Seoul National University and Hanyang University are gearing up to cater to the increasing number of undecided major students by introducing new colleges in the 2025 academic year.
Seoul National University and Hanyang University are gearing up to cater to the increasing number of undecided major students by introducing new colleges in the 2025 academic year.
Universities in South Korea are adapting to cater to undecided major students.
Seoul National University is set to establish a new college catering exclusively to undecided major students in the academic year 2025, with plans to allocate a quota of 400 seats, the Korea JoongAng Daily reported.
Under the initiative, students will join without a predetermined major and will be given the flexibility to choose their field of study in their sophomore year. The College of Liberal Studies, currently admitting undecided students with a quota of 123, will be incorporated into this new college.
According to a spokesperson for SNU, the decision was finalized as part of President Ryu Hong-lim’s vision since assuming office in February of the previous year.
The specifics of the college’s operation and the exact quotas are expected to be fine-tuned through internal university discussions.
SNU’s significant shift allocates about 15 percent of admissions to undecided major students. However, students will be restricted from choosing majors within the colleges of nursing, education, or medicine.
Hanyang University introduces HY Inter-college
Following suit, Hanyang University is also set to enhance opportunities for undecided major students with the introduction of the HY Inter-college, scheduled to admit students starting from the 2025 academic year, with a quota of 250.
A spokesperson from Hanyang University disclosed that the system’s operational details are currently under finalization.
Much like SNU’s program, HY Inter-college will empower admitted students to choose from various majors, excluding those in the fields of nursing, education, or medicine. The move is part of a broader trend among universities to accommodate an increasing number of undecided major students.
Gov’t funding incentive spurs universities into action
As universities nationwide strive to adapt to this evolving landscape, a draft of the University Innovation Support Project plan for 2025 and 2026 revealed that the Ministry of Education is contemplating offering financial support to institutions that expand their intake of undecided major students. This draft, expected to be finalized in February, aims to encourage universities to submit their admissions plans for undecided students by April to be eligible for funding.
In response to this potential financial incentive, Yonsei University and Korea University have initiated discussions on plans to admit more undecided major students.
Yonsei University has established a committee to explore possibilities, while Korea University’s admissions team, office of academic affairs, and office of planning & budget are actively engaged in discussions.
Reinstating undecided major program
Sungkyunkwan University is also contemplating a revival of its undecided major program, potentially implementing it in the 2025 academic year.
The university, which transitioned its undecided major program to the School of Global Leader in 2012, is currently exploring the possibility of reestablishing an independent program that offers interdisciplinary courses focusing on law, politics, and economics.
Promoting Korean language learning
Earlier, the Ministry of Education announced its collaboration with nine regional education offices to globally promote Korean language learning, aiming to attract more foreign students to study at domestic universities, as reported by the Korea Times.
The initiative includes a pilot program involving major provinces and Korean Education Centers worldwide, aligning with the “Study Korea 300K Project” to increase foreign student enrollment in domestic universities by 2027.
The Ministry’s substantial investment and the dispatch of specialists highlight the commitment to the program, with plans for expansion based on the pilot’s outcomes. The initiative also aims to encourage the global adoption of Korean as a regular subject in elementary and middle schools.
‘Study Korea 300K Project’
In September 2023, South Korea’s Ministry of Education announced plans to attract 300,000 international students by 2027 through the Study Korea 300K Project, addressing a decline in the school-age population.
The plan involves expediting permanent residency for STEM graduates, easing TOPIK requirements, and providing financial aid to science and engineering students.
Additionally, the initiative focuses on diversifying the international student population by actively welcoming students from India, Pakistan, and the United States, especially in STEM programs.
South Korean universities have witnessed a consistent rise in international student enrollment, with over 167,000 international students attending higher education institutions in 2022 — a nearly 10 percent increase from the previous year.
As of June last year, the total number of international students in South Korea has reached 207,126, reflecting a significant annual increase of 17.6 percent.
