Personal statements re-allowed for international student university admissions

Students participate in Korea University's International Student Fair held in May of last year. [NEWS1]

The Ministry of Education announced changes that will allow universities to bring back personal statements for international student admissions.

The announcement came from the ministry on Tuesday as part of a series of amendments to the Higher Education Act.

Following the amendment, universities will be able to require international students and adult learners applying to undergraduate programs to submit personal statements and study plans starting with fall 2025 semester admissions.

The Education Ministry defines adult learners as students aged 30 and above who are applying to undergraduate programs, or those aged 25 and up who are applying to vocational universities. Universities operate a separate admissions track for adult learners, like they do with international students.

Personal statements and study plans were removed from undergraduate applications starting with the spring 2024 semester, following the amendment to the Higher Education Act made in 2022. The change was made to eliminate any influence of external factors such as the applicant's socioeconomic background in admissions.

Graduate school admissions weren't subject to the personal statement exclusion in the first place, and could require applicants to submit such documents.

According to the Education Ministry, personal statements were brought back because many universities said it was hard to accurately assess international students without them, compared to Korean students, who are easier to assess through additional documentation such as high school records they submit.

The amendment will also allow universities to flexibly operate admissions windows for international students and adult learners. Rather than conducting two rounds a year, universities will be able to open admissions as they wish.

The change will also apply starting with the fall 2025 semester.

Further amendments to prevent corrupt admissions were also made.

If two or more faculty members are found to have influenced the admissions results of a particular applicant, the university's admissions quota can be cut by 5 percent.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]