Ewha Womans University is a private women’s university in Seoul, founded in 1886 as Ewha Haktang by the American missionary Mary F. Scranton.[1][2] According to its April 2026 disclosure it has 23,124 enrolled students, 2,468 of them international.[3] It is ranked 488th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, up from 504th.[4]
Undergraduate tuition in the Fall 2026 rates quoted in the international admissions guide is about KRW 4.64 million to 6.43 million per semester from the second year; first-year students in the HOKMA College pay about KRW 6.31 million.[5] Only women may apply through the international route. Freshmen need no language certificate for most programmes but must reach TOPIK 3 within their first year to enter a major.[6]
Key facts
| Official name | Ewha Womans University (이화여자대학교) |
| Location | Main campus: 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760; medical campus in Magok, Gangseo-gu[3] |
| Type | Private women’s university[2] |
| Founded | 31 May 1886 as Ewha Haktang, by Mary F. Scranton of the Methodist Episcopal Church; the name “Ewha” was bestowed in 1887 by Emperor Kojong[1] |
| Enrolled students | 23,124 in total: 16,857 bachelor’s, 5,321 master’s, 946 doctoral (disclosure standard of 1 April 2026)[3] |
| International students | 2,468 (1,544 bachelor’s, 795 master’s, 129 doctoral); the page adds that 885 students are in non-degree programmes (exchange, visiting, language)[3] |
| Faculty | 973 full-time professors, 1,385 non-full-time professors, 1,091 lecturers[3] |
| Structure | 15 colleges, 81 departments and 16 graduate schools[3] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 488th (504th the year before)[4] |
| Undergraduate tuition, per semester | About KRW 4.64–6.43 million from the second year; about KRW 6.31 million for first-year HOKMA College students (Fall 2026 rates)[5] |
| Who may apply (international route) | Non-Korean applicants whose parents are also non-Korean nationals; female applicants only[6] |
| Application fee | KRW 150,000[6] |
| Admissions office | International Student Affairs Team, isadmit@ewha.ac.kr[6] |
| Official website | ewha.ac.kr |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About Ewha Womans University
Ewha Haktang was founded on 31 May 1886 by Mary F. Scranton, an American missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The school received its name “Ewha” in 1887 from Emperor Kojong, and a college course was established in September 1910.[1] Today the university is a private research university for women.[2]
The main campus covers about 548,000 m² in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. The College of Medicine is on a separate campus in Magok, and the university runs two hospitals, Mokdong Hospital and Seoul Hospital.[3]
How is Ewha Womans University ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Ewha Womans University is 488th in the world, up from 504th. In the same report Sogang University is 494th and Dongguk University 520th.[4]
Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at Ewha Womans University?
The university has 15 colleges and 81 departments.[3] Its website lists these undergraduate colleges: Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Music, Art & Design, Education, Business Administration, Science & Industry Convergence, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Scranton College, Artificial Intelligence and the HOKMA College of General Education.[7]
Since the 2025 academic year, all incoming freshmen except those in the Division of International Studies and the College of Nursing are enrolled in the Global Scholars Program of the HOKMA College of General Education. In it they take Korean language and required liberal arts courses for at least one year. Students with a TOPIK level below 3 cannot take major-specific courses, and moving on to a major requires one year in the programme plus TOPIK 3 or an equivalent qualification.[6]
The graduate level includes a general Graduate School plus professional and special graduate schools, among them international studies, translation and interpretation, business, law, education, design and data science.[7]
How much does Ewha Womans University cost?
| Level and unit | Tuition per semester (approx., Fall 2026 rates) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate, first year: HOKMA College | KRW 6,310,000 |
| Undergraduate, first year: Nursing, Scranton College (International Studies), including admission fee | KRW 5,090,000–5,530,000 |
| From second year: Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, Business Administration, Science & Industry Convergence (Liberal Arts), Scranton College (International Studies) | KRW 4,640,000–5,560,000 |
| From second year: Natural Sciences, Engineering, Science & Industry Convergence (Natural Sciences), Nursing, Artificial Intelligence | KRW 5,530,000–6,210,000 |
| From second year: Music, Art & Design, Science & Industry (Content Convergence, Fashion Industry) | KRW 6,270,000–6,430,000 |
| Graduate, first semester (including admission fee): Humanities & Social Sciences / Natural Sciences & Engineering / Arts & Athletics / Medicine | KRW 7,380,000 / 8,390,000–9,610,000 / 7,370,000–9,680,000 / 10,560,000 |
| Graduate, later semesters: same order | KRW 6,350,000 / 7,360,000–8,580,000 / 6,350,000–8,650,000 / 9,530,000 |
The guide states these amounts as approximate, based on Fall 2026 tuition rates, and subject to change.[5] Students can pay in up to four instalments per semester.[8]
Scholarships for international students
The guide lists the Ewha Global Partnership Program (EGPP) for applicants from developing countries whose potential as female leaders is recognised; it covers full tuition including the admission fee, housing for dormitory residents and a stipend, for up to 8 semesters for undergraduate freshmen.[5] Other awards: ISS F4 (full tuition for up to 8 semesters) and ISS F2 (up to 4 semesters) for outstanding admission evaluations, and first-semester ISS TOPIK awards for freshmen: partial tuition at TOPIK 4, half tuition at TOPIK 5, full tuition at TOPIK 6.[5] A news report of 24 September 2026 describes the EGPP in the same terms.[9]
How do you apply to Ewha Womans University?
International applicants use the admissions process run by the International Student Affairs Team. The page we read describes the Spring 2027 intake.[6]
- Who may apply: applicants and both parents must be nationals of a country other than Korea. Ewha accepts applications from female applicants only.[6]
- Freshmen: high school graduates or expected graduates. GED, Korean high school equivalency, home schooling and cyber schooling are not accepted. Transfer: at least four regular semesters and half of the credits needed for graduation at a four-year university, or an associate degree.[6]
- Application: online, with an application fee of KRW 150,000 that must be paid before the application can be submitted.[6]
- Documents: application form, a personal statement (undergraduate), certificate of graduation and official transcript, language certificates, passports of the applicant and both parents, and a legal document showing the relationship to both parents. Music, art and design, kinesiology and some other programmes also need materials that show artistic or athletic ability.[6]
- Selection: a comprehensive review of the submitted materials; some applicants may be asked for a phone or video interview. Applicants to the Voice and Choral Conducting programmes take an in-person audition.[6]
Read the current admissions guide before you apply. We give no deadlines here because they change every year. Questions go to isadmit@ewha.ac.kr.[6]
Which language level do you need?
Undergraduate freshmen: no language certificate is required, except for the Division of International Studies (International Studies and Global Korean Studies). Those applicants need TOEFL iBT 80 (4.0 on the new scale for tests taken after 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.0 or New TEPS 326, or a high school education conducted entirely in English.[6] Once enrolled, most freshmen have to complete a year in the Global Scholars Program and reach TOPIK 3 before they move into a major.[6]
Undergraduate transfer and graduate applicants: at least one of these: TOPIK level 4 or above; completion of level 4 or above at a Korean language institute affiliated with a Korean university; TOEFL iBT 80 (4.0 new scale), IELTS 6.0 or New TEPS 326; high school or university education conducted entirely in Korean or in English; or Ewha’s recognition of an equivalent level.[6]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ewha Womans University only for women?
How much is tuition at Ewha Womans University?
The international admissions guide gives about KRW 4.64–6.43 million per semester for undergraduates from the second year, and about KRW 6.31 million for first-year HOKMA College students, at Fall 2026 rates.[5]
Do I need Korean to study at Ewha Womans University?
Are there scholarships for international students?
Yes: EGPP, ISS F4 and F2, and TOPIK-based first-semester awards. Terms are in the admissions guide.[5]
How is Ewha Womans University ranked?
It is 488th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, up from 504th.[4]
More about studying in South Korea
- South Korea: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in South Korea
- Ajou University
- Chonnam National University
- Chung-Ang University
- Dongguk University
- Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS)
- Hanyang University
- Inha University
- KAIST
- Konkuk University
- Korea University
- Kyung Hee University
- Kyungpook National University
- Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
- Pusan National University
- Seoul National University
- Sogang University
- Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
- UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology)
- Yonsei University
Sources
[1] Ewha Womans University: Founding Spirit & History (page without a date)
[2] Wikipedia: Ewha Womans University (type (private, women); secondary source)
[3] Ewha Womans University: Ewha at a Glance (figures per the university information disclosure standard of 1 Apr 2026)
[4] Korea JoongAng Daily: SNU leads Korean campuses in latest QS world rankings (article of 18 Jun 2026; QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access)
[5] Ewha International Student Affairs Team: Admissions Guide, Spring 2027 (English PDF) (PDF without a date; tuition stated as approximate and based on Fall 2026 rates)
[6] Ewha International Student Affairs Team: Admissions overview (Spring 2027) (page without a date; timeline for the Spring 2027 intake)
[7] Ewha Womans University: English homepage (menu of colleges and graduate schools) (page without a date)
[8] Ewha Womans University: Registration Guideline (page shows the fall 2026 payment schedule; no tuition amounts)
[9] Korea JoongAng Daily: Beyond GKS, more scholarships for international students in Korea (article of 24 Sep 2026)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.