Ministry of Education and Ministry of Justice Conduct Joint On-Site…

This inspection is intended to comprehensively review the entire process—from the selection of international students to their academic studies, employment, and residency—and to examine the actual operational conditions at universities. The inspection targets universities where the authenticity of materials submitted during the Internationalization of Education Capability Certification evaluation needs to be verified; universities that have caused social controversy in the process of recruiting and managing international students; and universities that have recruited an excessive number of international students relative to their enrollment quotas, raising concerns about poor management. The Ministry of Education plans to select four universities each in the first and second halves of the year to inspect their operational status.

Key inspection areas include the appropriateness of international student selection, Korean language education and daily life support, academic management (such as attendance and academic support), and compliance with residency and visa-related regulations. The on-site inspection schedule for the first half of the year is set for Friday, April 24, 2026, and Thursday, May 12, 2026. If document forgery or serious violations are detected, penalties may be imposed, including revocation of existing accreditation, designation as a “university subject to strict visa screening” (which restricts visa issuance), and a ban on visa issuance for up to three years.

The government plans to shift its international student policy from a focus on quantitative expansion to a system centered on quality management, and to enhance talent management policies covering the entire cycle from selection to settlement. According to the results of the Internationalization of Education Capability Certification System evaluation announced last February, 71.1% (133 out of 187) of general universities and 28.2% (33 out of 117) of junior colleges obtained certification for degree programs, while approximately 47.1% of all universities were found to be in a certification blind spot.

The criteria for the fourth cycle of the Internationalization of Education Capability Certification System include basic requirements such as an illegal residency rate of less than 2–3% for degree programs and less than 8–12% for language training programs. Key indicators included a Korean language instructor certification rate of 90% or higher, a tuition burden rate of 80% or higher, annual education on Korean laws and regulations for 60% or more of students, a health insurance enrollment rate of 95% or higher, a completion rate for language training students of 50% or higher, a TOPIK Level 2 attainment rate of 30% or higher, a dropout rate of less than 6–8%, and a certified language proficiency rate of at least 30% for new students and 40% for current students. Requirements for “Excellent” certification include maintaining certification for at least three years and an illegal residency rate of less than 1–1.5%, while the criteria for the status survey include an illegal residency rate of 5% or higher among degree program students and a certified language proficiency rate of less than 15%. Indicators for language trainees also included completion rates for programs lasting less than one year and TOPIK Level 2 attainment rates for programs lasting one year or longer.

Source: Policy Briefing (korea.kr), Full Press Release (korea.kr), [https://www.korea.kr/briefing/pressReleaseView.do?newsId=156753705&call_from=rsslink](https://www.korea.kr/briefing/pressReleaseView.do?newsId=156753705&call_from=rsslink)