The semiconductor industry's upturn is reshaping South Korea's early-admission college race for the 2027 academic year. Applications to contract semiconductor departments, which guarantee jobs at Samsung Electronics (005930) and SK hynix (000660), hit a record high, driving competition for those seats sharply higher.
A total of 5,992 students applied to contract semiconductor departments at five universities — Yonsei, Korea, Sogang, Sungkyunkwan and Hanyang — in this year's early admissions, up 972, or 19.4%, from a year earlier, according to Jongro Academy on the 13th. The average ratio rose to 28.53 applicants per seat from 23.90 a year earlier.
Sogang University posted the largest increase, with applications up 36.5%, or 354 students. Hanyang University followed with a 21.3% gain, or 250 students, then Korea University at 21.1%, or 71 students, and Sungkyunkwan University at 18.0%, or 309 students. Yonsei University was the only one of the five to see competition ease, with applications down 12 from a year earlier.
By company, programs tied to SK hynix, which is set to pay out large performance bonuses, drew the bigger jump. SK hynix-linked departments at Korea, Sogang and Hanyang universities received 3,152 applications, up 675 from a year earlier. Samsung Electronics-linked departments at Yonsei and Sungkyunkwan universities received 2,840 applications, up 297.
With early applications climbing steadily, some expect admission cutoffs for these departments to approach those for the regional physician track, a new medical school admissions quota that requires graduates to practice in designated provincial areas. Applications to the five universities' contract semiconductor departments have risen every year since totaling 2,234 for the 2021 academic year, reaching 2,971 in 2022, 3,663 in 2023, 4,121 in 2024, 4,829 in 2025 and 5,020 in 2026.
"The analysis suggests that a tough job market, expectations for the semiconductor cycle and guaranteed employment at large companies have combined to raise the appeal of contract semiconductor departments," said Lim Sung-ho, head of Jongro Academy. "From the 2027 admissions cycle, the introduction of the regional physician track means some students may be accepted to both medical schools and contract semiconductor departments, so attention turns to which they will choose."
