Kyung Hee University

Kyung Hee University was founded in 1949 and today has 23 colleges and 88 departments across three campuses: Seoul, the Global Campus in Gyeonggi Province, and Gwangneung. It ranks 309th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (331st a year earlier) and sits in the 251–300 band of the THE World University Rankings 2026. What matters more for international applicants: the Korean track accepts TOPIK 3 or the university's own Korean test, English-taught options cover business, tourism, international studies and Asian studies, and spring 2027 has a second round with online applications from 26 October to 6 November 2026. In fall 2026 a semester cost from $3,646 (₩4,977,400) to $4,921 (₩6,718,400).

Who Kyung Hee suits, and who should look elsewhere

Kyung Hee works well for students who have some Korean but not a high level: the entry threshold is TOPIK 3, and after admission you must reach level 4 or complete required courses. It has a dedicated College of Hotel and Tourism Management and several majors open only to international students. A distinctive feature is its progress-based scholarships: the university pays not only for admission results but also for TOPIK gains during your studies.

Programmes: Korean and English tracks

English track

The English track is a separate admissions unit: you need English, and most courses required for graduation are taught in English.

Korean track: Seoul campus

In Seoul, international applicants can choose from the humanities, politics and economics, management (including the new Big Data Analytics), hotel and tourism management (Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts & Food Design, School of Tourism and Entertainment), human ecology (child and family studies, interior design, clothing, nutrition), natural sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, Future Information Display), music, dance and fine arts. Two programmes are designed for international students:

• Department of Global Eminence, for international students only, with its own courses; you can apply with any TOPIK score. In year two, students with TOPIK 4 choose almost any Seoul major (except medicine, pharmacy, nursing, Big Data Analytics, the arts and a few others), and the international-only Global Business major is open to them at any TOPIK level. Direct admission to Global Business is for transfer students only.

Big Data Analytics has special requirements: TOPIK 6, a place in the top 10% of your class and an average mathematics percentile of 90 or above.

Korean track: Global Campus

The Global Campus offers engineering (mechanical, with AI Robotics and Aerospace Mobility tracks, industrial and management, nuclear, chemical, materials, civil, architecture, environmental), semiconductor engineering (new in 2027), electronics, biomedical engineering, computer engineering, artificial intelligence, applied mathematics, physics and chemistry, astronomy, biotechnology, foreign languages (including Russian), Korean Language and Korean Contents Studies (international students only), design, sport, and a College of Liberal Studies where you choose a major in year two.

Students admitted from 2026 must complete a double major, minor or Micro Degree to graduate (except in medicine, nursing and pharmacy). You may apply to one campus only.

How to apply to Kyung Hee, step by step

You and both parents must have held non-Korean citizenship since before you started high school; if the family lost Korean citizenship, official documents must prove it. If one parent is legally responsible for you (after a divorce, for example), only that parent's citizenship counts, supported by a government document. You must finish school before enrolment.

1. Language. Take TOPIK 3+ or the KHU Korean test (see below); for the English track, TOEFL iBT 80, IELTS 6.0 or NEW TEPS 327.
2. Online application via the LINK section of khu.ac.kr: form, photo, payment by card or wire transfer. After payment you cannot change programme or withdraw.
3. Documents by post only to Global Admissions on the Seoul campus. The postmark counts: for spring 2027 round 2, no later than 5 November 2026. In-person delivery is not accepted from 2027.
4. Results are published online; no letters are sent.
5. Payment and final documents. Download the invoice and pay through KEB Hana Bank; by 8 January 2027 send the apostilled final diploma, transcript and original bank certificate.
6. Certificate of Admission for the D-2 visa is issued from 13 January 2027. See our student visa guide.

Application deadlines: spring 2027

Seoul's music, dance and fine arts programmes admit only in round 2. Fall 2027 dates will appear in new guidelines; the university advises arriving in Korea at least a week before the semester.

Korean and English requirements

Korean track, one of:

• TOPIK 3 or higher (TOPIK iBT too, except trial tests), valid on the application date;
• completion of Intermediate 2 at a Kyung Hee language institute (within two years before applying);
• level 3 on the KHU Korean test;
• level 3 of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program (or 61 on its pre-test);
• King Sejong Institute intermediate level 1 (not online);
• graduation from a Korean (non-international) high school.

Students admitted with TOPIK 3 must reach TOPIK 4 after admission or take designated Korean and general courses.

The KHU Korean test is an online alternative to TOPIK, with a passport check. The next session is on 17 October 2026 (registration 21 September – 9 October, fee $44 (₩60,000)). Results are valid for intakes from spring to fall 2027. For round 2 of spring 2027 it is the fastest way to meet the language requirement.

English track: citizenship of a country where English is native or official; TOEFL iBT 80 (4.0 on the scale used from 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.0 or NEW TEPS 327; or high school completed in an English-speaking country. See our TOPIK guide.

Documents and apostille

• KHU online application form;
• proof of language;
• self-introduction and study plan (in English for the English track);
• passport copy;
• diploma or certificate of expected graduation with a notarised translation; the final one with an apostille;
• transcript with a notarised translation; the final one with an apostille;
• proof of relationship with your parents; for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan this is the birth certificate;
• where relevant, statements explaining early graduation, school name changes and similar.

The apostilles and the original bank certificate for the visa must arrive by 8 January 2027, or no Certificate of Admission is issued. Russia and the CIS countries except Turkmenistan issue apostilles; Turkmen documents need consular legalisation.

What studying and living at Kyung Hee costs

Tuition, fall 2026, per semester

These fall 2026 rates may change for the 2027 intake.

Dormitories

The Global Campus has a second international hall, and Seoul has Happy Dorm, each with its own website. If places run out, look for a room near campus; see our student housing guide.

Living costs

The government benchmark is the GKS allowance: $10,547 (₩14,400,000) a year, about $879 (₩1,200,000) a month for housing, food, insurance and the rest. With a dormitory at about $235 (₩320,000) a month, you keep noticeably more for other costs than with a rented room. See our guide to the cost of studying in Korea.

Scholarships: GKS and Kyung Hee awards

At admission (main awards; renewal rules are in the guidelines):

During your studies Kyung Hee rewards progress: $370 (₩500,000) a semester for up to three semesters for reaching TOPIK 4 or improving your level, $370 to $2,960 (₩500,000–₩4,000,000) for a GPA of 3.0+, an award for significant academic improvement, and $370 (₩500,000) for KHU-PASS certification. Students from OECD DAC aid-recipient countries may receive the Samsung Dream Scholarship: full tuition plus $2,880 (₩3,900,000) for study costs.

GKS 2027. Kyung Hee is a Type A university on the GKS-U embassy track. In 2027 the bachelor's university track covers only the University-Industry Cooperation programme at 10 universities, and Kyung Hee is not included. Embassy applications run from 15 to 30 September 2026. See our GKS guide.

Kyung Hee language courses and the D-4 visa

The Seoul campus runs the Korean Language Center (KLC); the Global Campus runs the Institute of International Education (IIE). KLC's regular course combines vocabulary and grammar with the four skills; on Wednesdays there are special classes such as personal statement writing, report writing and conversation groups. There are one-to-one mentors studying to teach Korean as a foreign language, and a Global Buddy programme with Korean students.

Strong graduates of Kyung Hee's language institutes can receive a 100% or 30% admission award on the dean's recommendation, and completing Intermediate 2 meets the language requirement for applying. Compare options in Korean language programmes in Korea.

Where you study: three campuses

The Seoul campus is in Dongdaemun-gu: humanities and social sciences, management, tourism, natural sciences, the arts, KLC and Sewha-won. The Global Campus in Gyeonggi Province has engineering, computing, applied sciences, foreign languages, the English-taught International Studies and Asian Studies, design and sport. Gwangneung does not take part in international undergraduate admissions. Choosing a programme means choosing a campus; do not plan on switching midway.

Where Kyung Hee stands in rankings

In QS 2027 Kyung Hee rose from 331st to 309th; in THE 2026 it is in the 251–300 band. That is well below Yonsei (42), Korea University (52), SKKU (108) and Hanyang (155). Decide by programme: for tourism, hospitality and English-taught international studies, Kyung Hee offers choices that many higher-ranked universities do not.

Notes for applicants from Russia and Central Asia

• Family documents: for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan the university requires a birth certificate; for Russia the same document with a notarised translation works.
• Payment goes through KEB Hana Bank; applicants from Russia should plan a legal transfer route in advance.
• Pioneer. If Kyung Hee has no students from your country, check whether you qualify.
• KHU test instead of TOPIK. The test is online with a passport check, which helps if the next TOPIK session in your city is too late for round two.

Mistakes to avoid

• Assuming spring 2027 is closed. Round 2 runs from 26 October to 6 November 2026.
• Waiting for TOPIK when time is short. The KHU test on 17 October meets the Korean requirement for this intake.
• Posting after 5 November. For round 2 the postmark counts, not the arrival date.
• Applying to both campuses. Only one is allowed.
• Choosing Big Data Analytics without TOPIK 6. It has its own requirements, including top-10% mathematics.
• Forgetting January deadlines. Payment, apostilles and the bank certificate are all due by 8 January 2027.

Checklist before you apply

• One campus and one programme that admits in your round.
• TOPIK 3+, a KHU test result or an English certificate.
• Diploma, transcript and birth certificate notarially translated; final documents apostilled by 8 January.
• Self-introduction and study plan in the track's language; a plan for paying tuition and funding the bank certificate.

FAQ

What TOPIK level does Kyung Hee require?

For the Korean track, TOPIK 3 or an alternative: KHU test level 3, Intermediate 2 at a Kyung Hee language institute, KIIP level 3 or King Sejong intermediate level. After admission with TOPIK 3 you must reach TOPIK 4 or take required courses. Big Data Analytics needs TOPIK 6.

Can I study at Kyung Hee in English?

Yes: Business Administration and Global Hospitality & Tourism Management in Seoul, International Studies and Asian Studies on the Global Campus. You need TOEFL iBT 80, IELTS 6.0 or NEW TEPS 327 unless you come from an English-speaking country.

How much does Kyung Hee cost?

In fall 2026 a semester cost from $3,680 (₩4,977,400) in the humanities and International Studies to $4,960 (₩6,718,400) in engineering, Global Eminence and Global Hospitality & Tourism Management. Sewha-won costs $955 (₩1,290,000) for four months.

When do I apply for spring 2027?

In round 2: online from 26 October to 6 November 2026, documents postmarked by 5 November, results on 24 December. Round 1 (August) is over.

What scholarships does Kyung Hee offer?

At admission: Global Eminence, Pioneer, SDGs and awards A–I for results, TOPIK 5–6, English and study at Kyung Hee's language institutes. During studies: payments for TOPIK 4 and level gains, for GPA and for KHU-PASS certification. The government GKS goes through the embassy track.

Can StudyU help me apply to Kyung Hee?

Under an agreement with StudyU, we help you choose a campus and programme, check language requirements, prepare documents and the application for the right round, and plan language study, housing and the visa. The university decides on admission and scholarships, the Korean consulate as the consular authority decides on the visa, and the university housing office confirms dormitory accommodation.

Sources

• Kyung Hee Global Admissions (iadmission.khu.ac.kr)
• Kyung Hee: Spring 2027 Guidelines for Undergraduate International Admission (PDF)
• Kyung Hee Korean Language Center: regular programme and fees
• Kyung Hee Korean Language Center: registration
• NIIED: 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (Study in Korea)
• THE World University Rankings 2026: Kyung Hee University
• Korea JoongAng Daily on the QS World University Rankings 2027
• The Korea Herald on the QS World University Rankings 2027

Dollar amounts use the ECB reference rates of 29 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355 and €1 = ₩1,536.74, so $1 ≈ ₩1,353). For other universities, see studying in South Korea and universities in Seoul. To discuss whether Kyung Hee fits your plans, send us a request.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.