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70 percent of Korean universities hiked tuition this year, data shows

Published: 29 Apr. 2025, 17:22

LEE TAE-HEE
[email protected]

A student organization protests tuition hikes in front of the Seoul City Hall in Jung District, central Seoul, on Jan. 23. [YONHAP]

More than 70 percent of four-year universities raised tuition in 2025 for students admitted within the regular admissions quota, with average tuition amounting to 7.1 million won ($4,900) a year.

Of 193 four-year universities, 70.5 percent raised tuition for regular admits in the 2025 academic year, according to data the Ministry of Education released Tuesday. The remaining universities froze tuition.

The Education Ministry noted that the data excludes students admitted outside of the regular quota, including international students and those admitted through the equal opportunity admissions track for low-income applicants.

The statistic marks a huge difference from 2024, when 13.5 percent of schools that hiked tuition. Another 86 percent froze tuition and 0.5 percent, or one university, cut tuition for that academic year.

Many universities have frozen tuition for domestic students after the government announced in 2012 that it would only offer funding for the Type II National Scholarship to universities that did so. However, schools are now choosing to raise tuition for additional revenue after years of prolonged freeze.

The average annual tuition of all 193 universities in 2025 was 7.1 million won, up 4.1 percent on year.

The tuitions of private universities averaged 8 million won, and those of national and public universities averaged at 4.2 million won.

Medical programs had the most expensive average tuition of 10.17 million won, followed by arts and sports at 8.1 million won, engineering at 7.5 million won, natural sciences at 7.1 million won and humanities at 6.3 million won.

Of 129 junior colleges offering associate degrees, 72.9 percent raised tuition for the 2025 academic year. Another 27.1 percent froze tuition and 0.8 percent, or one university, decreased tuition.

For the 2024 academic year, 85.4 percent froze tuition, 13.8 percent raised tuition and 0.8 percent, or one university, cut tuition.

Average annual tuition across colleges offering associates degrees in the 2025 academic year was 6.45 million won, up 4.2 percent on year.

Private junior colleges charged average tuition of 6.5 million won while the tuition of public junior colleges averaged 2.37 million won.

Among junior colleges not offering medical programs, art and sports were the most expensive programs, costing an average of 7 million won. Engineering followed with 6.5 million won, natural sciences at 6.5 million won and humanities at 5.8 million won.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]