Kyungpook National University (KNU) is a national university in Daegu, established in 1946, with 34,434 students in its own profile dated 1 October 2025.[1] It is ranked 481st in the QS World University Rankings 2027, up from 519th and its best position so far.[2][3]
The 2026 tuition table in KNU’s undergraduate guide for international students runs from KRW 1,954,000 to KRW 2,670,000 per semester on the Daegu campus, depending on the college.[4] Most departments ask for TOPIK level 3 or 4, and the other departments also accept English test scores.[4]
Key facts
| Official name | Kyungpook National University (경북대학교), KNU[1] |
| Location | Daegu, South Korea (main address 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566)[4] |
| Type | National university[5] |
| Established | 1946; the university traces its roots to a medical school founded in 1923[5] |
| Merger | Sangju National University merged with KNU in March 2008[6] |
| Students | 34,434 (28,217 undergraduates and 6,217 graduate students) in the university’s profile dated 1 Oct 2025[1] |
| Undergraduate units | 18 colleges and 3 schools[1] |
| Graduate programmes | 150 master’s and 142 doctoral programmes[1] |
| Campuses in the international guide | Daegu and Sangju[4] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 481st (519th in 2026)[2] |
| Tuition 2026, Daegu campus | KRW 1,954,000 to 2,670,000 per semester, by college[4] |
| Tuition 2026, Sangju campus | KRW 1,981,000 to 2,531,000 per semester, by college[4] |
| Application fee, undergraduate | KRW 80,000[4] |
| Korean requirement, international undergraduates | TOPIK level 3 or 4 for the departments with a set level; other departments also accept English test scores[4] |
| Official website | en.knu.ac.kr |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About Kyungpook National University
Kyungpook National University lists 1946 as its year of establishment.[1] Wikipedia adds that the university traces its origins to a medical school founded in 1923 and was formally established in September 1946, when the colleges of education, medicine and agriculture in Daegu were merged into a national college.[5] Sangju National University merged with KNU in March 2008, which is why the university has a second campus in Sangju.[6]
The university’s own profile, dated 1 October 2025, gives 34,434 students, of whom 28,217 are undergraduates and 6,217 are graduate students, and lists 18 undergraduate colleges and 3 schools plus 150 master’s and 142 doctoral programmes.[1] Wikipedia gives a higher total (36,277 for 2025), so numbers vary by source; we use the university’s figure.[5]
How is Kyungpook National University ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Kyungpook National University is 481st. JoongAng Daily reports that it rose to 481st from 519th.[2] The Korea Herald calls this its highest position yet, after a rank of around 695th a decade ago.[3]
The Korean trade paper Hankook Daehak Sinmun lists KNU’s recent QS positions as 520th in 2024, 516th in 2025, 519th in 2026 and 481st in 2027, and shows Pusan National University at 449th and Chonnam National University at 781 to 790 in the same table.[7] A second article by the same paper, also of 18 June 2026, gives the same 481st for KNU.[8] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at Kyungpook National University?
The 2026 Fall undergraduate guide for international students groups its tuition by college. On the Daegu campus these are Humanities and the Teachers College, Natural Sciences and Human Ecology, Economics and Business Administration and Public Administration, Engineering and IT Engineering, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Social Sciences, and Music and Arts. The Sangju campus has Ecology and Environmental Science and Science and Technology.[4]
International admissions are limited by department, so each department sets its own number of places.[4] The guide’s tuition table does not list medicine, dentistry, nursing or veterinary medicine; ask the Office of International Affairs whether international applicants can enter those fields. Graduate study follows a separate guide, and we did not find a current graduate guide in English, so no graduate fees or entry rules are given here.
How much does Kyungpook National University cost in 2026?
- Humanities; Teachers College
- Campus
- Daegu
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 1,981,000
- Humanities (Archaeology and Anthropology)
- Campus
- Daegu
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 2,028,500
- Natural Sciences; Human Ecology
- Campus
- Daegu
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 2,379,000
- Economics and Business Administration; Public Administration
- Campus
- Daegu
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 1,954,000
- Engineering; IT Engineering
- Campus
- Daegu
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 2,531,000
- Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Campus
- Daegu
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 2,379,000
- Agriculture and Life Sciences (Food and Resource Economics)
- Campus
- Daegu
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 1,981,000
- Social Sciences
- Campus
- Daegu
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 2,019,000
- Music and Arts
- Campus
- Daegu
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 2,610,000
- Music and Arts (Fine Arts)
- Campus
- Daegu
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 2,670,000
- Ecology and Environmental Science
- Campus
- Sangju
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 2,379,000
- Ecology and Environmental Science (Ecological Environment, Ecotourism)
- Campus
- Sangju
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 1,981,000
- Science and Technology
- Campus
- Sangju
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 2,531,000
- Science and Technology (Food and Food Service Industry)
- Campus
- Sangju
- Tuition per semester, KRW
- 2,379,000
The guide titles this table “Tuition Fees (Per Semester as of 2026)” for regular (non-transfer) students and notes that amounts are subject to change. It converts them at KRW 1,300 to the US dollar (for example USD 1,503 for KRW 1,954,000), a rate that will not match today’s market.[4] Two semesters make one academic year, but the guide gives no annual total, and it states no admission fee other than the KRW 80,000 application fee.[4]
TOPIK scholarships for new students
New students who hand in a TOPIK certificate receive a share of the first semester’s tuition: 16 to 20% for level 3, 40 to 42% for level 4, 80 to 84% for level 5 and 100% for level 6. Completing two semesters of KNU’s Korean Language Program also earns a scholarship, but only one of the two can be used.[4] Dormitory fees and meal plans are listed in the same guide.[4] For rent and living costs see our South Korea guide.
How do you apply to Kyungpook National University?
The undergraduate route is described in the guide for the 2026 Fall intake; later intakes use a new edition, so read the guide for your semester.[4]
- Who can apply: the applicant and both parents must be non-Korean nationals; multi-nationals with Korean citizenship are not eligible. Freshmen need a high-school qualification, with all formal education completed in one country (the guide lists exceptions); third-year transfer applicants need two years (four semesters, over 65 credits) at a 4-year university or a 2- or 3-year college degree, and must apply for the same or a similar major.[4]
- How: through UwayApply, reached from the Office of International Affairs website (Degree Program, International Special Admissions, Undergraduate, Online Application). The steps are online application, submission of documents, screening of qualifications, interview, financial documents, tuition payment and the certificate of admission.[4]
- Money: the application fee is KRW 80,000. After the interview, applicants must submit a bank certificate showing at least KRW 16,000,000 in the applicant’s or a parent’s name, or a scholarship certificate.[4]
- Contact: ugapply1@knu.ac.kr or +82-53-950-2436.[4]
We give no deadlines because they change every year and differ by department. Admission requires a visa; if the visa is refused, admission is cancelled.[4]
Which language level do you need?
Transfer applicants need TOPIK level 4 or higher.[4] For freshmen the requirement depends on the department:
| Requirement | Departments |
|---|---|
| TOPIK level 4 or higher | Korean, English, French and German Language and Literature; Philosophy; Social Welfare; Korean Literature in Classical Chinese; Computer Science and Engineering; Media and Communication; Electronics Engineering; Psychology; Electrical Engineering; Political Science and Diplomacy; Business Administration |
| TOPIK level 4, or level 6 from a Korean language institute in Korea | Public Administration |
| TOPIK level 3 or higher | Economics and Trade; Geography; Sociology; Fine Arts; Child Studies; Clothing and Textiles; Food Science and Nutrition |
| Level 3 completion certificate from a university-affiliated Korean language institute | Design |
The 23 departments in the table must meet their own level. Every other department accepts at least one of the following: TOPIK level 3, a level 3 certificate from a university-affiliated Korean language institute, an English score from a recognised test (for example TOEFL iBT 59, IELTS 5.5, NEW TEPS 202 or CEFR B2), level 3 of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program, or a basic Korean course certificate from an overseas King Sejong Institute. Applicants from the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland do not need an English score.[4]
Non-transfer international undergraduates must also hold a TOPIK level 4 certificate before they graduate.[4]
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is tuition at Kyungpook National University?
The 2026 undergraduate guide for international students lists KRW 1,954,000 to 2,670,000 per semester on the Daegu campus and KRW 1,981,000 to 2,531,000 on the Sangju campus, depending on the college.[4]
What is the QS ranking of Kyungpook National University?
Is Kyungpook National University a public university?
Yes. It is a national university in Daegu.[5]
Do I need to speak Korean to study at Kyungpook National University?
Usually yes. Departments with a set level ask for TOPIK 3 or 4. For the other departments an English test score is one of the accepted options, but every non-transfer undergraduate needs TOPIK level 4 before graduating.[4]
Who can apply as an international undergraduate?
Applicants whose parents are both non-Korean nationals, who hold a high-school qualification (freshmen) or have completed two years of college (transfer).[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
- Korea University
- Kyung Hee 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] Kyungpook National University: Profile (English site) (page dated 1 Oct 2025)
[2] JoongAng Daily: SNU leads Korean campuses in latest QS world rankings (published 18 Jun 2026; QS itself (topuniversities.com) blocks automated access)
[3] The Korea Herald: Korea, Yonsei universities hit record highs as gap narrows in QS global rankings (published 18 Jun 2026)
[4] Kyungpook National University: 2026 Fall Semester Admissions Guide for Undergraduate International Students (PDF) (KNU document hosted in its Times Higher Education institution files, uploaded May 2026; tuition as of 2026)
[5] Wikipedia: Kyungpook National University (early history, type and a second student figure; secondary source)
[6] Kyungpook National University: KNU History (English site) (page without a date; last entry Nov 2024)
[7] Hankook Daehak Sinmun: QS 2027, six flagship national universities rise (Korean) (article of 24 Jun 2026 with QS positions 2024–2027)
[8] Hankook Daehak Sinmun: Pusan, Yeungnam and Dongguk rise by more than 100 places in QS 2027 (Korean) (article of 18 Jun 2026 with QS positions 2024–2027)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.