🇰🇷 South Korea · Study Abroad
How to study in South Korea as an international student — application steps, student visas, and living costs.
Quick answer
To study in South Korea you apply to the university; on admission you get an acceptance letter and apply for a D-2 visa (for a degree) or D-4 visa (for language training). Many programs require a TOPIK Korean-language level. After arrival you complete alien registration through HiKorea. Explore options on Study in Korea and apply by the deadline.
International students apply directly to Korean universities, which offer programmes in Korean and English; Korean-taught programmes often require a TOPIK level. After admission you obtain a Certificate of Admission and apply for a student visa (D-2 for degree programmes, D-4 for language courses). The official Study in Korea portal (run by NIIED) centralises programme search, applications and the Global Korea Scholarship.
- Apply directly to each university; Korean-taught programmes often require a TOPIK level, while many degrees are also offered in English.
- After admission you apply for a student visa — D-2 for degree study, D-4 for language training — using your Certificate of Admission.
- The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is a fully-funded route; many universities also offer their own tuition reductions.
- Students may work part-time within set limits after obtaining permission — check current rules.
Step-by-step
- 1
Choose your course and institution
Choose your program and apply to the university; many programs require a TOPIK Korean level. Explore options on Study in Korea.
- 2
Meet academic and language requirements
Meet the academic entry requirements and prove language ability (e.g. an English or local-language test) at the level the course demands.
- 3
Apply for admission
Apply for admission through the relevant application route by the deadline, with transcripts, test scores and supporting documents.
- 4
Receive offer and enrollment document
On acceptance, obtain your official enrollment/acceptance document, which you will need for the visa application.
- 5
Apply for your student visa
Apply for a D-2 visa (degree study) or D-4 visa (language training), then complete alien registration via HiKorea after arrival.
- 6
Arrive, enroll and know the rules
Arrive before the term, complete enrollment and any residence registration, and note the rules on part-time work and post-study stay.
Checklist
- Course, level and institution chosen
- Academic + language requirements met
- Admission application submitted by deadline
- Offer + enrollment/acceptance document received
- Proof of funds + health cover prepared
- Student visa applied for + granted
- Arrival, enrollment + registration done
- Work-hours and post-study stay rules understood
Official authorities
- Study in Korea (run by the Korean Government)
Official portal: programmes, applications and the GKS scholarship.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between D-2 and D-4 visas?
D-2 is for degree study at a university; D-4 is for language training (such as a university Korean-language program).
What is TOPIK?
The Test of Proficiency in Korean; many degree programs require a minimum TOPIK level, though some are taught in English.
What is HiKorea?
The government portal for immigration services in Korea, used to book and complete alien registration and other stay procedures.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- Government of Korea — Korea's integrated government portal — policy, administrative services, e-government
- Korea Immigration Service (HiKorea) — Visas, residence status changes, work permits, and alien registration in Korea
- National Tax Service (NTS) — Korean income tax, corporate tax, VAT filing; annual comprehensive tax return for foreigners (May); foreign taxpayer incentive lookup