Seoul, South KoreaPublicQS World University Rankings: #38 · QS 2027en.snu.ac.kr(opens in a new tab)
From the recorded data below · USD figures are approximate
Counselor view: Highly competitive. Korea's top university (QS 38); most courses in Korean, so strong academics plus Korean are expected. General guidance only, not an admission prediction.
Seoul National University is South Korea's leading national university, located on a large campus in Gwanak, southern Seoul. It is strong across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, business, engineering, medicine and the arts, and ranks 38th in the QS World University Rankings 2027. International students are admitted for spring and fall through International Admissions I, which is open to applicants whose parents are also foreign citizens. Applicants can qualify with TOPIK or with an English score such as IELTS 6.0, but most undergraduate courses are taught in Korean, so students need to build strong Korean during their studies. The Korean government GKS scholarship can be used at SNU.
Advice from our counselors
SNU is Korea's most prestigious university and is very competitive for Mongolian students. It accepts IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80 instead of TOPIK, but most classes are taught in Korean, so a student who chooses SNU should already be studying Korean seriously; reaching TOPIK 3–4 before applying makes the application stronger. Tuition itself is low (about KRW 4.9–6 million a year), but there is no automatic entrance scholarship for international freshmen, so the main funding route is the Korean government GKS scholarship. The Spring 2027 round has closed and the Fall 2027 guide is not yet out, so watch SNU's announcements page. Diplomas and transcripts need an apostille, which takes time.
All amounts are per academic year in KRW (USD figures are approximate and use the exchange rate recorded by our staff).
SNU does not list its own entrance scholarship for international freshmen on the pages checked. The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS-U, Korean government) can be used at SNU: full tuition for 8 semesters, KRW 1,200,000 a month, airfare and one year of Korean language training (TOPIK 3 needed to start the degree). Application through the embassy or university track, usually in September.
Maximum recorded tuition scholarship: 100% of tuition (living allowances not included)
Profile last updated 2 Nov 2026. This profile has not yet been verified. Always confirm on the official website before applying.