Home > National > K-campus

Postech opens applications for int'l undergraduate admissions for first time

Published: 21 Oct. 2025, 11:22 Updated: 21 Oct. 2025, 14:17

LEE TAE-HEE
[email protected]

Lee Kang-bok, vice president of admissions and student affairs at Pohang University of Science and Technology, talks during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Oct. 15. [LEE TAE-HEE]

Pohang University of Science and Technology (Postech) is accepting applications for its first international undergraduate admissions, with a focus on individuals who are passionately pursuing studies at the university, and is also preparing various scholarships and support programs to welcome these prospective students.

Postech newly created the International Admissions I track, which is currently accepting international undergraduate students that will study at the university starting the fall 2026 semester. While the university had an international admissions window for its graduate school, this is the first time that one for undergraduates will open.

"Postech has long pursued the goal of globalization, and our initial focus was to globalize through research by inviting more professors from abroad and supporting our faculty in going overseas," said Lee Kang-bok, vice president of admissions and student affairs at Postech. "But we're recently also aiming to become more global in terms of education."

"We tend to have around 50 exchange students every semester, when we have some 370 students in each year's undergraduate cohort, and those exchange students have naturally become part of our community. While we have been somewhat hesitant to make the next step, we decided to launch our undergraduate admissions program for international students because the world is becoming more global, and it would be valuable for our students to learn with students from diverse cultural and academic backgrounds."

Applications for the International Admissions I track, which refers to the admissions window open for foreign nationals whose parents also have foreign nationality, is accepted between Sept. 26 and Nov. 10. Applicants must also have graduated or be expected to graduate from high school by Aug. 31, 2026.

While the admissions window was originally set to close on Nov. 3, the university extended the deadline after a fire at the National Information Resources Service data center in Daejeon temporarily shut down the government’s Study in Korea website, which it used to receive applications. Students that wish to apply during the remaining period can do so through Postech's international graduate admissions website, which now has an undergraduate application section.

Admission results are set to be announced on Jan. 5, 2026, the same date as before.

Like many other international admissions, Postech also bases its evaluation on documents submitted by the applicant, such as their personal statement, letter of recommendation and academic history.

"Postech values each and every one of our students, and it will also be good for applicants to write their personal statement while considering Postech as a valuable university," said Lee. "Rather than applying to Postech as one of various universities in Korea, it's important to show the student specifically chose to apply to Postech because they like a unique and particular aspect."

Things like being the university with the largest semiconductor fabs, once the Fab III finishes its construction next year, is one of the factors that have brought students to Postech. It is also the only university, along with Stanford University, that owns a third-generation, synchrotron radiation facility and a fourth-generation light source.

An aerial view of the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, which has a third-generation, synchrotron radiation facility and a fourth-generation light source. [POHANG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY]

"There is no interview in which students can demonstrate their qualities, and it is best to write one's personal statement in a sincere way and make sure everything connects naturally," said Lee. "If students can provide evidence that supports what they wrote in the personal statement, it's recommended they attach as many supporting materials as possible.”

Postech allows submission of up to 30 one-sided pages as supplementary material, which gives a lot of room to applicants. Other science and technology institutes, such as KAIST and Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, tend to allow fewer supporting materials, accepting up to five honors or awards for its international undergraduate admissions.

"Students can submit academic awards, but they can also submit supporting materials that can be reference to their character," said Lee. "It can be things like if they went abroad and did certain activities or even volunteering for a pastor at a church, and students can show the best of themselves."

It takes around 30 to 40 minutes for admissions officers to review one student's application for domestic admissions. Two admissions officers will review the documents to make the decision, with a third admissions officer conducting additional review — if the two make different decisions.

The process will also be similar for international undergraduate admissions.

With the first group of international undergraduates set to enroll in Postech, various preparations are underway.

Starting from the 2026 academic year, Postech will offer all of its courses in English. While most of the classes at Postech have been taught in English, some foundational courses for first-year students and electives were previously taught in Korean. These will now be offered entirely in English.

"Some of the questions we often get from students via email are ones asking about the medium of instruction," said Kim Yeon-jin, admissions officer at Postech. "We are an English track university, and we are also an International Education Quality Assurance System-certified university and have a low dropout rate as well."

"We have systems such as the residential college or student advisers of the Mueunjae School of Undergraduate Studies that serve as a safety net for students, and international undergraduate students will also be able to enjoy such support systems when they enroll."

The Pohang University of Science and Technology's campus in Pohang, North Gyeongsang [POHANG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY]

All international and domestic freshmen enroll into the Mueunjae School of Undergraduate Studies when they join Postech. The college offers an undecided major program, allowing students to explore 11 fields such as physics, materials science and engineering and computer science and engineering for three semesters. Students can then choose their major and begin studies in the fourth semester.

Although courses will be taught in English, Korean language courses will also be provided to help international students learn Korean for everyday use.

Scholarships will also be provided.

Students from developing nations that enroll through the International Admissions I track will be offered a monthly living stipend of 500,000 won ($352). Students who haven't resided in Korea six months prior to enrollment will be offered up to 2.5 million won they can use for one-way airfare.

On-campus work programs will also be created, allowing students to receive work on campus during the semester and gain financial support.

On top of scholarships exclusive to the international students, they will also be eligible for other GPA-based scholarships and the Presidential Science Scholarship. Postech also offers the Pathfinder program, offering students a 10 million won learning voucher they can use to attend conferences or start their own businesses during their four years at Postech.

"Around 60 percent of our professors have received degrees from abroad, and there isn't much of a problem when communicating with students," said Kim. "Graduate students who have studied at other science and technology institutes say our scholarships are generous enough to allow them to live comfortably without financial difficulties."

While the fall 2026 semester will be the first time international undergraduate students will start their studies at Postech, the university will continue to recruit international students. Admissions will be open twice a year, recruiting students for the spring and fall semesters.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]