Korea University is a private research university in Seoul, founded in 1905 as Bosung College.[1] It is ranked 52nd in the QS World University Rankings 2027, up from 61st and third among Korean universities.[2]
For the 2026 academic year the international admissions office lists tuition of about KRW 5,800,000 per semester for humanities and social sciences, KRW 6,700,000 for natural sciences and KRW 7,700,000 for engineering.[3] International applicants must prove Korean or English proficiency; the Global Open Major needs TOPIK level 5, IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 100 to be assigned to a major.[4]
Key facts
| Official name | Korea University (고려대학교) |
| Location | 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841; Sejong Campus in Sejong City[5] |
| Type | Private research university[1] |
| Founded | 1905 as Bosung College; became Korea University in 1946[1] |
| Students | 31,130 in 2024: 21,029 undergraduate and 10,101 postgraduate (Wikipedia infobox; the university’s own pages give no totals)[1] |
| Undergraduate units | 19 colleges, schools and divisions, among them Business School, Liberal Arts, Engineering, Medicine, Informatics and International Studies[5] |
| Campuses | Seoul Campus (946,225 m²) and Sejong Campus (425,130 m²) in the 2024 academic year; hospitals in Seoul and Ansan[5] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 52nd (61st a year earlier)[2] |
| Tuition 2026, per semester | About KRW 5.8M (humanities and social sciences) to KRW 7.8M (art); engineering about KRW 7.7M[3] |
| Application fee | KRW 150,000 (humanities, science), KRW 200,000 (art and design)[4] |
| Admission tracks for international undergraduates | Admission I (major-based) and Admission II (Open Major, Global Open Major); both can be applied to at once[4] |
| Scholarships | Several automatic awards, e.g. Anam Global Scholarship (full tuition for 8 semesters), Global Leader Scholarship A (full tuition for 4 semesters)[6] |
| Language proof | TOPIK or other Korean proof, TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic, or schooling in Korean or English[4] |
| Official website | korea.edu |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About Korea University
Korea University was established on 5 May 1905 as Bosung College by Lee Yong-Ik. It was elevated to a university in 1945, and in 1946 Bosung Professional School was reorganised and became Korea University.[1] Wikipedia gives Latin motto “Libertas, Justitia, Veritas” (liberty, justice, truth).[1]
The main Seoul Campus is in Seongbuk-gu; a second campus lies in Sejong City, and the university runs hospitals in Seoul (Anam, Guro) and Ansan.[5] The official undergraduate list has 19 units, including the Business School, colleges of Liberal Arts, Science, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, Informatics, International Studies and Media and Communication, the School of Art and Design, the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and University College.[5] Its student numbers (31,130 in 2024) come from Wikipedia, because the university’s overview page did not show current figures when we checked.[1]
How is Korea University ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Korea University is 52nd in the world, up from 61st and its best result so far. It is third among Korean universities, behind Seoul National University (38th) and Yonsei University (42nd); KAIST follows at 65th.[2] The Korea Herald reports the same position.[7] The university’s homepage shows 52nd in the QS World ranking and 12th in the QS Asia ranking without naming the edition.[8] Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at Korea University?
The 2027 application guide for international undergraduates lists majors in the Business School and the colleges of Liberal Arts (including Korean, English, German, French, Chinese, Russian, Japanese and Spanish language and literature), Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Political Science and Economics, Science, Engineering, Medicine, Education, Nursing, Informatics (computer science, data science, artificial intelligence), International Studies, Media and Communication, Health Science, Psychology and others.[4]
- Admission I: you choose a first-choice major, a second choice is optional.[4]
- Admission II (Open Major): the Global Open Major of the College of International Studies. In year 1 students take general education and Korean language courses; from year 2 they are assigned to a major in humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, art and design or engineering depending on their Korean or English ability. The Department of Global Entertainment and the Global Open Major recruit international students only.[4]
- University College and School of Interdisciplinary Studies: University College offers a one-year curriculum with an intensive Korean programme, after which students choose among 46 departments; the School of Interdisciplinary Studies admits students without a declared major.[4]
The College of Education admits international students up to 10% of its quota and requires sufficient Korean for the programme. Check the course catalogue for the number of English-taught courses in your department before choosing.[4]
How much does Korea University cost in 2026?
| Field | Tuition per semester (KRW, approx.) |
|---|---|
| Humanities and social sciences | 5,800,000 |
| Natural sciences | 6,700,000 |
| Engineering | 7,700,000 |
| Art | 7,800,000 |
| School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Open Major, University College | 7,700,000 |
The page is labelled “as of 2026 academic year / per semester” and “subject to change”. It also lists optional miscellaneous fees of about KRW 30,000 and no entrance fee. It does not list Medicine, Nursing or Health Science, so ask the admissions office about those.[3]
Scholarships
Newly admitted undergraduates are considered automatically. Examples: the Anam Global Scholarship (full tuition for eight semesters, freshman applicants, GPA 3.5 or higher in the previous semester); Global Leader Scholarship A (full tuition for four semesters, GPA 3.5 or higher) and B (50% for four semesters, GPA 3.0 or higher); the KU STEM Scholarship and KU Global Friends Scholarship (full tuition for four semesters); the Bright Futures Scholarship (KRW 1,000,000 per semester); and the Challenge Scholarship C (KRW 500,000 or 300,000 once) for applicants with a Korean Language Center certificate at level 6 or 5.[6]
How do you apply to Korea University?
International undergraduates apply online through the Office of International Affairs (OIA) with the university’s application service, and the required documents also go by post to the International Education Team. The application is complete only after the application fee is paid (KRW 150,000 for humanities or science, KRW 200,000 for art and design) and all documents are uploaded as PDF.[4][9] Applicants must be non-Korean citizens with non-Korean parents, and must have completed regular primary and secondary education equivalent to grades 1 to 12 in Korea.[4] Results are posted online and the OIA does not notify applicants individually.[4]
Graduate admission runs through a separate site, linked from the OIA navigation.[10] The general admissions page for undergraduates is here.[11] We give no deadlines because they change each year; use the current guide.
Which language level do you need?
Applicants submit one of the following, from a test taken within two years: Korean: a TOPIK (regular or iBT) score report, or a level-completion certificate from KU’s Korean Language Center (Seoul) or another accredited Korean university, or an intermediate-level certificate from a King Sejong Institute or the Sejong Korean Language Assessment; English: a TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic score (TOEFL MyBest/Essential and IELTS Indicator are not accepted); or an official transcript and school letter showing that the whole secondary curriculum was taught in Korean or English. The guide states no minimum score for these general routes.[4]
For the 2027 academic year the KU Online Korean Level Test is no longer offered.[4] For the English-track major in International Studies, an English qualification is mandatory. To be assigned to a major from the Global Open Major, TOPIK level 5, IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 100 (5 on the new scale) or higher is required.[4]
Admitted students may have to take intensive Korean: with TOPIK level 5 or higher there is no training and no restriction; at level 4 one semester of mandatory training (up to 6 credits); at level 3 or lower two semesters, and major courses are not allowed.[4]
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is tuition at Korea University?
About KRW 5.8 million per semester for humanities and social sciences, KRW 6.7 million for natural sciences and KRW 7.7 million for engineering in the 2026 academic year; art is about KRW 7.8 million.[3]
How is Korea University ranked?
52nd in the QS World University Rankings 2027, up from 61st, and third in Korea.[2]
Do I need Korean to study at Korea University?
You need to prove Korean or English proficiency. Admitted students with TOPIK level 3 or lower get mandatory Korean training and cannot take major courses at first.[4]
Are there scholarships for international students?
Yes. Several awards are given automatically on admission, up to full tuition for eight semesters (Anam Global Scholarship) with a GPA condition.[6]
What is the Global Open Major?
A programme of the College of International Studies for international students: year 1 is general education and Korean, then students are assigned a major depending on their Korean or English level.[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
- Ewha Womans University
- Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS)
- Hanyang University
- Inha University
- KAIST
- Konkuk 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] Wikipedia: Korea University (history, type and 2024 student numbers)
[2] Korea JoongAng Daily: SNU leads Korean campuses in latest QS world rankings as Yonsei, KU hit historic highs (QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access) (article of 18 Jun 2026; QS 2027 edition)
[3] Korea University OIA: Tuition (undergraduate, international) (page without a date; academic year 2026, per semester)
[4] Korea University OIA: 2027 Application Guide for international undergraduate admission (PDF) (file of Aug 2026; the Korean guide prevails)
[5] Korea University: Overview and current status (page updated 2 Sep 2025)
[6] Korea University OIA: KU Scholarships for newly admitted undergraduates (page without a date)
[7] The Korea Herald: Korean universities in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (article of 18 Jun 2026)
[8] Korea University: homepage (page without a date; rankings shown without edition)
[9] Korea University OIA: Admission Guide (page without a date; files of Aug 2026)
[10] Korea University Office of International Affairs: homepage (page without a date)
[11] Korea University: Undergraduate admissions (page without a date)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.