South Korea accelerates internationalization of education

The increase in English-taught programs at South Korean universities is driving a record number of international students, making the country an increasingly attractive study abroad destination. With the Study Korea 300K strategy, South Korea aims to become a top 10 global education hub by 2027.

According to data from the Korean Ministry of Education, there are now more than a thousand departments at 73 universities that teach in English, up 16% from the 882 departments recorded in 2022. This growth reflects the strong transformation of the Korean education system in accepting international students and providing a globalized learning environment.

Meanwhile, the number of foreign students studying in Korea surpassed 250,000 for the first time in April 2025, up 21.3% in just one year. This is a clear step towards the goal of attracting 300,000 international students by 2027 under the Study Korea 300K international education initiative.

The government has introduced a series of support measures such as simplifying admission procedures, shortening visa processing times, improving education information systems and improving the quality of life for international students. An official from the Ministry of Education affirmed that at the current rate, reaching the 300,000 student threshold “will not be difficult”.

One of the key highlights of this strategy is innovation in curriculum design. More and more universities are not only expanding the number of courses taught in English, but are also designing specialized programs for international students.

Yonsei University currently offers more than 960 courses taught in English, including graduate programs such as the Global MBA. With students from 99 nationalities, Yonsei is considered the most internationally diverse educational institution in Korea.

Not limited to traditional majors, many schools are quickly embracing contemporary cultural trends to attract students. Korea University has established the Department of Global Entertainment to exploit the growing appeal of Hallyu culture from K-pop, TV dramas, movies to e-sports.

The programme combines content production with business management and strategy, giving students access to high-growth industries. Applications to the new course have been rated “very high”, reflecting strong international demand for creative careers.

Along with new majors, the wide presence of English-taught courses helps international students reduce language barriers, while also increasing Korea's competitiveness compared to familiar destinations such as the US, Australia or Singapore.

Despite the spotlight on creative industries, 60% of international students in South Korea are still studying science and engineering, according to September statistics from the Ministry of Education.

Korea University established the College of Global Entertainment to capitalize on the popularity of K-pop, movies, webtoons and e-sports. Gachon University merged existing departments to form a new College of International Studies with six majors specifically for international students, while Sookmyung Women's University opened the Hallyu International College focusing on Korean culture, digital media and AI-based international business.

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