Konkuk University
건국대학교
A private Seoul university built around Ilgam Lake, with an International College created just for foreign students.
- Students
- 21,401
- 17,028 undergraduates
- Tuition
- ₩9.5M
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1931
- QS World Ranking
- #683
- 2027 edition
About KU
Konkuk University traces its roots to 1931, when Yoo Seok-chang (pen name Sanghuh) founded the Chosun School of Politics, and it became a comprehensive university under the name Konkuk ("founding a nation") in 1959. Today it is a private university with a main campus in Seoul and a branch GLOCAL campus in Chungju. Its official figures list 17,028 undergraduates, 4,373 graduate students and 621 full-time faculty.
The Seoul campus puts humanities, social sciences, sciences, engineering, business, real estate, life sciences, veterinary medicine, art and design, and education on one flat site around Ilgam Lake, directly connected to Konkuk University station on subway lines 2 and 7. The university says it is especially known for art and design, biomedicine, bioscience, business administration and real estate studies, and it runs more than 160 English-taught courses each semester.
For international undergraduates the key door is the International College, opened in September 2023 exclusively for foreign students. It offers International Commerce & Business (Korean or English track), Culture & Media, AI Design and the fully English-taught Computer Software major. Most other majors are taught in Korean and need at least TOPIK level 3 to apply. Konkuk suits students who want a big private university in a lively part of Seoul and who are ready to study mostly in Korean, or who want one of its newer English-track programmes.
誠 信 義 (Seong, Sin, Ui)
“Sincerity, Fidelity, Righteousness” — university motto
Why students choose KU
The International College, open only to international students, offers English-track options in International Commerce & Business and Computer Software.
First-semester scholarships are applied straight to your tuition bill: 30% to 100% off depending on your TOPIK level or, for English-track applicants, your TOEFL or IELTS score.
The Seoul campus sits on Konkuk University station (lines 2 and 7), next to Seongsu-dong and near the Han River, with Ilgam Lake at its centre.
International applicants can choose from a wide range of majors on one campus, including Veterinary Medicine, Real Estate Studies and Educational Technology (some majors need the dean's prior approval).
Admissions
International undergraduates, Spring (March) 2027 and Fall (September) 2027 entry
Selectivity
Konkuk does not publish an admission rate for international students and does not disclose evaluation results. Applicants are ranked by total score out of 1,000: qualitative document screening of academic records (750 points) plus a quantitative language proficiency score (250 points). Art & Design applicants must first pass a portfolio check. The university may reject applicants it judges below its academic standard even if places remain.
Typical entry requirements
| High school diploma | Completion of the equivalent of Korean elementary, middle and high school and graduation (or expected graduation) from a high school; GED, correspondence, online and lifelong-education credentials are not recognised. The applicant and both parents must hold a single foreign nationality. |
|---|---|
| Korean language (most majors) | TOPIK level 3 or higher, or equivalent: level 3 on the Konkuk Language Institute's Korean test, level 3 at Konkuk's or another IEQAS-certified language institute, or King Sejong Institute 3B |
| English track (Computer Software; International Commerce & Business English track) | TOEFL iBT 71, IELTS 5.5, CEFR B2 or NEW TEPS 327 |
| Art & Design | Portfolio (pass/fail): five hand-drawn A4 pencil drawings, or a Korean-language acting video for Media Acting |
| Veterinary Medicine, Physical Education, Music Education, KU School of Liberal Studies | A letter of admission approval from the department or college dean |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 71 Only for English-track programmes (Computer Software, and the International Commerce & Business English track). CEFR B2 or NEW TEPS 327 are also accepted. Korean-track majors need TOPIK 3 instead, and English scores are not used for them. |
Deadlines
- Spring (March) 2027 entry, rounds 1 and 2 (dates not yet published) Non-bindingNot yet published as of September 29, 2026; last cycle's round 2 closed November 20, 2025
For reference only, Spring 2026 applications ran September 4-11, 2025 (round 1) and November 6-20, 2025 (round 2), with results on December 5, 2025 and January 2, 2026. The equivalent round 1 window for Spring 2027 has passed without a published guideline, and the undergraduate schedule on Konkuk's application site (ek-apply.com/ku) still shows the Fall 2026 dates. Check the International Student Center notices before planning.
- Fall (September) 2027 entry, round 1 (ESTIMATED from last cycle, not an official date) Non-bindingEstimated March 2027, based on last cycle; official dates not yet published
Previous cycle: Fall 2026 round 1 applications March 9-20, 2026, documents by March 26, results May 14, 2026.
- Fall (September) 2027 entry, round 2 (ESTIMATED from last cycle, not an official date) Non-bindingEstimated late April to early May 2027, based on last cycle; official dates not yet published
Previous cycle: Fall 2026 round 2 applications April 27 to May 8, 2026, documents by May 14, results June 26, 2026.
Konkuk admits international undergraduates twice a year, each intake in two rounds. The latest published undergraduate guidelines are for Fall 2026 entry; no Spring 2027 or Fall 2027 undergraduate guideline had been posted as of September 29, 2026 (only the Spring 2027 graduate guideline was out). The Fall 2027 timings shown are estimates from the Fall 2026 cycle, not official dates. Documents must arrive by post within the submission period, and from Fall 2026 no late language certificates are accepted.
How to apply
Apply online at www.ek-apply.com/ku (individually, or through an approved agency), choosing a mandatory first-choice major and an optional second choice. Pay the application fee (KRW 150,000, or KRW 180,000 for Art & Design, plus KRW 20,000 for a second choice), then mail documents to the International Student Center: application form, passport and parents' IDs, family relationship certificate, notarised and apostilled or consular-certified diploma and transcripts, language certificate, and a portfolio for Art & Design. Letters of recommendation and personal statements are not accepted.
What admissions looks for
- Academic competency shown in your transcripts and supporting documents, which makes up 750 of the 1,000 evaluation points.
- Language proficiency, scored quantitatively for 250 points: Korean for Korean-track majors, English for English-track majors.
- For Art & Design, a portfolio that passes the first-stage check.
- Optional evidence such as awards, qualifications, internships, volunteering or extracurricular activities.
Tips for applying to KU
- 1 Raise your TOPIK level before applying: level 4 cuts first-semester tuition by 50%, level 5 by 70% and level 6 by 100%, and only certificates submitted during the document period count.
- 2 English-track applicants get the same kind of discount from English scores, for example 50% of first-semester tuition for TOEFL iBT 91 or IELTS 7.0.
- 3 If you do not yet have TOPIK, Konkuk's Language Institute runs its own online Korean test (KRW 70,000) several times a year; level 3 or higher counts as proof for a year.
- 4 Mail documents early: they must arrive by post within the submission window, and in-person delivery is not accepted.
- 5 Admitted students must show a bank balance of at least KRW 20,000,000 to receive the standard admission letter needed for a student visa.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in KRW
New international students receive a first-semester tuition reduction applied directly to the bill: 30%, 50%, 70% or 100% for TOPIK levels 3 to 6 (or matching Konkuk Language Institute or King Sejong Institute levels), and for English-track applicants 30% to 100% based on TOEFL, IELTS, CEFR or NEW TEPS. Top-scoring STEM and International College applicants get an extra KRW 1,000,000. From the second semester, students with 12+ credits and a 3.0+ GPA can earn 10% to 100% of tuition based on their rank within their division, and the International Student Center also handles the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS).
- TOPIK 3: 30%, TOPIK 4: 50%, TOPIK 5: 70%, TOPIK 6: 100% of tuition
- First-semester scholarship (Korean track)
- TOEFL iBT 71: 30%, 91: 50%, 102: 70%, 114: 100% of tuition
- First-semester scholarship (English track)
- Top 5% of division: 100%; top 10%: 60%; top 20%: 30%; top 35%: 10% of tuition
- Enrolled-student merit scholarship
- KRW 150,000 (KRW 180,000 for Art & Design); KRW 20,000 extra for a second-choice major
- Application fee
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters: spring from March, fall from late August or early September
Computer Software (International College)
Taught entirely in English, with admission on TOEFL, IELTS, CEFR or NEW TEPS scores rather than Korean.
International Commerce & Business (International College)
Combines trade, business administration and economics, and runs both a Korean track and an English track.
Culture & Media (International College)
Studies Korean popular culture and the media industry, from K-content analysis to hands-on media production.
Veterinary Medicine
A separate College of Veterinary Medicine on the Seoul campus; international applicants need the dean's prior approval and can list it only as a first choice.
Real Estate Studies
Konkuk has a dedicated real estate college, a field the university names among its particular strengths.
Moving Images and Media Acting (Art & Design)
Project-based film and video programmes in art and design, which the university names as a strength; Media Acting applicants submit a Korean-language acting video.
Research
- Konkuk lists 105 research institutions on its facts page.
- The KU Institute of Science and Technology groups biotechnology and engineering departments such as Advanced Biotechnology, Systems Biotechnology and Integrative Bioscience and Biotechnology.
- The university highlights investment in teaching facilities such as KU SMART Factory, K-CUBE and X-Space.
- Konkuk University Medical Center is part of the Seoul campus.
Schools & faculties
- College of Liberal Arts
- College of Sciences
- College of Architecture
- College of Engineering
- College of Social Sciences
- Konkuk Business School
- College of Real Estate Studies
- KU Institute of Science and Technology (KIT)
- Sang-Huh College of Life Sciences
- College of Veterinary Medicine
- College of Art & Design
- International College
Student life
Campus life centres on Ilgam Lake, a former swamp turned into a lake when the campus moved to its current site in 1954 and now a favourite walking spot and drama filming location. In spring the student association runs the three-day Ilgam Lake Festival with department exhibitions and K-pop concerts, and student clubs stage a Fall Art Festival in October. International students get orientation each semester, TOPIK writing classes, career counselling and practical job-search lectures from the International Student Center.
- Ilgam Lake at the centre of the Seoul campus, and the Sanghuh Memorial Library as the main library.
- The Ilgam Lake Festival in spring and the Fall Art Festival in late October.
- More than 70 student clubs.
- International Student Center programmes including TOPIK writing lectures, career path testing and resume workshops.
Housing. International students can live in the on-campus KU:L House dormitories in two-person rooms assigned by nationality and gender, with priority by admission score when demand is high.
Location
The Seoul campus is in Gwangjin-gu in eastern Seoul, directly connected to Konkuk University station on subway lines 2 and 7, so most of the city is within an hour. Around it are a Lotte department store, cinemas and hundreds of cafes, the trendy Seongsu-dong neighbourhood is next door, and the Han River park is within walking distance.
Nearest airport: Gimpo International Airport (GMP); Incheon International Airport (ICN) for most international flights
Notable alumni
- J JinSinger and member of BTS; graduated in film studies in 2017
- LJ Lee Jong-sukActor (W, While You Were Sleeping); majored in professional motion pictures and art, graduated 2016
- KH Kim HyesoonPoet, winner of the Griffin Poetry Prize; PhD in Korean literature from Konkuk
- LY Lee Young-pyoSouth Korea international footballer; studied political science and played for the Konkuk team
- KH Kim Han-gilPolitician and former Minister of Culture and Tourism; studied political science and journalism
- JC Jung Chung-raePolitician and Democratic Party leader; studied industrial engineering
- C ChangminSinger in TVXQ; took a second degree in film and arts at Konkuk
Frequently asked questions
Can I study at Konkuk University in English?
Yes, but only in some programmes: Computer Software is taught fully in English, and International Commerce & Business has an English track. Both need TOEFL iBT 71, IELTS 5.5, CEFR B2 or NEW TEPS 327. Most other majors are taught in Korean.
What TOPIK level do I need for Konkuk?
TOPIK level 3 or higher for Korean-track majors, or an equivalent such as level 3 on Konkuk's own Korean test or King Sejong Institute 3B. Higher levels earn first-semester scholarships of up to 100%.
How much is Konkuk tuition for international students?
At Fall 2026 rates, about KRW 9.5 million a year for humanities, social sciences and business, KRW 13.35 million for engineering and art and design, and KRW 14.64 million for veterinary medicine (two semesters). Scholarships are deducted from the bill.
When can I apply to Konkuk?
Twice a year, in two rounds each: in the last cycle, September entry had rounds in March and April-May, and March entry in September and November. As of September 29, 2026 Konkuk had not published undergraduate dates for Spring or Fall 2027, so treat these timings as estimates and check the International Student Center notices.
Does Konkuk require an interview or personal statement?
No. Konkuk scores documents (750 points) and language proficiency (250 points), and it does not accept recommendation letters or personal statements. Art & Design applicants also submit a portfolio.
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.
- QS World University Rankings 2027 (topuniversities.com)
- THE World University Rankings 2026
- ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026
- Konkuk International Student Center: Undergraduate admission guidelines
- Konkuk: Fall 2026 Undergraduate Admissions Guidelines for International Students (PDF)
- Konkuk: Spring 2026 Undergraduate Admissions Guidelines for International Students (PDF)
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