More than 50% of international students in Korea have weak English skills.

(Dan Tri) - More than half of international students in Korea currently do not have enough Korean or English proficiency to keep up with the study program.

More than half of international students studying at South Korean universities do not have the Korean or English proficiency needed to keep up with their studies, raising concerns about the quality of education, especially as the country pushes to attract more international students but lacks an adequate support system.

International students prepare their resumes and look at company brochures at the 2025 International Student Career Fair, held on August 19 at BEXCO in Busan, South Korea (Photo: Newsis).

According to data released by the Korean Ministry of Education on November 29, only 34% of international undergraduate and graduate students in 2024 achieved TOPIK (Korean Proficiency Test) level 4 or higher. Meanwhile, this is the minimum level to read newspapers or basic academic documents. The English proficiency rate is even lower, with only 11% of candidates submitting TOEFL iBT (International English Proficiency Test) scores of 59 or higher, equivalent to basic English proficiency.

It is estimated that nearly 80,000 students, or more than half of the total 145,757 international students, may not have the language skills to pursue their studies in Korea.

Although the Ministry of Education recommends requiring TOPIK level 3 upon admission and level 4 upon graduation, this is not mandatory. This allows many schools to admit students without testing their Korean or English proficiency.

An Education Ministry official said universities have autonomy in recruiting students, but the government still imposes visa restrictions on schools that over-enroll unqualified students.

The loosening of admission criteria comes amid mounting financial pressure on South Korean universities. In August 2023, the Ministry of Education launched its “Study Korea 300K” strategy, aiming to attract 300,000 international students by 2027. At the same time, language entry requirements have been further lowered, allowing applicants to submit certificates from Korean language training institutes in lieu of standardized test scores.

Thanks to this policy, the number of international students has nearly tripled in a decade, from about 53,000 in 2014 to more than 145,000 in 2024. However, many lecturers say the quality of training is being affected. One lecturer in Seoul said that in many subjects, they have had to abandon group assignments because Korean students are afraid to collaborate with foreign classmates who do not have enough language skills.

Experts warn that the “loose” admissions situation could undermine the reputation of the Korean higher education system. A study published in September 2024 by Ms. Han Ji-eun, Center for Migration and Social Integration (Konkuk University), stated that the “Study Korea 300K” plan is only a temporary solution to financial pressure, without accompanying policies to improve the learning and integration abilities of foreign students.

Meanwhile, data from Statistics Korea in 2023 showed that only 35% of international students plan to find a job in Korea after graduation and 40% do not intend to stay.

Congressman Jin Sun-mi said the figures show the urgency of policy adjustments.

“It is necessary to tighten admission criteria and expand support so that foreign students can truly succeed,” she stressed.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/hon-50-du-hoc-sinh-tai-han-quoc-yeu-ky-nang-tieng-anh-20251202175607819.htm