Want to study in Korea? Seoul National University opens applications for international students on July 7
This is your sign to study abroad: Seoul National University (SNU), one of South Korea's top universities, is opening applications for international students on July 7.
Founded in 1946, SNU has 16 academic colleges that offer more than 80 undergraduate programs and nearly 100 master's and doctoral programs.
Among the university's notable alumni are actress Kim Tae-hee, Squid Game creator and director Hwang Dong-hyeok, and Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong. Impeached South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol and former president Kim Young-sam also studied at SNU.
How to apply to SNU
Online applications for undergraduate and graduate international students will take place from July 7 to 10.
To apply, visit the SNU website and go to Admissions > Overview > Announcement. On the application website, you can create an account, fill out the form with your information, scan and upload documents, and pay the application fee worth KRW 70,000 (~P2,900) to receive an application number.
Afterward, an email will be sent to their teacher or counselor requesting a recommendation letter, which must be submitted through the designated website.
Meanwhile, applications for the College of Fine Arts, the College of Music, and the Department of Physical Education must also be submitted with a portfolio to the respective department office.
Final admission decisions will be released on November 21, 2025, while registration and enrollment will be from December 2025 to February 2026. Admitted students will also take a Korean proficiency test in February 2026.
Eligibility
Applicants whose parents are not Korean citizens are eligible for undergraduate admissions. They must have graduated from high school or possess an education equivalent to or exceeding that level.
GED, homeschooling, or cyber learning will not be accepted—but if you took online classes due to COVID-19, you can submit an explanatory statement and supporting documents for consideration.
Additionally, overseas Koreans, foreigners, and individuals who acquired Korean citizenship through marriage migration are eligible if they completed elementary to high school education abroad.
According to SNU, the admission decisions are based on applicants' academic proficiency, suitability for their chosen field of study, language skills, and academic and extracurricular activities.
Requirements
Those wanting to apply must complete the online application website, and have the following requirements: a personal statement and study plan (800 English words) with no mention of personal information such as their or their parents' occupation, a recommendation letter, documents proving proficiency in Korean or English (TOPIK or TOEFL), official high school transcript, official high school (expected) graduation certificate, a copy of a valid passport, their parents' nationality certificates or passports, and birth certicficate.
Applicants may optionally submit their standardized test scores, language proficiency scores other than Korean/English, explanatory statement, school profile, and other supplementary materials like certificates from in-school and extracurricular activities during high school.
SNU accepts international applicants who don't have Korean citizen parents as well as Koreans overseas.
Scholarship
International applicants applying for undergraduate programs at SNU are eligible for a Global Korea Scholarship (GKS).
They would receive subsidies, including tuition fee exemption for eight semesters, KRW 1,133,330 (~P47,000) monthly allowance for living expenses, one economy round trip, one year of mandatory Korean language training, medical insurance, settlement and returning expenses.
The application period for scholarships is in September. SNU has yet to specify a date.
Aspirants may submit applications for GSK to their Korean embassies.
Learn more about GSK on SNU's admissions website.
SNU offers programs in Political Science and International Relations, Humanities, Economics, Psychology, Mathematical Sciences, Chemistry, Nursing, Business Administration, Engineering, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Design, Education, Human Ecology, Pre-Veterinary Medicine, Music, and Pre-Med.
SNU ranks 62nd overall in THE's World University Rankings 2025. It's the number 1-ranked university in South Korea on the list.
Looking for other schools in Korea? Pohan University of Science and Technology will begin accepting international students for the first time in 2026.
