Special COVID-19 Prevention Period for CSAT Starts from the 19th... Final Decision on Exam Venues for COVID-19 Positive Examinees on the 26th

Request to Refrain from In-Person Classes at Academies One Week Before CSAT

General Test Centers for Those Cleared as Fully Recovered

About 120 Beds for Confirmed Examinees and 754 Exam Rooms Secured for Isolated Examinees

Eo Eun-hye, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), a special quarantine period will be in effect starting two weeks before the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) held on December 3. In addition, the test location for students who test positive will be finalized on the 26th.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare reported these measures for intensive CSAT safety management to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and announced them on the 15th.

The period from the 19th, two weeks before the CSAT, until the test day will be operated as a special quarantine period. The Ministry of Education and local education offices will conduct quarantine inspections of academies and private tutoring centers, and local governments will inspect study cafes. From one week before the CSAT, face-to-face lessons will be discouraged, and examinees will be advised to refrain from using such facilities. In addition, instructors and staff at academies and tutoring centers must use the Ministry of Education’s health self-diagnosis app.

Students who test positive have been assigned to key facilities such as hospitals or residential treatment centers starting from the 12th, three weeks before the CSAT. A total of 29 key facilities and about 120 beds have been secured across cities and provinces. The actual test location for positive students will be confirmed by checking their scheduled discharge date on the 26th (one week before the CSAT). If they have been declared recovered, they can take the CSAT at a regular test site. The government plans to secure additional beds if the number of positive students increases.

Separate test sites will also be operated for quarantined students. A total of 113 test sites and 754 test rooms have been secured. Considering the discharge of positive students, the installation of test sites will begin one week before the CSAT. Students who cannot travel by private vehicle will be able to receive support.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Proctors for positive and quarantined students will undergo diagnostic testing after the CSAT ends. Schools hosting test sites may switch to remote classes or designate the day as a discretionary holiday on the day following the CSAT.

If a student is notified of COVID-19 positive or quarantine status,
they must inform the public health center that they are a CSAT candidate
and call the education office to report for exam support

The government has also provided behavioral guidelines for students who receive positive or quarantine notifications. Students must immediately inform the public health center that they are CSAT candidates upon notification of positive or quarantine status and call the relevant education office to report necessary details for exam support.

Since student movement is expected to increase after the CSAT due to university-specific evaluations such as interviews and essay tests, a 'Student Safety Special Period' will be in effect. From the CSAT day until December 31, safety management, guidance, and patrols will be strengthened at various facilities expected to be heavily used by students to prevent infectious diseases.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye said, "Since university-specific evaluations will continue after the CSAT, we ask the public to continue following quarantine rules and join us in creating a 'safe CSAT and safe university admission process' for the examinees."

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