[caption id="attachment_1727" align="alignleft" width="2119"] Seoul, South Korea city skyline nighttime skyline.[/caption] By 2027, the South Korean government hopes to enrol 300,000 international students. The Study Korea 300K Project was developed in response to the government's recognition that there is a growing rivalry for the best overseas students as well as Korea's need for highly trained people to support its economy. The strategy is even more urgent because the Korean student population in high school is quickly dropping at the same time. International enrollments have been increasing in the nation; as of June 2023, overall enrollment had increased by 207,125, or 17.6%, from the previous year. However, the target of 300,000 would still represent an increase of almost 30% over the course of five years and underscores the Korean government's desire to be one of the top 10 study abroad destinations in the world by 2027. Most Korean colleges have welcomed the news, and many are accustomed to having sizable numbers of foreign students on their campuses. For instance, in 15 graduate institutions in Korea in 2022, more than half of the total student body was composed of foreigners. An proposed initiative to lower language requirements for overseas students enrolling to Korean colleges, however, has some people concerned. More scholarships The government is concentrating on raising the quota for government scholarships (Global Korea Scholarships) in order to meet the goal. Priority will be given to students applying to study in STEM subjects (the number of scholarships for these students will increase from 1,335 to 2,050 this year), and students will be urged to register at institutions outside of Seoul. Universities in Korea are being asked to increase their English-medium education in order to become more competitive. Scholarships will also be given to students from certain nations; for instance, quotas for Polish and Emirati students interested in nuclear and defence technologies will be enhanced. Given the high demand for STEM studies in these nations, greater quotas are also planned for India and Pakistan. A disproportionate dependence on students from China, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan is also expected to be addressed by placing an emphasis on STEM and on new priority nations. These three nations make up two-thirds of the current foreign student quotas, and the majority of the students from them are enrolled in humanities disciplines, according to University World News. 6,000 scholarships will be awarded to students choosing to enrol in non-science disciplines in addition to the scholarships designated for STEM students.

Work opportunities and permanent residency

To further boost demand for Korean higher education and to entice international graduates to stay in Korea after graduation to work, the government plans to fast-track the permanent residency applications of international students graduating with Korean graduate and postgraduate degrees. Currently it takes six years for eligible students to obtain permanent residency; this will be halved from six to three years.

Reducing language barriers

The government has considered revising its International Education Quality Assurance System by making it more lenient in terms of the levels students must achieve on the Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik), for example, by allowing entrants to hold only Level 3 proficiency. Some university stakeholders are not keen on more leniency in this regard. A director of international student affairs at a university in the Gyeongsang region told Korea JoonAng Daily: “We ask our applicants to have TOPIK level 4 or above, but professors who have interviewed the international students say the applicants lack in both Korean and English proficiency. Over half of the applicants are turned down, and there needed to be a certain language standard.” A Chinese student studying in Seoul noted that “TOPIK level 3 is basically just kindergarten-level Korean. For level 3, you are taught to ask how much things are at a supermarket, and it’s difficult to keep up with the classes [at that level].”

Other incentives

Along with scholarships, reduced language requirements, and an easier pathway to permanent residency, the minimum bank balance students must have to receive a visa will be lowered and students will be allowed to work more hours while studying in Korea.

Asian competition

Academics speaking with University World News noted that Korea is facing stiff competition from Japan and Taiwan. These countries are also racing to attract international students to STEM programmes, using incentives like expanded English programming and streamlining the pathway to permanent residency.