Is a guaranteed job now a stronger draw than a prestigious university name? Applications to contract-based college programs tied to hiring at major Korean companies including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and Hyundai Motor have hit a record high. Competition for one essay-track semiconductor program approached 300 applicants per seat. Battery and telecommunications programs, by contrast, saw applications fall, suggesting that the current business conditions of companies and industries are feeding directly into student preferences.
8,994 Applicants Flock to Corporate Contract Programs
A total of 8,994 students applied to 13 contract-based programs linked to seven major companies, including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Hyundai Motor and LG Electronics, in the early admissions round for the 2027 academic year, according to Jongno Academy on the 15th. That is up 1,387, or 18.2%, from a year earlier and the largest figure on record.
Among companies, programs tied to SK hynix showed the steepest gain, with applications up 27.3% from a year earlier. LG Uplus followed at 15.1%, Hyundai Motor at 10.3% and Samsung Electronics at 4.2%.
Newly launched programs also drew strong interest. Pusan National University's smart home appliance engineering department, tied to LG Electronics, received 603 applications for 20 seats, a ratio of 30.15 to 1.
Established semiconductor programs remained popular. Sogang University's system semiconductor engineering department, tied to SK hynix, drew 66.15 applicants per seat, with applications up 354, or 36.5%, from a year earlier. Sungkyunkwan University's semiconductor systems engineering department, tied to Samsung Electronics, saw applications rise by 309, or 18.0%, for a ratio of 36.84 to 1.
Korea University's smart mobility program, tied to Hyundai Motor, drew 40 more applicants than a year earlier, up 10.3%, for a ratio of 14.33 to 1. Soongsil University's information security department, tied to LG Uplus, saw applications rise by 21, or 15.1%, for a ratio of 13.33 to 1.
Essay Track Hits 297 to 1 as Chip Programs Pull Ahead
Broken down by admissions track, competition was fiercest in the essay route. The essay track for Sogang University's system semiconductor engineering department, tied to SK hynix, drew 297.67 applicants per seat. Hanyang University's semiconductor engineering department, also tied to SK hynix, recorded 211.00 to 1.
Programs tied to Samsung Electronics also drew heavy competition. The math-based essay track at Sungkyunkwan University's semiconductor systems engineering department stood at 124.10 to 1, and the same track for its intelligent software department at 75.80 to 1. The general essay track at the new smart home appliance engineering department at Pusan National University, tied to LG Electronics, recorded 50.00 to 1.
Shifts by field also reflected recent industry conditions. Applications to semiconductor programs rose 19.4% from a year earlier, while information security gained 15.1% and automotive 10.3%.
Battery programs, by contrast, saw applications plunge 36.2%. Mobile fell 21.3%, telecommunications 11.0%, artificial intelligence 2.7% and displays 1.1%.
Sungkyunkwan University's battery department, tied to Samsung SDI, saw applications drop by 117, or 36.2%, for a ratio of 10.30 to 1. Yonsei University's display convergence engineering department, tied to LG Display, saw applications fall by three, or 1.1%, for a ratio of 12.09 to 1.
Battery Applications Sink 36% as Industry Outlook Splits Preferences
Fewer applications do not always mean weaker demand. Kyungpook National University's mobile engineering major, tied to Samsung Electronics, cut its early admissions intake to 13 seats this year from 20 last year. The essay track alone shrank to six seats from 15, and applications for that track fell to 229 from 290.
Because the intake itself was reduced, the overall ratio actually rose to 21.62 to 1 this year from 17.85 to 1 a year earlier.
Jongno Academy said that with the job market remaining tight, contract-based programs that lead to employment at major companies after graduation have established themselves as a distinct group of sought-after majors among top-performing science-track students. At the same time, practical factors such as corporate earnings, industry outlook and hiring conditions are shaping which programs students choose, the institute said.
"Beyond semiconductors, preferences are rising for smart home appliances, automobiles and information security, while some fields such as batteries and telecommunications saw both applications and competition ratios decline, which suggests that the recent business conditions of companies and industries are affecting applications to contract-based programs," said Lim Sung-ho, chief executive of Jongno Academy.
"As corporate contract-based programs establish themselves as an independent group of preferred majors, the number of applicants and admission cutoffs could shift significantly depending on the earnings of the companies involved, the industry outlook and hiring conditions," he added.
