:

• 30-100% of tuition costs for undergraduate students
  
• 10-100% of tuition costs for graduate students.

The main criterion for choosing candidates is a high GPA (at least 3.0). Since the Seoul campus emphasizes learning languages and the humanities, you can get a scholarship for language proficiency.

Your TOPIK score should be at least 3. If your Korean proficiency according to the TOPIK exam is 4 or higher, you’ll get a one-time payment of $450.

You can start part-time work 6 months after admission. A work permit can be obtained from the university administration and immigration service. If your average GPA score is less than 2.0 and your attendance is lower than 60%, you won’t receive a work permit.

Ambition and hard work are highly valued in South Korea. If you’re sure about what you want to study, why you want to do it in this country, and how you’ll apply your newly-acquired knowledge in the future, then you’ll have no issues dealing with whatever life throws at you here!