Chung-Ang University Opens Spring 2027 International Admissions to Its General Graduate School October 16; Online Applications Close October 26, Documents Due October 27

Chung-Ang University will accept applications from October 16 for international admissions to its general graduate school for March 2027 entry. Online applications close at 11:59 p.m. on October 26, but documents verifying education, nationality and other qualifications must be submitted separately by October 27. Even after an applicant pays the application fee online and receives an application number, the application is not complete unless a printed admission form and the required documents are submitted by the deadline.

The admissions process covers master's, doctoral and combined master's-doctoral programs, with available degree levels varying by department. Accepted language qualifications and interview dates also differ by department or academic field. The tuition figures in the university's admissions guidelines are for the 2026 academic year and should not be mistaken for the final amount payable for the 2027 academic year.

Online Applications Close October 26; Documents Have One Extra Day

Applicants must complete the form and pay the application fee through Uwayapply, then print the application showing their application number and submit it with the other required documents to Chung-Ang University's Office of International Affairs. After payment, the chosen department and entered information cannot be changed, and the application cannot be canceled. Video interviews for overseas residents take place via Zoom; each department provides the detailed time and instructions separately. Practical examinations in music, Korean Traditional Music and dance (performance), among others, have department-specific assignments. Overseas residents may substitute videos, portfolios or similar materials only if their department grants permission before they submit the application.

For departments without a practical examination, document screening and an in-depth interview are each worth 100 points. Departments with practical examinations assign 50 points to document screening, 50 to the interview and 100 to the major-specific practical examination. Both processes have minimum scores for each component: applicants in the regular process are disqualified if they score below 60 points on either component; in the practical-examination process, the respective cutoffs are 30, 30 and 60 points.

Who Can Apply? Check Nationality and Degree Requirements First

There are two nationality-eligibility routes. Applicants must either be foreign nationals whose parents also do not hold Korean nationality, or foreign nationals who completed at least 16 years of schooling abroad, covering the equivalent of elementary, middle school, high school and university education. People holding dual nationality that includes Korean nationality are not eligible. Applicants who acquired foreign citizenship must have done so before entering elementary school.

Applicants for master's and combined master's-doctoral programs must hold, or expect to receive, a bachelor's degree. Doctoral applicants must hold, or expect to receive, a master's degree. Applicants awaiting graduation must be able to obtain the required degree on or before February 28, 2027. Generally, applicants may apply to a field different from that of their previous degree, but the Dance Department's performance track has separate prior-major requirements: applicants for master's or combined programs must have majored in dance at the bachelor's level, while doctoral applicants must have a dance major at the bachelor's or master's level.

TOPIK Level 3 Generally Required; English Test Scores Accepted Only in Certain Fields

The Korean language requirement is TOPIK or TOPIK IBT Level 3 or above. Applicants to Sport Sciences and the Dance Department's performance track may apply with TOPIK Level 2. These are admissions requirements, however. The admissions guidelines require graduate students outside the natural sciences, engineering and medicine to attain TOPIK Level 4 or higher by the semester immediately preceding thesis submission for graduation.

Applications based on English language scores are limited to the International Logistics major in the Department of International Trade and Logistics within the humanities field, and all departments in natural sciences, engineering and medicine. Accepted scores for these fields include TOEFL iBT 71 or higher (3.5 or higher on the new scale for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026), IELTS 5.5, CEFR B2, TEPS 600, TOEIC 800, or an equivalent examination score accepted in the guidelines. Meeting an English-language threshold does not confer eligibility to apply to every humanities, social sciences or arts department.

The guidelines also recognize certain alternative evidence of language proficiency: a degree earned in designated English-speaking countries (only for departments accepting English applications); completion of Level 4 or higher, or enrollment in Level 5 or higher, of a Korean language program at a four-year university in Korea certified under the International Education Quality Assurance System; graduation or expected graduation from a Korean language department at an overseas university; a degree earned or expected from a Korean university; or completion of at least Intermediate 2 at a King Sejong Institute. Government scholarship recipients are subject to separate eligibility criteria. These routes apply where the supporting evidence qualifies for recognition. Applicants submitting conventional test scores must provide original results that are valid at the time of application. Conditional applications based on obtaining test scores later are not allowed.

Doctoral Applicants Need Two Recommendations and Research Records; Foreign Credential Verification Varies by Country

Basic application documents include the printed admission application and study plan, a graduation or expected-graduation certificate and transcript for the relevant degree, government-issued proof of parent-child relationships, and copies of the applicant's and parents' identification documents. Doctoral applicants must additionally submit two recommendation letters and a list of research achievements with supporting materials. Some departments require separate recommendation letters, research plans or portfolios. Requirements for educational-record verification consent forms and primary and secondary school records vary by the applicant's educational history in Korea and eligibility route.

Applicants who earned degrees at Chinese universities must review China's higher-education credential and degree verification requirements, including CHSI where applicable. Overseas qualifications from countries other than China are subject to apostille or consular legalization rules. Applicants expecting to graduate from a Chinese university must follow separate requirements, including notarization by a Chinese notary office. Documents not in Korean or English must be submitted with notarized Korean or English translations; the guidelines generally require original documents.

Documents must be sent to Graduate International Admissions, Office of International Affairs, Room 210, Building 310, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea. The application fee is KRW 100,000 for general departments and KRW 130,000 for departments administering practical examinations, such as master's and doctoral programs in Music, master's programs in Korean Traditional Music, and the performance-track master's program in Dance. Department-specific documents and practical examination assignments appear in the official Chung-Ang University admissions guidelines PDF.

Tuition Figures Are 2026 Reference Amounts; Scholarships Vary by Field and Semester

Chung-Ang University's published tuition table is based on the 2026 academic year; 2027 tuition has not yet been finalized. According to the 2026 figures, the entrance fee is KRW 980,000 for all fields. Examples of tuition for one semester, together with the total payable at admission, are:

For general international student scholarships, the selection criteria for the first semester vary by field. In humanities, social sciences, arts and physical education, TOPIK Level 6 or at least TOEFL iBT 91, TOEIC 780 or IELTS 6.5 qualifies for consideration for 100% tuition coverage; TOPIK Level 5 is the criterion for 70%, and an admission score of at least 80 out of 100 for 50%. In natural sciences, engineering, medicine and pharmacy, an admission score of 70 or above is the selection criterion for a 100% first-semester tuition scholarship. English test scores used for admission eligibility differ from those used for scholarship assessment.

In subsequent semesters, the previous semester's grade point average (GPA) and completed credits matter. In humanities, social sciences, arts and physical education, semesters 2–4 use a GPA of at least 4.3 for 50% tuition support, and a GPA of at least 3.3 but below 4.3 for 30%. In natural sciences, engineering, medicine and pharmacy, a GPA of at least 3.3 qualifies for 100% in semester 2. For semesters 3–4, the rates are 50% with a GPA of at least 4.3 and 30% with a GPA of at least 3.3 but below 4.3. Students must earn at least 6 credits every semester to continue receiving support. Scholarship recipients are selected and confirmed through Graduate School Committee deliberation within the available budget. Additional language-score reports for first-semester language-excellence scholarships may be submitted by December 24, 2026, according to the guidelines.

Admission results are expected on December 10, with no individual notification. Updates about departments, scholarships and tuition for the admissions process are posted on Chung-Ang University's graduate admissions notice page. Admissions questions can be directed to gsadmin@cau.ac.kr.