Korea
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Early-admission applications to four science institutes reach 33,349, up 36.5%
According to Jongro Academy, the four science and technology institutes received 33,349 early-admission applications for the 2027 academic year. That is a record total, up 8,926 from the previous year.
Jongro Academy said on the 5th that the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) received 33,349 early-admission applications for the 2027 academic year. The total rose by 8,926, or 36.5%, from 24,423 the previous year, setting a record.
DGIST had the highest application growth at 48.9%, followed by UNIST at 41.6%, GIST at 36.2% and KAIST at 20.1%. The average number of applicants per place across the four institutes rose from 14.14 the previous year to 16.13.
The four institutes are introducing a total intake of 340 students in AI-related majors for the 2027 academic year. DGIST, UNIST and GIST will each admit 100 students, while KAIST will admit 40.
Applications to Samsung Electronics contract-based semiconductor programs increased by 80.6% at GIST and 53.9% at DGIST from the previous year. Applicants per place rose from 6.40 to 11.56 at GIST and from 9.89 to 15.22 at DGIST.
Applications to KAIST's Department of Semiconductor Systems Engineering fell by 56.0% from the previous year. With intake reduced from 100 to 40 students, applicants per place nevertheless rose from 4.20 to 4.63.
The science and technology institutes are exempt from the limit of six early-admission applications, allowing students to apply simultaneously to medical schools or science and engineering departments at other universities. The increase in applications therefore does not establish an increase in actual enrollment.