#494 in the world · QS 2027

Sogang University

서강대학교

A small Jesuit university in western Seoul, admitting international students to Korean-track and English-track degrees.

Seoul, Mapo District, South Korea Private research university (Catholic, Jesuit) Founded 1960 Official website

See my chances at Sogang Admissions office

Photo: 최광모 (Kwangmo) · CC BY-SA 4.0

Students: 11,792; 8,100 undergraduates
Tuition: ₩10.5M; From · 2026-27
Founded: 1960
QS World Ranking: #494; 2027 edition

About Sogang

Sogang University is a private Catholic university in Mapo District, Seoul, founded by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1960 as Sogang College; it became a university in 1970. Its Latin motto, Obedire Veritati, means "Obey the Truth". The campus is compact, about 242,000 square metres with 27 buildings.

Sogang is deliberately small for a leading Seoul university: about 8,100 undergraduates and 3,700 graduate students (2023), taught by 413 full-time faculty. Its strengths span economics and business (the Sogang Business School is AACSB-accredited), humanities, media and communication, and engineering and computing, including newer units in semiconductor engineering and artificial intelligence.

International students can apply to a Korean Track, which covers almost every department, or an English Track in English, Economics, Business Administration, Global Korean Studies and the Geppert School of International Studies at Loyola International College. Around 900 international students are in undergraduate degree programmes. Sogang suits students who want a rigorous, close-knit academic culture in the middle of Seoul.

Obedire Veritati

“Obey the Truth” — university motto

Why students choose Sogang

An English Track for international freshmen in Economics, Business Administration, English, Global Korean Studies and International Studies (Geppert School).

Merit scholarships from the start: the top 1% of admitted international students get full tuition for eight semesters, and language scores can earn up to a full first-semester waiver.

Newer majors in Semiconductor Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and AI-based Interdisciplinary Studies within the College of Engineering and College of Computing.

A central Seoul location in Mapo District, with a Sogang University station on the Korail network.

Admissions

Spring 2027 entry (March 2027), 2027 Spring International Students Admission Guideline; Fall 2027 guideline expected around March 2027

Selectivity

Sogang does not publish an admission rate for international applicants. Admission is by document evaluation only (100%, 1,000 points), with transcripts, language certificates and optional documents assessed comprehensively.

Testing No entrance exam or interview for international freshmen: selection is 100% document review. SAT, AP, IB and similar results can be submitted as optional supporting documents.

Grades High school graduates or expected graduates are eligible; GEDs, Korean qualification exams, homeschooling and online schooling are not accepted.

Typical entry requirements

Nationality	Foreign national with both parents holding foreign nationality; Korean dual nationals are not eligible
High school diploma	High school graduate (or expected graduate) in Korea or overseas, or equivalent
Korean Track	TOPIK level 3 or above (or level 3 at a university Korean programme, or King Sejong Intermediate 1), or English scores; TOPIK 6 for the Humanities-, Science- and AI-based Interdisciplinary Studies divisions; language proof optional for Global Interdisciplinary Studies
English Track	IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 71 (4.0 on the new scale from 21 January 2026) or NEW TEPS 330, or fully English-medium schooling, or citizenship of one of seven English-speaking countries
English language	IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 71 English Track minimum: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 71 (4.0 for tests after 21 January 2026) or NEW TEPS 330. Citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa, and students schooled entirely in English, are exempt. Korean Track students admitted with English scores must take Sogang's Korean language courses and later submit TOPIK 4.

Deadlines

Spring 2027 (March entry), online application and original documents Non-binding Next deadline · In 45 days

20 November 2026, 17:00 KST

Application window 12 October to 20 November 2026 (documents on working days only). Results 24 December 2026; tuition payment and financial documents in January 2027; orientation February 2027.
Fall 2027 (September entry) Non-binding

Not yet announced

Sogang published the Fall 2026 guideline on 17 March 2026, so the Fall 2027 guideline is likely around March 2027.

Online applications are accepted 24 hours a day until the deadline; documents must arrive (not just be posted) by 20 November 2026, 17:00. Changing recruitment unit after enrolment is not permitted.

How to apply

Apply online through Sogang's international admissions website (via Jinhak Apply) and pay the KRW 150,000 application fee, then send original documents by post, courier or in person to the Office of International Student Affairs by the same deadline. Only complete applications are evaluated. Choose a recruitment unit (e.g. Division of Humanities, Economics, Computer Science and Engineering); majors within some units are chosen in the second year.

What admissions looks for

Academic achievement shown in high school transcripts, since selection is entirely document-based.
Language proficiency suited to your track: Korean (TOPIK) for the Korean Track or English scores for the English Track.
Optional supporting documents, such as international test results, that strengthen the overall application.
A clean disciplinary record: confirmed school-violence records can lead to point deductions.

Tips for applying to Sogang

1 Send strong language scores: TOPIK 6 or IELTS 8.0 / TOEFL 110 can bring a full first-semester scholarship, and TOPIK 4 or IELTS 7.0 still earns 25%.
2 Choose carefully between Korean and English tracks: English Track students are exempt from mandatory Korean courses, but some classes may still be in Korean.
3 Post your originals early: only documents received by 20 November 2026 are accepted, and incomplete applications are excluded.
4 If you aim for the Humanities-, Science- or AI-based Interdisciplinary Studies divisions, you need TOPIK 6, not level 3.

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in KRW

Per year, calculated as two semesters at academic year 2026 rates (KRW 5,245,000 to 6,794,000 per semester): Humanities, Social Sciences, Economics, Business, Media and Global Korean Studies KRW 10,490,000; Natural Sciences KRW 12,200,000; Geppert School and Global Interdisciplinary Studies KRW 12,806,000; Engineering, Computing and the interdisciplinary divisions KRW 13,588,000 Tuition ₩10,490,000 – ₩13,588,000

Financial aid

All admitted international freshmen are considered for merit scholarships: Sogang Excellence Scholarship I (top 1%) covers full tuition for eight semesters, II (top 3%) full tuition for two semesters, III (top 5%) the first semester; Admission Scholarships give 50%, 25% or 10% of first-semester tuition to the top 10%, 25% and 50%. Language Excellence Scholarships give 100%, 50% or 25% of first-semester tuition for TOPIK 6/5/4 or IELTS 8.0/7.5/7.0. Enrolled students can apply for Global Scholarships of up to full tuition for academic excellence or financial need.

KRW 150,000
Application fee: Full tuition for 8 semesters (top 1% of admitted international students; GPA 2.80+ to renew)
Sogang Excellence Scholarship I: 10% to 50% of first-semester tuition for the top 50% of admitted students
Admission Scholarships

Academics

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

Economics (Korean or English Track)

Offered in both tracks, with tuition of KRW 5,245,000 per semester.

Business Administration (Sogang Business School)

An AACSB-accredited business school with an English Track for international freshmen.

Geppert School of International Studies (English Track)

International Commerce, International Relations and Asian Studies taught in English at Loyola International College.

Computer Science and Engineering / Artificial Intelligence

Part of the College of Computing, which also runs a Division of AI-based Interdisciplinary Studies.

Semiconductor Engineering

A newer College of Engineering unit open to international Korean Track applicants.

School of Media, Arts, and Science

Communication, Media and Entertainment, and Art and Technology in one recruitment unit.

Research

Sogang runs 1 general graduate school, 6 professional graduate schools and 5 special graduate schools.
It opened a Graduate School of Management of Technology (MOT) in 2010, its 50th anniversary year.
The on-campus Korean Language Education Center (KLEC) runs the mandatory Korean programme for international students.

Schools & faculties

College of Humanities
College of Social Sciences
College of Economics
Sogang Business School
Loyola International College
College of Media, Arts, and Science
College of Natural Sciences
College of Engineering
College of Computing

Student life

Sogang's hillside campus in Sinsu-dong is compact, with Emmaus Hall as a second student centre, a sports field and green terraces. The university holds the Sogang Miracle Theater Festival and SOFEX, a sports and cultural exchange with Sophia University in Tokyo. International students get support from the Office of International Student Affairs, mentor programmes and dormitory options, and the Korean Language Education Center is on campus.

SOFEX, a sports and cultural exchange festival with Sophia University in Japan.
The Sogang Miracle Theater Festival, first held in 2010.
Mentor programmes for international students run by the Office of International Affairs.
An on-campus Korean Language Education Center (KLEC).

Housing. Sogang has university dormitories for international students; details and fees are published by the Office of International Affairs.

Location

Sogang sits in Mapo District in western Seoul, one of the capital's university neighbourhoods. A Sogang University station on the Korail network serves the area, and Seoul's metro network makes the rest of the capital easy to reach. Living costs are higher than in regional Korean cities.

Nearest airport: Gimpo International Airport (GMP); Incheon International Airport (ICN)

Notable alumni

PG
Park Geun-hye

11th President of South Korea; bachelor's in electronic engineering (1974)
KH
Kwon Hyuk-bin

Founder and CEO of game company Smilegate; electrical engineering degree
AJ
Ahn Jung-hyo

Novelist and literary translator; BA in English literature (1965)
KS
Kim Seung-hee

Poet, essayist and novelist; studied English literature and later earned a doctorate in Korean literature at Sogang
HJ
Hwang Ji-u

Poet and art critic; studied philosophy at Sogang
LB
Lee Bae-yong

Historian and former President of Ewha Womans University; doctorate in Korean history from Sogang (1984)
PY
Park Young-sun

Former Minister of SMEs and Startups and National Assembly member; master's in journalism from Sogang

Frequently asked questions

How much is Sogang University tuition for international students?

At 2026 rates, tuition is KRW 5,245,000 to 6,794,000 per semester, so about KRW 10.5 to 13.6 million a year depending on the college.

Does Sogang University offer English-taught degrees?

Yes. The English Track for international freshmen covers the Division of English (American Culture), Economics, Business Administration, Global Korean Studies and the Geppert School of International Studies, though some courses may be in Korean.

What TOPIK or IELTS score does Sogang require?

The Korean Track generally needs TOPIK 3 (TOPIK 6 for the interdisciplinary divisions). The English Track needs IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 71 or NEW TEPS 330.

When is the Sogang application deadline for spring 2027?

Online applications and original documents are due by 20 November 2026 at 17:00 KST, with results announced on 24 December 2026.

Does Sogang interview international applicants?

No. Sogang evaluates international freshman applicants 100% on submitted documents, including transcripts, language certificates and optional materials.

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.