Checkout the Which is the Cheapest University in South Korea for International Students....
Mar 19, 2025 03:48:30
Approx. 2,000–3,500 USD per semester
Public university with strong engineering and technology programs.
Around 2,500–4,000 USD per semester
Affordable for an arts-focused university and well-regarded in performing arts and design.
Around 2,200–3,800 USD per semester depending on major
One of the top national universities with relatively low tuition.
Approx. 1,800–3,000 USD per semester
Known for affordable tuition and good scholarship opportunities.
Around 2,000–3,500 USD per semester
Strong in sciences and engineering with reasonable tuition for international students.
Around 1,700–3,200 USD per semester
Affordable tuition and generous scholarships for international students.
Approximately 2,000–3,200 USD per semester
Public university with affordable rates for both local and international students.
Most public universities offer tuition reduction scholarships for international students (often 30–50%).
Regional universities often have more generous scholarships than universities in Seoul.
Applying for the Korean Government Scholarship (GKS) can cover all tuition and living expenses.
Humanities/Social Sciences: $4,000 – $5,000
Engineering/Natural Sciences: $5,000 – $6,000
Medicine/Pharmacy: $6,000 – $7,500
Humanities: $3,000 – $4,500
Sciences/Engineering: $4,500 – $6,000
Humanities: $2,500 – $3,500
Engineering/Sciences: $3,500 – $5,000
Humanities: $2,800 – $4,200
Engineering/Sciences: $3,500 – $5,000
Humanities: around $3,500
Engineering/Sciences: $4,500 – $5,000
Expense |
Estimated Annual Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
|
Housing (on-campus) |
$2,000 – $4,000 |
|
Food |
$1,800 – $2,500 |
|
Transportation |
$300 – $500 |
|
Health Insurance |
$200 – $300 |
|
Books/Supplies |
$300 – $500 |
|
Miscellaneous |
$500 – $1,000 |
|
Total Living Costs |
$5,000 – $8,000 |
Location: Jinju
Tuition: $2,500 – $5,000 per year
English-taught programs:
Engineering, Natural Sciences, Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, Business
Why affordable?
It's one of the most budget-friendly national universities with growing international programs.
Location: Busan
Tuition: $3,000 – $6,000 per year
English-taught programs:
Engineering, International Studies, Business, Natural Sciences
Highlight:
PNU has a solid reputation and offers several scholarships for international students.
Location: Gwangju
Tuition: $2,800 – $5,000 per year
English-taught programs:
International Business, Computer Science, Biotechnology, Environmental Science
Perks:
Affordable living costs in Gwangju and strong support services for international students.
Location: Incheon (close to Seoul)
Tuition: $3,000 – $5,000 per year
English-taught programs:
Global Business, International Trade, Urban Science, AI, Data Science
Notable:
Many undergrad and grad programs taught fully in English and proximity to Seoul makes it attractive.
Location: Ulsan
Tuition: $3,500 – $5,500 per year
English-taught programs:
Engineering, Industrial Management, Global Business
Advantage:
Ulsan is Korea’s industrial hub, and the university has strong industry connections.
Entrance scholarships (30–100% tuition coverage) based on GPA and language proficiency (TOPIK/IELTS).
Annual merit-based scholarships.
Korean Government Scholarships (GKS).
University |
Tuition per year (USD) |
English-taught fields |
|---|---|---|
|
Gyeongsang National University |
$2,500 – $5,000 |
Engineering, Agriculture, Business |
|
Chonnam National University |
$2,800 – $5,000 |
International Business, Sciences |
|
Incheon National University |
$3,000 – $5,000 |
Global Business, Data Science, AI |
|
Pusan National University |
$3,000 – $6,000 |
Engineering, International Studies |
|
University of Ulsan |
$3,500 – $5,500 |
Engineering, Global Business |
Scholarships:
SNU President Fellowship — full tuition + stipend (for outstanding international graduate students)
Global Scholarship Program — full tuition + living allowance + airfare
Merit-based tuition waivers (partial or full)
Discount Rate: 50% to 100% for top-performing students
Global KU Scholarship — full or partial tuition for undergrad and grad
Entrance Scholarships (up to 100%) based on academic excellence and English/Korean proficiency
Discount Rate: 30% to 100%
Yonsei International Scholarship — partial to full tuition + monthly stipend for top international students
Various merit-based renewable scholarships
Discount Rate: 30% to 100%
Tuition waivers from 30% to 100% based on academic performance and language test scores
PNU Graduate Scholarship — full tuition waiver for outstanding students
High chance of renewable scholarships every semester
Entrance scholarships (up to 100% tuition) for students with high GPA and English or TOPIK scores
Academic excellence scholarships (50–100%) each semester
Housing discounts for scholarship recipients
30–100% tuition waivers
Additional monthly stipends for graduate students with research assistantships
Special awards for top-performing international students each year
Full and partial tuition scholarships
Stipends for students with top academic achievements
English proficiency-based entrance scholarships
Available for studies at most national and private universities
Covers:
Full tuition
Monthly living allowance
Round-trip airfare
Research funding
Settlement allowance
Highly competitive but the most comprehensive scholarship program
Almost every public university in South Korea offers tuition waivers between 30%–100% for international students, especially those with high GPA, TOPIK Level 3+, or IELTS 6.0+.
Most scholarships are automatically considered during application (no separate application needed).
Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech)
Pusan National University (PNU)
Kangwon National University (KNU)
Chonnam National University (CNU)
University of Ulsan
Gyeongsang National University (GNU)
Humanities & Social Sciences: $2,000 – $3,500 per year
Engineering & Sciences: $3,500 – $5,000 per year
Medicine / Fine Arts can be higher (around $6,000 – $8,000), but still lower than private universities.
Dormitory (shared room): $1,200 – $2,400 per year
Food: $2,000 – $3,000 per year (if cooking or eating cheaply at school cafeterias)
Transportation: $300 – $500 per year
Books & supplies: $300 – $500 per year
Personal expenses: $1,000 – $1,500 per year
On the most affordable side: $6,000 – $8,500 USD per year
If you live in a bigger city (like Seoul or Busan) or have higher personal expenses: $8,000 – $11,000 USD per year
