Field Notes / Long Stay

Studying in South Korea: international schools, universities, and visas

2026-06 5 min read EN

At a glance — For school-age children, Seoul has several established English-medium international schools (SFS, KIS, YISS, Dwight). At the university level, two visas dominate: the D-2 for a full degree program, and the D-4-1 for a Korean language course, both issued on proof of admission and sufficient funds.

K–12: English-medium international schools in Seoul

If you're moving to Korea with school-age children, the main English-medium options in and around Seoul are:

  • Seoul Foreign School (SFS) — Founded 1912, in Yeonhui-dong (Seodaemun-gu). Pre-K through Grade 12, offering both the IB Diploma and AP. One of the oldest international schools in Asia.
  • Korea International School (KIS) — Two campuses (Pangyo, just south of Seoul, and Jeju). Pre-K through Grade 12 on a US-style curriculum, with AP. Pangyo is the main campus for families based around Seoul.
  • Yongsan International School of Seoul (YISS) — In Hannam-dong (Yongsan-gu), central Seoul. Pre-K through Grade 12, US curriculum, AP, Christian ethos.
  • Dwight School Seoul — On Magok campus (Gangseo-gu), part of the global Dwight network. Pre-K through Grade 12, full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP).

Tuition at these schools is steep — expect roughly $25,000–$40,000 per year depending on grade level — and admissions can be competitive, with waitlists at the most established campuses. Confirm current fees, visa eligibility (some schools operate foreign-passport quotas under Korean regulations), and application deadlines directly with each school.

Year-abroad exchange programs (Rotary Youth Exchange, AFS, and the like) place teens in Korean public high schools instead, where instruction is in Korean and the credits won't transfer toward a Western diploma.

University: the D-2 visa

For a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate, the route is the D-2 (Regular Student) visa, applied for at a Korean consulate after you receive admission. Documents typically required:

  • application form, passport, photos;
  • Certificate of Admission from the Korean university;
  • proof of funds (consulates commonly ask for roughly ₩20,000,000 in available funds, confirm with your post);
  • diplomas and transcripts (often apostilled);
  • proof of language level: TOPIK (usually level 3 or 4 for Korean-taught programs) or IELTS / TOEFL for English-taught programs.

On arrival, you must register with immigration through HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) to obtain your residence card (ARC) within 90 days.

The official Study in Korea (studyinkorea.go.kr) portal, run by NIIED, brings together the programs open to international students in one place. The most-cited universities are SNU, Yonsei, and Korea University (the "SKY" trio), KAIST and POSTECH for science and engineering, Hongik for art and design, and Sungkyunkwan, Hanyang, and Ewha for a broad mix of disciplines.

English-taught degree programs

The SKY universities and KAIST all offer a meaningful share of coursework in English, particularly at the graduate level and in business, international studies, and engineering tracks. Notable English-medium options include:

  • Seoul National University (SNU) — Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS), business school, and many STEM master's tracks deliver substantial English-taught content.
  • Yonsei University — Underwood International College (UIC) is a fully English-taught undergraduate liberal arts college; GSIS and the MBA also run in English.
  • Korea University — Division of International Studies for undergrads, plus an English-track MBA and KU GSIS at the graduate level.
  • KAIST (Daejeon) — English is the default language of instruction across most graduate programs and a large share of undergraduate courses, making it especially attractive for engineering and computer science.

TOPIK isn't required for these tracks; IELTS or TOEFL scores are. Verify each program's exact English-track requirements on the university's admissions site.

Korean language study: the D-4-1 visa

To take only a university-affiliated Korean language program, the right visa is the D-4-1 (Korean language training), applied for on the basis of a certificate of enrollment. Terms typically run ten weeks, with four to five offered per year. In Seoul, the most popular programs are Yonsei KLI (one of the oldest, six levels), Sogang KLEC (communicative, conversation-focused), and those at Ewha, SNU, and Korea University. The D-4 does not convert automatically to a D-2: you need a fresh degree admission to switch.

Scholarships, tuition, and cost of living

Main funding routes:

  • Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), formerly KGSP, from the Korean government. Covers airfare, language training, tuition, and a monthly stipend. Two tracks: "embassy" (apply via the Korean embassy in your home country) or "university" (apply directly to the institution). Portal: studyinkorea.go.kr. Open to a wide range of nationalities including US, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, and Ireland.
  • Institutional scholarships — Most major Korean universities offer their own merit-based tuition waivers (often 30–100%) to international applicants. These are usually awarded automatically based on your application file, with no separate form required.
  • Home-country exchange programs — Many US, UK, Canadian, Australian, and NZ universities have bilateral agreements with Korean universities for a semester or full-year exchange, with home-country tuition retained. Check with your study-abroad office.

Rough orders of magnitude for 2026:

  • Tuition: expect roughly $4,000–$7,000 per year at a public university, $6,000–$13,000 at major private universities, more for select MBA programs. English-track programs sometimes carry a small premium.
  • Housing: university dorms ₩200,000–₩500,000/month; goshiwon (tiny single room) ₩300,000–₩500,000/month in Seoul; studio (officetel) more like ₩600,000–₩900,000/month, with a typically large key-money deposit.
  • Day-to-day costs: roughly ₩800,000–₩1,200,000/month excluding rent.
  • NHIS health insurance: about ₩70,000–₩80,000/month, mandatory beyond six months of stay.

Part-time work is permitted on a D-2 or D-4 with immigration approval, generally capped at around 20 hours per week at the undergraduate level.

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