South Korean science institutes see record application numbers

Applications for the 2027 academic year at South Korea’s four major science and technology institutes (KAIST, UNIST, DGIST, and GIST) have reached a record high, exceeding 30,000 applicants for the first time.

According to Jongro Academy, the total number of applicants reached 33,349, representing a 36.5% increase from the previous year's 24,423. This marks a 2.5-fold increase compared to the 13,315 applicants recorded in the 2022 academic year. DGIST saw the highest growth rate at 48.9%, followed by UNIST at 41.6%, GIST at 36.2%, and KAIST at 20.1%.

The average competition rate rose to 16.13:1, up from 14.14:1 the previous year. Experts attribute this surge to heightened interest in artificial intelligence (AI) majors and semiconductor-related contract departments. Additionally, the fact that these institutes are not subject to the standard six-application limit for early admissions likely contributed to the increase.

Analysts note that this trend is significant even amidst the expansion of medical school quotas. Because applicants may apply to both science institutes and medical schools, their final choices could act as a variable affecting admission thresholds for general science and engineering departments as well as regional medical schools.