SKY universities see over 10,000 student departures in five years

More than 10,000 students have left South Korea’s three most prestigious universities—Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University (collectively known as SKY)—without graduating over the past five years.

An analysis of university disclosure data by Jongro Academy reveals that between 2021 and 2025, a total of 10,736 students withdrew, failed to register, or did not return from leave. The number of annual departures has remained above 2,000 for four consecutive years. In the most recent recorded year, Korea University saw the highest number of departures with 836, followed by Yonsei with 801 and Seoul National University with 375.

Departures were most prominent among natural sciences students, who accounted for 64.5 percent of the total. Specific departments such as engineering and life sciences saw significant numbers of students leaving. Experts from Jongro Academy suggest that many natural sciences students from Yonsei and Korea University likely re-enrolled at Seoul National University or medical schools, while those from Seoul National University likely moved into medical programs.

Looking ahead, the introduction of a regional physician system and the expansion of medical school admission quotas for the 2027 academic year are expected to influence dropout trends further.