The biggest thing that students worry about when studying abroad is the expenses. Studying abroad can be quite expensive so you're going to have to be careful with your decisions. Studying in Korea is a lot more affordable than studying in the States, Europe, or Japan because the tuition is lower and the living cost is reasonable. Korean university tuitions differ depending on if it is a public or private school, and the field you are applying to. Public school tuitions are generally lower than private school tuition and humanities and social study fields tend to be more affordable than engineering and medical studies. Let's take a look at how much you can expect to pay for tuition depending on each program and field. If you're looking for the exact numbers for the tuition of a specific school, visit the school's homepage for accurate information!
Field | Tuition (USD, based on 1 semester) | |
Associate's Degree | Humanities and Social Studies | ＄1,470~＄6,240 |
Natural Sciences | ＄1,790~＄6,520 | |
Arts and Physical Studies | $1,710~$7,260 | |
Engineering | $1,710~$6,270 | |
Undergraduate Program | Humanities and Social Studies | $1,580~$7,600 |
Natural Sciences | $1,570~$8,260 | |
Art and Physical Studies | $1,910~$8,900 | |
Engineering | $1,850~$8,760 | |
Medical Studies | $5,020~$11,560 | |
Graduate Program | Humanities and Social Studies | $1,290~$12,230 |
Natural Sciences | $1,550~$8,570 | |
Arts and Physical Studies | $1,550~$6,720 | |
Engineering | $1,550~$8,940 | |
Medical Studies | $2,510~$10,960 | |
Application fee | $20-$202 | |
*Source: studyinkorea.go.kr
Korean universities have several scholarship programs for international students. For the top-performing students, schools pay from 30% to 100% of their tuition. If you want to know more about the scholarship programs of each school, please refer to the specific school's homepage for accurate information.
Not only do schools independently provide financial aid for their international students, but the Korean government and corporate companies also support them in their own ways. There are scholarships run by the Korean government for undergraduate students, Samsung has the Global Hope scholarship, and POSCO has its POSCO Asia Fellowship, all to aid international students study in Korea at a more reasonable cost.
Of course, tuition isn't the only concern. Students will have to think about their living expenses while they're in Korea. Albamon, a Korean job-searching website, found that Korean university students spend an average of 592,000 KRW. In addition, a study conducted by Statistics Korea in 2022 found that Koreans aged between 18 to 24 get an average of 640,000 KRW as an allowance from their parents. That said, it can be noted that Korean university students spend about 600,000 KRW per month on average. Below is a table of how much it will approximately cost to live in Korea including accommodation(dorms, shared living, studio rooms, etc.), meal expenses, transportation fees, etc.
Estimated Spending (USD) | |
Korean Language Program Fee | Approx. $1,300 ~ $1,600 per 10 weeks |
Dormitory fees | Approx. $420~$1,550(per term) *Dorm fees differ depending on demand and whether meals are included or not. |
Meal expenses | Approx. $300~$400/month *Campus cafeteria price per meal: $3.2 ~ |
Rent | Approx. $300/month (Deposit: $3,000 ~ $5,000) |
Shared living | Approx. $300 ~ $500/month |
Health Insurance | Approx. $20/month |
Transportation | $1.0~$1.2 for bus fees / $1.1~$2.5 for subway fares |
Internet fees | Approx. $20/month |
*Source: studyinkorea.go.kr
Above was an introduction to how much you can expect to spend during your studies in Korea. From your university tuition to living expenses, make sure to plan everything out before you come to Korea! We hope this was helpful and look forward to more information about studying in Korea!
If you're curious about each university's language school program, check out the language schools listed on Creatrip! Application is easy using Creatrip's Language School service!
Creatrip Language School Service
If you found this blog helpful, comment whether you'd come to study in Korea below! If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment below or send us an email at help@creatrip.com! You can follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook to stay updated on all things Korea!
