Kim Il Sung University is a public university in Pyongyang, North Korea (DPRK). It was founded on 1 October 1946 and is described as the first tertiary education institution established in post-war North Korea.[1] Wikipedia gives about 16,000 students, citing a 2019 tour-operator figure.[1]
Information on this university is thin and comes mostly from Wikipedia, North Korean state media (KCNA) as relayed by the South Korean agency Yonhap, and a pro-Pyongyang newspaper in Japan. We found no published tuition fees, no QS ranking and no official admission page for international applicants, so we do not state any.[1][2]
Key facts
| Official name | Kim Il Sung University (김일성종합대학) |
| Location | Ryongnam-dong, Taesong District, Pyongyang, North Korea[1] |
| Type | Public university[1] |
| Founded | 1 October 1946; described as the first tertiary institution established in post-war North Korea[1] |
| Students | About 16,000 (Wikipedia, citing a 2019 tour-operator source)[1] |
| Campus | 15 hectares (37 acres), urban; Wikipedia lists laboratories, libraries, museums, dormitories and a hospital[1] |
| Study areas | Social sciences (7 units), natural sciences (13 units), plus Education and Distance Education; a graduate school offers doctoral programmes[1] |
| Degree length | Typically four or five years for undergraduates[1] |
| International students | First admitted in 1995 (Wikipedia). About 100 from 33 countries were reported in 2017 (Choson Sinbo, via Korea Times)[3] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not confirmed (no source read) |
| Tuition fees | Not documented in any source we read |
| Language of teaching | Korean is the main language implied by the sources; some English-medium programmes since the 1970s (Wikipedia)[1] |
| Official website | No official page could be read; see Wikipedia for a summary |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.
About Kim Il Sung University
Kim Il Sung University was founded on 1 October 1946. A preparatory committee formed on 25 May 1946, and the university was established by an ordinance of the interim People’s Committee of North Korea.[1] In 1948 four faculties (Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Agriculture and Medicine) split off to become separate institutions, among them Pyongyang University of Technology, now Kim Chaek University of Technology.[1] During the Korean War the university moved to Baeksong-ri in Suncheon-gun and was back in Pyongyang by late 1955, according to Wikipedia.[1]
On 30 September 2026 North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the university for its 80th anniversary. This is reported by KCNA, North Korea’s state news agency, as relayed by Yonhap and the Korea JoongAng Daily. According to that reporting he called it the country’s “highest dignified educational institution” and urged it to lead efforts to build a “powerful and prosperous” country. He also urged more exchanges with elite universities and research institutes in other countries.[2][4] These are statements of the state media report, not independent findings.
How is Kim Il Sung University ranked?
We could not confirm a position in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published 18 June 2026) for this university. No source we read lists it, so we show “Not confirmed” instead of a number. How we compile rankings.
Wikipedia’s only competition result is a 30th place in the 2016 ACM-ICPC programming contest, the only time the university took part as of June 2026.[1] That is a single contest result, not an institutional ranking.
What can you study at Kim Il Sung University?
Wikipedia lists the following units.[1]
- Social sciences: Finance, Foreign Languages and Literature, Economics, History, Korean Language and Literature, Law, Philosophy.
- Natural sciences: Chemistry, Electronics and Automation, Energy Science, Forest Science, Geography, Geo-environmental Science, Geology, Computer Science, Life Science, Materials Science, Mathematics, Mechanics, Physics.
- Other: Education and Distance Education.
Undergraduate degrees typically take four or five years, and a graduate school offers doctoral programmes.[1] Japanese language and literature courses began in spring 2017.[1] For foreign students, the 2017 report (Choson Sinbo, relayed by the Korea Times) says they could previously major only in Korean and that majors such as economics, social sciences, philosophy, law and history were planned from the following year.[3] We could not check whether this was carried out.
How much does Kim Il Sung University cost?
We found no published tuition fee for domestic or international students, and no source we read states one. Wikipedia and the Korea Times reports do not mention fees. We therefore give no figure.[1][3]
Can international students apply to Kim Il Sung University?
The university has admitted international students since 1995. Wikipedia says that about 5,000 international students from 30 countries had studied there as of 2019 and that about 100 foreign students, mostly Chinese, were enrolled before COVID-19.[1] A 2017 report by the Choson Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper in Japan, relayed by the Korea Times, gives about 100 students from 33 countries.[3] The two sources differ in the number of countries, and they refer to different years.
According to the 2017 report, applicants take a one-year preparatory Korean course at Kim Hyong Jik University of Education and then pass the university’s entrance examination.[3] For postgraduate applicants Wikipedia lists: birth certificate, letter of intent, undergraduate qualifications, a police background check from the home country, medical records, proof of financial means and a letter attesting Korean-language ability.[1]
We found no official admission page and no current procedure, so we cannot confirm that these steps are open or valid today. We give no deadlines. We also give no travel or safety advice; consult your own government’s official guidance.
Which language do you need?
The sources describe Korean-language preparation for foreign students: a one-year preparatory Korean course before the entrance examination, and a letter attesting Korean-language ability for postgraduate applicants.[3][1] Wikipedia adds that some English-medium programmes have been taught since the 1970s. No source we read names an accepted language certificate or level.[1]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kim Il Sung University a public university?
Yes. Wikipedia describes it as a public university in Pyongyang, founded on 1 October 1946.[1]
How much are the tuition fees at Kim Il Sung University?
We found no published fee in the sources we read, so we state none.[1]
Does Kim Il Sung University accept foreign students?
How is Kim Il Sung University ranked?
We could not confirm a QS World University Rankings 2027 position, so none is shown.
What happened at the 80th anniversary in 2026?
KCNA, the North Korean state news agency, reported that Kim Jong-un visited the university on 30 September 2026. The report was relayed by Yonhap.[2]
More about studying in North Korea
- North Korea: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in North Korea
Sources
[1] Wikipedia: Kim Il Sung University (independent encyclopedia; some figures cite tour operators) (page last edited 4 Nov 2026)
[2] Korea Times (Yonhap): N. Korea’s Kim urges top university to lead building of ‘powerful country’ (relays KCNA, state media) (article of 1 Oct 2026)
[3] Korea Times: North Korea’s top university to admit more foreign students (relays Choson Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper in Japan) (article of 21 Oct 2017, so figures may be outdated)
[4] Korea JoongAng Daily: Kim Jong-un urges North’s top university to build ‘powerful and prosperous’ country (cites KCNA and Yonhap) (article of 1 Oct 2026)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.