10 Korean Universities Where International Students Can Significantly Reduce Study Costs

A Smart Guide to Scholarships, Tuition, Dormitory Support, and Real Study Costs in Korea

When international students think about studying in Korea, many start by searching for the most famous universities.

But if your goal is to reduce the real cost of studying abroad, you may want to ask a different question.

Instead of asking:

“Which university is the most famous?”

Ask:

“At which university can I study with the lowest real cost after scholarships?”

According to Korea’s official Study in Korea platform, many Korean universities offer international students scholarships covering approximately 30% to 100% of tuition, depending on academic performance, language proficiency, admission results, and other criteria.

In this K-STUDY guide, we compare 10 Korean universities that are especially worth considering if you want to reduce your study costs through:

• Lower tuition
• International student scholarships
• TOPIK-based scholarships
• Full tuition waivers
• Dormitory support
• Living allowances
• Merit-based scholarships

Important: This is not a ranking from No. 1 to No. 10. These are 10 representative universities with strong cost-saving potential for international students.

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At a Glance: Tuition and Scholarship Comparison

University	Approx. Annual Tuition	Approx. USD	Maximum Scholarship	Possible Tuition After Maximum Scholarship
Korea University	₩11.6M–₩15.6M	$8,520–$11,460	Up to 100%	₩0 possible
Ewha Womans University	About ₩10.2M–₩12.6M	$7,480–$9,270	Up to 100%	₩0 possible
SeoulTech	About ₩5.2M–₩6.6M	$3,820–$4,830	Up to 100% + dormitory support possible	₩0 possible
Ajou University	About ₩8.3M–₩11.0M	$6,130–$8,050	Up to 100%	₩0 possible
Pusan National University	About ₩3.76M–₩5.81M	$2,760–$4,270	Up to 100%	₩0 possible
Pukyong National University	About ₩3.41M–₩4.35M	$2,500–$3,200	Up to 100% + dormitory support in selected programs	₩0 possible
Jeonbuk National University	About ₩3.7M–₩5.2M	$2,750–$3,790	Up to 100% + living allowance	₩0 possible
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies	About $6,000–$7,200	₩8.2M–₩9.8M	Up to 100% for first semester	₩0 possible for first semester
Yonsei University Mirae Campus	Around $10,000 for some international programs	About ₩13.6M	Up to 100% based on academic performance	₩0 possible for selected semester
Chung-Ang University	Varies by major	Varies	Full scholarship available for selected international students	₩0 possible

Tuition varies by college, department, year, and program.

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1. Korea University

Strong Full-Tuition Scholarship Opportunities

Korea University offers several competitive scholarship programs for international undergraduate students.

One of the most notable is the Anam Global Scholarship, which may cover full tuition for up to eight semesters for selected students.

Other scholarship programs, such as Global Leader Scholarship A and certain STEM-related scholarships, may also provide full tuition support.

Approximate Annual Tuition

Field	Annual Tuition	Approx. USD
Humanities & Social Sciences	₩11.6M	$8,520
Natural Sciences	₩13.4M	$9,845
Engineering	₩15.4M	$11,315
Arts	₩15.6M	$11,460

What If You Receive a Full Scholarship for Four Years?

For a humanities or social sciences student:

₩11.6M × 4 years = approximately ₩46.4M

That is roughly:

US$34,000 in potential tuition savings

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2. Ewha Womans University

Tuition, Dormitory, and Living Support Through Major Scholarships

Ewha Womans University offers one of the most comprehensive scholarship systems for international female students.

The Ewha Global Partnership Program (EGPP) can include:

• Full tuition
• Admission fee
• On-campus dormitory
• Living allowance

For undergraduate students, selected recipients may receive support for up to eight semesters.

Ewha also offers other international student scholarships that can cover full tuition for multiple years.

Approximate Annual Tuition

Depending on the academic field:

₩10.18M–₩12.62M

or approximately:

US$7,480–$9,270

K-STUDY Point

The biggest advantage is not only tuition support.

Some scholarships may also reduce housing and living costs, which can dramatically lower the total cost of studying in Korea.

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3. Seoul National University of Science and Technology — SeoulTech

Affordable Tuition in Seoul + Strong Scholarship Opportunities

SeoulTech is especially attractive because it is located in Seoul while maintaining relatively affordable tuition.

Approximate Annual Tuition

Field	Annual Tuition	Approx. USD
Humanities & Social Sciences	₩5.20M	$3,820
Engineering	₩6.09M	$4,475
Architecture & Design	₩6.19M	$4,550
Creative Convergence	₩6.58M	$4,830

International freshman scholarships can include:

• 50% tuition reduction
• 70% tuition reduction
• 100% tuition reduction
• 100% tuition + dormitory support

Students with strong TOPIK scores and high admission evaluations may qualify for the highest level of support.

K-STUDY Point

Seoul location + relatively low tuition + full scholarship opportunities + possible dorm support

This combination makes SeoulTech one of the most practical options for budget-conscious international students.

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4. Ajou University

Higher TOPIK Scores Can Mean Bigger Scholarships

Ajou University has a very clear scholarship structure tied to Korean language proficiency.

A representative scholarship model may look like this:

TOPIK Level	Tuition Scholarship
TOPIK 3	30%
TOPIK 4	50%
TOPIK 5	70%
TOPIK 6	100%

Students with TOPIK 6 may qualify for a full tuition scholarship for the relevant scholarship period.

Why This Matters

If you improve your Korean before applying, you may not only improve your admission chances but also significantly reduce tuition costs.

K-STUDY Strategy

Think of TOPIK as more than a language test.

It can become a financial asset.

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5. Pusan National University

Low National University Tuition + Full Scholarship Possibilities

Pusan National University is a strong option for students who want a high-quality public university with relatively low tuition.

Approximate Annual Tuition

Field	Annual Tuition	Approx. USD
Humanities & Social Sciences	₩3.762M	$2,760
Natural Sciences	₩4.918M	$3,610
Engineering	₩5.332M	$3,920
Arts	₩5.814M	$4,270

International students may receive scholarships based on TOPIK and academic performance.

For example:

• TOPIK 4 → partial tuition scholarship
• TOPIK 5 → larger tuition scholarship
• TOPIK 6 → full tuition scholarship may be available for the first semester

Continuing students may also receive scholarships based on GPA.

Why It Is Attractive

Even without a scholarship, tuition is already relatively low.

With a partial or full scholarship, the real tuition cost can become extremely competitive.

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6. Pukyong National University

Tuition, Dormitory, and Additional Support Opportunities

Pukyong National University is another highly cost-effective national university.

Approximate Annual Tuition

Field	Annual Tuition	Approx. USD
Humanities & Social Sciences	₩3.406M	$2,500
Natural Sciences	₩4.084M	$3,000
Engineering	₩4.347M	$3,195

International students with stronger TOPIK scores may qualify for higher tuition support.

In selected scholarship programs, such as the Global Pukyong Scholarship, support may include:

• Tuition
• Dormitory
• Health insurance-related support

K-STUDY Point

This is important because tuition is only one part of the real cost of studying abroad.

Housing and insurance can make a significant difference to your annual budget.

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7. Jeonbuk National University

Very Affordable Tuition + Living Support Opportunities

Jeonbuk National University is one of the strongest choices if your goal is to reduce total education costs.

Approximate Annual Tuition

Field	Annual Tuition	Approx. USD
Humanities & Social Sciences	About ₩3.74M	About $2,750
Natural Sciences / Agriculture	About ₩4.70M	About $3,450
Engineering	About ₩5.02M	About $3,690
Arts	About ₩5.16M	About $3,790

Scholarships may be available based on language proficiency.

For example, students with very high TOPIK scores may be eligible for full tuition support.

Some international students may also qualify for additional living support.

Example

An annual living support benefit of around:

₩1.3M

would equal approximately:

US$955

Why It Stands Out

Low tuition + scholarship + possible living allowance can make Jeonbuk National University one of the most financially efficient study options.

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8. Hankuk University of Foreign Studies — HUFS

Strong Global Environment + International Student Scholarships

HUFS is especially attractive for students interested in:

• Languages
• International relations
• Global business
• Regional studies
• International communication

Approximate Annual Tuition

Field	Approx. Annual Tuition
Humanities & Social Sciences	About $6,000
Language-related Fields	About $6,000
Natural Sciences	About $6,600
Engineering	About $7,200

International freshman scholarships may include:

• 100% first-semester tuition for top admission performers
• 50% tuition
• Other partial scholarship levels

Language ability may also create additional scholarship opportunities.

K-STUDY Point

HUFS is particularly attractive if you want both:

a strong international environment + scholarship opportunities

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9. Yonsei University Mirae Campus

Strong Academic Performance Can Lead to Full Tuition Support

Yonsei University Mirae Campus offers merit-based scholarships for international students.

For example, strong continuing students may qualify for scholarships such as:

• Full tuition
• Two-thirds tuition
• Other performance-based tuition reductions

In some international programs, annual tuition may be around:

US$10,000

That means one full-tuition semester can save several thousand dollars.

K-STUDY Strategy

This type of university is ideal for students who believe they can maintain a strong GPA after admission.

Your academic performance can directly affect your real tuition cost.

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10. Chung-Ang University

Full Scholarship Opportunities for Selected International Students

Chung-Ang University offers scholarships for selected international students, including full-tuition awards.

The university has also provided administrative guidance for international students whose tuition is reduced to ₩0 after full scholarship awards.

Tuition varies significantly by academic major.

Creative and arts-related programs can be more expensive than humanities programs, so a full scholarship can have a particularly large financial impact.

Example

If a program costs approximately:

US$9,200 per year

a full scholarship could potentially save thousands of dollars annually.

K-STUDY Point

For students in creative, artistic, or media-related fields, scholarship value can be especially significant because tuition may be relatively high.

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So Which Universities Are Most Affordable Without Scholarships?

If you receive no scholarship at all, national universities generally have a strong cost advantage.

Approximate Annual Tuition Comparison

University	Approx. Annual Tuition
Pukyong National University	About $2,500
Jeonbuk National University	About $2,750
Pusan National University	About $2,760
SeoulTech	About $3,820
HUFS	About $6,000
Korea University	About $8,520

This means national universities can remain financially attractive even if you do not receive the highest scholarship level.

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But Scholarships Can Completely Change the Picture

Suppose annual tuition is:

US$8,000

Here is how the real cost changes:

Scholarship	Student Pays Per Year	Four-Year Tuition
0%	$8,000	$32,000
30%	$5,600	$22,400
50%	$4,000	$16,000
70%	$2,400	$9,600
100%	$0	$0

A 50% scholarship maintained for four years could save:

US$16,000

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Four Types of Universities International Students Should Compare

1. Universities With Low Tuition From the Start

Good examples include:

• Pusan National University
• Pukyong National University
• Jeonbuk National University
• SeoulTech

Even without a major scholarship, your tuition burden may remain relatively low.

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2. Universities Where TOPIK Can Increase Scholarship Opportunities

Examples include:

• Ajou University
• Pusan National University
• Pukyong National University
• Jeonbuk National University
• SeoulTech

Improving your Korean may directly improve your financial position.

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3. Universities With Long-Term Full Scholarship Opportunities

Examples include:

• Korea University
• Ewha Womans University
• Selected SeoulTech scholarships

Competition can be high, but the long-term savings can be enormous.

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4. Universities With Support Beyond Tuition

Examples include:

• Ewha Womans University
• SeoulTech
• Pukyong National University
• Jeonbuk National University

Some scholarships may also support:

• Dormitory
• Living allowance
• Insurance
• Other student expenses

These benefits can dramatically reduce your Total Cost of Study.

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Calculate Your Real Study Cost Before Choosing a University

Use this formula:

Real Study Cost

Tuition

– Scholarship

+ Dormitory

+ Food

+ Transportation

+ Insurance

= Your Real Annual Study Cost

For example:

University A:

Annual tuition: US$9,000
Scholarship: 70%

Your actual tuition:

US$2,700

University B:

Annual tuition: US$5,000
No scholarship

Your actual tuition:

US$5,000

Even though University A looks more expensive at first, it may actually cost much less after scholarship support.

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10 Questions to Ask Before You Apply

Question	Check
Is there a scholarship for international freshmen?	✓
What is the maximum tuition reduction?	✓
Is scholarship selection automatic?	✓
Do I need a separate application?	✓
Is there a TOPIK-based scholarship?	✓
How many semesters can the scholarship continue?	✓
What GPA must I maintain?	✓
Is dormitory support available?	✓
Is there a living allowance?	✓
What is my real cost after scholarship?	✓

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K-STUDY Conclusion

The smartest way to study in Korea is not always to choose the university with the lowest published tuition.

The more important question is:

“Which university gives me the strongest scholarship opportunity?”

A university with higher tuition but a 70% scholarship may cost much less than a cheaper university with no scholarship.

If you prepare TOPIK in advance, maintain a strong GPA, compare scholarship rules carefully, and apply strategically, the total cost of studying in Korea can change dramatically.

University Name ≠ Real Cost

Tuition – Scholarship = Your Real Tuition

And if dormitory and living support are included:

One strong scholarship can completely change the financial reality of your study-abroad experience.

Study Smart.
Compare Scholarships.
Spend Less.
Dream Bigger in Korea.

K-STUDY

Your Smart Guide to Studying in Korea

Currency conversions are approximate. Tuition, scholarship amounts, eligibility rules, dormitory support, and living allowances vary by university, major, semester, nationality, language proficiency, academic performance, and available scholarship budget.