From 2024, Universities Must Admit at Least 10% Socially Disadvantaged Students Starting with Freshmen

Notice of Partial Amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Higher Education Act
Regional Universities Can Substitute Up to 5% of Local Talent Recruitment
Capital Area Universities to Select Balanced Regional Candidates Recommended by School Principals

On the 28th, students who completed the 2022 academic year early admission essay exam are leaving the campus at Ewha Womans University in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] From the 2024 academic year freshman admissions, universities must select at least 10% of their total admission quota as socially disadvantaged candidates.

On the 30th, the Ministry of Education announced a draft partial amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Higher Education Act, which specifies the mandatory recruitment ratio for social integration admissions, to be implemented in March next year. The public comment period is until January 17 of next year. The social integration admissions are divided into opportunity-balanced selection for socially disadvantaged candidates and regional balance selection.

The opportunity-balanced selection targets include ▲national veterans ▲persons with special educational needs due to disabilities or physical impairments ▲students from farming, fishing, and island regions ▲recipients of basic livelihood security, low-income families, and single-parent family applicants ▲graduates of specialized high schools and those employed in industry for more than three years after graduating from specialized high schools ▲protected children ▲North Korean defectors and children born in third countries during the defection process, among others.

The mandatory recruitment ratio for opportunity-balanced selection is at least 10% of the total admission quota. However, considering the relatively poor conditions for recruiting freshmen in provincial areas compared to the metropolitan area, provincial universities may substitute half of the mandatory recruitment ratio for opportunity-balanced selection, i.e., 5%, with regional talent. Regional talent refers to individuals who graduated from high schools or universities located in the respective provincial area.

When metropolitan universities operate regional balance selection, it is recommended that applicants be those who have received a principal’s recommendation and that evaluation be mainly based on academic grades. Through the regional balance selection, universities must recruit at least 10% of their total admission quota.

Institutions or organizations with opinions on the amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Higher Education Act must submit their statements via the Integrated Legislation Notice Center website or by mail, fax, or email by January 17.

Choi Eun-ok, Director of Higher Education Policy at the Ministry of Education, said, "The legalization of social integration admissions is a measure to strengthen the public nature and social responsibility of universities," adding, "With the amendment to the enforcement decree, it is expected that opportunities for higher education will expand for economically and socially vulnerable students who have found it relatively difficult to enter universities."

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