Competition for foreign students raises concerns over Korean colleges' integrity

From allegations that Yonsei and Korea universities recruited so-called “academic mercenaries” to boost global rankings to police probes of international student admissions at Honam University, a series of incidents has renewed scrutiny over the lenths some South Korean universities go to attract foreign students.

“With the school-age population shrinking and tuition fees frozen for an extended period, universities, whose very survival is now under threat, are naturally paying close attention to attracting international students,” a university president said.

“The fact that recruiting international students has risen above domestic freshman admissions on many universities’ list of priorities likely reflects a judgment that foreign student recruitment is more important to institutional sustainability.”

A 2025 study by the Korea Educational Development Institute found that tuition paid by international students had significantly boosted university revenues across all levels of higher education.

The government has also encouraged universities to admit more foreign national students as South Korea faces a shrinking workforce driven by a chronically low birth rate.

Together, these financial and policy incentives mean that foreign student recruitment is about more than internationalization. For many universities, it has become cruicial to their continued existence. As the pressure intensifies, so too do concerns that some institutions may cut corners.

The recent controversies at Yonsei and Korea universities highlight how this pressure has sharpened institutions’ focus on global rankings.

According to many international students, global rankings are a key factor when choosing a Korean university. Their importance extends beyond prestige, as rankings can also affect access to visa-related benefits.

The Justice Ministry currently grants 20 additional points to applicants for the points-based job-seeker visa (D-10-1) and the points-based resident visa (F-2-7) if they graduated from a university ranked within the top 200 by Times Higher Education or the top 500 by QS.

For research visas (E-3) and certain activity visas (E-7), graduates of high-ranking universities may also receive partial exemptions from requirements such as holding a master’s degree or having relevant work experience.

Against this policy backdrop, universities are under pressure to treat global rankings as a critical factor in attracting international students and securing tuition revenue.

“A higher QS ranking essentially signals stronger competitiveness,” a professor at a local university told local media, adding that institutions outside key ranking thresholds often resort to promoting relatively lenient graduation requirements.

Some universities have taken unusual steps. Kangwon National University, Kyungpook National University and Jeonbuk National University were found to have paid roughly 600 million won in advertising fees to QS and THE.

Others have turned to consulting services aimed at improving their standing in global rankings, including firms that claim to leverage insider knowledge or connections to former QS or THE officials.

The same pressures extend beyond rankings and may also influence how some universities manage admissions for international students.

Concerns have surfaced at Honam University, where authorities uncovered signs that more than 100 Chinese students transferred ont oundergraduate course using fake diplomas from a US university that wasn't even accredited.

The case has drawn attention to the school’s “3+1 transfer program,” under which students complete three years at a junior college in China before transferring to a Korean university to earn a degree after one additional year.

The controversy has also raised questions about the screening process for universities certified for internationalization capacity. These institutions are allowed to issue certificates of admission following initial self-screening and benefit from simplified visa procedures.

Honam University was reportedly fined and remains under investigation after issuing such certificates without properly verifying applicants’ qualifications, according to local media reports.

Such cases have renewed concerns that universities’ growing reliance on foreign student recruitment — combined with looser screening mechanisms and mounting institutional pressure — may be creating incentives for abuse.

“The Education Ministry is aware that universities are aggressively seeking to attract more international students,” an Education Ministry official told The Korea Herald.

To address the issue, the ministry outlined both short-term and long-term measures. In the near term, it plans to impose sanctions on universities that fail to screen international students properly. Over the longer term, it aims to revamp its internationalization certification program to better reflect universities’ actual capabilities.

“We are past the stage where the government’s focus should be on simply increasing the number of international students,” the official said. “The priority now is to ensure that the quality of universities is properly reflected.”