MS/PhD

FAQ

Q1. Admissions Guideline

Category	Admission Type	Eligibility / Requirements
Eligibility	General Admission	Master’s and Integrated Master’s-Doctoral Programs: Applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree from a domestic or overseas university or are expected to obtain one before enrollment. Doctoral Program: Applicants who hold a master’s degree from a domestic or overseas graduate school or are expected to obtain one before enrollment. ※ Applicants recognized under applicable laws as having an equivalent or higher academic qualification and applicants recommended by a government agency as government-sponsored students are also eligible.
	International Students	The applicant and both parent(s) must be non-Korean citizens. The applicant must have completed regular primary, secondary, and higher education equivalent to the Korean education system, totaling 16 years, either in Korea or overseas. The applicant must hold or be expected to obtain the bachelor’s or master’s degree required for the intended program before enrollment. ※ Citizenship is determined as of the application submission date. ※ Applicants holding multiple citizenships, including Korean citizenship, are not eligible under this category. ※ Applicants or their parent(s) who formerly held Korean citizenship must submit official proof of loss or renunciation of Korean citizenship.
	Overseas Korean (+16 Years)	Applicants must have completed the entire regular education equivalent to the Korean primary, secondary, and higher education system, totaling 16 years, outside Korea. Applicants must hold or be expected to obtain the bachelor’s or master’s degree required for the intended program before enrollment. ※ All primary and secondary education (Grades 1-12) and university-level education must have been completed outside Korea.
Language Proficiency	General Admission	Submission of an official English proficiency test score is mandatory. ※ Submission is recommended for Business Analytics (BA) applicants. ※ Applicants who have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher in a country where English is a native or official language, or whose language proficiency has been recognized by a Korea University faculty member, may be exempt from submitting an official English proficiency test score. ※ Please refer to the applicable General Admission Application Guide for accepted tests, score requirements, and validity periods.
Language Proficiency	International Students / Overseas Korean (+16 Years)	Applicants to Management, Global Business, Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Strategy, LSOM, and IS must submit proof of English proficiency. TOEFL iBT 71 or higher (3.5 or higher for test-takers taking the exam on or after January 21, 2026) / Academic IELTS 5.5 or higher / New TEPS 326 or higher / CEFR B2 or higher. ※ Applicants who meet one of the alternative language proficiency requirements specified in the application guide may submit the relevant supporting documents in lieu of an official English proficiency test score. These include native English speakers, applicants who have obtained a degree in an English-speaking country, applicants who have completed their previous degree program entirely in English, and applicants whose language proficiency has been officially recognized by the department. ※ A department recommendation letter is mandatory when language proficiency is recognized through a recommendation from the department .※ Business Analytics (BA) applicants must submit a TOPIK score. ※ Separate official language proficiency score requirements may apply to scholarship applicants. Please refer to the applicable application guide for details.
Recommendation Letter	General Admission	Mandatory for applicants to the Doctoral and Integrated Master’s-Doctoral Programs. • The letter must address the applicant’s academic and research abilities and relevant qualifications .※ A recommendation letter is not mandatory for Master’s Program applicants.
Recommendation Letter	International Students / Overseas Korean (+16 Years)	Mandatory for applicants to Finance, Strategy, and Accounting. ※ Optional for applicants to other majors in the Department of Business Administration. • One recommendation letter from a professor currently employed by the applicant’s most recently attended university or graduate schoo l• No prescribed form • The recommender must send the letter directly from their university email account to grad_recommendation@korea.ac.kr.
Required Documents	General Admission	Application form, graduation or expected graduation certificate, official academic transcripts, consent form for academic record verification, research plan, and other required documents ※ Doctoral Program applicants must additionally submit a summary of their master’s thesis. ※ Please refer to the applicable General Admission Application Guide for the complete list of required documents.
Required Documents	International Students / Overseas Korean (+16 Years)	Application form, academic record verification form, graduation or expected graduation certificate, official academic transcripts, study plan, CV or résumé, proof of language proficiency, proof of bank balance, passport copy, proof of family relationship, and other required documents ※ Overseas Korean (+16 Years) applicants must additionally submit graduation certificates and official transcripts covering all primary and secondary education from Grades 1-12. ※ Please refer to the applicable International Student Application Guide for the complete list of required documents.
Admission Period	All Admission Types	Spring Admission (March Enrollment) and Fall Admission (September Enrollment) ※ Please refer to the applicable application guide for admission availability and detailed schedules, including online application, document submission, and interviews. ※ Accounting and Business Analytics (BA) accept applicants for Spring Admission only. ※ The Master’s Program in Marketing accepts applicants for Spring Admission only. The Doctoral and Integrated Master’s-Doctoral Programs in Marketing accept applicants for both Spring and Fall Admissions. ※ Business Analytics (BA) is a one-year program.
Admission Criteria	General Admission	Document Review and Oral Interview • Master’s and Integrated Master’s-Doctoral Programs: undergraduate academic records, submitted documents, research plan, knowledge of the intended field, and other relevant qualifications • Doctoral Program: undergraduate and graduate academic records, thesis and research achievements, research plan, knowledge of the intended field, and other relevant qualifications
Admission Criteria	International Students / Overseas Korean (+16 Years)	Document Review: 100% ※ An oral interview may be conducted at the discretion of the department. ※ Applicants are evaluated holistically based on their academic ability, aptitude for the intended field, language proficiency, and submitted documents.
How to Apply	General Admission	Complete the online application and submit all required documents. ※ Please refer to the applicable General Admission Application Guide and Graduate School website for details.
How to Apply	International Students / Overseas Korean (+16 Years)	Complete the online application and submit all required documents to the Graduate School Administration Team by post or in person. ※ Please refer to the applicable International Student Application Guide and Graduate School website for details.
※ Please refer to the applicable application guide for the specific degree completion deadline, admission schedule, and required documents.	General Admission Application Guide	https://graduate.korea.ac.kr/matriculate/koreans_n.html
	International Student Application Guide	https://graduate2.korea.ac.kr/admission/guide.html

Q2. Academic Affairs Guideline

※ Students must submit within 20 days from the beginning of the semester.

Category	Department in charge of academic affairs	Required Documents	Remarks
Application for Academic Advisor	Affiliated College	·Application form for an academic advisor	·The confirmation from an academic advisor and a head professor is required.
Designation of Specified Subjects of Academic Advisor	Affiliated College	·Designation form of specified subjects of an academic advisor ·Official Transcript	·The confirmation from an academic advisor and a head professor is required.
Credit Recognition	Affiliated College	·Application form for credit recognition (International exchange student, other university graduates) ·Application form for the excess credits (for students attending Korea University) ·Official Transcript	·Application for every semester is required. ·The confirmation from an academic advisor and a head professor is required.
Academic Exchange in Korea (Domestic)	Affiliated College	·Application form for academic exchange	·Graduate School for Academic Exchange (Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul Women's University, University of Seoul, Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea National Defense University, KAIST, KIAS) ·The confirmation from an academic advisor and a head professor is required.

Q3. Academic Administration Guideline of Change in Academic Register

※ All of the changes in academic administration must be done within 20 days from the beginning of the semester.

Category		Dept. in charge of Academic Affairs	Required Documents	Remarks
Leave of Absence, Returning		one-stop service center	1.Application of leave of absence·returning to university 2.Relevant documents of leave of absence by military service (a copy of notification of military service, certificate of approval for professional research staff transfer and etc.) must be submitted. 3. Documentary evidence of leave of absence by child birth must be submitted.	Leave of absence by military service & child birth is exempt from the term of thesis submission.
Withdrawal		one-stop service center	Withdrawal Form	When the refund of tuition is needed, request for refund must be done from affiliated college to financial division.
Readmission		affiliated collge	Readmission Form	1. Thesis must be submitted within the thesis submission term (MS: 6yrs, Ph.D:10yrs). 2. Request for printing 'Tuition Bill' must be done to financial division.
Academic Advisor	Change	affiliated collge	Petition for Change of Advisor	The confirmation from the former and new academic advisor and a head professor is required.
Academic Advisor	Extension	affiliated collge	1.Petition for Extension of Advisor 2.Request of the extension for an academic adviser	Students must apply within one semester after the retirement of an academic advisor.
Major Change		affiliated collge	1. Petition for Change of Graduate Major 2. Official Transcript	1. Available within 20 days from the beginning of the second semester 2. The confirmation from the former and new academic advisor and a head professor is required.

Q4. Scholarship Guideline

Q5. Foreign Language Test & Comprehensive Test

Category	Type	Application Period	Application	Criteria
Foreign Language	Foreign Language Test (Regular)	mid-Feb mid-Aug	Internet:Application fee payment after online application in Kupid/Information Square	English: Implementation by Institute of Foreign Language Studies Others: Implementation by Graduate School
	Application for exemption	1^st semester:4/1-8/31 2^nd semester:10/1-2/28	Department of Academic Affairs of Graduate School ※Application for exemption+Transcript (original)	Official English Proficiency Test Score(within 2 years) TOEFL CBT 213 or higher IBT 80 IELTS level 6 TEPS 660 TOEIC 800 - Refer to the "Criteria of English proficiency test score for test exemption"for second foreign languages - A graduate with a bachelor's degree or higher from the English-speaking or foreign language-speaking university
	Recognition of exemption	After the completion of class, the result will be sent from Institute of Foreign Language Studies to graduate school	Institute of Foreign Language Studies (Foreign Language Course)	A student who receives B or higher grade after taking course offered byInstitute of Foreign Language Studies
Comprehensive	Comprehensive Test	mid-April mid-Oct	Dept. of Academic Affairs of Affiliated College	MS:Completion of 2 semesters or more A student who passes a foreign language test with taking 18 credits in major ** Refer to the internal rules of major
Comprehensive	Comprehensive Test	mid-April mid-Oct	Dept. of Academic Affairs of Affiliated College	Ph.D: Completion of 3 semesters or more A student who passes a foreign language test taking 27 credits in major ** Refer to the internal rules of major

Q6. English Proficiency Test Score Criteria for Exemption

Language	Program	Exam	Criteria	Expiration Date	Remark
English	MS, PhD	TOEFL	IBT 80 (4.0 as of Jan. 21, 2026)	Within two years from the date the exemption application was received	Include My Best Score
		TEPS	New TEPS 361 or above
		IELTS	6.0 or above		Only for Academic
		TOEIC	800 or above
German	MS	TestDaf	TDN 3 or higher for all area	Within two years from the date the exemption application was received	ZMP (Applies to students admitted prior to 2018)
	MS	Goethe-Zertifikat	B2 or above		ZMP (Applies to students admitted prior to 2018)
	PhD	TestDaf	TDN 4 or higher for all area		ZMP, TestDaf TDN-3 (Applies to students admitted prior to 2018)
	PhD	Goethe-Zertifikat	C1 or above
French	MS	DELF	DELF B2 or above	N/A	DELF A1, A2, B1, B2 (Applies to students admitted prior to 2015)
	MS	DALF
	PhD	DELF			DALF C1, C2 (Applies to students admitted prior to 2015)
	PhD	DALF			DALF C1, C2 (Applies to students admitted prior to 2015)
Chinese	MS, PhD	HSK (漢語水平考試)	New HSK Level 5 (180) or above	Within two years from the date the exemption application was received	Taiwanese Government: HSK Implementation
Spanish	MS, PhD	DELE	C1 or above	N/A
Russian	MS, PhD	TORFL	Level 3,4 or above	Within three years from the date the exemption application was received
Japanese	MS, PhD	JLPT	N1 or above	N/A
Japanese	MS, PhD	JPT	715 or above	Within two years from the date the exemption application was received
Korean	MS, PhD	TOPIK	Level 4 or above	Within two years from the date the exemption application was received	Whether it is required depends on the department's internal regulations.
		KU Regular Korean Language Course	Grade B or higher in Level 2 (Includes completion of Level 3 or higher)	N/A
		KU Short-Term Intensive Korean Language Course	Grade 3, Grade A or higher (Includes completion of Level 4 or higher)	N/A