Early admissions applications to college programs tied to jobs at major South Korean companies reached a record 8,994, up more than 18% from a year earlier. Applications to programs linked to SK hynix jumped more than 27%. By sector, semiconductor, information security and automotive programs drew more applicants, while battery and telecommunications programs saw declines.
A total of 8,994 students applied to 13 contract-based programs tied to seven major companies including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and Hyundai Motor for the 2027 academic year, according to Jongro Academy on the 15th. That was 1,387 more, or 18.2%, than the 7,607 applications a year earlier, the highest on record. Enrollment quotas rose to 383 from 368, but because applications grew faster, the overall ratio of applicants to seats climbed to 23.48-to-1 from 20.67-to-1.
Among the companies, programs tied to SK hynix posted the sharpest gain. Three semiconductor programs at Sogang University, Hanyang University and Korea University drew 3,152 applications, up 675, or 27.3%, from 2,477 a year earlier. Applications to Sogang's system semiconductor engineering department rose 36.5% to 1,323 from 969, while Hanyang's semiconductor engineering department and Korea University's semiconductor engineering department gained 21.3% and 21.1%, respectively. Applications to five programs tied to Samsung Electronics rose 4.2% to 4,165 from 3,997.
Semiconductors also stood out by sector. Five semiconductor programs drew 5,992 applications, up 19.4% from a year earlier. The ratio of applicants to seats rose to 28.53-to-1 from 23.90-to-1. Applications for information security rose 15.1% and automotive 10.3%. Battery programs, by contrast, tumbled 36.2% to 206 from 323. Telecommunications fell 11.0%, artificial intelligence 2.7% and displays 1.1%.
A new smart home appliance engineering department at Pusan National University tied to LG Electronics, which is admitting its first class this year, also drew heavy interest. It received 603 applications for 20 seats, a ratio of 30.15-to-1. Korea University's smart mobility division, tied to Hyundai Motor, drew 430 applications for 30 seats, or 14.33-to-1, with applications up 10.3% from a year earlier.
Ratios soared into the hundreds in some essay-based admissions tracks. The general essay track for Sogang's system semiconductor engineering department drew 893 applications for three seats, or 297.67-to-1, the highest of any track. Hanyang's semiconductor engineering essay track came in at 211-to-1, and Sungkyunkwan University's essay-excellence track for semiconductor systems engineering at 124.10-to-1.
"Corporate contract-based programs have established themselves as a leading preference among science-track applicants, and preferences and admission cutoffs are likely to be affected by trends in the related industries," said Lim Sung-ho, head of Jongro Academy.
