#481 in the world · QS 2027

Kyungpook National University

경북대학교

Daegu's flagship national university, where international tuition runs about KRW 3.9 to 5.3 million a year.

Daegu, South Korea National research university Founded 1946 Official website

See my chances at KNU Admissions office

Photo: Choi2451 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Students: 37,239; 30,385 undergraduates
Student–faculty: 15.8:1; ratio
Tuition: ₩3.9M; From · 2026-27
Founded: 1946

About KNU

Kyungpook National University (KNU) is a national university in Daegu, South Korea, and one of the ten flagship national universities that represent their regions. It was founded in September 1946 when the colleges of education, medicine and agriculture in Daegu were combined, and its medical school traces back to 1923. In 2008 it merged with Sangju National University, which became its Sangju campus.

KNU is a broad, comprehensive university with 30,385 undergraduates (2026) in 18 colleges and 4 independent schools, from humanities and engineering to medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and pharmacy, plus a general graduate school, 2 professional and 14 special graduate schools. The main campus in Buk-gu, Daegu holds most departments, with the Sangju campus hosting ecology, tourism and science and technology programmes, and medical campuses at Dongin and Chilgok.

For international students, KNU is one of the most affordable routes into a Korean national university: tuition is roughly KRW 3.9 to 5.3 million a year. Almost all teaching is in Korean, so it suits students who already have, or are ready to build, solid Korean. Applicants can enter a specific department or join the Division of Global Open Major, which lets students spend a year on Korean and major exploration before choosing.

진리, 긍지, 봉사

“Truth, Pride, Service” — university motto

Why students choose KNU

Low fees: 2026 tuition ranges from KRW 1,954,000 to 2,670,000 per semester, depending on the college.

The Division of Global Open Major lets new international students study academic Korean in year one and then choose a department.

First-semester scholarships of 20% to 100% of tuition are based on TOPIK level, and later semesters reward the top 37% of international students in each college.

Two intakes a year, with Spring 2027 applications in October 2026 and Fall 2027 applications in April 2027.

Admissions

Spring 2027 (March) and Fall 2027 (September) entry, 2027 Admissions Guide for International Undergraduate Students

Selectivity

KNU admits international students as a special admission outside the regular quota, with a few places per department. It does not publish an admission rate; after eligibility screening, applicants are interviewed and reviewed by an admissions committee. For context, KNU's regular (domestic) 2026 intake drew 68,804 applications for 5,203 entrants, about 13.2 per place; international applicants are assessed separately.

Testing No entrance exam. Applicants need a language qualification (see entry requirements) and take an interview organised by the Office of International Affairs; College of Arts applicants take a practical examination run by the department.

Grades Applicants must have completed the whole equivalent of Korean primary and secondary education in schools; homeschooling, cyber learning and exam-based qualifications such as the GED are not accepted.

Typical entry requirements

Nationality	Applicant and both parents must be non-Korean nationals; dual Korean nationals are not eligible
High school diploma	High school graduate (or expected to graduate before the semester starts), with full primary and secondary schooling completed at recognised institutions
Korean (TOPIK)	TOPIK or TOPIK iBT level 3 or above, or level 3 of a university Korean programme, KIIP level 3, or an overseas Sejong Institute certificate; some departments ask for more (Computer Science and Engineering TOPIK 4, Media and Communication TOPIK 5)
English (alternative language route)	TOEFL iBT 59, IELTS Academic 5.5, CEFR B2 or NEW TEPS 202 can be used instead of Korean to meet the language requirement
English language	IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 59 English scores (TOEFL iBT 59, IELTS 5.5, CEFR B2, NEW TEPS 202) can satisfy the entry language requirement, but most courses are taught in Korean and all international undergraduates must reach TOPIK level 4 before graduating. Native English speakers from the listed English-speaking countries can use proof of their schooling instead.

Deadlines

Spring 2027 (March entry) Non-binding Next deadline · In 24 days

30 October 2026, 18:00 KST

Applications 12-30 October 2026; interviews 18-27 November 2026; results expected 6 January 2027; originals due by 19 February 2027.
Fall 2027 (September entry) Non-binding In ~7 months

30 April 2027, 18:00 KST

Applications 12-30 April 2027; interviews 19-28 May 2027; results expected 7 July 2027; originals due by 20 August 2027.

Mechanical Engineering, Music, Design and Fine Arts admit new students in the spring semester only. Applicants who registered for a later TOPIK sitting can submit the score afterwards (for spring 2027, by 21 December 2026). Majors cannot be changed after the application period closes.

How to apply

Apply online through Uway (link on the KNU Office of International Affairs site), pay the KRW 80,000 fee per admission track, and upload the application form, statement of purpose and study plan, high school diploma and transcripts, language certificate, passport, and proof of your parents' nationality and family relationship. You can apply to Track I (a specific department) and Track II (Division of Global Open Major) at the same time. Shortlisted applicants are interviewed, then submit financial proof; admitted students submit apostilled originals.

What admissions looks for

Eligibility: foreign nationality for you and both parents, and a full, recognised school education.
Language readiness, above all in Korean, since most courses are taught in Korean and some departments set higher TOPIK levels.
Your motivation and study plan, set out in the statement of purpose and discussed at interview.
For arts programmes, performance in the department's practical examination.

Tips for applying to KNU

1 Improve your TOPIK before applying: level 4 halves first-semester tuition in effect (40% off) and level 6 makes it free.
2 Consider applying to both tracks: Track I for your chosen department and Track II (Global Open Major) as a route with a Korean-focused first year.
3 Check spring-only departments: Mechanical Engineering, Music, Design and Fine Arts do not admit in the fall.
4 Order apostilles for your diploma and transcripts early, because originals must reach the international office by February (spring) or August (fall).

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in KRW

Per year, calculated as two semesters at 2026 rates (KRW 1,954,000 to 2,670,000 per semester): e.g. Economics and Business KRW 3,908,000; Humanities KRW 3,962,000; Natural Sciences KRW 4,758,000; Engineering, IT and AI KRW 5,062,000; Fine Arts KRW 5,340,000 Tuition ₩3,908,000 – ₩5,340,000

+ dormitory double room plus three meals a day for two semesters at bongsa and hwamok-gwan, daegu (krw 652,300 room + 1,100,800 board per semester, spring 2026 rates); excludes vacation periods ₩3,506,200 ≈ from ₩7,414,200 per year

Tuition Dormitory double room plus three meals a day for two semesters at Bongsa and Hwamok-gwan, Daegu (KRW 652,300 room + 1,100,800 board per semester, Spring 2026 rates); excludes vacation periods

Financial aid

New international students get a first-semester tuition waiver based on TOPIK: level 3 about 20%, level 4 about 40%, level 5 about 80% and level 6 100%, or 20% for completing two semesters of KNU's Korean Language Program. Dormitory residents get the first-semester management fee covered, subject to budget. Enrolled students in the top 7% of international students in their college get about 80% off tuition, and the next 8-37% get about 20%.

KRW 80,000 per admission track
Application fee: About 20% (level 3) to 100% (level 6) of tuition
TOPIK first-semester scholarship: KRW 500,000 one-off for reaching TOPIK 4 within three semesters
TOPIK 4 bonus after enrolment

Academics

Academic calendar: Two semesters: spring (from March) and fall (from September)

Electronics Engineering (including an AI track)

Taught in the College of IT Engineering and open to international applicants in both spring and fall intakes.

Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering

Offered in both spring and fall intakes on the Daegu campus within the College of Engineering.

Korean Language and Literature

The department where film director Lee Chang-dong studied; open to international applicants in both intakes.

Division of Global Open Major

A first year of academic Korean and major exploration, then entry to a department based on GPA and TOPIK.

Business Administration

In the College of Economics and Business Administration, which has the lowest tuition at KNU (KRW 1,954,000 per semester).

Research

KNU runs graduate schools in data science, forensic and investigative science, and plant protection and quarantine.
It set up a College of Advanced Technology Convergence in 2024.
Alumnus Kim Soon-kwon, a maize breeder known as "Dr. Corn", studied at KNU's agriculture faculty.

Schools & faculties

College of Humanities
College of Social Sciences
College of Natural Sciences
College of Economics and Business Administration
College of Engineering
College of IT Engineering
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
College of Music and Arts
Teachers College
School of Medicine
College of Veterinary Medicine
College of Ecology and Environmental Science

Student life

The Daegu campus is a large, green urban campus known for its cherry blossoms in spring, ponds such as Ilcheongdam, and the Global Plaza tower next to the main library. On-campus dormitories include Bongsa, Hwamok, Cheomseong and Nuri halls, with double rooms and an optional meal plan. The Daedong Festival each May brings concerts and student-run food stalls. International students can get help from the Office of International Affairs, which also runs a Korean Language Program and job consulting for international students.

Cherry blossom season on the Daegu campus in early April.
The Daedong Festival in May, with concerts and pocha food stalls.
A Korean Language Program whose graduates get a 20% first-semester scholarship.
Campuses in Daegu, Sangju, and medical sites at Dongin and Chilgok.

Housing. Double rooms in university dormitories cost KRW 652,300 to 723,400 per semester in Daegu, with three meals a day for KRW 1,100,800 per semester (Spring 2026 rates).

Location

Daegu is one of South Korea's major cities, in the south-east of the country, and living costs are lower than in Seoul. KNU's main campus is in Buk-gu, north of the city centre, and the Sangju campus is in North Gyeongsang Province. Daegu International Airport and the city's KTX high-speed rail station connect it with the rest of Korea.

Nearest airport: Daegu International Airport (TAE)

Notable alumni

LC
Lee Chang-dong

Film director (Poetry, Burning) and former Minister of Culture and Tourism; Korean Literature graduate (1981)
KS
Kim Soon-kwon

Maize breeder known as "Dr. Corn"; studied in KNU's Faculty of Agriculture
LC
Lee Cheol-woo

Elected Governor of North Gyeongsang Province in 2018, after ten years in the National Assembly; studied mathematics education
KS
Kim Sun-hee

Appointed in 2020 as the first woman to serve as a Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service; bachelor's in German language and literature
LE
Lee Eun-soo

First female general in the South Korean army's legal branch; law graduate (1989)
KO
Kim Ok-suk

First Lady of South Korea 1988-1993; attended the Department of Family Education
KN
Keum Na-na

Miss Korea 2002 and Harvard graduate; attended KNU's School of Medicine before leaving (no degree)

Frequently asked questions

How much does Kyungpook National University cost for international students?

Tuition is KRW 1,954,000 to 2,670,000 per semester (2026 rates), so about KRW 3.9 to 5.3 million a year. A dorm double room with three meals a day costs about KRW 1.75 to 1.82 million per semester.

Can I study in English at KNU?

Mostly no: KNU says most undergraduate courses are taught in Korean, with some in English. You can apply with TOEFL iBT 59 or IELTS 5.5, but you must reach TOPIK level 4 before graduating.

What TOPIK level does KNU require?

TOPIK level 3 for most departments (or an equivalent Korean course or English score); some departments set higher levels, such as TOPIK 4 for Computer Science and Engineering and TOPIK 5 for Media and Communication.

When are the KNU application deadlines for 2027?

For Spring 2027, apply 12-30 October 2026. For Fall 2027, apply 12-30 April 2027. Both close at 18:00 Korean time.

Does KNU interview international applicants?

Yes. After eligibility screening, applicants are interviewed by the Office of International Affairs (18-27 November 2026 for spring entry); arts applicants take a departmental practical exam.

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.