education in korea essay

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Education System Profiles

Education in south korea.

Deepti Mani, Research Associate, WES, and Stefan Trines, Research Editor, WENR

This education profile describes recent trends in South Korean education and student mobility and provides an overview of the structure of the education system of South Korea. It replaces an earlier version by Hanna Park and Nick Clark.

Introduction: The Priority of Education in the World’s Most Educated Society

By some measures, South Korea—the Republic of Korea—is the most educated country in the world. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 70 percent of 24- to 35-year-olds in the nation of 51.5 million people have completed some form of tertiary education—the highest percentage worldwide and more than 20 percentage points above comparable attainment rates in the United States. Korea also has a top-quality school system when measured by student performance in standardized tests: The country consistently ranks among the best-performing countries in the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment ( PISA ).

At the tertiary level, Korea’s universities have less of a resounding global reputation; nevertheless the country was ranked 22nd among 50 countries in the 2018 Ranking of National Higher Education Systems by the Universitas 21 network of research universities. The Economist Intelligence Unit, meanwhile, recently ranked Korea 12th out of 35 countries in its “Worldwide Educating for the Future Index,” tied with the United States.

Korea’s high educational attainment levels are but one sign of the country’s singular transformation and meteoric economic rise over the past 70 years. Along with the other Asian “tiger economies” of Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan, Korea represents one of the most remarkable economic success stories of the 20th century, envied by many developing countries up to today.

In the 1950s, after the devastating Korean War, Korea was still an impoverished agricultural society and one of the poorest countries in the world. Today, it is the world’s 12th largest economy and the fourth largest in Asia. Seoul—Korea’s capital and main metropolis with nearly 10 million inhabitants—is said to have the highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita after Tokyo, New York, and Los Angeles . Contemporary Korea is an advanced high-tech nation with one of the highest Internet penetration rates on the globe .

A laser focus on education was an important pillar of this extraordinary economic rise. In the 1980s, Korea’s government began to strategically invest in human capital development, research, and technological innovation. Korean households simultaneously devoted much of their resources to education, thereby fueling a drastic expansion in education participation. Between the early 1980s and the mid-2000s, the country’s tertiary gross enrollment ratio increased fivefold , while the number of students in higher education jumped from 539,000 in 1980 to 3.3 million in 2015, per UNESCO data .

In fact, it’s hard to find another country in the world that places greater emphasis on education than South Korea. Educational attainment in contemporary Korea is of paramount social importance and strongly correlated with social mobility, income levels, and positions of power. Graduates of Korea’s top three universities dominate the country and occupy the majority of high-ranking government posts and management positions in Korea’s powerful business conglomerates ( chaebols ).

Competition over admission into top universities is consequently extremely fierce, underscoring Korea’s reputation for having one of the most merciless education systems in the world—usually described as “stressful, authoritarian, brutally competitive, and meritocratic .” Consider that the country’s students devote more time to studying than children in any other OECD country , while parents spend large parts of their income on private tutoring in what has been dubbed an “ educational arms race .” The country is said to have the largest private tutoring industry in the world .

By some accounts, many Korean children spend 16 hours or more a day at school and in after-class prep schools, called hagwons . A 2014 survey by Korea’s National Youth Policy Institute found that nearly 53 percent of high school students didn’t get enough sleep because they studied at night; 90 percent of respondents said that they had less than two hours of spare time on weekdays.

Observers, thus, have described Korean society as having an “almost cult-like devotion to learning ,” with students being “ test-aholics ” steered by “tutor-aholic” parents. Studying long hours at hagwons has become so ubiquitous and excessive that Korean authorities in the 2000’s deemed it necessary to impose curfews, usually at 10 p.m., and patrol prep schools in areas like Seoul’s Gangnam district, where many of these schools are concentrated —only to drive nighttime cram classes underground behind closed doors .

This extreme competitiveness has created a number of social problems: Suicide, for instance, is the leading cause of death among teens in Korea , which has the highest suicide rate overall in the entire OECD. Student surveys have shown that poor grades and fears of failure are major reasons for suicidal thoughts , while Korea simultaneously has a growing teenage drinking problem.

Social pressures to succeed in the labor market, meanwhile, have given rise to a phenomenon called “ employment cosmetics ”—one of the driving factors behind Korea’s boom in cosmetic surgery , since job applicants are commonly required to submit an ID photo, and many employers factor physical attractiveness into their hiring decisions . In another sign of competition at any cost, private household debt in Korea is soaring , driven in part by surging expenditures on education and private tutoring.

Social pressures are further amplified by Korea’s relatively high youth unemployment rate, which stood at 11.2 percent in 2016—a record number not seen since the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. Despite all the time, finances, and emotional resources invested in their education, Korean youth find it increasingly difficult to secure desired quality, socially prestigious jobs. The country’s obsession with higher education continues to sustain a “ college education inflation ,” flooding the Korean labor market with a supply of university graduates that hold degrees of deflated value whose earnings prospects are decreasing.

While a university degree used to be a solid foundation for social success in Korea, observers have noted that many current graduates lack the skills needed for employability in a modern information society, and that the education system is too narrowly focused on university education, while underemphasizing vocational training . Korea’s Confucian-influenced system has also been criticized for relying too much on rote memorization and university entrance prep at the expense of creativity and independent thought.

Notably, and perhaps counterintuitively, the growing unemployment rates among recent university graduates and the increasingly ferocious competition in Korea’s education system exist despite Korea being one of the fastest-aging societies in the world. The country’s fertility rates are in rapid decline , and its college-age population is shrinking.

By 2060, more than 40 percent of the Korean population is expected to be over 65, and the country’s population is projected to shrink by 13 percent to 42.3 million in 2050 . This cataclysmic demographic shift is already causing the closure of schools and universities, as well as reductions in university admissions quotas . If this aging trend can’t be reversed, it could lead to severe labor shortages and jeopardize Korea’s prosperity , if not ruin the country. Korean youths will likely find it much easier to find employment, but they will shoulder the heavy burden of supporting the country’s rapidly growing elderly population.

Education Reforms Under Korea’s New Government: Creating a Less Competitive System

At present, there is already adamant political pushback in Korea against the current state of affairs, notably the rampant favoritism and nepotism in the hiring practices of Korea’s all-powerful chaebols and corruption in the Korean government, laid bare in the criminal embezzlement scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. Following the scandal, leftist President Moon Jae-in won a landslide election victory in May 2017 running on an anti-corruption platform that included promises to reform the education system and reduce youth unemployment.

Moon’s bold education reform proposals seek to eventually integrate all state universities into one large university system. The goal is to reduce competition between institutions and equalize the chances of graduates in Korea’s cutthroat labor market, which is heavily skewed toward graduates of Seoul’s top universities.

The government also plans to reduce university admissions fees, and decongest school curricula and make them more flexible by introducing more elective subjects. Elite private high schools (autonomous schools) and international schools that teach foreign curricula are slated to be turned into tuition-free schools that teach standard national curricula in order to rein in elite schools.

To ensure the longevity of the reforms irrespective of changes in government, they are intended to be implemented by a new independent state education committee, rather than the politically controlled Ministry of Education (MOE). That said, as of this writing no concrete steps have yet been taken to form this new committee.

But the Moon administration is certainly pushing ahead with reforms. Current policy initiatives focus on decreasing competition in university admissions, thereby making access to education and employment more socially equitable, and reducing the influence of prestigious universities, notably the country’s top three institutions: Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University, collectively referred to as “SKY universities.” Since admissions tests at top universities are so demanding that they can only be passed with the help of extensive private tutoring, the government in 2017 ordered several universities to ease their admission tests—a move intended to curb private tutoring and improve the chances of students from low-income households, who are unable to afford expensive prep schools.

Other recent reforms include the adoption of “blind hiring” procedures in the public sector —a practice the government wants to extend to the private sector as well. Under the new guidelines, applicants no longer have to reveal the name of their university or GPAs on their application, nor provide personal information about age, weight, or family background, or submit a head shot.

The goal of the reforms is to make hiring decisions based mostly on specific job-related skills. Some private employers have started to hire candidates based on audition-type presentations or skills examinations, rather than academic and personal background, but there is nevertheless strong resistance to blind hiring from companies and privileged graduates of top universities. President Moon’s education reform agenda is no doubt ambitious and groundbreaking, but it remains to be seen if the government can prevail in realizing all its objectives, given the vested interests of elitist “old-boy networks” in chaebols and top universities.

Outbound Student Mobility

Despite a recent slump in overseas enrollments by Korean students, Korea is one of the top sending countries of international students worldwide after China, India and Germany. The number of Koreans enrolled in degree programs abroad peaked at 128,994 in 2011, after doubling from 64,943 in 1997, according to data provided by the UNESCO Institute of Statistics ( UIS ). Since then, the number of degree-seeking Korean international students has decreased by 15.8 percent to an estimated 108,608 students in 2017.

Trends in Korean outbound mobility are driven by a number of influences, including economic factors, increased participation rates and demand-supply gaps in higher education, demographic trends, and the rising demand for English language education.

In the decades leading up to the 2011 peak, the number of Korean youths completing upper-secondary school surged, drastically increasing the pool of potential international students, while simultaneously exacerbating supply shortages that made access to quality university education increasingly difficult and competitive. Robust economic growth and rising prosperity simultaneously allowed more people to afford an overseas education.

The rapid expansion of the higher education system also led to the creation of growing numbers of private institutions of lesser quality with only a minority of the very best students admitted to the top institutions. This trend incentivized greater numbers of students to pursue education abroad, especially since Korean society came to value English-language education. These developments created a fertile environment for Korean outbound student mobility.

Korea’s demographic decline has since shrunk the college-age population and reduced the number of Korean students, affecting not only domestic enrollments, but also the total number of students heading overseas: The country’s outbound student mobility ratio 1  has dropped from 3.8 percent in 2011 to 3.3 percent in 2016. That said, the current downturn is not only due to demographic change.

Reasons for the Slowdown in Outbound Student Flows

One of the reasons for this contraction is that it has become increasingly difficult for Koreans to afford an expensive overseas education. Korea’s economic expansion has lost steam in recent years, making double-digit growth rates a thing of the past—GDP growth dropped from 6.5 percent in 2010 to 3 percent in 2017 ( World Bank ).

Korea’s economic slowdown has been accompanied by rising household debt, which hit a record high in 2017, fueled by soaring housing costs , high interest rates, and growing expenditures on education, including private tutoring. The McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) noted in a 2013 study that more than 50 percent of middle class households were “cashflow-constrained” and that Korea now has the lowest private savings rate in the OECD .

In addition, unemployment among university graduates is not only high, it exceeds unemployment rates among graduates of vocational high schools, leaving many families doubting if an expensive university degree is still worth it, according to MGI .

With respect to overseas education, such considerations are likely influenced by the fact that some Korean employers are reluctant to hire graduates of foreign schools. In fact, a foreign degree can be a liability in Korea’s hierarchical work environment. Graduates of overseas schools lack the social connections domestic students are able to develop—which are so critical to finding employment in Korea . As the New York Times put it , the “edge that a foreign degree gives a South Korean graduate” has worn off in the wake of ever-increasing numbers of Koreans earning foreign degrees. Many Korean families now worry “that overseas study is no longer the guarantee of economic security that it once was.”

Moreover, since Korean universities increasingly offer English-taught programs, there is less incentive to study abroad to improve English skills. Dwindling student numbers, meanwhile, have narrowed the demand and supply gap in higher education to the extent that the Korean government is now forced to close down growing numbers of universities. This is bound to affect cost-benefit calculations, especially since the Korean government is simultaneously undertaking heightened efforts to improve the quality of its higher education institutions (HEIs), while ramping up scholarship funding .

The Korean government recently also subsidized the establishment of foreign branch campuses on a newly created “ global university campus ” in the Incheon Free Economic Zone close to Seoul. Having foreign branch campuses in Korea means that Koreans can now earn a foreign degree without leaving the country. The State University of New York at Stony Brook, George Mason University, the University of Utah, and Belgium’s Ghent University now operate branch campuses in Incheon. In addition, Germany’s University of Nürnberg is running a branch campus in Busan, while the STC-Netherlands Maritime University operates a campus in Gwangyang City, and the Scottish University of Aberdeen is expected to soon open a campus at Hadong .

Korean Students in the U.S.

The U.S. is by far the most popular study destination among Korean students. Fully 57 percent of Koreans enrolled in degree programs abroad studied in the U.S. in 2017, followed by Japan (12 percent), Australia (6 percent), the United Kingdom (5 percent), and Canada (4.5 percent), as per UIS data . France, Malaysia, New Zealand, China, and Italy are other top destination countries for Koreans.

In the U.S., Korea remains the third-largest sending country of international students after China and India, despite a significant drop in enrollments in recent years. According to the Open Doors data of the Institute of International Education (IIE), Korean enrollments declined by almost 22 percent since the 2008/09 academic year and stood at 58,663 in 2016/17. Year-over-year enrollment growth from Korea has persistently declined since 2011/12, whereas year-over-year growth for China and India increased by approximately 12 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

Further declines are likely. According to SEVIS student visa data provided by the Department of Homeland Security, the number of Koreans holding active F and M student visas decreased from 71,206 to 67,326 between March 2017 and March 2018.

The most popular fields of study of Korean students in the U.S. are business and management, engineering, social sciences, and fine and applied arts, according to Open Doors . Most Korean students study at the undergraduate level. Between 2015/16 and 2016/17, undergraduate enrollments declined by 8 percent while graduate enrollments only dropped by about 1 percent. However, 51 percent of students were still enrolled at the undergraduate level, compared with 28 percent at the graduate level and 21 percent in Optional Practical Training and non-degree programs.

By most accounts, Korean students are interested in studying in the U.S. because of the standing and reputation of U.S. institutions in world university rankings. They also want to learn English, acquire experience abroad, and improve their employment prospects in Korea . However, as mentioned before, the return on investment in a foreign degree has diminished, and Korean students are increasingly strapped for funds. Rising tuition costs in the U.S. therefore don’t work in favor of increased student inflows from Korea.

Other Destination Countries

The picture in other destination countries is mixed. Per UIS, the number of Korean students enrolled in degree programs in Japan has plunged by more than 50 percent since 2011 and decreased from 25,961 students to only 12,951 students in 2016, although Korea is still the fourth-largest sending country in Japan overall. Australia, likewise, saw Korean enrollments in degree programs drop by 23 percent between 2011 and 2016 despite a record-breaking surge in international enrollments in general. According to the latest Australian government data , this downward trend is currently continuing.

China, on the other hand, is quickly becoming a popular destination. According to IIE’s Project Atlas, the number of Korean students in China increased by more than 11 percent since 2013 and currently stands at 70,540 . Since China is Korea’s most important trading partner, fluency in Mandarin is a considerable asset in Korea’s job market. As NAFSA’s International Educator notes, geographic proximity, cultural similarities, and lower tuition costs than in Western countries are other draws for Korean students . Korea is currently the largest sending country of international students to China, as per Project Atlas. (Note that Project Atlas data, like other data cited below, are not directly comparable to UIS data, since they are based a different method for counting international students). 2

Despite the growing attractiveness of China, English remains the most coveted foreign language for Koreans, and Korea is one of the largest markets for English language training (ELT) worldwide. Instead of enrolling in academic degree programs in countries like the U.S., growing numbers of Koreans now seek to improve their English skills in more affordable ELT schools in places like Malta or the Philippines.

As we noted in another article , the Philippines in particular has become a popular “budget ELT destination” for Koreans “that is easily reachable via short direct flights and affords students the opportunity to combine ELT with beachside vacations.” The Philippines’ ambassador to the U.S.  stated in 2015 that “there are more and more Koreans … studying English in the Philippines…. In 2004, there were about 5,700…. The following year, it tripled to about 17,000, in 2012 it was about 24,000.” Meanwhile, in the U.S., Korean ELT enrollments have dropped by 17 percent since 2015.

Korean Students in Canada

The number of Korean students in Canada has declined significantly over the past decade. In 2000, Korea used to be the largest sending country of international students, but it has since been taken over by China and was in 2010 pushed to third place amid surging enrollments from India. According to statistics from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), there were 23,050 Korean students in Canada in 2017—25 percent less than in 2007 when enrollments peaked at 36,800. However, since 2015 Korean enrollments are back on a growth trajectory and have most recently increased by 9 percent between 2016 and 2017.

The reasons for this reversal are unclear, but the shift in trends coincided with Canada expanding its admission quotas for skilled immigrants—a factor that may have played at least some role in attracting more Koreans to the country. Korea is the 10th largest country of origin of recent immigrants in Canada; 6.5 percent of Korean international students in Canada transitioned to permanent residency in 2015 (the fourth largest group after Chinese, Filipinos, and Indians). The growing unpopularity of the U.S. in the Trump era, and opportunities to participate in research collaborations and scholarship programs , may also have played a role. ELT, on the other hand, doesn’t appear to be a factor—Korean ELT enrollments have remained flat between 2014 and 2017 , despite increased recruitment efforts by Canadian ELT providers.

Inbound Student Mobility

Korea currently pursues an internationalization strategy that seeks to increase the number of international students in the country to 200,000 by 2023 . Attracting more international students is considered necessary to compensate for declines in domestic enrollments and to strengthen the international competitiveness of Korea’s education system. Various measures have been adopted to achieve these objectives. They range from scholarship programs and marketing campaigns, to the easing of student visa requirements and restrictions on post-study work, as well as allowing Korean universities to set up departments and programs specifically for international students .

These efforts are bearing fruit. Korea today has four times as many international students than in 2006, and it is becoming an increasingly important international education hub in Asia. Korea’s ambitions were set back when the number of international students declined between 2012 and 2014, but inbound mobility has since increased strongly. In 2018, the number of international students enrolled in degree and non-degree programs reached a record high of 142,205 , after growing by 70 percent over 2014 . According to the latest available government statistics , 37 percent of international students were enrolled in undergraduate programs in 2016, compared with 23 percent in graduate programs and 39.5 percent in non-degree programs.

The overwhelming majority of international students in Korea come from other Asian countries—in 2018, 48 percent of students came from China, followed by Vietnam (19 percent), Mongolia (5 percent), and Japan (3 percent). Other sending countries include the U.S., Uzbekistan, Taiwan, France, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of Chinese students spiked by more than 13 percent, while enrollments from Vietnam skyrocketed by 96 percent. More than 57 percent of international students study in the Seoul metropolitan area .

Despite these increases in international student inflows, Korea still struggles to fully open up to the outside world and internationalize its education system. Surveys have shown that students from China and other Asian countries often feel discriminated against and face high hurdles when seeking employment after graduation. Foreign Western faculty, meanwhile, reportedly feel unintegrated; many of them leave after short tenures . As Korean researchers have noted, there is not enough intercultural exchange between domestic and international students in Korea’s sometimes exclusivist culture. They criticize that the growing diversity on Korean campuses is “just for show … that Korean universities primarily attract foreign students as a means to clear ends. The universities want them to come to enhance university prestige or create ‘education hubs’ and [improve] international higher education rankings.”

In Brief: The Education System of South Korea

Korea’s education system underwent a tremendous expansion since the end of the Korean War. In 1945, Korea had an estimated adult literacy rate of only 22 percent. Less than 2 percent of the population was enrolled in higher education. Today, the country has achieved universal adult literacy, estimated to range between 98 and 100 percent , and the tertiary gross enrollment ratio stands at a lofty 93 percent (2015).

Influenced by the U.S. occupation of South Korea, the country adopted a school system patterned after the U.S. system: It comprises six years of elementary education and six years of secondary education, divided into three years of middle school and three years of high school.

In the 1950s, elementary education was made compulsory for all children, which led to the universalization of elementary education by the 1960s. Beginning in 1985, the length of compulsory education was then extended by another three years, and all children in Korea are now mandated to stay in school until the end of grade nine (age 15). In reality, however, this minimum requirement is of little practical relevance in present-day Korea. As of 2014, 98 percent of Koreans went on to upper-secondary and completed high school at minimum. The advancement rate from lower-secondary middle school to upper-secondary high school stood at 99 percent as early as 1996.

Since the 1960s, enrollment rates in the school system spiked drastically in tandem with rapid industrialization and the achievement of universal elementary education. According to data provided by the Korean MOE , the number of high schools in Korea alone increased from 640 in 1960 to 2,218 in 2007, while the number of students enrolled in these schools jumped from 273,434 in 1960 to 2.3 million in 1990. This sudden expansion overburdened the system and resulted in overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages —problems that caused the Korean government to begin levying a dedicated education tax in 1982 in order to generate revenues for accommodating growing demand.

The aging of the population has since eased pressures somewhat and led to significantly lower numbers of children enrolling in the school system—leading to other problems, discussed below. According to UNESCO data , the number of elementary students dropped from 4 million in 2005 to 2.7 million in 2015, while the number of upper-secondary students recently decreased from close to 2 million in 2009 to 1.8 million in 2015.

This demographic shift has caused the closure of thousands of schools throughout Korea, almost 90 percent of them located in rural regions, which are increasingly being bled out by a rapid out-migration to the cities. As the New York Times noted in 2015 , since 1982 “… nearly 3,600 schools have closed across South Korea, most of them in rural towns, for lack of children. Today, many villages look like ghost towns, with … once-bustling schools standing in weedy ruins ….” However, despite this demographic shift, Korea in 2015 still had some of the largest lower-secondary class sizes in the OECD, as well as an above-average teacher-to-student ratio in upper-secondary education—circumstances that are likely due to rapidly growing enrollments in urban areas.

Traditionally, Korean schools have been segregated by sex—coeducational schools did not begin to emerge until the 1980s. Only 5 percent of Korea’s schools were coeducational as of 1996 . The number of coeducational schools has since increased significantly, but the majority of Korea’s schools are still single-sex. Even at coeducational schools, individual classes may still be taught separately for girls and boys. In Seoul, about one-third of high schools are coeducational with pupils in the city being randomly assigned to single-sex and coeducational schools.

Administration of the Education System

Korea has 17 administrative divisions: nine provinces, six metropolitan cities—which have equal status to the provinces—and Seoul, which is designated as a special city. In addition there is the special autonomous city of Sejong, which was recently created to become Korea’s new administrative capital in an attempt to reduce the influence of Seoul, Korea’s towering economic and administrative center. Another goal is to stimulate economic development in other parts of the country . Sejong City now houses the majority of government ministries and agencies, including the administrative headquarters of the MOE, which controls most aspects of education.

According to the MOE’s website , it “plans and coordinates educational policies, formulates policies that govern the primary, secondary, and higher educational institutes, publishes and approves textbooks, provides administrative and financial support for all levels of the school system, supports local education offices and national universities, operates the teacher training system and is responsible for overseeing lifelong education and developing human resource policies.”

Korea has historically had a centralized system of government. However, Korea’s administrative divisions and municipal governments have over the decades been given much greater autonomy in terms of budgeting and administration of the school system in order to better accommodate local needs. There were 17 provincial and metropolitan offices and 176 district offices administering education at the local level in 2016. That said, local autonomy is limited and overall education policies are set at the national level, while higher education remains under the auspices of the national MOE.

In devising policies, the MOE relies on advice from the Educational Policy Advisory Council, a body consisting of rotating experts from various fields in education. The quality assurance and accreditation of universities falls under the purview of the Korean Council for University Education ( KCUE ), an independent, non-governmental university association.

Academic Calendar and Language of Instruction

The academic year in Korea runs from March to February, divided by a summer break in July/August and a winter break in December/January. Korean children attend classes 5.5 days a week and spend about 220 days a year in school versus 175 to 180 days in the United States. The academic calendar at universities is typically divided into two four-month semesters with a two-month break between each semester.

Korean is the language of instruction in schools, even though private international schools and certain specialized high schools offer English-medium instruction (EMI). In higher education, Korean is still predominant, but EMI has spread rapidly since the 1990s, when the Korean government started to encourage universities to offer English-taught classes. Some universities, like the Pohang University of Science and Technology, now teach more than 90 percent of their courses in English. About 30 percent of lectures at Korea’s top 10 universities were taught in English as of 2013—a sign that EMI is being pursued vigorously by Korean universities, partially because it affects international university rankings and makes Korean institutions more attractive to international students .

English language teaching is generally highly prioritized in Korea, since it’s the language of international business and science, and English competency is highly important for employment prospects, university admissions, and social status . The government systematically promotes high-quality English language teaching, and there have been suggestions by previous governments to make English the main language of instruction in schools. Private households, meanwhile, spend large sums of money on private English tutoring. Many Korean children now start learning English in kindergarten before entering elementary education . This craze for learning English has become so excessive, that the Korean government in 2018 banned the teaching of English prior to third grade, since it appeared to slow pupils ’ proficiency in Korean . Officially, English is introduced as a subject in third grade at all Korean schools.

Elementary Education

Elementary education is provided free of charge at public schools and is six years in duration. It starts at the age of six, even though gifted students may sometimes be allowed to enter at age five. Although preschool is not compulsory, about 90 percent of children age three to five attend it.

Many pupils attend private kindergartens, often for the entire day, but the government has over the past decades expanded public options, and since 2012/13 provided universal, free, half-day preschool programs , so as not to disadvantage children from lower-income households. Free public full-day programs are currently being planned as well.

Pupils study a set national curriculum that is updated every 10 years; the latest revision was adopted in 2015. During the first two years, pupils study Korean, mathematics, ethics, and general social formation subjects called “wise living,” “pleasant living,” and “we are first graders.” English, social studies, science, arts, music, and physical education are added in the third grade, at which point the social formation subjects are no longer offered. Promotion and graduation are based on internal school-based tests and assessments at all stages of the Korean school system. In an attempt to move away from an overly test-driven system, the current curriculum emphasizes the fostering of creative thinking and prioritizes essays over multiple-choice tests .

Lower-Secondary Education (Middle School)

Lower-secondary education lasts three years (grades seven to nine) and concludes with the award of a certificate of graduation from middle school. The subjects taught are the same as in elementary education, except for the addition of either technical education or home science. Notably, pupils now enjoy a “free semester” in which they don’t have to take written examinations or pass other school assessments—a change that was introduced to promote “ happy education for all children .”

Lower-secondary education is provided free of charge at both public and private schools and is open to all pupils who have completed elementary education—there are no entrance examinations. To avoid competition over admission into desired schools, the Korean government since the 1970s implemented a so-called school “equalization policy” that took admissions decisions away from schools and placed them under government control. Today, this policy covers all middle schools, which means that all elementary school graduates are being assigned to schools within their districts via a computerized lottery system. Private schools are mandated to teach the national curriculum and offer tuition-free education in return for receiving subsidies from the government . According to UNESCO , 18 percent of lower-secondary students and 43 percent of upper-secondary students were enrolled in private schools in 2015.

Upper-Secondary Education (High School)

Upper-secondary education in Korea is neither compulsory nor free. It is much more diversified than lower-secondary education. While all high school programs last for three years (grades 10 to 12), they are taught by a variety of different schools, such as general academic high schools and special-purpose high schools, that offer specialized education in areas like foreign languages, arts, sports, or science.

In addition, there are specialized vocational high schools that offer employment-geared education, as well as designated autonomous high schools, which are mostly privately run elite institutions that have greater autonomy over their curricula, and which were originally created to diversify school options in Korea.

However, the future of these autonomous institutions is currently uncertain. The Moon administration has criticized autonomous schools for being little more than exclusivist prep schools for admission into top universities, and seeks to convert them into regular schools . Autonomous schools are very expensive and elitist, admitting only the highest scoring students, and therefore seen as exacerbating social inequalities.

In 2016, 71.7 percent of upper-secondary students were enrolled in general academic schools, compared with 16.6 percent in specialized vocational schools and around 11.5 percent in autonomous schools and special-purpose schools, although these percentages fluctuate from year to year. Enrollments in vocational schools, for instance, have dropped drastically since the 1990s , presumably because of growing social preferences for university education and Korea’s shift from an industrial to a service-based economy.

Admission requirements at Korean high schools vary and depend on the type and location of the school. Korean authorities have been less forceful in implementing school equalization for high schools than for middle schools—only about 60 percent of upper-secondary schools are currently located within so-called “ equalization zones .” In these districts, admission is based on a lottery system, provided that students pass a general competency examination. Outside of equalization zones, however, admission is highly competitive and driven by free market mechanisms, which means that eligibility is usually determined by GPAs and entrance examinations, as well as interviews or teacher recommendations.

General Academic High School

All students in general academic high schools study a common core curriculum in grade 10, which features largely the same subjects as the middle school curriculum. In grades 11 and 12, students then choose elective subjects in addition to common subjects like Korean, mathematics, English, and a second foreign language.

Until recently, students had to choose between a natural science-oriented stream and a liberal arts-focused stream, but these streams have been abolished under the current curriculum. In an attempt to make education more holistic and to foster creative thinking, students can now freely choose subjects from both streams . Available subjects include physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, history, geography, economics, or politics. Most students choose their electives based on their intended field of study in university.

Promotion to the next grade is based on educational assessment and evaluation, with midterm and final exams at the end of each semester. Academic transcripts usually provide detailed information about academic performance, class ranking, and attendance. Students who complete all required 204 credit units are awarded a certificate of graduation from high school.

Specialized (Vocational) High Schools

The name of vocationally oriented high schools has changed over the years—they used to be called vocational high schools, then technical high schools, but are currently referred to as “specialized schools.” Vocational upper-secondary education prepares students for entry into the labor force as skilled workers, as well as for further education. The curriculum is divided into a general education component of about 32 percent . About 42 percent is vocational study, with the remainder devoted to other learning activities, which may include industrial internships.

Students study the standard academic core curriculum in grade 10 before specializing in a vocational field, such as business, agriculture, engineering, technology, fishery, or marine transportation in grades 11 and 12. The majority of vocational high schools currently use learning modules developed by the MOE and the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training on the basis of Korea’s National Competency Standards framework .

Graduates are awarded certificates of graduation that are formally equivalent to high school diplomas from other types of schools and that provide access to tertiary education. However, far fewer (and decreasing) graduates in the vocational track pursue higher education. Many continue their studies at junior colleges rather than at four-year universities .

The Korean government seeks to promote labor market entry directly after high school and strengthen vocational skills training with an “employment first, advancement to university later ” approach. To this end, Korea in 2008 established a new type of vocational school, the so-called Meister schools, which teach curricula tailored to industry needs in fields like banking, social services, dental hygiene, maritime industries, or semiconductor development . These curricula are developed in coordination with local companies and incorporate industrial internships; teaching faculty may include industry experts.

Even though only 4 percent of high school students were enrolled in Meister schools as of 2013, these well-funded schools have raised the public’s awareness of vocational high schools in Korea and made them more attractive, especially since the partnering government agencies and companies—which include chaebols like LG Electronics—typically guarantee employment for graduates.

Meister school graduates are not allowed to enroll in universities until they work full time for three consecutive years. However, entry into tertiary education has been eased by growing numbers of HEIs adopting special admissions policies that allow Meister school graduates to enroll without sitting for the national college examinations, after completing their three years of full-time employment.

University Admissions

All Korean high school students who intend to apply to university must pass the national University College Scholastic Ability Test ( CSAT ), commonly called Suneung in Korean, administered by the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE). Held in November each year, this high-stakes examination is a major event during which businesses and the stock market open late to prevent traffic jams , while bus and subway services are increased to ensure that students arrive on time. In 2017, about 593,000 high school students registered for the Suneung. Underscoring the importance of the exams, air traffic in Korea is suspended during the listening section of the eight-hour test.

Depending on their desired academic majors, students choose nine examination subjects from the fields of Korean language, mathematics, English, “investigation” (that is, social studies, science, or vocational education), and a second foreign language or Chinese characters ( Hanja ) and literary classics. Korean history is a mandatory subject for all candidates. Some subjects can be taken at two different levels of difficulty. Students that take the CSAT can apply to three different universities at a time.

The test is mostly in multiple-choice format; the final CSAT report lists the scores as well as percentile rankings in all subjects except for English and Korean history. While the vast majority of candidates pass the test, students who fail can retake it. Increasing numbers of students also retake the exams to improve their scores or because they wish to switch majors .

The CSAT scores are a key admission criterion at many universities; near-perfect CSAT scores are a baseline admission threshold at top institutions like the SKY universities. Several Korean HEIs admit students based on a combination of high school records and the CSAT.

However, universities are not obligated to use the CSAT results for admissions. In 2018, only 22.7 percent of freshman students were admitted exclusively on the basis of CSAT scores, whereas the majority of students were admitted based on other criteria, such as high school grade averages, university admissions tests, essays and letters of recommendation, practical tests, extracurricular activities, or interviews. Most of these admissions are through “early admissions,” for which candidates apply in September before the annual CSAT exams in November.

Even though the Suneung is considered one of the most challenging university entrance examinations in the world, several Korean universities conduct major-related entrance examinations in addition to CSAT, which tests students’ knowledge of the standard high school curriculum. University admissions in Korea are highly competitive, especially at top institutions like the SKY universities, which admit only the top 2 percent of CSAT scorers.

The current Korean government considers the CSAT the most objective and socially equitable admission criterion; it is seeking to increase use of the test in university admissions. It recently mandated that universities admit at least 30 percent of their students based on the Suneung by 2022 . At the same time, the MOE is attempting to make passing the examination easier by replacing percentile rankings with absolute grading in the second foreign language and Chinese characters subject tests within the next four years.

In addition, the government promotes policies similar to affirmative action by requiring mandatory special admissions quotas for students from rural regions. Given the ubiquity of private tutoring, students from rural regions and lower income households tend to score lower in the CSAT and are disadvantaged in university admissions in general compared with students from affluent metropolitan centers like Seoul.

Overall, admissions quotas at Korean universities, which are set by the MOE for both public and private institutions, are currently being reduced drastically because of population aging and the concomitant decline in tertiary enrollments. In August 2018, the Korean government announced that more than 50 HEIs will face cuts of up to 35 percent in their student intake in 2019.

Other institutions are urged to voluntarily decrease their intake, or are being merged, ordered to share professors, or closed down altogether. In 2017, the MOE already shuttered eight “unviable” universities . The Korean Educational Development Institute estimated in 2011 that about 100 universities will have to be closed by 2040 . By some accounts , the number of tertiary students in Korea will by then have decreased by more than 50 percent.

Higher Education

Like its school system, Korea’s higher education system is patterned after that of the United States. Its standard structure includes associate degrees awarded by junior colleges, and four-year bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees awarded by universities.

Between 2011 and 2016, the number of Korean students who entered higher education programs declined by 10 percent . After rapidly increasing by 419 percent between 1980 and 2000, the total number of tertiary enrollments in Korea, likewise, has recently decreased from 3.7 million in 2013 to 3.4 million in 2017, as per the Korean Educational Statistics Service ( KESS ). About 60 percent of these students are enrolled in undergraduate programs at universities, 30.5 percent at junior colleges and other institutions, and 9.5 percent in graduate programs. According to UNESCO , more than 58 percent of tertiary students in 2016 were men, even though enrollments by women have grown appreciably in recent years—in 2000 women made up only a third of the tertiary student population.

Higher Education Institutions

As of 2016, there were 430 HEIs in Korea compared with only 265 in 1990 . Exploding demand for university education over the past decades has been accompanied by a rapidly growing number of private providers springing up to accommodate this demand. More than 80 percent of HEIs are now privately owned—a fact that is mirrored in 80 percent of tertiary students being enrolled in private institutions, per UNESCO.

Private HEIs include top research universities like Korea University, Sungkyunkwan University, and Yonsei University, as well as various for-profit providers of lesser quality . The size, quality, and funding levels of Korea’s HEIs differ greatly, resulting in a stratified university system dominated by prestigious top institutions in Seoul. The largest Korean HEI in terms of enrollments is the Korea National Open University, a public distance education provider with more than 136,000 students headquartered in Seoul.

Korea’s HEIs have historically been tightly regulated by the government, even though restrictions on universities have been eased significantly since the mid-1990s , and the MOE currently seeks to further increase the autonomy of HEIs. Public institutions are directly supervised by the MOE and private HEIs operate under similar rules as public institutions. In other words, they are constrained by a higher degree of regulation than private HEIs in other countries.

Korean HEIs include 138 junior colleges, the vast majority of them private, and 189 universities—a group that comprises national universities and private institutions. Most universities are multi-disciplinary institutions that comprise multiple departments, but there are also mono-specialized universities like the engineering-focused Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. In addition, there are 10 specialized universities of education, two industrial universities, a number of polytechnics, and distance education universities, as well as other providers like “intra-company universities” set up for employees in specific industries. There are 1,153 graduate schools, almost all of which are incorporated into universities, but may also operate as stand-alone institutions. (All numbers are according to 2017 KESS statistics. For a classification of different types of HEIs, see the MOE’s website .)

Beyond merging and closing institutions amid demographic decline, the Korean government currently seeks to strengthen industrial-academic cooperation and restructure several universities into smaller, more specialized, and more research-oriented institutions that have greater autonomy in order to create world-class institutions that concentrate on graduate education. Universities in provincial regions are being supported through the imposition of mandatory employment quotas for local graduates in local industries. 3

Quality Assurance and Accreditation

HEIs can only be set up with the approval of the MOE, which has wide-ranging authority over matters like curricula, degree structures, admissions quotas, or the hiring of faculty. In 2010, Korea implemented a mandatory independent accreditation process for universities under the purview of the Korean University Accreditation Institute (KUAI), an organization affiliated with the Korean Council of University Education, a private association of Korea’s universities. In addition to institutional KUAI accreditation, degree programs in professional disciplines are accredited individually by bodies like the Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea, the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation , or the Korea Architectural Accrediting Board .

Institutional KUAI accreditation is granted for periods of five years, whereas program-based accreditation is typically granted for periods of from four to six years. In the case of shortcomings, institutions and programs are accredited conditionally for two- or three-year periods during which institutions must address inadequacies. Institutions are evaluated via self-assessment, site inspections, and other objective criteria.

Quality criteria stipulated by the KUAI include adequate financial and management structures, teaching staff, facilities, student retention rates, learning outcomes, research output, student satisfaction, and commitment to quality improvement and social contributions to local communities and economic development. As of 2018, 170 universities had obtained accreditation from KUAI.

To promote quality in higher education and establish criteria for the inevitable downsizing and closure of HEIs, the government of former President Park Geun-hye also introduced a new evaluation system for HEIs that ranked universities in five different categories, from excellent to very poor (A to E). HEIs ranked excellent were allowed to voluntarily reduce their student intake, while all others became subject to mandatory capacity cuts, funding cuts, or merger or closure, depending on their ranking. More than 25 universities were classified as poor in 2017 and are in danger of closure in the near future .

In response to sharp criticism of the ranking , the Moon administration has made some changes to the evaluation process, but in 2018 ordered further cuts in university seats, which are slated to be reduced by an additional 120,000 seats by 2023 . Ranking is tied to government funding: Top-performing HEIs are designated as “autonomously competent” institutions and rewarded with higher funding levels. 4

International University Rankings

Given Korea’s high level of economic development and its strong focus on education, Korean top universities don’t fare as well in international university rankings as Korean policy makers would like them to. Various initiatives, from the “Brain Pool” and “ Brain Korea 21 ” programs of the 1990s to the current Industry-University Cooperation project , have therefore been dedicated to boosting the research output and international competitiveness of Korean universities.

In the late 2000s, Korea allocated approximately USD$600 million to the recruitment of foreign researchers in an initiative called “ world class university ” program. Such initiatives helped to significantly increase the percentage of foreign faculty at Korean HEIs 5  and fueled rapid increases in research output . For instance, Korea is now the world’s leading country in publishing academic research in collaboration with industry partners. However, despite strong advances in modernization and internationalization, the Korean education system is still somewhat insular and its HEIs continue to trail other Asian countries like China, Japan and India in terms of international journal citations and other ranking criteria like employer reputation .

There are two Korean universities ranked among the top 100 in the current 2019 Times Higher Education World University Rankings – the flagship Seoul National University – SNU (ranked at 63rd place) and Sungkyunkwan University, a private institution said to be East Asia’s oldest university, at position 82. This compares to three Chinese, two Japanese and two Singaporean universities among the top 100. Ten Korean universities are included in the current Shanghai ( ARWU ) Rankings, but none among the top 100. This compares to 51 Chinese universities and 16 Japanese included in the top 500, six of them among the top 100. SNU and Sungkyunkwan University are the highest ranked Korean institutions.

In the QS World University Rankings , Korean universities have advanced noticeably in recent years – there are now five Korean universities featured among the top 100 compared with only three in 2016. Seoul National University ranks 36th worldwide and is the 11th highest ranked institution among Asian universities, followed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (rank 40), Pohang University of Science and Technology (83), Korea University (86), and Sungkyunkwan University (100).

Education Spending

Compared to other OECD countries, a high share of education expenditures in Korea is borne by private households making said expenditures a pressing social issue – fully 64 percent of tertiary education spending came from private sources in 2015. The share of private spending in elementary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education is much lower – 14 percent in 2013 – but total private expenditures related to schooling are rising and reached a record high in 2017 .

Both public and private HEIs, in particular, are heavily dependent on tuition fees, which average USD$8.500 per annum and range anywhere from USD$1,500 to USD$20,000 per semester, depending on the program and institution . Tuition fee hikes caused growing social resistance and student protests in recent years. In response, the Korean government enacted substantial tuition cuts and expanded scholarship funding . Korean students are also eligible for government loans.

Overall, public spending on education has increased significantly in recent years, causing the share of private expenditures to drop by 24 percent between 2008 and 2013, according to the OECD . Per UNESCO , public education spending as a share of GDP grew from 4.86 percent in 2011 to 5.25 percent in 2015. While that is pretty high for a developed economy, government spending per tertiary student still remains below OECD average. Education spending as a percentage of all government expenditures has fluctuated over the past decade and stood at 18.2 percent in 2017. 6 Total government expenditures on education have tripled since 2000 and will be increased by another 10.5 percent to 70.9 trillion won (USD$63.9 billion) in 2019 .

Credit System and Higher Education Grading Scales

The credit system and grading scales used by Korean HEIs closely resemble those of the United States. One Korean credit unit usually denotes one contact hour (50 minutes) taken over 15 or 16 weeks, and most courses bear three credit units. Most four-year bachelor’s programs require at least 130 credits for graduation, even though 140-credit programs also exist. Two-year master’s programs usually require at least 24 credits plus a thesis for graduation, but some programs have higher credit requirements.

Typical grading scales include 0-100 numerical scales with 60 (D) being the minimum passing grade for individual courses at the undergraduate level. In addition, there are A-F letter grading scales, of which there are two variations with either 4.3 or 4.5 as the highest grade point (see below). Graduation from undergraduate programs usually requires an overall grade point average of at least 70 or C (2.00). At the graduate level, graduation generally requires a minimum final GPA of 3.0 (B or 80). The passing grade for individual courses in graduate programs may be higher than in undergraduate programs (that is, 70 or C). Academic transcripts commonly feature grading scale legends, as well as an explanation of the credit system.

The Higher Education Degree Structure

Associate Degrees ( Junmunhaksa )

Korea’s junior colleges, polytechnics, industrial universities, and some other universities offer two- or three-year vocationally oriented post-secondary programs leading to associate degrees in fields like engineering, business administration, health care, fashion design, social work, secretarial studies, or agriculture. Most programs are two years in length (75 to 80 credits), but three-year programs (120 credits or more) also exist in fields like nursing, rehabilitation therapy, early childhood education, interior design, or broadcasting. The final credential may simply be called Associate Degree, or Associate of Science, or Associate of Arts.

Curricula typically include a general education component of about 30 percent in addition to major-specific subjects, with an increasing emphasis on internships. Students are assessed by examinations taken in the middle and at the end of each semester. Junior colleges are focused on training mid-level technicians, but students can also transfer credits to four-year programs (much the same as community college students in the U.S. can) under junior college-university agreements.

Bachelor’s Degree ( Haksa )

Bachelor’s degrees are awarded by universities and four-year colleges. Programs in standard academic disciplines are four years in length (at least 130 credits), while bachelor’s programs in professional disciplines like architecture, pharmacy, or medicine take five or six years to complete (see also the section on medical and dental education below). As in the U.S., curricula include core and elective general education subjects, predominantly taken within the first two years, and mandatory and elective subjects in the major. A thesis, project, or comprehensive examination is usually required for graduation, in addition to a cumulative GPA of at least C (2.00). Some programs may be studied in part-time mode. Standard degrees awarded include the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science, but there is a multitude of credential names, such as the Bachelor of Economics, Bachelor of Information Science, or Bachelor of Statistics, etc.

Students may also earn a degree in self-study mode through Korea’s National Institute for Lifelong Education ( NILE ). To earn a self-study degree, students must pass a qualifying examination conducted by the government for each year of study. In addition, Korea has a so-called Academic Credit Bank System ( ACBS ) that allows older adults who have not completed a degree to earn one by combining credit units earned at different institutions. If students complete the required courses set forth in standardized ACBS curricula, the MOE either directly issues an associate or bachelor’s degree to these students , or authorizes HEIs to do so.

Master’s Degree ( Suksa )

Master’s degree programs ( Suksa ) are two years in length and studied in graduate schools, most of which are incorporated into universities. Admission is typically based on the completion of a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, entrance examinations in the intended field of study and English and, often, selection interviews. Completion of the program requires at least 24 credits of course work, a thesis, and a grade point average of B (3.0) or better. Credential names include the Master of Arts, Master of Science, and numerous other major-specific variations.

Doctoral Degree (Paksa )

The doctoral degree is a terminal research degree awarded by graduate schools. As in the U.S., programs may be structured as integrated programs entered on the basis of a bachelor’s degree with students earning a master’s degree en route, or as stand-alone programs that do not include a master’s degree. In the latter case, programs usually take at least three years to complete, including two years (30 credits) of course work, a passing score on a comprehensive examination, and the defense of a dissertation. Students must also demonstrate proficiency in two foreign languages and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better. Integrated programs take four years to complete at minimum, including 60 credit units of course work. The most commonly awarded credential is the Doctor of Philosophy, but there are also credentials like the Doctor of Science or applied doctorates like the Doctor of Business Administration.

Medical and Dental Education

Entry-to-practice degrees in medicine and dentistry are either earned upon completion of long single-tier programs of six-years’ duration entered after high school, or four-year graduate-entry programs on top of a bachelor’s degree. In the case of undergraduate programs, the curriculum includes two years of pre-medical science education and four years of medical studies and clinical practice. Graduate-entry programs don’t include the pre-medicine component, but students must pass a medical or dental education eligibility test and are expected to have completed certain prerequisite courses. Most medical schools in Korea offer programs of the undergraduate variety .

Credentials awarded are the Bachelor of Medicine or Doctor of Medicine, and the Bachelor of Dentistry, Doctor of Dental Medicine, or Doctor of Dental Surgery. To become licensed practitioners, graduates need to pass a comprehensive national licensing examination . Certification in medical specialties requires an additional one-year clinical internship and three years of residency training followed by an examination in the specialty.

Korean and Oriental Medicine

Korean medicine is a traditional East Asian system that relies on herbal medicine, acupuncture, or cupping therapies. Traditional medicine is widely used in Korea; it is officially recognized and regulated in the same way Western medicine is. Professional education in traditional medicine is structured similar to professional education in other medical programs: Practitioners must complete a six-year undergraduate or four-year graduate-entry program before taking a national licensing exam. Specialty training involves a one-year internship and three years of residency training . Credentials awarded include the Bachelor of Oriental Medicine or Doctor of Korean Medicine.

Teacher Education

Teaching is a well-respected and highly paid profession that is tightly regulated by the Korean government. Teacher training is provided by universities of education, colleges of education, and departments of education at regular universities. The Korean government sets national curriculum standards.

While preschool teachers can teach with an associate degree from a junior college, elementary school teachers must complete a four-year program at a dedicated public university of education or the private Ewha Womans University . Curricula include education in the subjects that students intend to teach, pedagogical subjects, and a teaching practicum of nine to 10 weeks . Secondary school teachers have a greater variety of study options and can study at departments of education at regular universities where programs also require a thesis. After completing the study program, candidates are eligible to obtain a Grade II Teacher Certificate, but must pass a comprehensive governmental employment examination if they want to teach in public schools. After three or more years on the job, teachers must complete an additional 180-hour training program to earn a higher-level Grade I Teacher Certificate. To ensure quality standards, further in-service training programs are provided on a continual basis, performance in which is tied to promotion and pay rates .

WES Document Requirements

Secondary Education

• Photocopy of graduation certificate or diploma issued in English—submitted by the applicant
• Academic Transcript issued in English—sent directly by the institution attended
• Academic transcript issued in English—sent directly by the institution attended
• For completed doctoral programs—a written statement from the awarding institution indicating the date of degree conferral and the major

Click here for a PDF file of the academic documents referred to below.

• Certificate of Graduation from High School
• Associate Degree
• Bachelor of Arts
• Doctor of Medicine
• Master of Science
• Doctor of Philosophy

1.  International enrollments as a percentage of the total tertiary enrollment in the country as reported by the UIS .

2.  When comparing international student numbers, it is important to note that numbers provided by different agencies and governments vary because of differences in data capture methodology, definitions of “international student,” and types of mobility captured (credit, degree, etc.). The data of the UNESCO Institute Statistics provides the most reliable point of reference for comparison since it is compiled according to one standard method. It should be pointed out, however, that it only includes students enrolled in tertiary degree programs. It does not include students on shorter study abroad exchanges, or those enrolled at the secondary level or in short-term language training programs, for instance.

3.  See: Ministry of Education: Globalization of Korean Education – Education in Korea, 2017, Sejong, pp. 48-53. ( Link )

5.  By some accounts, the percentage of foreign instructors among Korean faculty increased from 2.4 percent in 2000 to 7.1 percent in 2013 .

6.  Korean National Development Institute: A Window into Korean Education, 2017, p.22. ( Link ).

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South Korean Education

Our bus wound its way uphill along a narrow, crowded street toward Shinn II Boys High School, and one could only imagine the excitement and disruption we were about to bring to its staff and students. Hanging over the school's entrance was a banner welcoming our group of 19 Americans and more than 40 other educators from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. We could see dozens of faces peering at us through the windows of the four-story building.

Our visit to this school was one of several we would make during the Summer 1996 Korean Studies Program sponsored by the Korea Society, an organization dedicated to academic and cultural exchanges to promote greater understanding of Korea and its people. Our visits and talks with teachers, students, and school officials allowed for some preliminary impressions and observations about education in Korea.

Since that visit, much has changed throughout Korea. Economic and political upheavals have shifted both personal and institutional outlooks. As with other societal constructs, Korean schools have been part of this process.

The Education System

The Korean public education structure is divided into three parts: six years of primary school, followed by three years of middle school and then three years of high school. In 1996 only about five percent of Korea's high schools were coeducational. The proportion of coeducational schools has increased by almost ten percent. However, classes in many coeducational high schools are still divided along gender lines. The curriculum is standardized so now both boys and girls study technology and domestic science.

The primary curriculum consists of nine principal subjects: moral education, Korean language, social studies, mathematics, science, physical education, music, fine arts, and practical arts. English-language instruction now begins in the third grade, so that children can start learning English in a relaxed atmosphere through conversational exchange, rather than through rote learning of grammatical rules as is still the practice in many middle and high schools. The major objectives, as stated in a 1996 background report by the Ministry of Education, are "to improve basic abilities, skills and attitudes; to develop language ability and civic morality needed to live in society; to increase the spirit of cooperation; to foster basic arithmetic skills and scientific observation skills; and to promote the understanding of healthy life and the harmonious development of body and mind.” The seventh annual curriculum, which began implementation in March 2000, kept these basic goals but updated many elements to reflect changes in Korean society.

Upon completion of primary school, students advance to middle school, which comprises grades seven through nine. The curriculum consists of 12 basic or required subjects, electives, and extracurricular activities. While elementary school instructors teach all subjects, middle school teachers, like their colleagues in the United States, are content specialists.

High schools are divided into academic and vocational schools. In 1995, some 62 percent of students were enrolled in academic high schools and 38 percent in vocational high schools. A small number attended specialized high schools concentrating in science, the arts, foreign languages, and other specialized fields. This is still the case.

The aims of education at the high school level are stated as "to foster each student's personality and ability needed to preserve and strengthen the backbone of the nation; to develop students' knowledge and skills to prepare them for jobs needed in society; to promote each student's autonomy, emotional development, and critical thinking abilities to be brought to bear in and out of school; and to improve physical strength and foster a sound mind."

The School Calendar and School Days

The school calendar has two semesters, the first extending from March through July and the second from September through February. There are summer and winter breaks, but 10 optional half days at the beginning and end of each break¾which are attended by practically all students¾reduce each of these biennial vacations to the remaining 10 days.

A typical day finds high schoolers studying before school begins at about 8:00 A.M. Classes run for 50 minutes each, with a morning break and a 50-minute lunch period. The afternoon session resumes at about 1:00 P.M., and classes continue until about 4:00 or 4:30, followed by the cleaning of the classroom. Students may then take a short dinner break at home, or they may eat at school. Teachers typically move from room to room, while students stay in one place.

Students return to the school library to study or attend private schools or tutoring sessions until between 10:00 P.M. and midnight. They return home where they may have a snack, listen to music, or watch television before going to bed. Elementary and middle school students have similar but somewhat less rigorous days with shorter hours and more recreational activities.

Attendance requirements call for a minimum of 220 days at all three levels. The curriculum is prescribed by law, as are the criteria for the development of textbooks and instructional materials. There have been periodic curriculum revisions, most recently in March 2000, and the trend is definitely toward decentralization in determining, diversifying, and implementing the curriculum.

The well-educated person—according to the curriculum and perhaps shedding further light on what is valued in Korean society—is healthy, independent, creative, and moral.

Visiting a High School

The high schools that we saw were large and rather barren in appearance. Invariably, a large grassless area in front of the school serves as the playing field as well as accommodates schoolwide assemblies and other meetings. Inside, classrooms line the straight, sparsely furnished halls and are typically filled with 50 or 60 uniformed students and an instructor.

Most instruction we observed consisted of teacher lectures, with only rare interruptions for questions. If students had questions, they might speak to the teacher after class. There is considerable interest in computers. At the end of 1999 there was about 1 computer per every 23.8 primary and secondary school student and 1 per every 1.4 primary and secondary school teachers. The Ministry of Education planned to raise the ratio to 1 computer per 17.4 students and 1 per every teacher by the end of 2000. The computer laboratory we visited was equipped with about 50 terminals meant to serve 3,000 students, but at the time only teachers were in the room.

As we noted, discipline problems were infrequent, and great respect for teachers was evident. Students bowed, as is the custom, when passing teachers in the halls and appeared hesitant to enter faculty offices. We learned that discipline cases are generally referred to the student's homeroom teacher, who then talks with the student and his or her family. In addition to administering discipline, which may but infrequently includes corporal punishment, homeroom teachers offer counseling, help students with college applications, and maintain contact with parents.

We were told in 1996 that in years past when teachers informed parents of discipline problems, parents responded by sending the teacher either a small amount of rice as an apology for having caused the teacher worry and trouble or a switch for the teacher to discipline the child. Since 1999, teachers no longer have the legal authority to administer corporal punishment. This change has created some confusion as to the extent of teachers' authority.

Despite these differences, Korean teachers still have more responsibility for counseling students and controlling their behavior than do teachers in the United States. Korean culture grants teachers the same authority as parents and attributes them even greater responsibility for children's moral and academic development.

One Teacher's Day

One teacher we met was a Korean American from Maryland who teaches conversational English. As he explained, students are rarely assigned written work either in class or as homework. His regular workload consists of five classes that meet four times each week, with an additional twenty classes that meet once a week. With a typical class size of 50 or more students, this teacher would have 1,000 papers to review weekly. He, of course, could not evaluate them and handle all his other responsibilities.

This teacher's workday extends from 7:30 A.M. to about 5:00 P.M., with an additional half day on Saturday. Although a relatively long day by American standards, it leaves him with considerable free time and few responsibilities other than teaching. While he reported that teachers’ salaries are relatively high by Korean standards of living, we learned that teachers throughout the country have expressed dissatisfaction with their pay.

This teacher confessed that he did not know if his students actually were learning English. There are no failing grades, but there are remedial classes, and students may attend supplemental education centers if they or their parents feel there is a need. Most schools give trial achievement tests twice a year to prepare students for college entrance examinations. In addition, multiple Internet websites offer the same services, helping students to gauge their own progress.

Regarding instructional methods, this teacher has tried small groups and other nontraditional approaches to teaching but felt his students did not respond well, being unfamiliar with such methods and uncertain about how they were expected to perform. He therefore returned to lecturing, which he attempts to enliven with frequent questions. His many students seem amazingly cooperative, good-natured, and enthusiastic. A lively question-and-answer session directed by the teacher about students' images of the United States took place during our visit. As one might expect, they were most aware of international sports and celebrity figures, such as Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson. However, when asked what came to mind when they thought of the United States, many answered "freedom" or "the Statue of Liberty." But they also asked about drugs, and if it was true that police patrol American high schools.

Visiting an Elementary School

We also visited an elementary school of 700 students. Located in Ch'unchon, a city of 200,000, northeast of Seoul, the school had the familiar large, bare playground and meeting space, along with typical class sizes of approximately 50 students.

In contrast to the high schools we visited, this school’s halls were decorated with bulletin board displays, banners, photographs, trophy cases, historical exhibits, and examples of student work. Similarly, the classrooms in this worn but well-kept building were covered with displays of children’s work. The school is famous for its speed skaters, and many alumni who have gained prominence in sports have given their trophies to the school to encourage today’s students.

The music teacher has more than 50 violins to be used by students in a challenging classical music program. One room stocked with stringed and percussion instruments is devoted to traditional Korean music. Students begin studying science in the second grade, and the school’s science laboratory has several student workstations. A large computer lab is available for classes, and new computers with Pentium processors had just arrived to replace the machines currently in use.

The school library, according to the principal, needs more books, given the size of the student body. He suggested, however, that this school was fairly representative of Korean elementary schools, except for its well-equipped television studio, which students use to produce school programs.

School tradition and achievement is very important to Korea's principals. One high school has a large stone marker engraved with its motto, "Diligence and Wisdom," and statues adorn the school grounds. One depicts a standing young student looking intently into the eyes of a seated female teacher. The other is of Admiral Sun-shin Yi, the heroic sixteenth-century warrior who designed and built a fleet of iron-plated "turtle boats" that were instrumental in the defeat of a Japanese invasion. In the principal's office, one wall has photographs and statements noting the qualifications of the staff. The entrance to the school is lined with pictures of past principals and a large inscription, "Teachers create the future."

Elementary schools put more emphasis on art, music, and physical education than secondary schools do. In addition, at this level more time—roughly the same amount that a Korean high school student spends preparing for college entrance tests—is devoted to extracurricular activities.

Social Studies and the Curriculum

Social studies education begins in the first and second grades with a course combined with science and titled "Intelligent Life." During their 34 weeks of schooling, first-grade students receive 120 hours, and second-grade students 136 hours, of this instruction. Third- and fourth-grade students receive 102 hours of social studies instruction and fifth- and sixth-graders are given 136 hours per year. At the middle school level, seventh-grade students have 102 hours, and eighth- and ninth-graders receive 136 hours of social studies instruction.

In high school, first-year students take a program of required courses. By their second year, students can select from among three tracks: humanities and social studies, a natural science track, and a vocational track. However, this is likely to change. The social studies track includes courses in Korean history, politics, economics, society, and culture as well as world history, world geography, and social studies.

Korea has a national curriculum developed and monitored by the Ministry of Education. It is revised every five to ten years; implementation of the seventh national curriculum began in 2000. This curriculum seeks to develop democratic citizens who have strong moral and civic convictions.

Humanity Education

There have been proposals to change the nature of the educational process—from focusing on preparation for college and entrance into schools that will ensure economic success and intellectual development, over the cultivation of attitudes and abilities needed to become responsible citizens. Toward this end a practice-based approach to humanity education has been implemented, with the goals of instilling values of etiquette, public order, and democratic citizenship through experiential activities.

Elements of this curriculum are introduced throughout the school program. From kindergarten through third grade, the focus is on etiquette, the observing of social rules, and the development of a sense of community. Fourth through ninth grade emphasizes democratic citizenship, including rules, processes, and reasonable decision-making. At the high school level, attention is given to global citizenship, including understanding other cultures and peace education.

A 1995 government report on Korean education, titled “Korea’s Vision for the Twenty-First Century,” stated that the curriculum must encourage students “to be global citizens, which includes openness to diversity, broad perspectives, an understanding of the various traditions and cultures of other countries, and sensitivity to environmental issues and conflicts among regions and races. Accordingly, there should be greater emphasis on tolerant and open-minded attitudes toward diversity and differences.” The seventh curriculum builds on this document and fosters the development of character education as well as community service.

Looking Toward the Future

Along with their strong belief in the family and cultural traditions, Koreans value education and are willing to make significant personal sacrifices to ensure that their children are afforded the best available learning opportunities. No nation has a higher degree of enthusiasm for education than Korea, and nowhere are children more pressured to study. Evidence of major educational accomplishments, such as degrees from prestigious colleges and universities, strongly influence a person’s suitability for employment, marriage, and everyday interpersonal relations.

In 1996 Moo-Sub Kang, director general of the Korean Educational Development Institute, noted that education administration was gradually moving from the national Ministry of Education to individual schools. In 1998 a Presidential Commission for a New Education Community was established to encourage further reform. More recent educational policy encourages a modest degree of curriculum decentralization. Local boards of education, similar to those in the United States but covering larger geographic areas, now have the requisite degree of autonomy to interpret the national curriculum in terms of local needs. For example, some schools now offer more computer, art, music, and writing courses, eliminating the need for their extracurricular study. Principals now can work with social studies teachers in developing aspects of the curriculum that reflect local needs, such as character education and community service programs.

However, the issue that continues to receive the most attention is the need to reform the school system. Many Koreans believe that the mass education of the industrial era is not appropriate to an era of high technology and globalization. In practical terms, large lecture classes of 50 or 60 students with an emphasis on rote learning will not produce creative or morally sensitive graduates.

In response to a changing society, the Korean government established a new vision for education. Unveiled by the Presidential Commission on Educational Reform in May 1995, this vision projected open, lifelong education that would provide individuals with equal and easy access to education at any time and place. Further, the Commission felt that education suitable for the twenty-first century would be achieved through technology. The long-range goal was to raise the quality of education to a world-standard level of excellence.

Critics point out that in the ensuing five years most classroom practices have remained unchanged. In addition, policy is still set through a four-tiered hierarchical model that is heavily weighted against parental and teacher input, despite locally elected boards of education.

Some Tentative Conclusions

Education has contributed to the growth of Korea's democratic government. It has produced hardworking, skilled employees who have brought about an economic miracle within a single generation. It has reaffirmed traditional values while maintaining its commitment to modernization, citizenship, and global involvement. The ambitious and comprehensive reform plans developed in 1995 by the Ministry of Education still appear to enjoy widespread public and professional support. A broad spectrum of the society recognizes the need for lifelong learning as a precept for social and economic improvement.

Authors' Note : Based on various reports and discussions with Korean educators, we’ve attempted to update our previous work and place it within these new concepts. We would like to thank Dr. Tae-Hoon Kim, professor of ethics education at Kong-Ju National University of Education; Mr. Hyung-Sik Kim, superintendent of schools, Kwangju, Republic of Korea; Mr. Hang-In Kim, social studies doctoral candidate at the University of Georgia; and Mr. Young-Seog Kim, social studies doctoral candidate at the University of Georgia, for their assistance in the preparation of this paper.

Authors: Richard Diem, Tedd Levy, and Ronald VanSickle.

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School in South Korea – Learn about their education system

Last modified: Jul 12, 2024 | 14 min read | By Laura Toyryla

Any school in South Korea can be considered a good one. Thus, it is incredibly interesting to learn more about Korean schools and understand why the South Korean education system is highly regarded.

In this article, we will explain to you what primary, secondary, and tertiary education is like in South Korea.

• 1.1 South Korea education system
• 1.2 When does school start in Korea?
• 1.3 How much do students study in South Korea?
• 1.4 South Korea Literacy Rate
• 1.5 What is the Korean school system like?
• 1.6 Teachers in South Korea
• 1.7 Foreign Language learning in South Korea
• 1.8 Is school free in South Korea?
• 2.1 Elementary school in South Korea
• 2.2 Middle school in South Korea
• 2.3 High schools in Korea
• 2.4 University in South Korea
• 3 International Schools in Korea

Here’s a downloadable PDF that you can bring anywhere:

What are South Korean schools like?

South Korea has the highest percentage in the entire world – 70%, to be specific – in regards to people aged 24 to 35 who have completed some type of education beyond high school. That may mean a university degree or higher in university, completing a shorter program in a polytechnic, or something else equivalent.

South Korea education system

The standard of Korean schools is really high, and private and public schools both provide a great quality of teaching. The basic construction of Korea’s education system is as follows: Compulsory education is composed of six years in elementary, three years in middle school, and three years in high school.

South Korea also has a   national curriculum developed by the Ministry of Education. They also monitor this national curriculum, which is revised every five to ten years, reflecting the changes happening in Korean society.

When does school start in Korea?

There are two semesters in each school year, the first one running from March to July  and the second one from September to February.

While holidays for summer and winter exist, there are ten optional half days of school at the beginning and end of each holiday break, and the majority of Korean students attend both.

Get “School in South Korea” Free PDF Guide

How much do students study in South Korea?

It is common for Korean students of any schooling level to attend private schools and/or receive tutoring outside of official school hours. For primary and secondary schools, the number of classes taken is typically less, as well as less rigid, than they are for high schools.

There are also more recreational activities and classes, such as taekwondo or piano or cooking and baking, included in their schedules than there are for high schoolers.

South Korea Literacy Rate

South Korea has some of the highest rates in literacy, sciences, and mathematics among OECD countries on its Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), and essentially in the whole world.

In fact, it is said that South Korea has a 100% literacy rate producing gifted students.

What is the Korean school system like?

Although there has been some push for change over the years, especially recently, as of right now, the Korean school system is highly test-driven.

In general, which middle school, high school, and university the student went to has a major influence on future career opportunities . That is one major reason why students, even from primary and secondary schools, already receive tutoring lessons and go to private schools.

However, the Korean government has been making efforts as of late to reduce the pressure and stress put on Korean students through the current education system.

In some regions, there are limitations to the operating hours of private schools – better known as hagwon (학원 in Korean) or cram schools. There is also an exam-free school year system put into place in middle school. Only time will tell whether these efforts will work.

Overall, Korea’s system of education is seen as one of the most rigorous ones in the world, with its goal to efficiently prepare students for their future careers. It has the largest private tutoring industry out there. Also, a lot of the top-ranking Korean government officials and big company management positions are also currently mostly held by university graduates from top-tier Korean universities.

Teachers in South Korea

Teachers in South Korea are typically highly respected by the general public. It’s not without reason, as they are also highly educated in their profession and often get into universities in South Korea. Those seeking to become teachers must also attend a university specializing in education.

For people who aim to teach in Korean elementary schools, they must also major in primary education. This is specifically created to develop future teachers for primary schools.

There are also only very few institutions in Korea for training primary school teachers. However, unlike primary education, there are more training institutions and programs dedicated to secondary school teachers.

Foreign Language learning in South Korea

A foreign language like English is taught at various levels in Korea . Young students from public and private schools are already taught English.

At the university level, foreign language learning is becoming increasingly important. In the top universities, already more than 30% of courses are taught in English now. In general, English is seen as one of the most prioritized school subjects to learn, with private tutoring and hagwon classes offered from as early on as kindergarten.

Thus, a lot of money has also gone into this foreign language learning, both by the Korean government and by the families themselves.

Is school free in South Korea?

Primary and secondary schools are free in South Korea. Also, in order to promote equality, middle school students are placed into schools based on the districts they live in through a computer lottery system. However, unlike previous levels of schooling, high school is not free in Korea. It is also not mandatory to attend.

Education Levels in South Korean schools

There are different levels of education in South Korea, starting from elementary all the way up to university. To add, Korea also accommodates international students through international schools.

Elementary school in South Korea

In South Korea, attending school at the elementary school level is free of charge in its public education, beginning at the age of 6 . Prior to entering primary school, nearly every child attends some form of preschool and kindergarten.

School subjects studied by students from primary schools are as follows: Korean language, mathematics, ethics, social studies, English, science, arts, music, and physical education.

In recent years, efforts have been made for primary schools to move away from multiple-choice question-only exams and to introduce essay writing and creative thinking into exams and testing instead.

Middle school in South Korea

In South Korean middle schools, the curriculum is constructed of 12 subjects, some of which are basic and mandatory for all, and some of which are electives and extracurricular activities.

Middle school teachers all have their own subjects they are specialized in teaching. Much of the subjects are the continuation of what the children were taught in elementary school, namely the Korean language, mathematics, ethics, social studies, English, science, arts, music, and physical education.

However, in addition, students also get to choose between studying technical education or home sciences.

High schools in Korea

There are nine primary subjects taught in Korean high schools . These subjects are Korean language , social studies (including Korean history), mathematics, science, physical education, fine arts, practical arts, and moral education.

How are high schools categorized in South Korea?

High schools in Korea are divided into these different categories.

The majority of high schools in South Korea still continue to be boys only or girls only today, although the amount of co-ed schools for secondary education has been on the rise.

They follow a standardized curriculum, which means that boys and girls study the same subjects, even if they attend Korean schools separated by gender.

Academic and Vocational High Schools in Korea

These are also divided between academic and vocational high schools. More than half of them are still in academic high schools, focusing on academic performance.

There are also a few high schools that are specifically specialized in focusing on sports, science, arts, or foreign languages, among other fields of specialization.

The vocational ones, on the other hand, offer a system focusing on employment. The majority of South Korean students enroll in regular secondary education.

Elite high schools in Korea

Lastly, there are also some that are designated autonomous in what type of curriculum they have to offer. These are typically seen as elite institutions that are focused primarily on preparing students to get into the very top universities.

Therefore, lately, they are meeting a lot of scrutiny and criticism from the Korean administration, and they may end up getting converted into regular ones.

South Korean Highschool admission

For 60% of the high schools, admission happens based on a lottery system, similar to the middle school level. However, the rest have a highly competitive admission process, selecting students based on GPA, entrance exams, interviews, and recommendations by teachers.

What time do Korean students go to school?

A typical school day in a Korean high school begins at 8 am, and finishes between 4 pm and 4:50 pm .

Korean high school schedule

Each class runs for 50 minutes, as does the lunch break. Students usually remain in the same schoolroom for the duration of the day, with teachers rotating room to room based on which class they are teaching the subject to.

However, while the actual school day finishes in the late afternoon, it is normal for students to attend more classes, either at private academies or through tutoring sessions, until as late as midnight. Of course, they do get to have a dinner break in between.

Thus, it is not uncommon to hear of students studying as much as 16 hours on some days.

Subjects in Korean high schools

The subjects taught in regular school are largely the same as the subjects in middle school education. In the 11th and 12th grades,  students additionally get to choose elective subjects to learn. These include various sciences like physics, chemistry, geography, even economics or politics, or foreign languages.

Vocational education

Meanwhile, in vocational schools, the students study the standard academic curriculum for the first year before moving on to studies specializing in their choice of vocational field. These include agriculture, business, fishery, engineering, technology, and marine transportation.

Most vocational schools use modules developed by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training, the Ministry of Education.

By graduating from vocational schools, students do still have access to universities, but fewer choose to pursue such a path. Instead, they are more inclined to choose a shorter program at junior colleges.

Meister schools (Vocational Education Programs)

4% of high school-aged students in South Korea also currently attend school programs known as Meister schools. It’s a type of vocational school where students learn about industries such as banking, social services, dentistry, and semiconductor development.

The curriculum at these vocational secondary schools is conducted in cooperation with local companies, lectures offered by experts in the industries, and internships included in the study programs.

These vocational schools exist as an effort by the Korean government to push more students into the labor market directly from high school. Therefore, graduates from Meister schools are not allowed to enter university until after working for at least three years.

However, upon completing the three years of full-time work, it’s easier for them to have a university degree in comparison to their peers.

University in South Korea

In South Korea today, university graduates from prestigious universities like the Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea are still at advantage, since where a student has graduated from still holds a lot of importance in hunting for a job.

University admission

Universities accept students based on their test scores from admission exams. However, other means of admission to universities are also considered.

수능 (Suneung)

To enter, students must complete the Suneung (수능) exam, officially known as the “National University College Scholastic Ability Test.” In total, the exam lasts for 8 hours, is mostly constructed of multiple-choice questions, and allows access to apply for three universities.

This exam takes place each November, and it is such a major national event that even businesses will open later that day to ensure that every student taking the exam will be able to get to the testing site on time. Even air traffic is suspended as the students take the listening part of the examination.

There are nine subjects tested during the exam, with the students having some options of which subjects they will take the exam in. The Korean language is the only subject that is mandatory for everyone. This exam is seen as one of the toughest university education entrance exams in the world.

Other ways of admission to a university

Although the Suneung exam is of major importance, universities additionally look at various other criteria when choosing their students. These include university-specific admission tests, high school GPA, recommendation letters, and more.

The Korean government, on the other hand, is trying to push the universities to emphasize the Suneung exam over other criteria in their student selection process.

Additionally, the government is also requiring special admissions of students from rural areas. This is because they have less access to private tutoring and academies, which in turn result in lower score results from Suneung, putting them otherwise at disadvantage with university admission.

University degrees and higher education

Bachelor’s degrees take four years to complete and can follow up with master’s degrees lasting two years and doctoral degrees. In the case of a doctoral degree, it may be constructed together with a master’s degree, or it may be a separate degree.

Alternatively, it is possible to obtain a shorter associate degree from junior colleges. Most students in Korea try to achieve some sort of higher education before starting their working lives .

Universities in South Korea

There are more than 400 universities, junior colleges, and other higher education institutions in South Korea at the present time. The vast majority of the most prestigious universities are located in the capital area, including universities such as Yonsei University and Korea University.

Tuition fees are roughly $8,500 USD per year, although the specific figure depends on the university and department, with various scholarships available for South Korean and foreign students.

Specialized universities

Most universities comprise multiple departments, ranging from business to technology. However, some specialized universities exist as well, with KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) as the most notable one of them. This university also ranks 22nd in the World University Rankings.

Each degree comprises core subjects mandatory for every student, elective general subjects, and then both mandatory and elective subjects focused around the major. A student must complete 130 credits to qualify for graduation.

International Schools in Korea

There are also international schools in South Korea . There are more than 40 international schools to accommodate qualified international students, as well as Korean students. However, enrolling in an international school is not open to everyone.

To be qualified as a student in international schools, one must either be a Korean national who has lived abroad for at least three years or the student must be a child of a foreign national.

And that would be the Korean education system and school in South Korea in a nutshell! If you have plans to go to Korea to study, learning the language beforehand will greatly help. We have structured online courses designed to help you learn Korean in just 90 days. Learn more about it here !

How does the system of education in South Korea compare to your country’s? Do you also have plans to study at universities like Seoul National University or Korea University? How much of this content did you already know, and what was new information? Let us know below in the comments!

If you have plans to live and study in South Korea , learning a bit more about life in Korea will help. We have an article dedicated to it here .

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The role of education in us-south korean relations: a modified excerpt from the curriculum unit us-south korean relations.

This lesson examines the important role that education plays in the cultural and social relationship between the United States and South Korea. Students will also learn about education in Korea and complete independent projects on various education-related topics. Ultimately, students will consider how this aspect of the US–South Korean relationship has influenced the individual lives of Koreans and Americans. (Note: The full lesson introduces the important roles of sports, media, and the arts in US–Korean relations as well.)

Handout 1,  Education and US-South Korean Relations  (on page 56) Handout 2,  Education in Korea  (on page 57)

TEACHER PREPARATION

Make appropriate number of copies of handouts. Each student will receive both handouts.

On day one 1. Begin the lesson by leading a brief introductory discussion using the questions below.

• In what ways have Korean culture and American culture interacted throughout history?
• In what ways do they interact today?
• In what ways has education served as an important point of dialogue and interaction between the two societies?
• How are education systems in South Korea and the United States similar and different?

2. Tell students that they will learn more about education in Korea. distribute one copy of handouts one and two to each student. Once students have finished reading both handouts, ask them to choose which activity they would like to do. Students may work in small groups (three students or fewer) or do the activity alone, but must first receive teacher approval for their project. Note: Some activities (e.g., skits) work well in groups, while others (e.g., essays) work better as solo projects. If a group’s proposed project is not appropriate for its size, either suggest that students choose another project, or alter the project assignment to be more appropriate for them.

3. For the remainder of class, allow students to work in their small groups. For homework, instruct students to research their topics and/or gather relevant materials for their project. Inform them that they will have the next class period to work on their projects.

Allow students to work on their chosen projects in their groups, sharing resources and materials with each other. If they do not complete the projects in class, ask them to complete the projects for homework.

On day three

Collect group projects for assessment. Some projects may need to be displayed around the classroom or presented orally.

Handout 1 Education and US-South Korea Relations

Ever since the earliest days of US–Korean relations, education has been an important point of interaction between the two societies. Throughout the years, countless people have traveled between Korea and the United States for educational exchanges, and that trend has become even stronger today. The role of education in US–South Korean relations is crucial, not only for the movement of people across borders, but for the exchange of ideas and values between the two societies. Such cross-fertilization of academic and social knowledge decreases cultural gaps and promotes closer relations.

One of the very first Americans to visit Korea was Mary Scranton, a Methodist missionary and educator. In 1886, she founded the Ewha Hakdang , a school for young Korean girls with an enrollment of one student. Today, Ewha Hakdang has become Ewha Womans University, South Korea’s most prestigious and largest institution of higher learning for women (and one of the world’s largest), with an enrollment of about 20,000.

Perhaps the most famous American family in Korea has been the Underwood family, which lived in Korea for 119 years (from 1885 to 2004) and served Korean society in several capacities, but most notably in education. Presbyterian missionary Horace Underwood immigrated to Korea in 1885 and founded Joseon Christian College in 1915, which later became part of Yonsei University, one of South Korea’s top two private universities and the country’s oldest. Through the decades, his son, grandson, and great grandson (all named Horace) have served the school as professors, principals/presidents, board members, deans, directors, and administrators. Third-generation Horace Underwood helped found Seoul National University in 1946, South Korea’s first national (i.e., public) university, and the country’s most prestigious. His son served as the director of the Fulbright Commission in South Korea—the second largest exchange program in the world—helping to promote US–South Korean educational exchanges.

From the nineteenth century to today, the educational links between the United States and South Korea have continued to strengthen. South Koreans now constitute the largest group of international students in the US, with more than 100,000 active students studying in American middles schools, high schools, and universities at the end of 2007. Furthermore, in South Korea, students study English in school, and parts of the South Korean educational system, such as its medical and law schools, are being reconfigured to resemble American systems. Meanwhile, US universities have seen the expansion of the academic field of Korean Studies, with programs and research centers established at universities across the country, including Stanford, Columbia, Harvard, Berkeley, UCLA, Johns Hopkins, and others. These facts stand as legacies of, and testaments to, the long history of educational exchange between the two societies.

Choose one of the following activities:

1. In 2007, Ewha Womans University opened its newest college, Scranton College, named in honor of Mary Scranton. US Ambassador to South Korea, Alexander Vershbow, spoke at the opening ceremony of Scranton College saying, “Education is one of the many important shared values that link the American and Korean people.” Write an essay that describes how education has linked the American and Korean people. In addition, how big of an impact has education had on the US–South Korean relationship, past and present?

2. Choose a famous graduate of Yonsei, Ewha, or Seoul National University who has played a role in improving US–South Korean relations. design an exhibit that features this person and his/her accomplishments. Where would you place the exhibit? What would be your rationale for the venue you select?

3. Using art, develop a design for a school-related item (e.g., pencil, backpack, yearbook page, textbook cover, etc.) that visually represents how education has impacted US–South Korean relations.

4. In the realm of education, there are many opportunities for social exchanges between Americans and South Koreans, including pen pal programs, sister school programs, teaching-abroad programs, and actual student exchange programs. Research some of these programs and write a brief report of the best programs, summarizing your findings. As an extension, ask your teacher if you can pursue and coordinate some of these opportunities for the class.

5. Design your own original project.

Handout 2 Education in Korea

There is a Korean adage that, “One should not step even on the shadow of one’s teacher.” In Korea, educators—and education— are held in the highest regard. South Korean primary school teachers are recruited from the top five percent of college graduates. Students take their schooling very seriously, and it is common for high school students to return home after 9:00 PM on weekdays, after enduring a full day of school, after-school study groups, extracurricular activities, and extra sessions at a cram school or with a tutor. They attend school 220 days a year, compared to about 180–190 in the United States (depending on the state). South Koreans have one of the highest Phd per capita rates in the world. The reasons for Korean enthusiasm for education are varied, but many important factors lie in history.

Korean society, like others in East Asia, has many social legacies of Confucianism. Confucian philosophy places great emphasis on education, and as Koreans adopted Confucianism thousands of years ago, they also adopted its high regard for scholastic achievement. Korea has had well-structured school systems since ancient times, at least as far back as the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE–668 CE), when national academies taught aristocratic youth Confucian classics and prepared them for government positions. In addition to state-run national schools, regional schools and private academies, as well as academic libraries and even scholarship funds, flourished in Korea during the Koryŏ and Chosŏn dynasties (918–1392 and 1392–1910).

In the tenth century, Korea established a civil service examination system that was meant to select the most qualified students for government posts. For about a thousand years, these civil service examinations represented one of the few ways select individuals could improve their social status. Koreans’ long experience with this examination system reinforced the cultural connection between success and scholarship. This legacy is still evident in South Korean society, where universities, governmental agencies, and many big companies administer their own entrance examinations.

Education for the masses first appeared in Korea in the 1880s, with the establishment of several modern institutions such as the English School, Yugyeong Gongwon, and Ewha Hakdang. The true educational renaissance, however, did not take place until the end of World War II. Today, South Korea has a literacy rate of about ninety-nine percent, and its national reading, math, and science scores consistently rank among the top five in the world. Beyond that, enrollment in tertiary (post high-school) educational institutions has also risen dramatically, from sixteen percent in 1980 to sixty-eight percent by 1997. Furthermore, contemporary South Korean views have become increasingly globalized, with students at all levels studying English and other foreign languages, either to study abroad or prepare for the most competitive jobs on the market.

1. Until the fifteenth century, all Korean documents were written using Chinese characters, and most Koreans remained illiterate. In 1446, King Sejong introduced a new writing system called hangeul that consisted of only twenty-eight consonants and vowels, instead of thousands of characters. (Only twenty-four are still in use today.) It is perhaps the most unique and well-documented written language in history. Conduct research on the hangeul writing system, its development, and its logic. Prepare a creative way to share your findings with the rest of the class. do you believe that the invention of hangeul has helped Koreans become more literate and educated? Explain.

2. Many countries honor their most celebrated historical figures by commemorating them on national currency. In the United States, most banknotes honor past Presidents and founding fathers. South Korean banknotes commemorate famous Korean scholars—Yi Hwang (also known as Toegye), Yi I (also known as Yulgok), and King Sejong. What do you think this suggests about the importance of education in Korean culture? Conduct research on one of these scholars, and design plans for an exhibit of him. Why is this person so celebrated in Korean culture? What legacy has this person left in Korean society?

3. Research the school system in South Korea. How are grades divided by school level? What subjects are taught to South Korean students? Which school does a student attend, and how is this decided? What kinds of examinations do they take? Write a research paper detailing your findings and explaining the structure of the South Korean school system. Finally, compare the South Korean school system to your own school system, and assess the pros and cons of each.

4. Research South Korean school holidays, and compare them with the holidays that US schools observe. do South Korean and American schools observe some of the same (or similar) holidays? What holidays are observed only in South Korea, and what are the history and traditions behind them? Likewise, what American holidays are specific only to the United States? Prepare a brief presentation on your findings.

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Education in South Korea

Reflections on a Seventy-Year Journey

• © 2022
• Don-Hee Lee 0 ,
• Sam-Geun Kwak 1 ,
• Jae-Woong Kim 2 ,
• Dong-Joon Park 3 ,
• Jung-Ho Yang 4 ,
• Myung-Hee Lee 5

Seoul, Korea (Republic of)

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• Explores how education in Korea has historically been linked to politics and democratization
• Unpacks the historical evolution of Korean education and the way foreign models inspire pedagogical techniques
• Offers a rare insight into the inner workings of Korean society

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Ideology, nationalism, and education: the case of education reforms in the two Koreas

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Table of contents (6 chapters)

Front matter.

Don-Hee Lee, Sam-Geun Kwak, Jae-Woong Kim, Dong-Joon Park, Jung-Ho Yang, Myung-Hee Lee

Development of Education System in the Republic of Korea

Development of primary and secondary education in the republic of korea, development of higher education in the republic of korea, development of lifelong education in the republic of korea, back matter, authors and affiliations, about the authors.

Dr. Don-Hee   Lee is an emeritus professor of Education at Seoul National University, South Korea.

Dr. am-Geun  Kwak  is a professor of Education at Ewha Womans University, South Korea.

Dr. Jae-Woong  Kim  is a professor of Relevant Culture and Education  at Sogang University, South Korea.

Dr. Dong-Joon  Park  is a professor of Moral Philosophy at The Academy of Korean Studies.

Dr. Jung-Ho  Yang  is a professor of Education at Sungkyunkwan University, and the Chairman of Deputy Prime Minister of Social Policy.

Dr. Myung-Hee  Lee  is a professor of History Education at Kongju National University and the Chairman of Korean Modern History Academy.

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : Education in South Korea

Book Subtitle : Reflections on a Seventy-Year Journey

Authors : Don-Hee Lee, Sam-Geun Kwak, Jae-Woong Kim, Dong-Joon Park, Jung-Ho Yang, Myung-Hee Lee

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5229-5

Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan Singapore

eBook Packages : Education , Education (R0)

Copyright Information : The Academy of Korean Studies 2022

Hardcover ISBN : 978-981-16-5228-8 Published: 27 April 2022

Softcover ISBN : 978-981-16-5231-8 Published: 28 April 2023

eBook ISBN : 978-981-16-5229-5 Published: 26 April 2022

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XXIII, 455

Number of Illustrations : 16 b/w illustrations, 13 illustrations in colour

Topics : Asian Politics , International and Comparative Education , History of Korea

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• Education at a Glance

Education at a Glance 2023

Oecd indicators.

Education at a Glance is the authoritative source for information on the state of education around the world. It provides data on the structure, finances and performance of education systems across OECD countries and a number of accession and partner countries. More than 100 charts and tables in this publication – as well as links to much more available on the educational database – provide key information on the output of educational institutions; the impact of learning across countries; access, participation and progression in education; the financial resources invested in education; and teachers, the learning environment and the organisation of schools.

The 2023 edition includes a focus on vocational education and training (VET), examining participation in VET and the structure of VET programmes. This edition also includes a new chapter - Ensuring continued learning for Ukrainian refugees - which presents the results of an OECD 2023 survey that collected data on measures taken by OECD countries to integrate Ukrainian refugees into their education systems.

English Also available in: German , French

• Spotlight on Vocational Education and Training
• Education at a Glance 2023 Sources, Methodologies and Technical Notes
• https://doi.org/10.1787/e13bef63-en
• Click to access:
• Click to access in HTML WEB
• Click to download PDF - 10.21MB PDF
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This country note provides an overview of the key characteristics of the education system in Korea. It draws on data from Education at a Glance 2023. In line with the thematic focus of this year’s Education at a Glance, it emphasises vocational education and training (VET), while also covering other parts of the education system. Data in this note are provided for the latest available year. Readers interested in the reference years for the data are referred to the corresponding tables in Education at a Glance 2023.

• Click to download PDF - 979.67KB PDF

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12 Sept 2023

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An Assault Upon Our Children

By Se-Woong Koo

• Aug. 1, 2014

SEOUL, South Korea — After my older brother fell ill from the stress of being a student in South Korea, my mother decided to move me from our home in Seoul to Vancouver for high school to spare me the intense pressure to succeed. She did not want me to suffer like my brother, who had a chest pain that doctors could not diagnose and an allergy so severe he needed to have shots at home.

I was fortunate that my mother recognized the problem and had the means to take me abroad. Most South Korean children’s parents are the main source of the unrelenting pressure put on students.

Thirteen years later, in 2008, I taught advanced English grammar to 11-year-olds at an expensive cram school in the wealthy Seoul neighborhood of Gangnam. The students were serious about studying but their eyes appeared dead.

When I asked a class if they were happy in this environment, one girl hesitantly raised her hand to tell me that she would only be happy if her mother was gone because all her mother knew was how to nag about her academic performance.

The world may look to South Korea as a model for education — its students rank among the best on international education tests — but the system’s dark side casts a long shadow. Dominated by Tiger Moms, cram schools and highly authoritarian teachers, South Korean education produces ranks of overachieving students who pay a stiff price in health and happiness. The entire program amounts to child abuse. It should be reformed and restructured without delay.

Granted, the South Korean system has its strengths. The idea that success is most important, no matter the cost, is a great motivator. My report card after the first exam in middle school ranked me 21st out of 60 students in my homeroom class. My mother, who was enlightened about the extreme horrors of South Korean education but nevertheless worried about my grades, immediately found me a private tutor for math, which helped me shoot up to a respectable No. 3 in the homeroom hierarchy.

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Korean education in cultural context

2005, Essays in Education

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