UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology)

Key facts

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

About UNIST

UNIST’s history page records the promulgation of the law to establish the institute on 16 April 2007 and the first entrance ceremony on 2 March 2009.^[1] At the university’s 2019 celebration the page speaks of the 10th anniversary of opening and the 12th of establishment, which fits those dates.^[1] Wikipedia describes it as one of the four publicly funded South Korean universities focused on science and technology research, alongside KAIST, GIST and DGIST.^[2]

The campus is in Eonyang, Ulju-gun, and covers about 1.04 million m².^[3] The university states that it was the first Korean university to teach 100% of its courses in English.^[3]

How is UNIST ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, UNIST is 299th in the world, up from 310th. It ranks 32nd for citations per faculty and 100th for faculty-student ratio, according to a report in Herald Business.^[5][8]

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

What can you study at UNIST?

Applicants for the Fall 2027 intake choose a field, Engineering or Business, when they apply and declare a major later.^[7] The guideline lists these departments:^[7]

• College of Engineering: mechanical engineering; materials science and engineering; energy and chemical engineering; nuclear engineering; civil, urban, earth and environmental engineering.
• College of Information and Biotechnology: design; biomedical engineering; industrial engineering; biological sciences; electrical engineering; computer science and engineering.
• College of Natural Sciences: physics, mathematical sciences, chemistry.
• School of Business Administration.

The guideline adds that academic structures and department names are subject to change. The Korean-language “at a glance” page names a College of AI Convergence where the guideline names a College of Information and Biotechnology, so college names differ between pages.^[7][3] Graduate schools include artificial intelligence, medical science, semiconductor materials and components, carbon neutrality and quantum.^[3]

How much does UNIST cost?

We could not find a nominal tuition amount in the sources we read, so we publish none. What the university states is this:

• First semester: all freshmen receive a full tuition waiver.^[6] A report of 24 September 2026 says the same for international freshmen.^[9]
• Later semesters: a full waiver needs 12 credits in the previous term and a GPA of 2.7 or above; a half waiver needs 12 credits and a GPA of 2.0 or above. For freshmen in their second term, the full-waiver threshold is a GPA of 2.0.^[6]
• Living scholarships: Global Uni-Star Gold, KRW 630,000 a month with meals; Silver, KRW 330,000; Global Dream, KRW 130,000.^[6] The type is set from the admission evaluation and shown on the certificate of scholarship issued after admission.^[4]
• Health insurance: UNIST pays the health insurance of international undergraduates.^[4]

The FAQ states that there is no application system for these scholarships.^[4] Housing and living costs are separate; see the university’s housing page.

How do you apply to UNIST?

The Fall 2027 undergraduate guideline for international applicants describes this process:^[7]

• Eligibility: high school graduates or equivalent who either have no Korean parent or completed all elementary, middle and high school outside Korea.
• Quota: approximately 50 students, plus possible extra admissions through a non-scholarship track. The university’s FAQ says about 40 international students are selected a year, so the figures differ between pages.^[4]
• Apply online through Study in Korea (studyinkorea.go.kr); the application fee is KRW 50,000.
• Documents: application form with a personal statement and study plan, three years of high school transcripts, diploma, English test report, passport or ID of the applicant, passports of both parents and proof of parent-child relationship. Documents must be in English or carry a notarised English translation.
• Evaluation: document screening by two or more evaluators, then an online interview for those who pass; the final decision weights documents and interview 50% each.
• Not recognised: GED, homeschooling and online or distance-learning credentials.

The guideline gives the dates of the intake; read it on the international admissions page. We give no deadlines here because they change every year.

Which language level do you need?

UNIST states that it operates 100% English lectures in all courses.^[4] The guideline requires an official English test report (TOEFL with institution code 8807, IELTS, TEPS or TOEIC) taken within two years of the application deadline, and it names no minimum score. Applicants from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland are exempt from the English test.^[7] A Korean test report such as TOPIK is an optional supplementary document, not a requirement.^[7]

More about studying in South Korea

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

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