The country’s North Gyeongsang Province plans to select 72 teenage applicants from six countries – namely Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Mongolia, Cambodia, and China – to study in its schools for the upcoming school year starting in March 2024.
The country’s North Gyeongsang Province plans to select 72 teenage applicants from six countries – namely Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Mongolia, Cambodia, and China – to study in its schools for the upcoming school year starting in March 2024.
South Korea is offering Asian teens free education to tackle its aging population problem, hoping they will choose to live and work in the country after graduation.
South Korea’s initiative to attract Asian teenagers
The country’s North Gyeongsang Province plans to select 72 teenage applicants from six countries to study in its schools for the upcoming school year starting in March 2024. The countries include Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Mongolia, Cambodia, and China.
Kim Mi-jeong, the head of the program at the North Gyeongsang Office of Education, said that students selected for the program would not be required to pay tuition fees but would be responsible for covering their living expenses.
Selection process and participating schools
Nine schools, primarily vocational institutions that provide boarding facilities, will admit the students. Of these, four schools – Uiseong Unitech High School, Korea International Culinary Arts High School, Korea Railroad High School, and Gimcheon High School – have already completed their admission processes.
Currently, 32 students from various countries including Thailand, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Mongolia have been selected and are already enrolled in the program.
The application deadline for the remaining schools is September 8, 2023. These schools include Silla Technical High School in Gyeongju, Gyeongju Business High School, Gyeongju Girls Information High School, and Myeongin High School in Seongju. Collectively, these schools are expected to admit 36 Vietnamese students.
Visa and policy developments
The students will have the opportunity to apply for a subtype of the D-4 general trainee visa, which will grant them a one-year stay in the country. They will need to renew their visa annually to complete their studies and graduate.
The South Korean Ministry of Education recently announced the creation of an International Student Support Division to formulate policies for recruiting students from abroad.
