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The Ministry of Education of South Korea has announced that universities certified under the International Education Quality Assurance System (IEQAS) will be able to use their own Korean language tests when admitting foreign students. This status is currently held by 180 higher education institutions in Korea.
What other benefits does IEQAS certification provide?
- More lenient criteria for reviewing students' visa applications,
- Employment opportunities for international students (part-time work).
Previously, enrollment in a South Korean university was only possible with the TOPIK exam (Test of Proficiency in Korean). However, the authorities acknowledge that testing centers are in short supply and exam sessions are limited, which creates difficulties for international applicants and restricts their numbers. University-administered tests will help make the enrollment process more flexible and adapt it to the characteristics of different countries and academic markets.
South Korea aims to increase the number of international students
The country is consistently on course to grow its international student community overall. According to visa statistics from the Ministry of Justice, South Korea surpassed the 300,000 international student mark for the first time at the end of August 2025. Thus, the country reached the government-set target of 300,000 international students two years ahead of schedule—in 2025 instead of 2027.
The country is working to expand work-while-studying opportunities (though for now these are mostly limited to part-time employment), relax financial requirements, streamline and simplify the process of obtaining permanent residency (though only for specialists in science and technology), and extend the job-search period available to international graduates of local educational institutions.
