Gyeongsang National University
경상국립대학교
A flagship national university in Jinju that offers international freshmen tuition waivers, airfare support and dormitory cover.
- Students
- 28,200
- 25,300 undergraduates
- International
- 2%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 12.6:1
- ratio
- Founded
- 1910
About GNU
Gyeongsang National University (GNU) is a national university based in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province. Its international office gives 1910 as its year of foundation, tracing the school to the Jinju public vocational school, and the merged institution took its present name on 1 March 2021 when Gyeongsang National University and Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology joined. Wikipedia separately dates the older Gyeongsang lineage to Jinju Agricultural College in 1948.
The international office describes five campuses, 20 colleges, 11 graduate schools and 121 divisions and departments, with about 28,200 students (about 25,300 undergraduates and 2,900 graduate students) and about 3,140 staff, of whom 2,490 are faculty. Colleges include Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, IT Engineering, Space and Aeronautics, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Law, Education, Veterinary Medicine, Medicine, Nursing, Marine Sciences, Pharmacy, and Civil and Environmental Engineering.
For international undergraduates, most entry runs through the Division of Global Interdisciplinary Studies, which admits students without a fixed department and offers scholarships tied to TOPIK results. GNU expects at least TOPIK Level 3 (Level 2 for arts and physical education). It suits applicants who want a regional national university in a smaller southern city, want to study in Korean, and want tuition and housing support in the first year.
Pioneer
University motto
Why students choose GNU
Freshmen in the Division of Global Interdisciplinary Studies can receive a 50% tuition waiver with TOPIK Level 3 or a full first-semester tuition waiver with TOPIK Level 4 or higher.
New international students in that division receive airfare support of up to KRW 1,000,000 and full dormitory support, or a KRW 1,400,000 per semester settlement allowance if they do not live in the dormitory.
The application fee (KRW 70,000) is waived for applicants applying through the Division of Global Interdisciplinary Studies track.
The university provides a GNU Buddy programme, orientation, Korean language classes and an International Students Association, and its dormitories have 5,280 beds with priority for international students.
Admissions
Special admission for foreigners, spring 2027 (2027 first semester); procedures from the Fall 2026 guide
Selectivity
GNU publishes no acceptance rate. For the Division of Global Interdisciplinary Studies the admission guide says the number of recruits is unlimited; applications go through eligibility review, then departmental evaluation including an interview.
Typical entry requirements
| Nationality | The applicant and both parents must have non-Korean nationality; dual nationals are not eligible |
|---|---|
| Education | Completed (or expected to complete) the full elementary, middle and high school curriculum in Korea or abroad; GED, homeschool and online-only qualifications are not eligible |
| Korean language | TOPIK Level 3 or higher, King Sejong Institute Intermediate Level 1 or SKA 321+, KIIP Level 3 or preliminary score 61+, a one-year D-4 Korean programme with in-house test, or GNU's own Level 3 test |
| Financial proof | Bank balance certificate showing at least KRW 16,000,000 in the applicant's or parent's name |
Deadlines
- Spring 2027 (2027 first semester) special admission for foreigners and overseas Koreans Non-binding Next deadline · In 36 days20 October to 11 November 2026
Dates from the international office's academic calendar entry '2027학년도 전기 특별전형(외국인&재외국민) 신입생 모집'. The 2027 admission guide had not been posted when checked, so procedures follow the Fall 2026 guide.
- Fall 2026 additional round (previous cycle) Non-binding30 June to 3 July 2026
Documents submitted 30 June to 3 July 2026, eligibility screening 6-7 July, interviews 10 to 13 July, results 21 July, tuition payment 22 to 24 July 2026.
The spring 2027 window comes from the university's calendar; the schedule detail and 2027 fall dates were not yet published on 2026-09-30, so the fall 2026 timetable is shown as the previous cycle.
How to apply
Apply online, then submit original documents by post or in person to the Office of International Affairs (Room 214, Building 1, Gajwa campus) and pay the application fee (KRW 70,000, waived for Global Interdisciplinary Studies applicants using Forms 2-1 and 2-2). Documents include the application form, a letter of financial guarantee, high school records with apostille or consular authentication, family-relationship proof and the language certificate. After eligibility review comes a departmental evaluation including an interview, then results and tuition payment by bank transfer.
What admissions looks for
- Meeting the nationality rule: neither the applicant nor either parent may hold Korean nationality.
- A complete Korean or secondary-school record with apostille or consular authentication.
- Korean-language proof at TOPIK Level 3, or an accepted equivalent.
- A study plan for the Global Interdisciplinary Studies track (Form 2-2).
Tips for applying to GNU
- 1 Check the Global Interdisciplinary Studies track first: the application fee is waived and TOPIK 4 earns a full first-semester tuition waiver.
- 2 Get your bank balance certificate right: KRW 16,000,000 in the applicant's or parent's name, and if under a parent's name, proof of employment or business registration.
- 3 Indicate on the application form if you plan to use the dormitory; new students are advised to stay there in their first semester.
- 4 You must subscribe to national health insurance while studying; without it you are refused visa extension and school scholarships.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in KRW
For freshmen in the Division of Global Interdisciplinary Studies, the first semester carries a 50% tuition waiver for TOPIK Level 3 and a full tuition waiver for TOPIK Level 4 or higher, plus airfare support up to KRW 1,000,000 and full dormitory support (or a KRW 1,400,000 per-semester settlement allowance if you do not live in the dormitory). In the second semester and later, students with TOPIK Level 4 or higher receive 50% (GPA 3.0), two-thirds (GPA 3.5) or full (GPA 4.0) tuition waivers. Tuition for 2026 is listed at KRW 1,899,000 for Humanities (Global Interdisciplinary Studies) but the guide does not state whether that is per semester or per year, so no annual figure is given.
- KRW 1,899,000 (period not stated in the guide)
- Listed tuition, Global Interdisciplinary Studies (Humanities), 2026
- 50% tuition waiver at TOPIK 3; full waiver at TOPIK 4 or higher
- First-semester TOPIK scholarship
- Up to KRW 1,000,000, once, for newly admitted students
- Airfare support
- At least KRW 16,000,000
- Bank balance requirement
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters, with March (spring) and September (fall) starts
Global Interdisciplinary Studies
The international undergraduate entry track, with TOPIK-based tuition waivers, airfare support and dormitory cover.
College of Space and Aeronautics
A college listed on the English site alongside a Graduate School of Aerospace Engineering.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Wikipedia notes GNU's agricultural roots and its work in applied life science, biochemistry and veterinary science.
College of Marine Sciences
Based on the Tongyeong campus, about an hour from Jinju, according to Wikipedia.
College of Veterinary Medicine
Named on the English site, and Wikipedia records its 1989 establishment.
Research
- The international office lists fields of specialization as mechanical and aerospace engineering, life science, nano and advanced materials engineering, and chemistry.
- Wikipedia reports that GNU researchers created cloned Turkish Angora cats that glow red under ultraviolet light in 2007.
- The English site lists BK21+ project organisations and an INNOPOLIS Support Center.
Schools & faculties
- College of Humanities
- College of Social Sciences
- College of Natural Sciences
- College of Business Administration
- College of Engineering
- College of IT Engineering
- College of Space and Aeronautics
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- College of Law
- College of Education
- College of Veterinary Medicine
- College of Medicine
Student life
GNU's main Gajwa campus is in Jinju, with other campuses at Chilam, Tongyeong, Changwon, Naedong and Sacheon. International students have a GNU Buddy programme for one-to-one exchange with Korean students, an orientation held in February and August, Korean language programmes, cultural excursions and an International Students Association that organises holiday events, sports days and a farewell party. Dormitories hold 5,280 students, mainly in double rooms with three meals a day for the scholarship package, and international students get priority for rooms.
- GNU Buddy programme pairs international and Korean students one-to-one.
- Orientation for new students is held in February and August.
- The International Students Association runs Seollal and Chuseok events, sports competitions and the Daedongje campus festival.
- Dormitory capacity is 5,280 beds (3,561 at Gajwa, 1,205 at Chilam, 479 at Tongyeong).
Housing. International students have priority for dormitory rooms, mostly double rooms, with a meal plan required; if no room is available a housing support fee of KRW 1,400,000 per semester is provided.
Location
The main Gajwa campus is at 501 Jinju-daero in Jinju, a city in Gyeongsangnam-do in south-eastern Korea. The English site highlights Jinju's tourist spots, festivals and a UNESCO Creative City designation. Other campuses are in Tongyeong, Changwon, Sacheon and other parts of Jinju, so where you study depends on your college.
Notable alumni
- HS Heo Su-gyeongPoet (1964-2018); majored in Korean literature at Gyeongsang National University
- JY Joo Young-daePara table tennis player and two-time silver medallist at the 2016 Paralympics; Wikipedia says he was a sophomore at Gyeongsang National University in 1993 (whether he graduated is not stated)
- CM Choi Myong YongPhysical chemist; BS in Chemistry from GNU (1998), now a professor there
- YY Yoo Ye-binMiss Korea 2013; Wikipedia describes her as an undergraduate majoring in textiles at Gyeongsang National University (degree completion not stated)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Korean to study at Gyeongsang National University?
Yes. Applicants need TOPIK Level 3 or higher (Level 2 for arts and physical education) or an accepted equivalent such as King Sejong Institute Intermediate Level 1 or KIIP Level 3.
What scholarships can international freshmen get at GNU?
In the Division of Global Interdisciplinary Studies, the first semester carries a 50% tuition waiver with TOPIK 3 or a full waiver with TOPIK 4+, plus airfare support up to KRW 1,000,000 and dormitory support.
When is the GNU application deadline for spring 2027 entry?
The international office's calendar lists 20 October to 11 November 2026 for the 2027 first-semester special admission for foreigners and overseas Koreans.
How much money must I show to apply to GNU?
The Fall 2026 guide requires a bank balance certificate of at least KRW 16,000,000 in the applicant's or a parent's name, or KRW 8,000,000 for current GNU Korean-programme students moving to a degree.
Can dual nationals apply as international students to GNU?
No. The applicant and both parents must have non-Korean nationality, and applicants with dual nationality involving Korea are not eligible unless Korean nationality was renounced or lost before the application deadline.
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.
- Gyeongsang National University Office of International Affairs: Admission Guide
- GNU: Admission Guide to Undergraduate Programs (Additional) Fall 2026 (PDF, English)
- GNU Office of International Affairs: GNU at a Glance
- GNU Office of International Affairs: home page and academic calendar
- GNU English site: History
- GNU English site: home page
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to GNU in the QS World University Rankings 2027.