Seoul National University

SNU accepts two types of international students. The categories for the same are:

• Both the applicants and parents of the applicants are not citizens of Korea. The applicants is a high school graduate or has obtained equivalent level of education
• The applicants holds either a Korean or foreign citizenship and has undertaken all of the education outside of Korea

As per the unofficial sources Seoul National University acceptance rate is around 15% - 20%. The general entry requirements at SNU is having a high school education for admission to UG courses. For admission to Master's courses the applicants are required to have a UG degree. English language or Korean language scores are also required.

SNU South Korea is a public research university in Seoul, South Korea. As a result of the university's commitment to fostering productive research environment, many of this university's departments and research institutes, especially in Engineering and Natural Sciences fields are globally recognised for its cutting-edge research. They are placed within the Top 20 in terms of citations and publications of the Scientific Citation Index.

SNU offers courses that are taught in English language. A majority of the courses in English are offered at the UG level. The university advises students to study Korean during their time at the university. Note that Korean language proficiency is dependent on the programme a student wishes to attend. Korean language proficiency can be proven by submitting TOPIK level 3 or higher.

Admission decisions at SNU are based on a number of factors, such as academic achievement like GPA, personal statements, letters of recommendation, study plan, as well as other equivalent records and / or descriptions of specific qualifications. The admissions committee considers the level of studies completed, the quality of achievement, aptness of goals, suitability for the preparation of the proposed programme of studies, and characteristics of the last institution attended. Also, proficiency in Korean and other languages are also considered.

Yes, Indians can take admission to SNU South Korea. This university accepts students in Undergraduate and Graduate studies. To take admission to this university, students are required to meet the Korean or English language requirements. The documents that have to be submitted can be submitted through the university's online system. There are two tracks of admissions for international students.

 1) Both the applicants and his / her parents are not the citizens of Korea and the applicant has obtained high school graduation

2) The applicants holds either Korean or foreign citizenship and undertook his / her education (both primary and secondary; from the first year of elementary school to high school graduation) outside of Korea

Famous personalities who have studied at SNU are listed below:

Names

Designation

Yoon Suk Yeol

20th President of South Korea

Kim Tae-hee

South-Korean Actress

Lee Sang-yoon

South-Korean Actor

Kim Keon-hee

South-Korean Businesswoman

Lee Jae-yong

Chairman of Samsung Electronics

Seoul National University has been accredited by the AACSB and has a competitive ROI. Students can check the MBA placement highlights for international students are mentioned in the table below - 

The average employment rate of SNU MBA graduates is above 90% in the recent three years. Some of the global companies that have hired SNU MBA graduates are:

• Bank of China
• SAP
• Disney Korea
• Porsche Korea
• Apple Music
• Amazon Web Services

As per Glassdoor.com, the average salary of SNU graduates is USD 45k per year (Around INR 39 lakh). The placement rate of MBA graduates is above 90% in the recent 3 years. SNU offers career development programs such as career seminars, one-on-one career counselling, and mentoring programs. The university also organizes activities like CEO guest lectures and resume book distribution to strengthen links between MBA students and corporations.

Here are some of the general entry requirements to get into SNU:

• UG: The applicants should have completed high school education
• PG: The applicants should have a Bachelor's degree for admission to a Master's degree. Whereas, for admission to Doctoral courses, the applicants should have a Master's degree
• English language proficiency tests that are accepted are IELTS / TOEFL. Korean language proficiency is also required, wherever necessary

For admission to Seoul National University, either proof of Korean or English language is required.

Korean Proficiency at SNU can be shown by submitting TOPIK Level 3 or higher

Minimum test scores in English Language Proficiency tests are:

Test

Minimum Scores

TOEFL iBT

80

IELTS

6.0 or higher

TEPS

551

SNU accepts IELTS / TOEFL scores as English language proficiency tests. Minimum scores required in these tests are given as follows:

- IELTS of 6.0 or higher or TOEFL iBT with 80 or higher

- Wherever required, Korean language proficiency is also required. It can be proven by submitting TOPIK level 3 or higher.

The applicants at SNU can submit the application online and an application has to be submitted too. Seoul National University application fee is KRW 70,000 for UG students (Around INR 4k) and 90,000 KRW (Around INR 5,300) for PG students. A few of the documents required to apply are:

• High school transcripts
• Graduate school transcripts
• Standardized test scores (if students wish to submit)
• Letter of recommendation
• English language proficiency score
• Korean language proficiency score
• Other admission related document

For international students, yes a few scholarships at SNU are available. These cover the scholarships for applicants taking admission before admission and after admission. A few of the details of these scholarships are listed below:

• Global Korea Scholarship: International undergraduate students who want to study at SNU are eligible for this scholarship. Tuition fee exemption for 8 semesters will be allowed and a living expenses waiver of 1,133,330 KRW per month (Around INR 67k). Additionally, Airfare, one economy round trip and Korean language training fee and other expenses like medical insurance, settlement and returning expenses are also covered
• Graduate Scholarship for Excellent Foreign Students: Non-Korean students currently enrolled in Graduate programs are eligible for this SNU scholarship. Full-tuition exemption for a maximum of 4 semesters and living expenses waiver of minimum of a 500,000 KRW per month are allowed (Around INR 29k).

To know about the after-admission scholarship at SNU, students ae advised to check the university’s official website.

International students applying for SNU's Graduate programs are eligible for the Korean Government Scholarship Program. As per this, full tuition fee for 4 semesters for the Master's programme and 6 semesters for PhD programme are covered. Additionally, living expenses of 1,308,330 KRW per month (Around INR 77k) are allowed. Airfare one round economy trip, Korean language training fee, and other expenses like medical insurance, printing fees, research fund, settlement and returning expenses are also covered.

SNU Global Scholarship falls in the category of scholarship for international students in enrolled in Graduate programs. The number of recipients of this university is 160 approximately It covers the tuition fee, living expenses, housing cost, and airfare. Also, language support can be offered for those who seek to master Korean language. Additional funding can be offered to those who require academic support.

For UG students, SNU fees for UG courses is around INR 2.4 lakh. The estimated per month living expenses for international students:

Particulars

Expenses

Housing

128,500 – 255,500 KRW (UG On-campus)

221,500 – 312,100 KRW (Graduate, On-campus)

400,000 – 800,000 KRW (Off-Campus)

Local transportation

50,000 – 80,000 KRW (Around INR 3k – 4.7k)

Meals

400,000 KRW (Around INR 23k)

Books / school supplies

150,000 per sem KRW (Around INR 8,900)

Telecommunication

30,000 – 100,000 KRW (Around INR 1.7k – 6k)

Personal expenses

300,000 KRW (Around INR 17.7k)

A majority of the UG courses at the university are taught in English. Though the courses at the university are offered in English, the university advises students to Korean during their time at the university. To know the level of Korean language proficiency required, it is advised to check with the respective department.

SNU offers courses at UG and PG levels. UG degree programs at the university are offered via 15 colleges. For graduate courses, there is one Graduate school that offers 106 programs across five fields of study. A majority of the UG courses at the university are taught in English. A few of the colleges at the UG level are:

• College of Humanities
• College of Social Sciences
• College of Natural Sciences
• College of Business Administration
• College of Engineering
• College of Fine Arts

Master of Business Administration (MBA) is one of the best courses offered at SNU. With the help of this course, students get to develop communication skills, analytical and strategic thinking abilities, and leadership skills by getting to work in teams. Mentioned below are the details of the Seoul National University MBA:

Full-time / Executive part-time

Over 90%

INR 38.6 L

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

English & Korean

Disney, Amazon Web Series, Apple Music, Porsche, Bank of China

Merit-based scholarships to qualified students which covers 10% - 30% of tuition fee per semester

The duration of the Seoul National University BBA course is 4 years. The first-year tuition fee is around INR 2 lakh. To get admission to this course, the applicants are required to have passed high school. Also, the applicants are required to submit IELTS / TOEFL scores. Do submit the application fee and documents required to take admission to this course.

In Times Higher Education rankings, Seoul National University ranks at #62 in 2025. It is one of the top 10 universities in South Korea in 2025 as per THE rankings. Seoul National University ranks at #1 position in THE rankings particularly for South Korea. Even Shiksha has ranked this university at #1 position in the Popularity rankings for 2025.

SNU QS rank is #38 in 2026 and #31 in 2025. It took the lead in the QS rankings among the Korean Universities category. A few of the indicators used by QS rankings are academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, international student ratio, etc.

Seoul National University has been ranked well for a lot of the courses throughout the recent years. Popular courses at the university include Engineering, Business and Management, Law, Medicine and Health Sciences and Sciences. The rankings of these courses are mentioned in below: 

SNU International Students Association has been founded in 2007. This represents international student body at the university. Its main aim is to make the life of international students easy, safe, and comfortable. Each year, this association organizes a number of events such as International Students Sports Festival, SISA party, and so on. It also provides international and Korean students with opportunities to take part in voluntary activities to help students in need.