Science Academies and Science High Schools See Decline in Medical and Pharmaceutical Program Applicants Over the Past Three Years

Gifted School Graduates' Advancement to Medical and Pharmaceutical Programs Drops from 10% to 2.5%
Ministry of Education: "Achieving the Goal of Cultivating Outstanding STEM Talent"
Admissions Experts: "Students Aiming for Medical School Now Choose General or Autonomous Private High Schools over Gifted Schools"

The rate at which graduates of science academies and science high schools advance to medical and pharmaceutical programs has declined for a second consecutive year. Experts in the college admissions industry attribute this trend to the fact that prospective medical school applicants are choosing not to enroll in science academies or science high schools from the outset, due to potential disadvantages and other reasons.

Yonhap News Agency

On August 12, the Ministry of Education announced the '2025 Advancement Rate of Science Academy and Science High School Graduates to Medical and Pharmaceutical Programs.'

According to the announcement, the rate of science academy graduates advancing to medical and pharmaceutical programs for the 2025 academic year was 2.5%, marking a decline for two consecutive years (10.1% in 2023, 6.9% in 2024).

The rate for science high school graduates also fell for the second year in a row, reaching 1.7% in 2025 (2.2% in 2023, 2.1% in 2024).

This indicates that the previously rising trend in advancement to medical and pharmaceutical programs among science academy and science high school graduates since 2020 has now shifted downward.

The proportion of science academy graduates entering medical and pharmaceutical programs had steadily increased from 6.9% in 2020, to 7.5% in 2021, 8.8% in 2022, and 10.1% in 2023. However, it dropped to 6.9% in 2024 and further declined to 2.5% this year.

During the same period, the rate for science high school graduates rose from 1.5% in 2020, to 1.8% in 2021, and 2.9% in 2022, but then decreased to 2.2% in 2023, 2.1% in 2024, and 1.7% in 2025.

The Ministry of Education interpreted these changes as the result of joint efforts by the Ministry and all science academies to implement 'measures to restrict advancement to medical and pharmaceutical programs,' along with continuous strengthening of guidance for science academy students toward STEM career paths. Science high schools have also independently adopted similar restrictions based on the science academies' measures. The Ministry emphasized that these efforts are especially meaningful, as they contribute to fulfilling the founding purpose of science academies and science high schools: cultivating outstanding talent in STEM fields.

Kim Chunhong, Director of Education Policy, stated, "We will continue to collaborate with science academies and science high schools to monitor graduates' advancement trends, strengthen STEM career and academic guidance, and evaluate school performance, so as to further enhance education for nurturing STEM talent."

On the other hand, the admissions industry has focused on the number of students who have withdrawn from science academies and science high schools.

According to Jongro Academy, the number of science academy students who dropped out or transferred decreased from 18 in 2022, to 10 in 2023, and 9 in 2024. In contrast, the number for science high schools increased from 57 in the 2022 academic year, to 64 and then 69 in subsequent years.

Lim Seongho, CEO of Jongro Academy, commented, "In the case of science academies, it is highly likely that prospective medical school applicants are already choosing not to enroll in science academies at the admission stage, due to disadvantages and other factors, instead opting for general or autonomous private high schools." He also analyzed, "Given the increase in dropouts and transfers from science high schools, it is possible that some students are doing so with the intention of pursuing medical school."

Some interpret the data to suggest that the actual number of science high school and science academy graduates advancing to medical and pharmaceutical programs may be higher, as repeat test-takers are not included in the figures.

Lim added, "For the 2025 academic year, the number of incoming medical students from science high schools and science academies at the 39 universities with medical schools reached 1,502, the highest in the past five years." He continued, "For students from science high schools and science academies, graduating or graduating early and then enrolling in science and engineering institutes before preparing anew for the college entrance exam is also a major route to medical and pharmaceutical programs."

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