Korean University Admission 2027 for International Students Compared: Korea University, Kyung Hee, Sungkyunkwan and More, Application Periods, TOPIK Requirements and Fees at 9 Schools

This article compares 2027 undergraduate schedules for international student admission (special admission for international students) at nine universities: Korea University, Kyung Hee University, Ajou University, Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech), Sungkyunkwan University, Pusan National University, Chung-Ang University, Yonsei University and Seoul National University. A single table sets out each university's application period for March 2027 entry, whether September-entry guidelines have been announced, Korean language requirements, English tracks and application fees. Korean requirements at the application stage range from no minimum level to TOPIK level 6 for certain departments (SeoulTech's Department of Creative Writing and Kyung Hee's Department of Big Data Applications). Application fees range from about $52 (KRW 70,000) to about $186 (KRW 250,000). As of November 9, 2026, the schools accepting March-entry applications are Sungkyunkwan University round 2 (closing November 13), SeoulTech round 2 (closing November 18) and Ajou University (closing November 20), while Chung-Ang University round 2 opens on November 16.

Amounts are given in U.S. dollars first, with won in parentheses (Hana Bank base exchange rate on November 3, 2026: $1 = KRW 1,341.10). “Could not be officially confirmed” in the tables marks cells that could not be verified through official university sources. “Not yet announced” marks cells the university has not yet made public.

2027 International Student Admission: 9-University Comparison Table (Undergraduate)

Sungkyunkwan University's application fee and English track cells are left blank because they do not appear in the body of its official notice. Chung-Ang University's round 1 schedule was verified through a copy posted by the Korean Education Center in Los Angeles, because the guidelines no longer remain on the university's official website. The other Chung-Ang cells are based on the university's official round 2 guidelines. Kyung Hee University's figures are based on its draft admission guidelines. Seoul National University's admission track is called “Global Talent Special Admission.”

March 2027 Entry: Application Schedules and Current Status by University

As of November 9, 2026, the schools accepting applications are Sungkyunkwan University round 2 (closing at 5 p.m. on November 13), SeoulTech round 2 (closing at 5 p.m. on November 18) and Ajou University (closing at 5 p.m. on November 20). Chung-Ang University round 2 accepts applications from November 16 to November 27. Korea University, Kyung Hee University, Pusan National University, Yonsei University and Seoul National University have closed applications. Pusan National University's School of Global Liberal Studies plans to hold a second (additional) round in December.

Seoul National University was the first to close. Its Global Talent Special Admission for undergraduate freshmen took online applications from July 6 to July 9, 2026. Provisional admissions were announced on October 16. Final results are due on November 20.

Korea University took online applications from August 3 to August 31, 2026. Mailed documents had to arrive by September 7. Admission results will be announced on November 27. Korea University does not notify applicants individually; applicants must look up their results on the announcement page.

Yonsei University's international student admission and the Global Leaders College (GLC) international student admission took applications from September 1 to September 17, 2026. Documents had to arrive by September 30. Admission results are due on December 4.

Kyung Hee University recruited in two rounds. Round 1 took applications from August 17 to August 28, 2026, and announced results on October 23. Round 2 closed after taking applications from October 26 to November 6. Round 2 results are due on December 24. The practical exam for arts programs is on December 12.

Pusan National University took online applications through Jinhakapply from October 12 to October 23, 2026. Original documents had to arrive at the Office of International Affairs by 6 p.m. on November 6. The interview for applicants staying in Korea is scheduled for December 7 and admission results for December 18; both dates are tentative. Applicants staying overseas are interviewed by phone or video. The Japan and Thailand KEC tracks recruit under a separate notice.

Ajou University's special admission for applicants whose parents are both foreign nationals takes online applications from September 28, 2026, until 5 p.m. on November 20. Documents must be submitted in person or by mail by the same deadline, and mailed documents must arrive by November 20. Admission results are due on December 31. Original final academic credential documents and the original bank balance certificate are due by January 22, 2027. The early application round that ran until October 15 was open only to students enrolled at Ajou's International Education Center.

SeoulTech's undergraduate round 1 took applications from September 7 to October 2, 2026. Round 1 results are due on November 12. Round 2 opens on November 9 and closes at 5 p.m. on November 18. Round 2 results are due on December 31. Online application, document arrival and fee payment must all be completed by the deadline. Applicants who fail to submit all documents within the deadline are automatically eliminated.

Sungkyunkwan University's round 2 takes online applications from 10 a.m. on November 4 to 5 p.m. on November 13, 2026. Documents must arrive at the International Student Support Team by mail or in person by 5 p.m. on November 27. Admission results are due on January 8, 2027. Round 1 took applications from August 12 to August 21, 2026, and announced results on October 23.

Chung-Ang University's round 2 accepts applications and documents from November 16 to November 27, 2026. Admission results are due on December 18. Round 1 took applications from August 31 to September 18, 2026, and announced results on October 30 (based on the copy posted by the Korean Education Center in Los Angeles).

Pusan National University, Ajou University, Kyung Hee University and Chung-Ang University have said their schedules may change. Additional recruitment schedules from December onward are covered separately in Spring 2027 additional rounds for international students (November to January).

September 2027 Entry: Not Yet Announced, Gauging Timing From September 2026 Schedules

As of November 9, 2026, none of the nine universities had released admission guidelines for September 2027 entry. Only Korea University lists its fall 2027 online application as “March 2027 (TBA)” and its results as “June 2027 (TBA).” To estimate application timing, look at the previous year's schedule. Below are the already completed schedules for September 2026 entry.

Most universities took applications for September 2026 entry in March and April 2026. Seoul National University's application window lasted only three days. Ajou University's FAQ says the fall semester deadline is usually in early June and the spring semester deadline usually in mid-November.

Yonsei University's September 2027 recruitment needs to be checked separately. For September 2026 entry, it selected students through international student admission in all academic units. However, the summary table of its 2027 academic year implementation plan lists international student admission as “March entry” and GLC as “March and September entry.” Whether the general international student admission will recruit for September 2027 could not be officially confirmed. Yonsei's application fee was also about $112 (KRW 150,000) for September 2026 entry, compared with about $149 (KRW 200,000) for March 2027 entry.

Korean Language Requirements: From No Minimum Level to Level 6 for Certain Departments

Even the same “TOPIK level 3” is used differently by each university. Some require the level at the application stage; others require it after admission.

Korea University sets no minimum TOPIK level in its eligibility criteria. At least one of the following is enough: a TOPIK score, completion of a regular program at the Korea University Korean Language Center (KLC), completion of a regular program at a language institute of an IEQAS-certified university, completion of the King Sejong Institute intermediate course, or SKA intermediate. Scores are accepted only if obtained within two years as of the application date. Instead, mandatory Korean courses after admission depend on the level. Level 5 or higher is exempt, level 4 requires one semester (up to 6 major credits per semester), and level 3 or lower requires two semesters. Students at level 3 or lower cannot take major courses during those two semesters. The online Korean level test has ended.

Yonsei University's general academic units also set no TOPIK level at the application stage. Any one of the following is enough: having taken classes taught in Korean or English, having completed Korean language education, having taken a standardized test in Korean or English subjects, or holding an official Korean or English language score. That does not mean Korean is unnecessary. After admission, students must obtain TOPIK level 3 before entering a major and level 4 before graduation. Medicine, dentistry, nursing and pharmacy require TOPIK level 5 or higher, or completion of level 5 at the Yonsei University Korean Language Institute, from the application stage.

Kyung Hee University, Ajou University, Seoul National University and SeoulTech set level 3 as the baseline. Kyung Hee's Korean track requires TOPIK level 3 for freshmen and level 4 or higher for transfer students. Freshmen can also apply with level 3 on the Kyung Hee Korean test, completion of Intermediate 2 at a Kyung Hee language institute, completion of level 3 of the Ministry of Justice's Korea Immigration and Integration Program (KIIP), or completion of King Sejong Institute Intermediate 1 (excluding practical and online courses). The College of Business Administration's Department of Big Data Applications requires TOPIK level 6. Ajou University requires one of the following: TOPIK level 3, completion (or expected completion) of level 3 at a language institute affiliated with a Korean university, completion (or expected completion) of King Sejong Institute Intermediate-3B or higher, or a pass on Ajou's own Korean test. For the King Sejong Institute, the practical Korean course and online courses are not accepted. Seoul National University accepts TOPIK (including IBT) level 3 or completion of level 4 at a Korean university language institute. Seoul National University accepts only scores from tests taken on or after July 9, 2024. SeoulTech requires TOPIK (PBT or IBT) level 3, and level 6 for the Department of Creative Writing.

Pusan National University requires TOPIK level 3, level 4, or level 5 or higher, depending on the department. Completion of the same level at the Pusan National University Language Education Institute is also accepted. Nationals of Nepal, Mongolia, Vietnam and Uzbekistan can apply only with one of TOPIK level 5, IELTS 7 or TOEFL iBT 85(new score 5), regardless of the department requirement. This nationality-based requirement is Pusan National University's own standard. The three AI and Computer Engineering tracks require TOPIK level 3 even with an English score.

Sungkyunkwan University and Chung-Ang University accept applications even from those who do not meet the Korean requirement. If judged eligible in the document review, they are selected as provisional admits. If they meet the standard within two years and reapply to the same academic unit, they are finally admitted. Applying to a different academic unit cancels the provisional admission. Sungkyunkwan's standard is TOPIK level 4 (including IBT) or higher, or completion of level 4 or higher at the Sungkyun Language Institute. Besides TOPIK, Sungkyunkwan's Korean track also accepts completion of a Korean program at the Sungkyun Language Institute or another Korean university, or completion of the King Sejong Institute basic Korean curriculum (excluding online courses). Graduates (or expected graduates) who completed the entire Korean high school curriculum are exempt from submitting TOPIK. Round 2 applicants may additionally submit their 108th TOPIK PBT scores (released December 10) by email from December 10 to December 13. All other documents must meet the deadline.

Chung-Ang University's basic standard is TOPIK level 4 or completion of level 4 at the Chung-Ang University Language Education Institute. The School of Design and the School of Global Arts (Commercial Music; Game Content and Animation) require level 3. Completion of level 5 in a Korean program at an IEQAS-certified university or completion of the King Sejong Institute Intermediate 2 course is accepted only at the time of admission. TOPIK level 5 or higher is an eligibility requirement for the School of Integrative Engineering and for transfer admission to Interior Environmental Design.

All Korean requirements listed here are university standards. They are not visa requirements or government regulations. Test dates are available in 2027 TOPIK schedule.

English Tracks and How English Scores Are Accepted

Universities fall into two groups: those with a separate English track and those that accept English scores only as language proof.

• Korea University Division of International Studies. All courses are taught in English. A TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic score is required. TOEFL My Best Score and IELTS Indicator are not accepted. No minimum score is set.
• Kyung Hee University. The freshman English track requires TOEFL iBT 80 (4.0 for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026), IELTS 6.0 or NEW TEPS 327 or higher.
• SeoulTech MSDE. TOEFL iBT 80(new score 4) or IELTS 6.0 or higher.
• Pusan National University Division of International Studies. All courses are taught in English. Applicants with TOEFL iBT 80(new score 4), IELTS 5.5 or New TEPS 327 or higher are not required to submit TOPIK. Applicants who completed their entire secondary education in a country where English is the native language, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa, do not need to submit English scores if they provide proof of that. There is an English essay and an English interview (planned). The similarly named School of Global Liberal Studies is a different academic unit.
• Chung-Ang University Department of Game Convergence. This is an English track. TOEFL iBT 60 (3.5 for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026) or IELTS 5.5 or higher is required. Graduates who completed an entire regular high school curriculum in English in a country where English is a native or official language are exempt from English scores.
• Ajou University. The English track recruits freshmen in the Department of International Business (International Business major and IT Management major) and transfer students in the Department of Business Administration (Business Administration major). TOEFL iBT 71, IELTS 5.5 or NEW TEPS 326 or higher is required. Applicants cannot apply to the English track and the Korean track at the same time.
• Seoul National University and Yonsei University. Neither has a separate English-track academic unit. Both accept English scores as a means of language proof. Seoul National University requires TOEFL iBT 80 (4.0 for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026), IELTS Academic 6.0 or TEPS 269 or higher. Yonsei's Underwood International College (UIC) runs a separate admission, which could not be officially confirmed.

Kyung Hee University, Seoul National University, Pusan National University, SeoulTech and Chung-Ang University separately list new scores for TOEFL tests taken on or after January 21, 2026 (examples: 80(4), 60(3.5)). At these universities, applicants should check the figure that matches their own test date.

Application Fees, Documents (Apostille) and Interviews

Seoul National University has the lowest application fee at about $52 (KRW 70,000). Seoul National University's fee cannot be waived or refunded. SeoulTech charges a base fee of about $89 (KRW 120,000), with about $37 (KRW 50,000) added for multiple undergraduate applications. Pusan National University charges about $107 (KRW 144,000), the same as for September 2026 entry. Korea University's humanities and natural sciences programs and Ajou University charge about $112 (KRW 150,000), Kyung Hee University's non-arts programs about $134 (KRW 180,000), and Yonsei University's general programs about $149 (KRW 200,000). Chung-Ang University charges about $112 (KRW 150,000) for a first choice, with about $45 (KRW 60,000) added for a second choice. Its College of Arts and Sports charges about $149 (KRW 200,000) and has no second choice. Chung-Ang's reapplication fee for provisional admits is about $22 (KRW 30,000), and cancellations and refunds are not possible after the application period. Arts and medicine programs cost more, by varying amounts at each university.

All universities that could be confirmed require authentication of overseas high school documents. Generally, apostille countries require an apostille and other countries require consular legalization. The consular legalization authorities accepted vary by university. Pusan National University accepts both legalization by the Korean consulate in the home country and legalization by the home country's consulate in Korea. Kyung Hee University states that applicants cannot choose between apostille and consular legalization: applicants from apostille countries must obtain an apostille, and those from other countries consular legalization. Korea University requires authentication of high school transcripts, and final admits submit originals of authenticated final academic records. At Seoul National University, applicants mail authenticated documents after provisional admission results are announced. Applicants from Chinese high schools face separate procedures at Korea University and Yonsei University, such as CHSI verification.

Whether there is an interview varies by university.

• No interview. Korea University uses 100% document review. Yonsei University's general academic units also use 100% document review. Chung-Ang University's round 2 has no in-person interview and no separate practical exam. Arts and sports programs evaluate applicants by portfolio, and some departments replace the interview with a video self-introduction.
• Abolished from March 2027 entry. Kyung Hee University has eliminated interviews from the first semester of the 2027 academic year. All academic units except arts and sports use 100% document review. Arts and sports use 50% document review and 50% practical exam. Online interviews were held through September 2026 entry.
• Interviews for some only. Ajou University uses 100% document review. Only English-track freshmen (Department of International Business) who pass the document review are interviewed, and absence means failure. Yonsei's medicine, dentistry and pharmacy programs held in-person interviews on October 31, 2026. These are graded pass/fail (P/F) only and are not included in the total score. Seoul National University's default is a comprehensive document review. Some academic units held practical exams and interviews on September 3, 2026, and some colleges under Global Talent Special Admission II held video interviews on September 18.
• Interviews held. Pusan National University holds interviews by department. Applicants staying in Korea are interviewed in person, and those staying overseas by phone or video. Applicants to departments that evaluate by documents only are notified that they are excluded from the interview. The electronics and semiconductor tracks allow in-person interviews only. SeoulTech interviews only those who pass the round 1 document review (in person or online), and absence means failure.
• Could not be officially confirmed. Sungkyunkwan University's evaluation method has not been confirmed.

Notes on Sungkyunkwan and Chung-Ang Round 2, and SeoulTech Graduate Admission

Sungkyunkwan University's Liberal Studies division recruits only through the Korean track. Only provisional admits who are reapplying may apply. Students admitted to the Liberal Studies division cannot enter the Human Science or Social convergence majors. For school violence disciplinary measures, measure No. 1 results in a deduction of 10% of the standard total score, and measures Nos. 2 to 9 reduce the total score to zero. Sungkyunkwan's application fee and English track requirements could not be confirmed because they do not appear in the body of its official notice.

Chung-Ang University's round 2 does not include the School of Medicine. The round 1 copy listed the School of Medicine (TOPIK level 6, interview), but it is missing from the academic units in the official guidelines for round 2, which is now taking applications. In round 2, portfolios are submitted together with admission documents, and there is no separate practical exam. Tuition is payable in January 2027.

SeoulTech's graduate special admission for international students for March 2027 entry closed after taking applications from October 1 to October 30, 2026. Results are due in mid-December 2026, and applicants who pass the document review will be interviewed. The Korean requirement is TOPIK level 3 (level 6 for the Department of Creative Writing and the Digital Culture Policy major), and the application fee is about $89 (KRW 120,000), the same as for undergraduates. Graduate applications for September 2026 entry were taken from April 20 to May 15, 2026, with results announced on June 26.

What to Check Before Applying

• Checked the intake you are applying for (March or September 2027) and that university's application status.
• Determined whether the Korean requirement applies at the application stage or after admission.
• Checked whether any extra requirements apply to your nationality (Pusan National University, etc.).
• If you took TOEFL on or after January 21, 2026, checked the new-score standard the university lists.
• Scheduled the apostille or consular legalization of your high school documents.
• Confirmed that document arrival and fee payment can be completed by the application deadline.

The dates and amounts in this article are based on notices as of November 9, 2026. Applicants must check each university's original admission guidelines directly before applying.

Detailed articles by university:

• Kyung Hee University spring 2027 international undergraduate admissions
• Pusan National University spring 2027 international undergraduate admissions
• Chung-Ang University spring 2027 international undergraduate admissions
• SeoulTech spring 2027 international admissions
• Ajou University spring 2027 international undergraduate admissions
• Sungkyunkwan University admission guide for international students
• Yonsei University admission guide for international students
• Seoul National University admission guide for international students

Visa procedures after admission are covered in Applying for a D-2 student visa after admission.

--- Schedules, Korean requirements and application fees are based on the March 2027 entry (2027 academic year) and September 2026 entry (2026 academic year) admission guidelines and notices of each university's international affairs and admissions offices (accessed November 9, 2026; Chung-Ang University's round 1 schedule is based on a copy posted by the Korean Education Center in Los Angeles).