South Korea to Reform Education and Immigration Policies to Attract International Students
The South Korean government has announced a comprehensive package of education and immigration reforms aimed at increasing the number of international students and strengthening educational support for non-native Korean speakers. According to the Ministry of Education, the Korean Language Proficiency Test (TOPIK) will be transformed into a computer-based system that can be taken remotely, allowing candidates to sit the exam from their homes. The reform also includes plans to introduce an artificial intelligence–based scoring system to improve the evaluation process. TOPIK is a key requirement for university admissions, scholarships, and employment for foreign students and workers in South Korea.
The TOPIK reform forms part of a broader strategy to expand Korean language education abroad and enhance support mechanisms for international students in South Korea. As part of this effort, the government plans to increase the number of state-funded Korean language teachers working overseas from 77 to around 100 by 2026. In addition, 20 teaching assistants will be deployed to support Korean language instruction and cultural education.
Domestically, new AI-based Korean language learning modules will be introduced for students from multicultural and international backgrounds. These measures will be complemented by after-school and holiday programs, as well as new assessment tools designed to better reflect students’ individual proficiency and developmental levels.
Against the backdrop of rapid demographic change, South Korea expects its university-age population to decline by half by 2040. In response, the government has identified international students as a strategic priority. As part of the new policy package, the required residency period for foreign graduates trained in artificial intelligence to qualify for permanent residency (F-5 visa) will be reduced from six years to three, provided they graduate from one of 27 universities designated by the government.