Yeungnam University
영남대학교
A large private university beside Daegu with its own subway station, a Saemaul studies school and Korean-taught degrees.
- Students
- 31,072
- 28,131 undergraduates
- Tuition
- ₩7.2M
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1947
- QS World Ranking
- 791-800
- 2027 edition
About YU
Yeungnam University traces its roots to Taegu College (founded 1947) and Chunggu College (1950), two Daegu colleges that were merged in 1967 to form Yeungnam University; the university counts 2027 as its 80th year. In 1972 it moved its headquarters to a new main campus in Gyeongsan, just east of Daegu. Today the Gyeongsan campus covers about 265 hectares with 161 buildings, while the Daemyung campus in Daegu is home to the medical school and Yeungnam University Medical Center.
It is one of the largest universities outside Seoul: as of April 2026 it had 28,131 undergraduates and 2,941 graduate and professional students on its rolls, and more than 236,000 undergraduate alumni. Undergraduate colleges run from humanities, natural sciences and engineering, through a College of Digital Convergence (computer engineering, AI, robotics, automotive and semiconductors), to business, medicine, pharmacy, education, arts and a College of Global Leaders. It also has law and medical graduate schools and the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul, which trains officials from developing countries.
For international applicants, YU is a Korean-medium university: freshmen need TOPIK level 3 or an equivalent, or can pass the university's own YU TOPIK test. Admission is by document review only, tuition is roughly KRW 7.2 to 11.1 million a year, and every new international freshman gets at least a 50% first-semester tuition waiver. It suits students who already have intermediate Korean and want a big, comprehensive campus connected to Daegu by subway.
Why students choose YU
Every new international freshman receives a first-semester tuition waiver of 50% to 100% depending on Korean level (100% for TOPIK 5 or above).
YU runs its own Korean test, the YU TOPIK, several times a cycle in Korea and at partner institutions overseas; passing it meets the language requirement for Spring 2027 entry.
The College of Digital Convergence offers computer engineering, software security, AI convergence, robotics, automotive engineering and an Advanced Semiconductor major, backed by a KRW 28 billion government semiconductor education grant.
The campus has its own stop, Yeungnam University Station, on Daegu Metro Line 2, so central Daegu is a direct subway ride away.
Admissions
Spring 2027 intake (semester starts March 1, 2027); Fall 2027 dates not yet published
Selectivity
YU does not publish an admission rate for international applicants. International freshmen and transfers are selected by a 100-point document review covering academic ability and language proficiency (plus a portfolio or video for arts and dance); individual results and reasons are not disclosed. Korean students are admitted through the national admissions system.
Typical entry requirements
| Nationality | Applicant and both parents must be foreign nationals; dual Korean nationals are not eligible |
|---|---|
| High school | Completed (or expected) elementary, middle and high school education equivalent to Korea's; equivalency exams, home-schooling and online degrees are not recognised |
| Korean (freshmen) | One of: TOPIK level 3 or higher; King Sejong Institute Intermediate 1 (not online); a pass in the YU TOPIK (second half of 2026); level 3 at a Korean university language institute; graduation from a Korean-taught high school; KIIP level 3 or a pre-assessment score of 61+ |
| Transfer (2nd or 3rd year) | One or two years completed at a four-year university, or a vocational college degree; level 4 for the language-institute and KIIP routes |
| Chinese applicants | CHSI online verification report of graduation (English), or an apostilled graduation certificate; Gaokao scores may be added as supporting documents |
| English language | The regular international undergraduate route is Korean-taught and the admission guidelines list no English-score alternative to Korean. Students admitted through routes other than TOPIK must complete a separate Korean programme of at least 300 hours in their first year, and TOPIK level 4 is required to graduate (level 3 for arts, sport science and dance). |
Deadlines
- Spring 2027 - Round 1 Non-binding Next deadline · In 36 daysNovember 11, 2026, 17:00 KST (online application opens October 12); documents by November 13, 2026
Results announced November 23, 2026; registration November 24-26.
- Spring 2027 - Round 2 Non-binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 6, 2027, 17:00 KST (online application opens December 9, 2026); documents by January 8, 2027
Results announced January 18, 2027; registration January 19-21. Orientation expected February 26, 2027.
- Fall 2027 Non-bindingNot yet published
In the previous cycle, Fall 2026 applications were taken in three rounds, with application notices posted in March, May and July 2026.
Spring 2027 dates are from YU's 2027 Spring Semester Admission Guidelines for Undergraduate International Students. Additional rounds may be added and will be posted on the International Student Admissions Team website (isa.yu.ac.kr). Fall 2027 dates had not been published as of September 30, 2026.
How to apply
Apply online at UwayApply (www.uwayapply.com), choosing freshman or transfer admission and one department only, and pay the KRW 100,000 application fee. Then send the printed application, statement of purpose and study plan, consent forms, family relationship documents, an apostilled or consular-authenticated high school diploma and transcript, a Korean proficiency certificate and a passport copy to the International Student Admissions Team by post or in person. Admitted students must then show a bank balance of at least KRW 16,000,000.
What admissions looks for
- Academic ability, evaluated comprehensively from school records and supporting documents.
- Korean language proficiency, the other main part of the 100-point document review.
- For painting, design, music and dance, a portfolio or performance video that shows the applicant's work.
- A clean record: for applicants who attended a Korean high school, school-violence disciplinary measures cost 5 to 50 points.
Tips for applying to YU
- 1 If you don't yet have TOPIK 3, sit the YU TOPIK: sessions on October 14, November 25 and December 18, 2026 count for Spring 2027 and can be taken at partner institutions overseas.
- 2 Aim for a higher TOPIK level before you apply: TOPIK 5 gives a 100% first-semester waiver, TOPIK 4 gives 80% and TOPIK 3 gives 60%, against 50% for other language routes.
- 3 You can apply to only one department, and it cannot be changed after you pay, so decide before submitting.
- 4 Submitted documents are never returned, so get extra apostilled copies of your diploma for your visa application.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in KRW
New international freshmen get a first-semester tuition waiver based on Korean level: 100% for TOPIK 5 or above, 80% for TOPIK 4 or King Sejong Institute Intermediate 2, 60% for TOPIK 3 and 50% for everyone admitted through another language route; a year at YU's own language institute moves you up one level. From the second semester, waivers of 20% to 100% depend on TOPIK level and GPA.
- KRW 100,000
- Application fee
- 50% to 100% of tuition
- First-semester waiver for new international freshmen
- 20% (GPA 2.5+) up to 100% (TOPIK 5+ and GPA 4.0+)
- Continuing-student waivers
- KRW 16,000,000 (KRW 8,000,000 after a YU language programme)
- Bank balance required after admission
- About KRW 747,500 to 1,068,000, plus optional meal plan (2026 rates)
- Dormitory, double room (4 months)
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters: spring from March 1, fall from early September
Advanced Semiconductor (College of Digital Convergence)
Open to international freshmen with its own fee band, and backed by YU's selection for a KRW 28 billion government semiconductor education project.
Computer (Computer Engineering, Software Security, AI Convergence)
A cluster in the College of Digital Convergence; YU reports ranking 2nd in Korea for mathematics and computer science in the 2025 CWTS Leiden Ranking.
Saemaul Studies & International Development
Offered by the College of Global Leaders, alongside YU's Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul, which trains officials from developing countries.
Global Education (Korean Education for Speakers of Other Languages)
A College of Global Leaders major for students who want to teach Korean as a foreign language.
Automotive Engineering and Robotics Engineering
Engineering majors in the College of Digital Convergence, open to international freshmen and transfers.
Visual Communication Design
One of the College of Arts majors that admits international students on a portfolio.
Research
- YU reports ranking 5th in Korea overall in the 2025 CWTS Leiden Ranking, and 2nd in Korea in both mathematics and computer science and life and earth sciences.
- Selected for government projects including a KRW 28 billion semiconductor-specialised university programme (2024) and the KRW 18.9 billion Software-Centered University programme (2023).
- Research institutes range from the Dokdo Institute and the PARK CHUNG HEE Saemaul Undong Institute to a Human-AI Quantum Center and a Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence Safety.
Schools & faculties
- College of Humanities
- College of Natural Sciences
- College of Engineering
- College of Digital Convergence
- College of Social Science
- College of Business
- College of Medicine
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Life and Applied Sciences
- College of Human Ecology & Kinesiology
- College of Education
- College of Arts
YU reports ranking 11th in Korea (2nd outside the Seoul area) in a 2025 ranking of universities producing CEOs of Korea's top 1,000 companies.
Student life
The Gyeongsan campus is large and green, with long tree-lined avenues, a clock tower, a big main stadium and a 22-storey central library tower. International students have their own associations for Chinese, Vietnamese and Mongolian students, and the Korean Language Institute on campus runs language courses before and alongside degrees. International students can live in double rooms in the dormitory, with air conditioning, communal kitchens and optional meal plans. Everyone must join Korea's National Health Insurance and a separate international student insurance plan.
- Student associations for Chinese, Vietnamese and Mongolian students.
- A Korean Language Institute on campus; a year of study there moves new students up one level in scholarship criteria.
- Yeungnam University Station on Daegu Metro Line 2 serves the campus.
- About 290,000 alumni, according to the university.
Housing. International students can live in double rooms in the dormitory for about KRW 747,500 to 1,068,000 per four-month semester (roughly KRW 187,000 to 267,000 a month), with an optional meal plan of two or three meals a day.
Location
Gyeongsan is a satellite city in North Gyeongsang Province whose western border meets Daegu, one of Korea's largest cities, and it is home to several universities. Yeungnam's main campus has its own station on Daegu Metro Line 2, giving easy access to central Daegu, while the medical school and hospital are in Daegu itself.
Nearest airport: Daegu International Airport (TAE)
Notable alumni
- KK Kim Kwan-yongGovernor of North Gyeongsang Province (2006-2018) and former mayor of Gumi; BS in economics (1969)
- ST Shin Tae-yongFootball manager and former South Korea national team head coach; won the Asian club championship as a player (1995) and as a manager (2010, AFC Champions League); Yeungnam graduate
- YJ Yang Joon-hyukSamsung Lions batting great whose number 10 was retired; studied economics at Yeungnam
- PS Park So-jinSinger and actress, member of Girl's Day; majored in mechanical engineering
- LH Lee Hee-joonActor; studied chemical engineering but left to train as an actor (did not graduate)
- LC Lee Chan-wonTrot singer and TV entertainer; enrolled in economics and finance (on leave of absence)
Frequently asked questions
Can I study at Yeungnam University without knowing Korean?
Not through the regular international undergraduate route: freshmen need TOPIK level 3 or an equivalent such as a YU TOPIK pass or level 3 at a Korean university language institute, and TOPIK 4 is required to graduate.
When is the Yeungnam University application deadline for Spring 2027?
Round 1 online applications run from October 12 to November 11, 2026, and Round 2 from December 9, 2026 to January 6, 2027, with documents due two days after each online deadline.
How much is tuition at Yeungnam University for international students?
At Fall 2026 rates, the first year costs about KRW 7.2 million in humanities and social sciences, KRW 10.1 million in natural sciences and engineering, and KRW 11.1 million in arts, before any scholarship.
Does Yeungnam University give scholarships to international students?
Yes. Every new international freshman gets a 50% to 100% first-semester tuition waiver based on Korean level, and later waivers of 20% to 100% depend on TOPIK level and GPA.
Is there an interview or entrance exam?
No. International applicants are selected by document review; arts, music and dance applicants also submit a portfolio or video.
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 (ranking table)
- ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026
- Yeungnam University International Student Admissions Team: Undergraduate admissions
- Yeungnam University: 2027 Spring Semester Admission Guidelines for Undergraduate International Students (PDF, English)
- Yeungnam University International Student Admissions Team: Notices (Fall 2026 application rounds)
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