As we reported last year, international student numbers are surging in South Korea. As of about the middle of 2025, Korea had reached its goal – two years early – to host 300,000 foreign students by 2027.
The latest figures from the Korean Immigration Service put the number of international students in South Korea at 314,400 as of February 2026. More than a third (115,140) are from Vietnam; another quarter (78,530) come from China. The vast majority (76% or 238,905 students) are enrolled in higher education institutions, with the balance (roughly 75,500) in Korean-language studies.
With that growth trajectory firmly established, important changes are taking shape in Korea, including greater attention to the sustainability and quality of education and to the international student experience.
University World News reported earlier this year, for example: “South Korea’s universities are entering a new phase of internationalisation. In a recent shift, several institutions have moved beyond offering English-medium tracks and have begun establishing entire departments and majors exclusively for international students.
“For decades, internationalisation has been framed through integration. International students were expected to enter existing programmes, adapt to institutional norms and participate within shared academic spaces. Even when English-medium instruction expanded, it was presented as a mechanism for inclusion, a way of lowering barriers while maintaining institutional coherence.
“The current shift departs from this logic. Programmes designed exclusively for international students introduce structured differentiation within the university itself. They are not merely parallel in language or support provision. They are parallel in design. Admissions criteria, curricular content, pedagogical expectations and career pathways may all diverge.”
The Korea Herald adds that, even as Korean institutions are being encouraged to continue to expand foreign enrolments, the country’s Ministry of Education is already moving to introduce new quality controls: “In the near term, it plans to impose sanctions on universities that fail to screen international students properly. Over the longer term, it aims to revamp its internationalisation certification program to better reflect universities’ actual capabilities.”
A particular area of concern is the Korean-language proficiency of visiting students and how that relates to student retention and success. The Ministry of Education recommends at least a Level 3 on the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) for foreign students seeking admission to a Korean university. The Korean Council for University Education has reported, however, that just over half of the international students currently in Korea fall below that language proficiency benchmark. “The issue is structural,” explains a report in Korea JoongAng Daily. “Admission decisions are largely left to institutional discretion, and universities face no direct penalties for enrolling students who do not meet the ministry’s guidelines.”
At the same time, there are growing reports of additional measures that institutions are taking to assist visiting students in integrating more effectively into Korean life, including mentoring or peer supports, socio-cultural programmes, or local outreach or volunteer opportunities.
“Korea has already proven that it is good at attracting international students,” Rezia Usman, regional director of the office of international affairs at Woosong University, said to Korea JoongAng Daily. “The challenge now is making sure those students feel they are truly learning the [local] language and culture while universities also help them build their careers in Korea.”
Plans to stay
Those challenges around integration of foreign students – and the need for expanded language and social supports – sit in contrast to the findings of a recent study from the Korean Educational Development Institute. It found that, as of 2023, nearly two-thirds (63%) of international students in Korea said that they wanted to stay in the country after graduation. That was up from 2017, at which point 41% indicated they wanted to stay.
Of those planning to stay on, 35% were hoping to find a job in Korea, while another 27% wanted to continue their studies.
The Institute also found that nearly half (42%) of the graduates of two- or three-year colleges in Korea earned at least 3 million won per month (US$2,110) as of 2023 (up from 15% who earned at that level as of 2021). Roughly a third of bachelor’s degree holders and 44% of master’s programme graduates also earned above that threshold as of 2023.
A separate study from the Ministry of Data and Statistics found that as of May 2025 roughly 56,000 foreign students in Korea were also working during their studies. Nearly all (83%) worked in part-time jobs in the retail, accommodation, or food services sectors, with most earning less than 2 million won per month (US$1,406).
A related report in The Korea Herald adds: “International students in Korea may take part-time jobs if they meet requirements including academic performance and Korean-language proficiency. The permitted working hours and types of employment vary depending on their degree program, language ability, and immigration status … Because their visas require them to remain enrolled and prioritise their studies, many are employed on temporary or daily contracts rather than in regular full-time positions.”
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