Applications to Pusan National University, Chonnam National University and Chungnam National University rose about 12% from a year earlier. The three schools are each set to receive an additional 70 billion won a year for the next five years under the Lee Jae-myung administration's plan to build "10 Seoul National Universities."
The three national universities drew 99,883 applications for early admissions for the 2027 academic year, up 11.6% from 89,469 a year earlier, according to an analysis by Jongno Academy released on the 13th. The average competition ratio rose to 9.16 applicants per seat from 8.29 a year earlier.
Pusan National University saw applications climb 19.0%, or 6,599, for a ratio of 11.55 to 1. Chonnam National University's applications rose 5.1%, or 1,274, for a ratio of 6.64 to 1, while Chungnam National University drew 8.6%, or 2,541, more applications for a ratio of 9.58 to 1.
Among the other flagship regional national universities, Chungbuk National University drew 23,440 applications, down 17.1% from a year earlier, and Kyungpook National University drew 59,749, down 0.9%. Some observers attribute the decline at Kyungpook National University to its exclusion from the list of schools funded under the "10 Seoul National Universities" plan.
Competition ratios at 11 major universities in Seoul also swung widely from a year earlier, as applicants played it safe and held out until the deadline ahead of a planned overhaul of the college admissions system for the 2028 academic year. Sungkyunkwan University's applications fell 9.9%, or 7,728, while the University of Seoul and Ewha Womans University saw declines of 7.8% and 0.6%. Seoul National University and Yonsei University, which closed early admissions on the 9th, saw applications drop 8.0% and 8.3%. Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, by contrast, drew 5,513 more applications, a 22.7% increase, and applications also rose at Chung-Ang University (16.9%), Sogang University (12.6%), Kyung Hee University (4.4%) and Korea University (1.6%).
"The competition ratios at major universities in Seoul show the psychological pressure students felt, because this is the last early admissions cycle under the current system," said Lim Sung-ho, head of Jongno Academy. "That appears to have produced both fierce last-minute maneuvering and a tendency toward safe applications."
Meanwhile, an error in the application system shortly before the deadline extended the submission window by about an hour, prompting complaints about fairness. Some applicants were able to check competition ratios up to the originally announced deadline before submitting, and a relief process is planned for those who failed to apply, meaning final competition ratios at some universities and departments are likely to change. The Ministry of Education said it will focus first on helping students who could not submit applications because of the system error, then review possible changes to the system.
