Chonnam National University
전남대학교
Gwangju's flagship national university, where the May 18 Democratization Movement began at the main gate.
- Students
- 24,258
- 19,771 undergraduates
- International
- 6%
- of students
- Tuition
- ₩3.7M
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1952
About CNU
Chonnam National University opened in Gwangju on June 9, 1952, founded with money raised by local citizens in the aftermath of the Korean War. It brought together an agricultural college dating from 1909, a commercial college from 1920, a medical college and a private college, and added engineering and later law. In 2006 it merged with Yeosu National University, giving it a second campus on the southern coast. It is one of Korea's flagship national universities and has been selected for the government's Glocal University 30 programme.
CNU has a strong civic identity: in May 1980 the May 18 Democratization Movement broke out at its main gate, and its students and professors were at the centre of the resistance to military rule. Today it is a large comprehensive university with colleges ranging from medicine, veterinary medicine and pharmacy to engineering, agriculture, arts and fisheries and ocean sciences. As of October 2025 it had 19,771 undergraduates and 4,487 graduate students enrolled, taught by 1,222 full-time faculty.
For international students, CNU is an affordable route into a Korean national university: tuition runs from about KRW 3.7 million to 4.9 million a year, more than 1,400 international students are enrolled, and most degrees are taught in Korean, with a year-long Korean language and culture programme at the Yeosu campus for new students who need it. It suits applicants who want a big, research-active campus in a regional city, with Gwangju pitching itself as Korea's AI hub.
Truth, Creativity, Service
University motto
Why students choose CNU
International undergraduate tuition is set per semester at KRW 1.84-2.44 million (2026 rates), roughly KRW 3.7-4.9 million a year.
Applicants can qualify with English instead of Korean (TOEFL, IELTS 5.5 or TOEIC 700), then build Korean in a 36-credit programme at the Yeosu campus that counts towards graduation.
TOPIK level 5 earns a full first-semester tuition waiver, and TOPIK 4 waives the larger 'Tuition 2' portion.
CNU leads a government-funded regional semiconductor research centre and is part of Korea's Glocal University 30 initiative focused on AI.
Admissions
Spring 2027 (starts March 2, 2027) and Fall 2027 (starts September 1, 2027) intakes
Selectivity
CNU does not publish an admission rate for international applicants. Selection is by document review, weighted 50% on language proficiency and 50% on academic performance, with a compulsory interview in some departments. Korean students are admitted through the Korean national admissions system.
Typical entry requirements
| Nationality | Applicant and both parents must hold non-Korean nationality |
|---|---|
| High school | Completed (or expected) high school education equivalent to Korea's, with all formal education in one country or 12 years in total; qualifications by exam, home-schooling or online learning are not accepted |
| Korean | TOPIK level 3 or CNU Language Center Korean course level 3 (level 2 for Cultural Tourism Management at Yeosu) |
| English (alternative) | TOEFL iBT 4.0 on the new scale (80 for tests before January 21, 2026), IELTS 5.5, New TEPS 290, CEFR B2 or TOEIC 700 |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 English scores can be used instead of Korean to apply. TOEFL iBT: 80 for tests taken on or before January 20, 2026; 4.0 on the new scoring scale after that. Admitted students without TOPIK 4 (or CNU Korean level 4) a month before term are placed in a 36-credit mandatory Korean language programme at the Yeosu campus. |
Deadlines
- Spring 2027 - Round 1 Non-binding Next deadline · In 8 daysOctober 14, 2026, 18:00 KST (online application and documents; opens October 1)
Results announced November 16, 2026.
- Spring 2027 - Round 2 Non-binding In 17 daysOctober 23, 2026, 18:00 KST (online application); documents by November 13, 2026
Results announced December 21, 2026. Round 1 applications with late documents move automatically to Round 2.
- Fall 2027 - Round 1 Non-binding In ~6 monthsApril 16, 2027, 18:00 KST (opens April 1)
Results announced June 11, 2027. Some engineering and AI departments admit only in spring.
- Fall 2027 - Round 2 Non-binding In ~7 monthsMay 14, 2027, 18:00 KST (opens April 26)
Results announced June 30, 2027.
Dates are from CNU's 2027 Admission Guidelines for international undergraduates (published September 2026). Several departments, including the School of Artificial Intelligence, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electronic and Computer Engineering, admit only for Spring 2027.
How to apply
Apply online through Uway (ipsi3.uwayapply.com) and pay the KRW 70,000 application fee, then send the original documents to the Office of International Affairs by the deadline: signed application form, CNU forms (financial guarantee, education background, nationality information and others), a language certificate, an apostilled or consular-verified high school diploma and full transcripts, and nationality documents for you and your parents. Scanned or emailed documents are not accepted.
What admissions looks for
- Language proficiency, which counts for 50% of the evaluation, in Korean or English.
- Academic performance in high school, the other 50%.
- Attitude and aptitude for the chosen major, assessed from the documents and, in some departments, a compulsory interview.
- A portfolio for the College of Arts.
Tips for applying to CNU
- 1 Check whether your department is open for spring or fall: AI, mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer engineering admit only in spring 2027.
- 2 Submit a TOPIK certificate if you can: level 5 means a full tuition waiver for your first semester, and level 4 lets you skip the mandatory Korean programme at Yeosu.
- 3 Get your diploma apostilled or consular-verified early, because originals must reach the office by the document deadline and copies or scans are rejected.
- 4 Apply in Round 1 if possible; if your documents arrive late, your application moves to Round 2 automatically.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in KRW
New international undergraduates are considered automatically for first-semester scholarships: the TOPIK Scholarship (full tuition for TOPIK 5 or above; 'Tuition 2' waiver for TOPIK 4), the CNU-BRIDGE Scholarship for students who have completed two regular Korean courses at CNU's Language Education Center up to level 4 (half of 'Tuition 2'), and Academic Excellence scholarships for strong grades and language scores. Only one scholarship can be held, and awards are announced with admission results.
- KRW 70,000
- Application fee
- Full tuition for the first semester
- TOPIK Scholarship I (TOPIK 5+)
- About KRW 860,000 (six-person apartment) to KRW 1,800,000 (three-person apartment)
- Dormitory (Gwangju), long-term contract
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters: spring from early March, fall from early September
School of Artificial Intelligence
Part of CNU's College of AI Convergence in Gwangju, a city aiming to become Korea's AI hub; spring-only intake with a compulsory interview.
Department of Bigdata Convergence
Open to international freshmen and transfer students, with an online interview for applicants overseas.
Nursing
Offered alongside CNU's medical, dental, pharmacy and veterinary schools; a face-to-face or online interview is required.
School of Chemical Engineering
Admits international freshmen, sophomores and juniors, with an interview as part of selection.
Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering (Yeosu)
One of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences' programmes on CNU's coastal campus.
Cultural Tourism Management (Yeosu)
The one major that accepts TOPIK level 2 instead of level 3.
Research
- Lead institution for a government-funded regional semiconductor research centre.
- Selected for Korea's Glocal University 30 initiative, with a focus on AI-driven education, research and regional innovation.
- Partnerships with over 660 universities and institutions in 69 countries.
Schools & faculties
- College of AI Convergence
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- College of Arts
- College of Business Administration
- College of Engineering
- College of Human Ecology
- College of Humanities
- College of Natural Sciences
- College of Nursing
- College of Social Sciences
- College of Engineering (Yeosu)
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (Yeosu)
Student life
The Gwangju campus is a large, green site with a red-brick, clock-towered May 18 memorial hall and Yongji, the artificial pond on campus. Around 700 students a year study Korean at the Language Education Center, and the Office of International Affairs runs a Buddy Program for international students. On-campus dormitories include apartment-style buildings shared by three or six students, with shared kitchens, laundry, study lounges and a gym. New international undergraduates without TOPIK 4 spend their first year on the Yeosu campus, by the sea, in an intensive Korean language and culture programme.
- The May 18 Democratization Movement of 1980 began at the CNU main gate.
- More than 1,400 international students.
- A Buddy Program run by the Office of International Affairs.
- Two campuses: Gwangju (main) and Yeosu on the southern coast.
Housing. International students can live in on-campus dormitories in Gwangju, from about KRW 550,000 for a short-term contract in a six-person apartment to about KRW 1,800,000 for a long-term contract in a three-person apartment.
Location
Gwangju is a major city in Korea's south-west, known for its role in the 1980 democracy movement and now promoting itself as a national centre for artificial intelligence. The main campus is on Yongbong-ro in Buk-gu, north of the city centre. The Yeosu campus is in a port city on the southern coast, home to the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the first-year Korean programme.
Nearest airport: Gwangju Airport (KWJ) for domestic flights; Muan International Airport (MWX)
Notable alumni
- LY Lee Yong-seopMayor of Gwangju (2018-2022) and National Assembly member; BA in Trade (1974)
- LG Lee Gae-hoFormer Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (under President Moon Jae-in) and three-term National Assembly member; bachelor's in management
- CH Choi Hyun-manCo-founder of Mirae Asset Financial Group; BA in Political Science and International Relations
- PJ Park Jeong-kooSecond chairman of Kumho Asiana Group; bachelor's degree in law
- KY Kim Yang-kyunFormer Justice of the Constitutional Court of Korea and former chief prosecutor; law graduate
- KN Kim Nam-juPoet and pro-democracy activist; studied English Language and Literature but did not graduate (honorary diploma awarded in 1996)
- PK Park Kwan-hyunStudent council president who led student protests before the May 18 uprising in 1980; law student
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply to Chonnam National University without Korean?
Yes. You can apply with TOEFL, IELTS 5.5, TEPS, CEFR B2 or TOEIC 700 instead of TOPIK 3, but if you do not reach TOPIK 4 before term starts you will take a 36-credit Korean programme at the Yeosu campus, which counts towards graduation.
How much is tuition at CNU for international students?
KRW 1,837,000 to 2,436,000 per semester at 2026 rates, depending on the college, or about KRW 3.7-4.9 million a year.
When is the CNU application deadline for 2027?
For Spring 2027, Round 1 closes October 14, 2026 and Round 2 on October 23, 2026. For Fall 2027, Round 1 runs April 1-16 and Round 2 April 26 to May 14, 2027.
Does CNU interview international applicants?
Some departments do, including Nursing, the School of Artificial Intelligence, Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering. Applicants living overseas are interviewed online.
Are there scholarships for international undergraduates at CNU?
Yes. TOPIK 5 or above earns full tuition for the first semester, TOPIK 4 waives 'Tuition 2', and there are CNU-BRIDGE and academic excellence awards; you are considered automatically when you apply.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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