• Admission Qualifications for Post-secondary Schools
| Course | Qualifications | Course Length |
|---|---|---|
| Ph. D. | The applicant who has completed a master’s degree | At least 2 years |
| Master’s | The applicant who has completed a bachelor’s degree | At least 2 years |
| Undergraduate | The applicant who has completed primary and secondary education in his/her country of origin (12 years total) | 4~6 years |
| Associate degrees | The applicant who has completed primary and secondary education in his/her country of origin (12 years total) | 2~3 years |
| Language Course | The applicant who has completed secondary education or beyond | 1~2 year(s) |
| Exchange Student | Anyone enrolled at a partner university | 1 semester~1 year |
| Short-term Self-funded Study |
Study at a Korea university on an exchange program with the home university and/or a student on leave or who has graduated from the home university | 1 semester~1 year |
| Vacation Study for Foreigners | Foreign students participating in programs related to Korean Language or Korean studies held during the summer or winter vacations | 2~3 months |
※ Students from countries with school systems which are less than 12 years should submit documentary evidence to prove of completion
of complete schooling from elementary school through high school to the President of the university they intend to enroll in.
of complete schooling from elementary school through high school to the President of the university they intend to enroll in.
• TOPIK: Test of Proficiency in Korean
The Korean government demands a certain level of English or Korean from international students because basic English or Korean skills are needed in order to have a comfortable stay in Korea.
The international students required to submit his/her Test of Proficiency in Korean(TOPIK) scores to apply for a regular degree course in Korea. The Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) is aimed to providing the direction for the study of the Korean language to foreigners who don’t speak Korean as their native language and evaluating their Korean language speaking ability to use the evaluation result for their study abroad and employment.
If international students would like to study in Korea for a regular degree course, it is generally required to submit TOPIK Level 3 or higher accompanied by the admission documents to the corresponding college or university and reach TOPIK Level 4 or higher to graduate. However, if international students would like to apply the courses are given in English, the applicants submit the certificate of English proficiency (ie. TOEFL) and they don’t need to acquire TOPIK scores nor reach TOPIK Level 4 or higher to graduate.
For exchange students, government invited students, foreign government supported students, Korean language students, art & physical education applicants, the required test scores may be alleviated; For more information, please ask your college or university.
The test is held six times a year (in January, April, May, July, October and November) and the yearly test schedule is notified on the TOPIK website at the beginning of every year. The levels are divided into I and II: beginner level for TOPIK I (Levels 1 and 2), advanced level for TOPIK II (Levels 3, 4, 5 and 6). For more information about the test, please refer to the TOPIK website. (http://www.topik.go.kr)
