Private universities break decade-long freeze with new tuition increases
Published: 21 Jan. 2025, 16:31
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- LEE TAE-HEE
- [email protected]
![Hankuk University of Foreign Studies students hold signs urging the university to freeze tuition at the university's campus in Dongdaemun District, central Seoul, on Jan. 20. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/21/7bacc5b5-7333-46f8-ad62-383efde13303.jpg)
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies students hold signs urging the university to freeze tuition at the university's campus in Dongdaemun District, central Seoul, on Jan. 20. [NEWS1]
Some private universities are breaking over a decade of history freezing domestic undergraduate tuition, raising fees for the first time in years.
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies announced on Tuesday that it will increase domestic and international undergraduate tuition by 5 percent for the 2025 academic year. The decision was made during the university's tuition deliberation committee meeting.
This marks the first increase for domestic undergraduates in 17 years, ending a tuition freeze that the university maintained between 2009 and 2024.
Dongguk University will also raise domestic undergraduate tuition, implementing a 4.98 percent hike. Students in the College of Pharmacy will see a slightly lower increase of 4.1 percent. The university’s last tuition increase for domestic undergraduates occurred in 2011. For international undergraduates, the university will impose a 5.3 percent increase for 2025.
Many universities have maintained frozen domestic undergraduate tuition since 2012, when the government introduced a funding scheme for the Type 2 National Scholarship. The program incentivized universities to freeze tuition in exchange for financial support aimed at easing tuition burdens. Despite this, some schools are now choosing to raise tuition after years of freezes.
Ewha Womans University has decided to raise domestic undergraduate tuition by 3.1 percent — the first increase in 17 years. University officials originally proposed a 3.9 percent increase but settled on the lower figure. For international undergraduates, the school will implement a 7 percent increase.
Inha University will also raise domestic undergraduate tuition for the first time in 14 years. The university plans a 5.2 percent increase, slightly below its initial proposal of 5.49 percent.
Private universities outside the greater Seoul area are following suit. Kyungsung University, based in Busan, announced Sunday that it will raise domestic undergraduate tuition by 5.48 percent for 2025. This follows a similar increase of 5.64 percent implemented in 2024. For international undergraduates, the school opted for a flat increase of 252,000 won ($175).
More universities are expected to announce tuition hikes as deliberations continue throughout January and February. Korea University, for example, is considering ending its tradition of frozen domestic undergraduate tuition. According to the minutes from its Jan. 17 tuition deliberation committee meeting, university officials proposed a 5.49 percent increase for domestic undergraduates. If approved, it will be the first increase in 16 years.
For international undergraduates, Korea University officials suggested a 10 percent increase, citing that "even with a 10 percent increase, there won’t be much of a financial burden due to exchange rate changes."
As more schools finalize their decisions, the era of frozen tuition fees for domestic students appears to be coming to an end across Korea.
BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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