Top Universities in South Korea

Four steps, in this order. Pick a course you meet the entry requirements for. Sit the English test the university asks for. Apply to the university and get an offer. Then apply for the funding and the visa — in that order, because almost every scholarship wants proof of a place first.

The nine best universities in South Korea for international students are listed on this page. People also search for the top universities in Korea; it is the same list.

The nine on this page. SNU, Yonsei and Korea University lead the list, ranked by QS 2027 position, best first. Each card names the subjects the university is known for, its city, and its QS 2027 world rank.

Where we could verify a QS World University Rankings 2027 position we show it. Where we could not, we leave the number off instead of guessing.

National universities charge roughly ₩2,000,000–₩5,000,000 per semester and private universities ₩4,000,000–₩8,000,000, with medicine and engineering at the top. Many universities cut this by 30–100% with entrance scholarships tied to your grades.

Living costs: ₩8,000,000–₩12,000,000 a year. University dormitories are cheap and widely available to international students.

Yes. Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) fund study in South Korea, and all of them cover tuition plus living costs rather than a partial fee discount.

There are three separate things people mean by scholarships to study in South Korea: a South Korea government scholarship, a South Korea university scholarship awarded by the institution itself, and international awards that happen to fund study here. University entrance scholarships are usually the easiest to win and the least competed for, so ask each of the nine above directly.

Both. A masters in South Korea is the more common route for international students, partly because more funding exists at postgraduate level and partly because it is shorter. Bachelors in South Korea take longer and attract less scholarship money, so plan the budget carefully.

All nine universities above run both. If you are looking specifically at South Korea universities for masters, check whether the course is taught in English before anything else.

The three at the top of the list above — SNU, Yonsei and Korea University. That is the South Korea top universities list as far as reputation goes, and it is the order employers outside the country will recognise.

Prestige and cost do not track each other neatly. Check what each course costs before letting a ranking decide for you.

No — nine. Past that, the differences stop mattering for most applicants, and a longer list mostly makes the decision harder. What separates the places below that is usually research output, which affects your supervisor rather than your degree.

Public universities in South Korea for international students are generally the better value, because their fees are regulated. Private ones charge what they like.

Sometimes — ask before you pay for a test. Most universities will waive an English test if your previous degree was taught in English, and many accept TOEFL, PTE or their own internal test instead of IELTS.

It is decided university by university, never nationally — so check the admissions page of each of the nine above. A blog listing "universities in South Korea without IELTS" will be out of date. Your visa may still require a test even when the university does not.

Cheapest by tuition is rarely cheapest overall. National universities charge roughly ₩2,000,000–₩5,000,000 per semester and private universities ₩4,000,000–₩8,000,000, with medicine and engineering at the top. Many universities cut this by 30–100% with entrance scholarships tied to your grades.

Rent usually moves your total bill more than the fee does, so a lower-ranked university in a smaller city often costs far less than a famous one in the capital. The city is named on every card above for exactly that reason.

Up to 25 hrs/week during term once you have held a D-2 visa for six months and meet the language requirement.

This is worth checking before you choose a country, not after. Post-study work rights change with the government of the day.