Korean universities drop personal statement in applications, change Korean proficiency requirements

Korean universities began accepting international student applications for the 2024 spring semester, with universities no longer requiring personal statements and some changing Korean proficiency requirements.

Students watch a performance during Yonsei University's spring festival. [YONSEI UNIVERSITY]

Korean universities began accepting international student applications for the 2024 spring semester, with universities no longer requiring personal statements and some changing Korean proficiency requirements.

One of the notable changes for the upcoming admission cycle is the exclusion of personal statements and study plans.

Following the enforcement decree of the Higher Education Act enacted in 2022, universities aren't allowed to require applicants to submit a personal statement, self-introduction or study plan starting with undergraduate admissions for the 2024 spring semester.

The change is part of the Ministry of Education's plans announced in 2019, aiming to eliminate external factors such as their family's socioeconomic backgrounds playing a role in admissions.

Instead, the focus has shifted to assessing students based on academic records such as one's academic history, awards and other standardized test scores, with some schools changing their weighting scale.

Some universities have changed their Korean proficiency requirements for the upcoming admission cycle.

Some are allowing applicants to prove their language skills using tests other than the standard Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik), such as language school certifications and Topik Speaking.

Topik requirements for specific majors have changed in some universities as well.

Seoul-based universities

A Yonsei University first-year student poses for a photo during the university's matriculation ceremony in February 2023. [YONHAP]

Yonsei University opened international student applications on Monday, accepting applications until Sept. 22.

One of the biggest changes Yonsei has made in its international student admissions is its weighted grading scheme for those applying to its College of Music, Department of Physical Education and Department of Sports Industry Studies.

Until admissions for the fall semester in 2023, academic records accounted for up to 50 percent of an applicant's overall score, while the other 50 percent was determined by their results on the performance-based tests, in which applicants perform music or participate in tryouts.

However, starting with admissions for the 2024 spring semester, the applicants' student records will be given more weight, accounting for up to 60 percent of an applicant's score and the performance-based tests 40 percent.

Apart from those applying to study music and physical education, the university will use academic records only to assess the candidates.

The university aims to move away from performance-based tests in the future.

Applicants for its physical education department and sport industry studies department will be assessed solely based on their academic records starting 2025 spring admissions. There will be no tryouts.

This year will also be the last chance for international students who wish to study music at Yonesi to apply, as the university announced it will not admit international students starting with the spring semester in 2025.

Students can also apply to certain divisions only open for spring admissions, including the College of Music, the College of Medicine, the College of Dentistry, the College of Nursing and the College of Pharmacy.

Students can apply to both the university's Global Leader College and the general international student program, which offers 56 majors at Yonsei's schools, including the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Science and the College of Engineering.

Its Underwood International College (UIC), which offers courses taught entirely in English, runs a separate international admissions track, which is open from Aug. 18 to Oct. 13. Students can apply through UIC's website or the Common Application.

Applicants to UIC are evaluated on a 300-point scale, with 200 points allocated for academic records and 100 for interviews.

Students throw their caps during Hanyang University's commencement ceremony in February. [NEWS1]

For Hanyang University, changes in Korean proficiency requirements are the most notable.

The university opened its applications on Friday, accepting applications until Oct. 11. It plans to notify admitted students on Dec. 13.

The university used to require international applicants — excluding English track applicants and Global Korea Scholarship recipients — to submit a Topik level of 4 or above. Starting with 2024 spring admissions, it also accepts Topik Speaking level 4 or above and Topik IBT level 4 or above.

International Applicants can also fulfill the Korean language requirement by completing the level 4 Korean language course at the Hanyang Institute of International Education.

English track refers to Hanyang University's programs taught in English, including the university's data science major, global management major and international studies major.

As Hanyang University accepts a wider variety of certifications to assess Korean proficiency, some of the university's scholarship criteria have also changed.

The university used to offer a 50 percent discount on an international student's first-semester tuition if they have Topik level 5, but those with Topik Speaking level 5 and Topik IBT level 5 will also qualify for the benefit.

Previously, only students with Topik level 6 received a waiver on their first-semester tuition, but those with Topik Speaking level 6 and Topik IBT level 6 will receive the same perk.

The university, however, discontinued its online Korean language test for those who don't have a Topik score.

Until admissions for the fall semester in 2023, students who couldn't acquire Topik scores due to Covid-19-related circumstances were allowed to apply without a score first and then take the university's Korean language test once admitted.

With the Covid-19 pandemic coming to an end, the university decided to stop administering post-admission Korean language tests and only accept official test scores.

Sungkyunkwan University first-year students attend the school's welcoming ceremony in March. [NEWS1]

Sungkyunkwan University also used to offer a similar online Korean language test during the pandemic, allowing those without Topik scores to take it as an alternative.

The university also discontinued the test starting with the admission for the upcoming spring semester.

Sungkyunkwan University's application process for international students did not change as much. Students can apply to programs that take new students only in the spring semesters. These programs include global economics, global business administration, theater, architecture and biomedical engineering.

Its second round of international admissions will be between Nov. 6 and Nov. 17, with accepted students set to be notified on Jan. 5.

For Ewha Womans University, the university's application process has become more online-focused, starting with 2024 spring admissions. The university will be accepting international applications from Thursday to Oct. 12.

Ewha Womans University professors perform on stage to welcome first-year students during the school's matriculation ceremony in February. [YONHAP]

Until the 2023 fall admissions, students had to complete their application online and submit a hard copy of their application form and other required documents, such as their academic transcript, to the university's international student affairs team either in person or by post.

But starting with the 2024 spring admissions, students will have to submit those documents only online.

Rather than having every applicant send in hard copies, the university will require hard copies of their documents only from students who were offered preliminary admission. Submissions need to be made between Nov. 6 and 17, and the university will revoke its admission decisions for those who fail to submit the hard copies by the deadline.

The only exception is those applying for the university's College of Music, College of Art & Design and Division of Kinesiology & Sports Studies. Applicants to those programs need to submit supplemental materials, such as clips of them singing a song, dancing or playing instruments, by post or in person at the beginning of the application process, in a thumb drive or a DVD.

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies' matriculation ceremony takes place in February. [NEWS 1]

Hankuk University of Korean Studies (HUFS) is one school that has eased language skill requirements and is accepting various types of language certifications and test scores.

Students can apply for three tracks through HUFS' international admissions route: the Korean track, English track A and English track B.

English track A is for the university's Division of International Studies, whose courses are taught entirely in English.

To apply to the track, students previously needed a score of 80 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (Toefl) or 5.5 on the International English Language Testing System (Ielts). But, starting with the spring 2024 admissions, the minimum Toefl score requirement is going down to 71.

For English track B — referring to its English linguistics & language technology major and English for International Conferences and Communication major, or ones with 50 percent or more of their courses taught in English — the Toefl score requirement was also lowered from 80 to 71.

Those applying to programs in the Korean track — all majors except those in English tracks A and B — used to need Topik level 3 or above. Now, students can submit other certifications such as a course completion certificate issued by the university's Center for Korean Language and Culture, King Sejong Institute or other Korean language centers at International Education Quality Assurance System universities.

Criteria have also changed to give more weight to language skills, assessed by the language proficiency certifications submitted by the students.

Academic records used to make up to 40 percent of an applicant's score, language skills up to 20 and interviews 40. Starting with the 2024 spring admissions, the ratio for an applicant's overall score will be 30 percent for academic records, 30 for language proficiency and 40 for interviews.

HUFS will open the second round of international applications between Oct. 16 and Nov. 17. Those who pass the document review will be invited for an online interview on Dec. 23, with decision announcements made on Jan. 4.

Glocal University 30

Glocal University 30 is a project led by the Ministry of Education, aiming to provide multibillion-won funds over the next five years to selected universities with plans to innovate their education systems.

Nineteen institutions have passed the first round of the selection process in June.

Trying to solve the problem of student population decline due to Korea's low birth rate, many of the universities selected for the first round submitted plans to attract more international students.

Among the selected universities, Jeonbuk National University and Pusan National University will soon open international applications with a few changes to their existing admission system.

Graduating students pose for a photo on Jeonbuk National University's campus in Jeonju, North Jeolla. [NEWS1]

Jeonbuk National University will accept the second round of international applications between Nov. 1 and 15. Applicants will be invited for interviews between Dec. 5 and 6, with students in Korea being interviewed in person and those overseas online. The university will send admission decision notifications on Dec. 22.

One of the biggest changes the school is making is its Korean language proficiency requirements.

There used to be no specific certification requirements for applicants to the College of Arts — except those applying to the industrial design major — if they deemed themselves to be capable of attending classes taught in Korean. Only those applying to the industrial design major in the College of Arts needed either Topik level 3 or above or certification of level 4 or above from a Korean language education center in Korea.

Starting the 2024 spring admissions, those applying to the music major — which used to be exempt from Korean language requirements due to being under the College of Arts — also need either Topik level 3 or above or certification of level 4 or above from a Korean language education center in Korea.

There are new majors that international students can apply to.

Its Department of Smart Farm, founded in 2021, is accepting international applications for the first time. The department has an international student quota of 15 for the 2024 spring semester.

Pusan National University is another university selected for the first round of the Glocal project, soon accepting international applications.

Pusan National University students hold up signs advertising university clubs to first-year students. [SONG BONG-GEUN]

The university will accept international applications between Oct. 16 and Nov. 10, with interviews conducted on Dec. 12. Students in Korea will be invited for in-person interviews, while those abroad will be invited for phone or online interviews. Admission decision announcements will be made on Dec. 29.

The university used to require Topik level 4 or completion of Korean course Level 4 at its Language Education Institute for those who wish to apply to its Department of Language and Information. Now, it requires at least Topik level 5 or completion of level 5 at its Language Education Institute.

With the change, there are now five departments that require Topik level 5 or its equivalent: the Department of Language and Information, the Department of Business Administration, the Department of Nursing, the Department of Food and Resource Economics and the Department of Nanomechatronics Engineering.

Apart from the five departments and the Department of Global Studies — which only requires Topik level 3 or its equivalent — applicants need Topik level 4 or its equivalent to apply.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]