Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About Sungkyunkwan University

Sungkyunkwan University is a private research university with two campuses. The Humanities and Social Sciences Campus is in central Seoul; the Natural Sciences Campus is in Suwon.^[5][1] Its origins go back to the Sungkyunkwan founded in 1398 under King Taejo of Joseon, the country’s foremost educational institution of that era. After the end of Japanese rule, a foundation led by Kim Chang-sook revived Sungkyunkwan in November 1945, and the university was re-established.^[1]

Samsung partnered with the university from 1965 to 1977 and renewed the partnership in 1996, according to Wikipedia, which cites the university’s own claim.^[1] The admission guide also lists a Samsung Global Sungkyun Scholarship for international students (see the tuition section).^[4]

The university’s statistics page lists, as of 1 April 2026, 20,256 enrolled undergraduates and 9,422 enrolled graduate students, plus 5,652 and 661 on leave of absence.^[2]

How is Sungkyunkwan University ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Sungkyunkwan University is 108th in the world, up 18 places from 126th.^[3] The Korea Herald’s list of Korean placements gives the same position; it places POSTECH at 106th and Hanyang at 155th.^[7] The university’s vice president credited gains in research indicators such as citations per faculty and research impact.^[8]

Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at Sungkyunkwan University?

The 2027 spring guide for international undergraduates groups programmes into two tracks.^[4]

• Korean Track: humanities and social sciences (for example Korean, English, French, Chinese and German literature, history, philosophy, public administration, political science, sociology, psychology, economics, statistics), business administration, film, television and multimedia, fashion design, natural sciences, engineering, computer science and engineering, electronic and electrical engineering, sport science and others. Some units admit only in the spring intake, for example Theatre, Architecture (5-year) and Exploratory Studies.
• English Track: Global Economics, Global Business Administration, Human Science and Society, an Engineering college route (Chemical Engineering, Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nano Engineering), Computer Science and Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering. Global Economics, Global Business Administration and Biomedical Engineering recruit only in the spring semester.

Students can pursue up to three majors; Global Economics, Global Business Administration and Biomedical Engineering do not allow multiple majors. Several engineering departments are accredited by ABEEK, Korea’s engineering accreditation board.^[4] Medicine, pharmacy and education are not open to international applicants in the unit list we read.^[4]

Graduate admissions have a separate guide for international students.^[9]

How much does Sungkyunkwan University cost?

The 2027 spring guide gives a tuition “reference” based on the first semester of the 2026 freshmen. The figures include the one-off entrance fee of KRW 198,000, so they describe a first semester, and the guide adds that tuition is subject to change for the 2027 academic year.^[4]

The application fee is KRW 150,000 (KRW 30,000 when a candidate with a preliminary offer reapplies to the same unit).^[4] Students may pay tuition in 2 or 4 instalments if they apply in the fourth week of February or August.^[10]

Scholarships

• Admission scholarships: 100% to 10% tuition waivers for outstanding admission results, first semester only; no separate application.^[4]
• Language scholarships (first semester only): English proficiency of IELTS 8.0 or TOEFL iBT 5.5 earns 100% (IELTS 7.0 or iBT 5.0 earns 50%); the TOEFL iBT scores are on the new scale, and the guide gives 110 and 95 for tests taken before 21 January 2026. For graduates of overseas high schools, TOPIK level 6 earns 100% and level 5 earns 50%. Completing level 4 at the Sungkyun Language Institute with the director’s recommendation earns 25%.^[4]
• SKKU Global Leader Scholarship: 50% of tuition within the regular study period for nominated freshmen, kept with 12 credits and a GPA of 3.5.^[4]
• Samsung Global Sungkyun Scholarship: full dues within the regular study period plus academic support of KRW 3,400,000 per semester, kept with a GPA of 3.7 (3.5 in the first two semesters).^[4]
• Merit scholarship for enrolled students: the guide says 70% to 30% of tuition according to the previous semester’s grade ranking, from the second to the eighth semester.^[4] The International Student Services page describes top-30% recipients receiving 20% to 50% from 2027-1, based on 2026-2 results, and carries no date.^[11] The two descriptions differ, so confirm the current rule with the university.

Only one scholarship is granted when several apply, with the larger amount; a Global Leader recipient who also qualifies for a 100% language scholarship gets 100% in the first semester.^[4]

How do you apply to Sungkyunkwan University?

International undergraduate applicants must be non-Korean citizens whose parents are both non-Korean citizens, and must have graduated or be due to graduate from high school before March 2027; GED, homeschooling and cyber-school credentials are not accepted.^[4] Evaluation is 100% document evaluation covering academic ability, language proficiency and extracurricular activities.^[4]

• Online application and posted documents: the guide sets two rounds for the 2027 spring intake, with the online application and document submission to the Office of International Student Services, and an admission announcement after each round. Enrolment takes place in January 2027 and the semester begins on 1 March 2027.^[4]
• Graduate: graduate applicants use a separate application guide for international students, published as notices on the same admissions site.^[9]

We give no application deadlines here because they change every round and every year. Use the notice for your round on the international admissions site.

Which language level do you need?

Korean Track: applicants show Korean proficiency with a TOPIK or TOPIK iBT score, a completion certificate from the Sungkyun Language Institute or another university language institute in Korea, or a King Sejong Institute certificate (not online courses). Graduates of high schools in Korea are exempt from the proof. Applicants with no proof can still apply and may receive a preliminary admission offer, which becomes a firm offer if they reapply to the same unit within two years with TOPIK level 4 or higher or Sungkyun Language Institute level 4.^[4] Korean Track students need TOPIK level 4 to select a major or take major courses in the sophomore year and TOPIK level 5 to graduate, though some departments differ.^[4]

English Track: applicants submit an official English proficiency test report (TOEFL iBT, IELTS, TEPS, TOEIC and others); the guide does not give a minimum score in the sections we read. Nationals of countries where English is a native or official language, and applicants who completed all middle and high school there, are exempt. English Track students do not need TOPIK for major placement, major courses or graduation.^[4]

Students admitted to Exploratory Studies must meet TOPIK level 4 (Korean Track majors) or IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 4.5 on the new scale (80 for tests before 21 January 2026) for English Track majors before moving to the second year.^[4]

More about studying in South Korea

• South Korea: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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