Korea University International Admissions: Requirements, Scholarships and D-2 Visa

Last verified: September 9, 2026. Korea University accepts international undergraduate applications through a separate process managed by its Office of International Affairs (OIA). The application calendar, eligible majors, language evidence and document rules can change by intake, so applicants should use this guide as a planning checklist and confirm every item against the current official admission guide before paying a fee or sending documents.

Current application status: Korea University’s online application for Spring 2027 ran from August 3 to August 31, 2026, and the postal-material deadline was September 7, 2026. The university lists the Fall 2027 application period as March 2027, with exact dates still to be announced. If you missed Spring, prepare for the Fall intake instead of sending late documents.

Quick answer: what international applicants need

A competitive application normally has five separate parts: eligibility, the correct programme choice, academic and language records, properly authenticated supporting documents, and an application submitted within both the online and postal deadlines. Admission does not automatically issue a visa. Successful degree students normally apply separately for the appropriate Korean D-2 student visa after receiving the university’s standard admission letter.

Korea University international admission calendar

Stage	Spring 2027	Fall 2027
Online application	August 3–31, 2026 (closed)	March 2027, exact dates TBA
Postal materials	August 3–September 7, 2026 (closed)	March 2027, exact dates TBA
Decision	November 27, 2026	June 2027, exact date TBA
Registration	January 2027, exact dates TBA	July 2027, exact dates TBA

All published times are Korea Standard Time. Korea University states that an online application is complete only after the application fee is paid and the required PDF documents are uploaded. Where original or certified documents must also arrive by post, use tracked delivery and allow time for international shipping.

Step 1: confirm that you qualify

Do not rely on a third-party summary for nationality or education eligibility. Open the current freshman or transfer guide and check the definition that applies to you. Applicants should be ready to document their citizenship, their parents’ citizenship where required, and completion or expected completion of the relevant school curriculum. Transfer candidates follow a different route and should not use freshman rules.

Also check whether your intended subject is available in that intake. Medicine and Nursing, for example, may have intake-specific restrictions, while some education programmes are subject to a quota. The International Studies English track requires qualifying English-language evidence. Programme and language rules should be confirmed before you order or legalise documents.

Step 2: build the document file

The exact checklist differs by applicant, but a well-prepared file commonly includes:

the completed online application and application-fee confirmation;
passport or citizenship evidence for the applicant and any family-status evidence required by the guide;
secondary-school graduation or expected-graduation certificate;
complete academic transcripts;
official language-test results when required or when used as supporting evidence;
personal statement, study plan or other forms listed for the chosen admission route;
certified translations for documents not issued in an accepted language;
apostille or consular authentication where the guide requires it; and
programme-specific portfolios or evidence, if applicable.

Create a document tracker with four columns: document name, issuing authority, authentication status and submission method. This avoids a common failure: uploading a scan but forgetting that a certified copy must also arrive by post.

Step 3: understand language requirements

Korea University offers programmes with different teaching-language expectations. A programme described as an English track does not mean every university service or elective will be available only in English. Conversely, Korean-taught study may require stronger Korean ability. Check the current guide for accepted tests, minimum results, score validity and the deadline by which official results must be available.

Applicants to the International Studies English track should pay particular attention because the university explicitly makes English-language qualification mandatory. Applicants considering the Global Open Major should also read the progression rules: assignment to a later major may depend on language ability, and the official guide describes TOPIK requirements for certain major assignments.

Scholarships: apply the right way

Korea University lists scholarship routes for entering, enrolled, exchange and visiting international students. Awards, coverage and selection rules are not identical. Some are assessed with admission, while others require a separate application or become available after enrolment. Government-funded options such as the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) follow their own nomination and application process.

Before treating an award as guaranteed, confirm:

whether a separate scholarship form is required;
whether the award covers tuition only or also living costs;
whether it applies to the first semester or can be renewed;
the GPA or enrolment conditions for continuation; and
whether accepting another award affects eligibility.

Use our scholarship application timeline and fully funded versus full-tuition explanation to compare the real value of an offer.

After admission: the Korean D-2 student visa

Degree students generally use the D-2 category; a bachelor’s student normally falls under D-2-2. Korea’s government Study in Korea portal lists core evidence such as a passport copy, recent photograph, the educational institution’s registration document, a standard admission letter, proof of highest education and proof of financial ability. Family-relationship evidence may be needed when a parent’s bank statement is used, and some applicants may need a tuberculosis test.

Your Korean embassy or consulate can require additional country-specific documents. Apply only after the university provides the admission documents and check the diplomatic mission serving your place of legal residence. A visa permits travel to seek entry; final admission is decided at the border.

Common mistakes that delay an application

Using an old admission guide instead of the guide for the correct intake.
Confusing the online deadline with the separate postal-arrival deadline.
Choosing freshman admission when the applicant’s previous university study requires transfer rules.
Submitting unofficial translations or missing authentication.
Assuming a scholarship is automatic or covers living expenses.
Booking non-refundable travel before admission and visa approval.

Final action checklist

Download the current guide from Korea University OIA.
Confirm intake, admission type, major availability and language evidence.
Order transcripts and authentication early.
Prepare digital PDFs within the university’s size and format limits.
Submit online, pay the fee and save confirmation.
Send any required physical documents with tracking.
Check the OIA website for the result; the university says it does not notify every applicant individually.
If admitted, follow the university’s registration instructions and then verify D-2 requirements with the Korean mission.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still apply for Spring 2027?

The published online and postal deadlines have passed. Contact OIA only if you have an existing application issue; otherwise prepare for Fall 2027 when the university publishes the final March schedule.

Does admission guarantee a scholarship?

No. Scholarship eligibility, selection and renewal conditions are separate from the admission decision unless an official award notice explicitly says otherwise.

Can I apply for a D-2 visa before being admitted?

The standard admission letter is one of the core D-2 documents, so the normal sequence is admission first and visa application afterwards.

Official sources

GlobalVisora is an independent information platform and is not affiliated with Korea University, the Korean government or any embassy. Requirements can change; the current official guide and responsible diplomatic mission always take priority.