Proposed scholarships would cover all students entering new undergraduate division for international students in fall 2027
Seoul National University is preparing a scholarship package that would provide all students in the inaugural cohort of its new foreigner-only undergraduate division with full tuition and 1 million won ($740) in monthly living expenses, a senior university official said.
The package is being prepared for students entering SNU's new Global Talent Division, which is scheduled to admit its first students for the fall semester of 2027, SNU College Dean Noh Yoo-sun, who is overseeing the division's launch, told The Korea Herald.
"Because we expect to select only a small number of students initially, we are preparing to provide scholarships to all of them," Noh said.
The Global Talent Division will admit international students without requiring them to declare a major. Students are expected to spend roughly two to three semesters taking intensive Korean-language and foundational courses before moving into eligible majors across 10 colleges.
Under the scholarship package currently being prepared, students would have their tuition covered in full and receive 1 million won per month in living expenses for roughly their first three semesters, covering what Noh described as an "incubation" period before they enter their majors.
"The amount has not been finalized yet," Noh said. "What we are currently considering is full tuition and 1 million won a month in living expenses."
SNU expects an inaugural cohort of about 36 students, although Noh stressed that there will be no fixed admissions quota. The actual number selected will depend on the size of the applicant pool and how many candidates SNU considers sufficiently qualified, he said.
Noh said SNU intends to start with a relatively small cohort because the university is still building the systems needed to recruit, educate and support larger numbers of international undergraduates.
Preparations include strengthening Korean-language instruction, developing tailored foundational courses and improving access to housing and other student services. As those systems become more established, he said the university expects the division to expand over time.
The scholarship plan comes as SNU seeks to attract stronger international applicants and increase the relatively small number of international undergraduates at the university.
Noh said student support, including scholarships, can play a decisive role in competition for top students, citing cases in which students admitted to SNU ultimately chose other Korean universities offering more attractive support packages.
"If we want to attract outstanding students, what the university can offer those students becomes very important," he said.
Alongside the scholarship package, SNU is also considering charging students in the new division higher tuition than it charges Korean students.
The exact amount has not been determined and would require approval through the university's tuition-setting process. Noh said the higher rate is being considered partly because Global Talent Division students will receive additional support, including intensive Korean-language education and one-on-one peer tutoring.
If the proposed scholarship package is finalized, however, students in the inaugural cohort would have their tuition fully covered during the premajor period.
The scholarship model is likely to change as the division expands. Noh said SNU may eventually introduce different levels of financial support or limit scholarships to selected students rather than providing them to the entire cohort.
seungku99@heraldcorp.com
