Sogang University

Sogang is a private university in Seoul's Mapo district, founded in 1960 by the Jesuits. International students are admitted to a Korean track and an English track. The Korean track requires TOPIK 3 or level 3 at a university language school; the English track requires IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL iBT 71. A semester costs $3,840–4,980 (KRW 5.25–6.79 million at 2026 rates). Applications for Spring 2027 are open from 12 October to 20 November 2026. The university also runs KLEC, one of the best-known Korean language schools in the country.

Who Sogang suits, and who should look elsewhere

Sogang's main campus sits in Mapo, in the west of central Seoul. It suits students who want to study economics, business, media, international relations, the humanities or computer science and are ready for demanding coursework with compulsory Korean. Selection is based entirely on documents, with no entrance exam.

If price matters most, compare Sogang with Pusan National University. For a larger university with more English-taught programmes, look at Yonsei University and Korea University. Ewha Womans University is in the neighbouring district. A wider overview is in our guide to universities in Seoul.

Programmes in Korean and in English

International applicants do not apply to a department but to a recruitment unit. The major within it is chosen in the second year, and some majors run their own selection. The recruitment unit cannot be changed after admission.

Korean track (freshmen)

• Humanities: Korean language and literature, history, philosophy, religious studies, English language and literature, European languages and cultures, Chinese culture, and a humanities-based interdisciplinary division.
• Social sciences: sociology, political science, psychology.
• Economics; Sogang Business School.
• Loyola International College: Global Korean Studies; Global Interdisciplinary Studies (global management, economics, media), for which a language certificate is optional.
• Media, Arts and Science: communication, media and entertainment, art and technology.
• Natural sciences: mathematics, physics, chemistry, life sciences, and a science-based interdisciplinary division.
• Engineering: electronic engineering, chemical and biomolecular engineering, mechanical engineering, semiconductor engineering.
• Computing: computer science, artificial intelligence, and an AI-based interdisciplinary division.

English track (freshmen)

• English language and literature (American culture);
• economics;
• business;
• Global Korean Studies;
• Geppert School of International Studies: international trade, international relations, Asian studies.

The university warns that some major and general-education courses on the English track may be taught in Korean. If you take a second major from the Korean track, you may have to prove a certain level of Korean.

Transfers into year 2 or 3 are possible in most of the same fields. The exceptions are art and technology, Global Interdisciplinary Studies and the interdisciplinary divisions, which admit freshmen only. Semiconductor engineering accepts transfers into year 2 only.

Language requirements

TOEFL Home Edition and MyBest Scores are accepted. Students admitted to the Korean track with only an English certificate will study mainly in Korean: they take the compulsory KLEC courses and must obtain TOPIK 4 during their studies.

Compulsory Korean after admission

Korean-track freshmen take a Korean placement test. With TOPIK 4, KLEC level 4 or three years of high school in Korean you go straight into your major. A placement result of level 4 also opens major courses, but you still have to complete the compulsory KLEC course. At level 3 or below, with only an English certificate or with no certificate at all, you study at KLEC: 10 weeks, 200 hours, Monday to Friday from 13:30 to 17:30. While you are in this programme you can take no more than 10 major credits; the limit is lifted from the following semester once you reach TOPIK 4 or complete KLEC level 4. Each KLEC level counts for 9 credits, up to 18 in total. The university pays KRW 1.8 million ($1,320) per level up to level 4 (as of August 2026); a repeated level is at the student's expense. Transfer students and English-track students are exempt; Global Interdisciplinary Studies students take the test but follow their division's own language programme.

How to apply: a plan for Spring 2027

1. Before 12 October 2026: choose the recruitment unit and track. Check the language requirement and get your school certificate apostilled.
2. 12 October – 20 November 2026: online application on jinhakapply.com; the fee is KRW 150,000 ($110).
3. In the same period: send the documents. The printed application form, the verification consent and the cover page listing your documents go with the originals by registered post or courier to the international office. Only documents that arrive by 20 November count.
4. 24 December 2026: results on oisa-admission.sogang.ac.kr.
5. January 2027: payment (including the enrolment confirmation deposit) and financial documents. The bank statement must be issued in January 2027 or later.
6. February 2027: D-2 visa documents; the semester starts on 2 March 2027. The Korean consulate decides on the visa; see our student visa guide.

Selection is 100% document-based (1,000 points): grades, the language certificate and optional materials. There is no interview in the rules, but the university may verify information with your school or with you. Note one strict rule: if the consulate refuses your visa, the admission is cancelled.

Deadlines for spring and fall

Exact Fall 2027 dates will be in the guide the university publishes in spring; in 2026 the fall guide appeared on 17 March.

Documents

• School certificate (or expected-graduation certificate) and transcripts for all high-school years, apostilled or legalised by a Korean consulate in the country of the school. Documents not in Korean or English are first translated and notarised, then apostilled.
• Applicant's passport and proof of both parents' nationality.
• Birth certificate (for non-Chinese nationals) as proof of the family relationship; in case of divorce, a parent's death or guardianship, supporting documents.
• Language certificate, submitted within the application period.
• Optional: SAT, ACT, AP, A-level, IB, TOEIC, HSK, JLPT, DELF or TestDaF certificates, awards.
• Financial documents, only after admission and according to the university's instructions.

All documents must be originals issued no earlier than one year before the application deadline. Applicants who submitted an expected-graduation certificate bring the final certificate and transcript in January 2027.

How much Sogang costs

Tuition (2026 academic year, per semester)

Tuition must be paid through a bank that handles international transfers; payments through online services not linked to a bank may be rejected. From Russia, use a bank that officially transfers money to Korea in the required currency and keep the confirmations for the visa.

Housing and other costs

Meals are not included in the residence fee. You apply for Gonzaga International Hall from the admission results page. The building has a gym, lounges, a prayer room and laundry. Our guide to the cost of studying in Korea shows how to build a year's budget in Seoul, and the student housing guide covers private rentals.

Scholarships: GKS and Sogang awards

Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)

For 2027 undergraduate entry Sogang is a Type A university in the GKS Embassy Track: you apply through the Korean embassy and list up to three universities, at least one of which must be a regional (Type B) university. Sogang is not in the undergraduate University Track. GKS covers tuition in full, pays airfare and a Korean language year, and provides KRW 14.4 million a year during degree study. At graduate level Sogang took part in the 2026 GKS-G University Track. Details are in our GKS guide.

Admission scholarships

No separate application is needed: the scholarship committee assigns them based on admission results.

To keep a multi-semester scholarship you need at least 12 credits and a GPA of 2.80 out of 4.30 each semester. Continuing students can receive merit- and need-based awards of full, 2/3, 1/3 or 1/6 tuition, and KRW 1.5 million per semester with a GPA of 3.0 or above. A scholarship is revoked if the student acquires Korean citizenship after enrolment.

KLEC language centre (D-4 visa)

Sogang's Korean Language Education Center (KLEC) builds its classes around speaking practice: each level has several teachers, and cultural activities are part of the course. You can enrol on a D-4 visa before applying to the university.

There is also a daytime KAP200 programme and an evening KGP60 course. Three KLEC terms before applying pay off directly: level 3 meets the Korean-track language requirement, and levels 3–6 qualify for a 25–100% first-semester scholarship. Our guide to Korean language programmes compares schools.

Strengths and weaknesses for applicants from Russia and the CIS

Advantages:

• The English track in economics, business and international studies lets you start without Korean.
• TOPIK 3 or completion of KLEC level 3 is enough for the Korean track.
• Scholarships for strong IELTS or TOEFL scores exist on the English track too.

Drawbacks:

• Tuition is higher than at national universities, and very few students receive multi-semester scholarships.
• The bank statement for the visa is issued in January, so the money has to be in the account by then.
• The apostille on the school certificate is needed at application, not after admission as at some other universities.

Working while studying

Do not count on a part-time job in the first year: on a D-2 visa you may work only with permission from the immigration service, and the permitted hours depend on your year of study and Korean level. For Korean-track students that is one more reason to reach TOPIK 4 quickly. See our guide to working while studying in Korea.

Common mistakes

• Sending documents on the last day. Only documents that arrive by 20 November 2026 count.
• Applying to an interdisciplinary division with TOPIK 3. These divisions require TOPIK 6 or level 6 at a language school.
• Assuming an English certificate exempts you from Korean on the Korean track. It only lets you apply; the KLEC courses and TOPIK 4 remain compulsory.
• Submitting documents older than a year. Sogang accepts originals issued no earlier than one year before the application deadline.
• Apostilling an untranslated certificate. Sogang requires the reverse order: notarised translation first, then the apostille or consular legalisation.

Checklist before you apply

• The track and recruitment unit are chosen, and your language document matches them (TOPIK 3, TOPIK 6 for interdisciplinary divisions, or IELTS 5.5 for the English track).
• Your school certificate and transcripts are translated, notarised and apostilled, and every document was issued no earlier than one year before 20 November 2026.
• Originals are sent by courier so that they arrive by 20 November, not merely leave by that date.
• You have a birth certificate and proof of both parents' nationality.
• The money for the bank statement will be in the account by January 2027, and your bank can transfer funds to Korea.

Rankings

FAQ

Can I study at Sogang in English?

Yes, on the English track: economics, business, English language and literature (American culture), Global Korean Studies and the Geppert School of International Studies. You need IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 71 or New TEPS 330. Some courses may still be taught in Korean.

How much does Sogang cost?

At 2026 rates, from KRW 5.25 million ($3,840) per semester in the humanities and economics to KRW 6.79 million ($4,980) in engineering and computing. The international residence costs KRW 2.14 million ($1,560) for 4 months without meals.

When do I apply for Spring 2027?

Online from 12 October to 20 November 2026, and the documents must reach the university by the same date. Results are published on 24 December 2026.

Do I need TOPIK?

For the Korean track, TOPIK 3 or an equivalent; for the interdisciplinary divisions, TOPIK 6. The English track does not require TOPIK.

How much do Korean courses at Sogang cost?

KRW 1.86 million ($1,360) per 10-week term plus a KRW 100,000 registration fee. A D-4 visa requires a bank statement showing the equivalent of $10,000.

How can StudyU help?

Under a service agreement we help choose the track and recruitment unit, prepare documents and the apostille, and support the application and visa stages. Sogang decides on admission and scholarships; the Korean consulate decides on the visa.

Sources

• 2027 Spring Sogang International Admissions Guideline (PDF)
• Admission schedule: spring and fall (oisa-admission.sogang.ac.kr)
• International admissions notices (oisa-admission.sogang.ac.kr)
• Sogang KLEC: regular programme KGP200
• Sogang KLEC: term calendar
• Sogang KLEC: D-4 visa
• 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (Study in Korea)
• QS World University Rankings: Sogang University
• THE World University Rankings: Sogang University

Dollar amounts use ECB reference rates of 23 September 2026 (about KRW 1,365 per $1) and are rounded to $10.

For other universities and study routes, see studying in South Korea. If you want to know which Sogang track suits you and whether you can still make the spring intake, send an application.

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