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Majority of universities raise tuition for 2025 as gov't seeks greater student support

Published: 11 Feb. 2025, 15:34

LEE TAE-HEE
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Members of the University Student Council network hold signs opposing tuition increases at Westin Josun Seoul on Jan. 22, when a Korean Council for University Education meeting was held. [NEWS1]

More than half of universities raised domestic undergraduate tuition for the 2025 academic year, with the government planning to investigate whether the additional revenue is being used for the benefit of students.

According to the Korean Association of Private University Presidents, 123 out of 190 four-year universities, or 64.7 percent, raised tuition for domestic undergraduates for the 2025 academic year as of Monday.

Another 50 universities, or 26.3 percent, froze tuition. The remaining 17 universities, or 9 percent, either have not decided on tuition yet or couldn't be confirmed by the association.

Private universities were more likely to raise fees, with 113 out of 151 private universities, or 74.8 percent, increasing tuition. Among national and public universities, only 10 out of 39, or 25.6 percent, raised fees.

Many universities increased tuition for domestic undergraduates for the first time in years. Previously, fees had been frozen due to government funding incentives, including the Type 2 National Scholarship, which was only available to universities that kept domestic undergraduate tuition unchanged. However, faced with financial difficulties from prolonged freezes, schools are now opting to earn additional revenue by raising tuition.

"As universities continued to freeze tuition, their financial difficulties deepened," said a spokesperson for the Korean Association of Private University Presidents. "[There's a high tuition increase] because funding for the Type 2 National Scholarship is affected by the tuition increase."

With universities losing government funding even with the slightest tuition increase, many are raising fees to the maximum allowable level to make up for the loss.

Of the 103 universities that finalized undergraduate tuition as of Feb. 4, 47 institutions, or 45.6 percent, decided on an increase between 5 and 5.49 percent. The 2025 academic year's tuition increase cap for domestic students, the only group regulated by the government, is 5.49 percent.

Another 38 universities, or 37 percent, implemented increases between 4 and 4.99 percent.

Amid rising tuition fees, some students are calling on schools to use reserve funds instead of increasing fees.

TtukTtak, an association of Hongik University students, gathered in front of the university's main gate on Monday to protest the school's proposal to raise tuition.

“Claiming a tuition increase is necessary when the university has a reserve fund of 789.7 billion won [$542.8 million], one of the highest among Korean private universities, is simply deceiving," the student association said.

Hongik University's tuition deliberation committee temporarily decided on a 4.98 percent increase for undergraduate freshmen enrolling in spring 2025. While the figure is not final, the committee agreed on the temporary rate as the tuition payment period was approaching. The university plans to refund any difference if further deliberations lead to a different decision.

As universities rush to increase tuition, the Education Ministry aims to provide more benefits for students.

A scholarship offering up to 200,000 won per month for Korean nationals from low-income families who are attending a university from far away has been created starting this year. The ministry also plans to expand the pool of eligible applicants for the National Scholarship.

The ministry will also check if universities are using the additional tuition revenue for students.

"Within February, when universities finalize their tuition decisions, we will look into whether universities have actually increased university-funded scholarships or have made plans to enhance student support," said a spokesperson for the Education Ministry.

Schools such as Inha University and Kookmin University said they will expand university-funded scholarships with the additional tuition revenue.

Experts say changes to the funding system are necessary.

"There needs to be a process to select outstanding universities, offering financial support for operational expenses for the high-quality higher education institutions," said Park Nam-ki, a professor at Gwangju National University of Education. "Increasing financial independence of universities by creating profit-generating business projects that utilize university resources could also be an alternative solution."

BY LEE BO-RAM, LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]