Annual Support of 350,000 KRW for Low-Income Adults... 'Lifelong Education Voucher' Applications Open Until the 5th of Next Month

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Ministry of Education and the National Institute for Lifelong Education will accept applications for the '2020 Lifelong Education Voucher' through their website from the 9th of this month until the 5th of next month.

The Lifelong Education Voucher support program provides up to 350,000 KRW annually in education expenses to low-income adults, including basic livelihood security recipients and near-poverty class, enabling them to participate in lifelong education. In 2018 and 2019, a total of 12,586 people nationwide took 12,042 lifelong education courses using the voucher.

Selected beneficiaries will receive a Lifelong Education Hope Card (NongHyup), which can be used to pay for course fees as well as necessary materials and textbooks for lifelong education courses.

The eligibility criteria remain the same as last year: adults aged 19 or older who are basic livelihood security recipients, near-poverty class, or whose household income is at or below 65% of the median income (approximately under 3 million KRW per month for a four-person household).

To verify income level, applicants must submit a resident registration certificate, health insurance qualification certificate, and health insurance payment confirmation. If applying through the website is difficult, applicants can submit related documents to institutions that accept the Lifelong Education Voucher for on-site application.

This year, the number of beneficiaries will be expanded by about 3,000 from last year to approximately 8,000, with 4,000 of them prioritized from basic livelihood security recipients and near-poverty class. Additionally, applicants who submit an education plan or have a high record of voucher use and course completion from the previous year are more likely to be selected.

Results will be announced at the end of February on the Lifelong Education Voucher website and individually via mobile phone and email. Selected learners can visit a nearby NongHyup Bank or apply online to receive their Lifelong Education Voucher card for use.

The 1,098 institutions nationwide where the Lifelong Education Voucher can be used are listed in the guidance materials provided upon selection and on the website. For more details, please contact the consultation center at 1600-3005.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.