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International undergraduate admission, Seoul (Anam) Campus
Korea University
A leading private university in Anam, northeast Seoul. International students apply by holistic document review to a specific major, to an open-major program, or to the Global Open Major, which starts with a year of general studies and Korean.
Admission status
Spring 2027: applications closed Aug 31, 2026; originals had to arrive by Sep 7. Results on Nov 27, 2026. Next intake: Fall 2027. Last year's fall round took applications in March.
Last verified Sep 23, 2026
Quick facts
- Campus
- Anam, Seoul
- Type
- Private
- Intakes
- March and September
- Selection
- Holistic document review
- Quota per major
- None set
- Choices
- 1st and 2nd major
- Application fee
- KRW 150,000 (Fall 2026)
- Visa funds
- KRW 20 million+
Medicine and nursing accept international applicants in the spring intake only. The Sejong campus runs a separate admission.
Ways in
Admission I: choose a major
Apply to a first-choice and optional second-choice major across business, humanities, social sciences, science, engineering, informatics, media, health science and more. Also includes International Studies (English track) and Global Entertainment, which admits international students only.
Open-major options in Admission I
The School of Interdisciplinary Studies lets you pick a primary major from any field later. University College gives you one year of general studies and intensive Korean, then you choose from 46 departments.
Admission II: Global Open Major
Year one in the College of International Studies with general education and Korean. Your major is assigned at the end of year one based on your Korean or English level: for your preferred major you need TOPIK 5, or IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL iBT 100 for English-based majors. You can apply to Admission II and Admission I (first choice only) at the same time.
Key dates for the Spring 2027 intake
| Step | Date (Korea time) | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Online application and PDF upload | Aug 3 to Aug 31, 2026, 5 PM | Apply on the Office of International Affairs site and upload every document as PDF |
| Original documents | Must arrive by Sep 7, 2026, 5 PM | By post with tracking; the office is closed weekends and holidays |
| Results | Nov 27, 2026 | Online only; no individual notification |
| Registration | After results | Full tuition payment, then the certificate of admission for your visa |
Unlike many universities, Korea University wants everything twice: a PDF upload by the online deadline and the paper originals by post. Missing either makes the application invalid.
Who can apply?
Nationality
You and your parents must be non-Korean citizens, with foreign citizenship obtained before you entered high school. Anyone who renounced Korean citizenship must prove it with official documents showing the date.
Education
Twelve years of regular primary and secondary schooling, in Korea or abroad, completed before you start.
Rules that surprise families
The GED, homeschooling, online schooling and language schools don't count as regular schooling. And if the parent with custody has remarried a Korean citizen, the applicant can't apply as an international student, even without a legal adoption.
Language requirements
You submit one proof of Korean or English: a TOPIK or TOPIK iBT (regular test) score, a Korean language center certificate from Korea University or another IEQAS-certified university, an intermediate King Sejong Institute or SKA certificate, a TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic score, or a school letter confirming your entire secondary education was taught in Korean or English. Test scores must be less than two years old. International Studies (English track) requires English proof.
What changed for 2027
Korea University used to offer an online Korean level test for applicants without other proof. From Spring 2027 that option is gone: you need an official score or certificate. Korea JoongAng Daily reports the Korean minimum as TOPIK 3. TOEFL My Best Scores, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS Indicator and the TOPIK iBT trial test aren't accepted.
Your Korean level decides your first year
| Korean level at admission | Intensive Korean | Major courses |
|---|---|---|
| TOPIK 5 or higher | None | No restrictions |
| TOPIK 4 | One semester | Up to 6 major credits per semester |
| TOPIK 3 or lower | Two semesters | Not allowed until training ends |
Some departments exempt students with strong English from intensive Korean. Training earns 3 to 6 elective credits. Based on the Fall 2026 guideline.
Documents you'll need
- Printed online application and statement of purpose
- Consent form and citizenship statement
- Passport photo pages for you and your parents
- Birth certificate or family register showing your parents
- High school transcripts and graduation certificate, with apostille or consular authentication
- Language proof
- Portfolio of up to 10 A4 pages (Art & Design only)
- Optional: school profile, SAT, ACT, AP, IB, A-Levels and other results (up to 10 items)
Where applicants get stuck
Transcripts must explain the grading scale, and you need a transcript from every high school you attended. Self-made translations aren't accepted. To report scores, use KU's codes: ETS 8228, College Board 5443, ACT 2935, IBO 002366. These differ from Yonsei's.
The statement of purpose
Three questions, each up to 800 Korean characters (1,600 bytes) including spaces, written in Korean or English on the application site.
| Question |
|---|
| Your high school curriculum, favourite subjects, and why you chose this major |
| A difficulty you faced because of diversity (age, religion, gender, culture, race and so on) and how you worked to overcome it, focusing on activities outside academics |
| Why Korea University should choose you, and your plans after admission |
The byte limit matters: in English, 1,600 bytes is roughly 250 to 280 words. Based on the Fall 2026 form.
Scholarships for new students
No separate application: every admitted student is considered, and recipients are told with their results.
Full, 8 semesters
Anam Global
The top-ranked admitted student in each academic track. Renewal needs 12+ credits and a 3.5 GPA each semester.
Full, 4 semesters
KU STEM and KU Global Friends
For outstanding STEM students, and for strong students from Africa, South America and other developing countries.
50%, 4 semesters
Global Leader B
For upper-ranking admitted students. Global Leader A goes to those with the highest results. Renewal needs 12+ credits and a 3.0 GPA.
From the Fall 2026 guideline. Tuition itself varies by college; check Korea University's tuition page.
Is Korea University a good fit for you?
A strong fit if you have TOPIK 4 or higher and a clear major in mind: you'll start major courses early.
The English route is International Studies, or the Global Open Major if you can reach IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 100 by the end of year one.
Think twice if you're at TOPIK 3 or below and want to start your major right away: expect a full year of Korean first.
Sources and verification
Korea University Office of International Affairs, Fall 2026 international undergraduate application guide (English), including its pre-announcement for 2027. Spring 2027 dates and TOPIK minimum as reported by Korea JoongAng Daily, July 2026. We could not open the Spring 2027 guideline file directly, so figures marked "Fall 2026" may have changed. Last verified Sep 23, 2026.
Korea University states that the Korean edition of its guideline prevails. Requirements change every intake; always confirm in the official guideline. K-Admission is independent and not affiliated with Korea University.