Overview

Founded in 1398, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) is the oldest and most prestigious higher education institution in Korea. With over 628 years of history, SKKU has played a crucial role in Korea's intellectual and cultural development. Today, it continues to blend tradition with innovation, positioning itself as a globally recognized research-intensive university that nurtures future leaders. 

Sungkyunkwan University is a private research university with campuses in Seoul and Suwon, South Korea. The institution traces its origins to the historic Sungkyunkwan founded in 1398 in central Seoul. As the foremost educational institution during the Joseon period, it was governed by the great code of the state administration with royal assent. By a resolution of the Progressive Intellectuals and Confucian scholars, it was restructured as a comprehensive university in the mid-20th century and has since greatly expanded its academic offerings. 

Samsung partnered with SKKU from 1965 to 1977, and renewed this partnership in 1996. The university claims that this has helped it to pursue globalisation and to foster talented graduates. The partnership has boosted research infrastructure and human resource management, and has helped the university to develop courses in software development, mobile communications engineering, energy engineering, nanotechnology, business, medicine, and law. The Samsung partnership is not merely symbolic — Samsung Digital City (the world's largest electronics campus) is located just minutes from SKKU's Suwon Natural Sciences Campus, and the university's engineering curriculum is co-designed with Samsung to train the engineers who power one of the world's most valuable corporations. 

There are a total of 26,000 students enrolled in Sungkyunkwan University, with an academic staff of 1,500 members. The university has partnerships with 653 universities and has agreements in place with 21 international institutions to offer dual-degree programmes. The institution has a large number of overseas students, who make up around 10% of the total undergraduate student body. 

SKKU is renowned for its academic excellence, interdisciplinary research, and global partnerships, excelling in various fields including engineering, business, medicine, and the humanities. In particular, the university maintains a strong collaboration with Samsung, fostering cutting-edge research and education to cultivate talent for future industries. This partnership breaks down the barriers between academia and industry, enabling practical research and innovative education. 

Notable alumni include Song Joong-Ki (South Korean actor), Hwang Kyo-Ahn (Former Prime Minister of South Korea), Lee Jong-seok (Former Minister of Unification), and Lee Jae-yong (Samsung Electronics Chairman) — reflecting SKKU's extraordinary influence across Korea's entertainment, government, and business landscape.

Intakes

SKKU operates on a Korean academic calendar with two primary intakes per year.

Spring Intake (March) — Primary intake; open to all undergraduate and graduate programs.

• Graduate applications for Spring 2026: Application period September 12 – October 10, 2025; Interview/Written Test: October 25, 2025; Admission Results: November 14, 2025 

Fall Intake (September) — Secondary intake; open to all undergraduate and graduate programs; approximately equal in size to the Spring intake.

• Application period: typically March–April for September enrollment; results by June

Important for Indian Students:

• Application fee: KRW 100,000 (approximately ₹6,200) per application
• Apostille Attestation is mandatory: Class 12 Marksheet and Migration Certificate must be Apostille Attested by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India — this is non-negotiable for South Korea 
• Language requirement: English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL) for English-taught programs; TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) for Korean-taught programs
• Korean Student Visa D-2 required; proof of approximately USD $15,000–$20,000 in funds
• International students can work up to 20 hours per week after completing the first semester; D-2 visa work permit required
• Post-Study: Korea's D-10 Job-Seeker Visa and E-7 Skilled Worker Visa available after graduation; Korea's F-5 Permanent Residency pathway available for high-skilled graduates
• Apply in Round 1 (Spring) — scholarship budget is fullest and more seats available

Note: Polygon Campus primarily assists with graduate-level admissions. Confirm specific intake dates at skku.edu.

Top Courses

SKKU offers programs across STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences, Arts, Medicine, and Interdisciplinary fields — making it one of the most diverse graduate schools in Korea, across two main campuses: the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus in Seoul and the Natural Sciences Campus in Suwon. 

Natural Sciences Campus, Suwon (Engineering, Science, Medicine — Samsung Partnership Hub)

College of Engineering / School of Engineering

• BSc / MSc / PhD in Semiconductor Systems Engineering — direct Samsung pipeline; unique in Korea
• BSc / MSc / PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• BSc / MSc / PhD in Computer Science and Engineering — highly popular for Indian students
• MSc / PhD in Artificial Intelligence
• MSc / PhD in Mechanical Engineering
• MSc / PhD in Chemical Engineering
• MSc / PhD in Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering

College of Natural Sciences

• BSc / MSc / PhD in Physics / Chemistry / Mathematics / Biology
• MSc / PhD in Biophysics and Chemical Biology

School of Medicine / School of Pharmacy

• MD (Doctor of Medicine — highly selective)
• BSc / MSc in Biomedical Engineering — flagship for Indian students
• MSc / PhD in Pharmacy / Pharmaceutical Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences Campus, Seoul

SKK Graduate School of Business (GSB — #1 MBA in Korea, FT)

• MBA — 100% English-taught; #1 in Korea (FT); dual-degree with MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Ross, Tuck
• MSc in Management — English-taught
• MSc in Finance — English-taught
• EMBA

College of Economics (Global track — English-taught)

• BA / MA in Global Economics — English-taught flagship for international students
• BA / MA in Global Business Administration — English-taught

College of Law / Social Sciences

• LLB / LLM in Law
• BA / MA in Political Science and Diplomacy / Media and Communication / Sociology
• Graduate School of Governance — English-taught; unique in Asia

Graduate School of China Studies / Korean Studies

• MA in Korean Studies / Chinese Studies — partly English-taught

Cost of Studying at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)

Private universities like SKKU charge 4–8 million KRW per semester (approximately ₹2.48L–₹4.96L) for most programs. Business (MBA) tuition is higher at KRW 24.3 million – KRW 40.6 million (approximately ₹15L–₹25.2L per year). 

Living in Seoul (Humanities Campus) costs approximately ₹70,000/month; living in Suwon (Natural Sciences Campus) costs approximately ₹50,000/month — making the Suwon engineering campus significantly more affordable for daily expenses. Note: 1 KRW ≈ ₹0.062. 

Note: All INR conversions calculated at 1 KRW = ₹0.062. South Korea's cost of studying is 30–50% lower than the US, UK, or Australia for comparable university rankings. For student visa (D-2), you generally need a bank balance of approximately USD $15,000–$20,000 (approximately ₹12.5L–₹16.8L). Please refer to SKKU's official fees page (skku.edu/eng) for the most current 2025–26 fee schedule.

Scholarships

Key funding opportunities include:

• SKKU STEM Scholarship (Flagship for Engineering/Science/Medicine International Students) — SKKU has created a scholarship program for newly admitted international graduate students applying for majors in Science/Technology/Engineering/Mathematics (STEM) including Pharmacy and Biomedical Science; must be recommended by a professor at SKKU; up to 100% of the tuition fee can be provided as a scholarship depending on the result of the applicant's scholarship evaluation conducted by the department/College; the student recommended by a professor with GPA 3.8 or above can maintain this scholarship; no separate application required — automatically assessed with professor recommendation 
• SKKU Scholarship (Merit-Based, Humanities/Social Sciences/Arts) — 1st semester tuition reductions of 10% to 100%, based on admission evaluation results; tuition waivers of 20%–50% based on GPA performance for subsequent semesters; automatically assessed at admission 
• Samsung Global Sungkyun Scholarship — International students with a GPA higher than 3.7 without an F grade in any section can avail of academic support of KRW 3,400,000 (approximately ₹2.11L) per semester; the scholarship also requires an interview as part of the selection process 
• Global Korea Scholarship (GKS / KGSP) — University Track at SKKU — GKS covers full tuition, a monthly stipend of KRW 900,000–1,000,000 (approximately ₹55,800–₹62,000/month), settlement allowance, health insurance, and round-trip airfare; SKKU is a major destination for GKS scholars; apply through the Korean Embassy in India (Embassy Track) or through SKKU directly (University Track) in February–March for graduate programs
• SKK GSB MBA Scholarships — Multiple merit-based awards for MBA applicants; up to 30–70% tuition reduction; awarded during the MBA admissions process
• SKKU Exchange Student Scholarship — 20% tuition fee waiver for SKKU graduates or former exchange/visiting students continuing to graduate study at SKKU
• JASSO Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship — For students doing exchange semesters; ¥80,000/month stipend from Japan Student Services Organization through bilateral agreements

Note: Indian students should contact a potential SKKU professor BEFORE applying — the STEM Scholarship (up to 100% tuition waiver + monthly stipend) requires a professor's recommendation, which is the single most important step for engineering/science applicants.

Admissions

SKKU is friendly to international students but expects academic rigor. For Master's/PhD: a 4-year Bachelor's degree is mandatory; minimum 75% (3.0/4.0 GPA); 3-year degrees are NOT accepted. 

For Graduate (Master's / Doctoral) Programs:

• 4-year Bachelor's degree from an accredited university (UNESCO IAU WHED database listed); minimum GPA 3.0/4.0 (75%+); 3-year degrees not accepted
• English Proficiency for English-taught programs: IELTS 6.0+ / TOEFL iBT 80+; some departments accept Medium of Instruction (MOI) certificate from English-medium institutions
• TOPIK Level 3–4 required for Korean-taught programs
• Statement of Purpose / Study Plan; CV / Résumé
• 2 Letters of Recommendation (academic referees); Official transcripts (Apostille-attested for India)
• Professor Letter of Consent (required for many departments, especially STEM)
• Application fee: KRW 100,000; submit hard copies of Apostille-attested documents

For Undergraduate Programs:

• Higher secondary certificate (Class 12 / CBSE / ISC) with strong academic record; minimum 75%+
• English proficiency: IELTS 5.5+ for English-track programs; TOPIK Level 3 for Korean-track
• Apply in Round 1 for maximum scholarship consideration

Indian students can check SKKU's specific admission requirements for their chosen program directly through Polygon Campus.

Placements

Sungkyunkwan University's career outcomes consistently rank among the strongest of any university in South Korea. The university holds the number one position nationally for graduate employability, as measured by both the National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI) and the Korean Standard Service Quality Index (KS-SQI). Sungkyunkwan University placement rate is 76.5% as per official data of the university; the qualitative aspect of employment of university graduates is 90.6% through universities as per 2023 data calculated with more than 3,000 graduates. 

The Samsung partnership provides a particularly powerful employment pipeline. Engineering graduates frequently move into roles at Samsung Electronics, Samsung SDI, and Samsung Medical Centre, while Business School alumni leverage the SKK GSB's extensive corporate network to access positions at multinational firms across Asia. 

Jobs After Graduating from SKKU

Note: All INR conversions calculated at 1 KRW = ₹0.062. SKKU engineering graduates entering Samsung Electronics start on some of Korea's highest entry-level engineering packages — the Samsung connection effectively gives SKKU's Suwon campus engineering graduates a direct fast-track into one of the world's most valuable companies. Actual salaries vary by role, employer, location, and experience.

SKKU's career support ecosystem includes:

• Career Development Centre (CDC) — Comprehensive career services including job fairs, CV workshops, employer presentations, mock interviews, internship matching, and the SKKU CareerNet online portal connecting students with Korean and global employers
• #1 National Graduate Employability (NCSI and KS-SQI) — SKKU holds the number one position nationally for graduate employability — the most direct measure of employer trust in any Korean university's graduates
• Samsung Recruiting Days (Exclusive to SKKU) — SKKU holds exclusive Samsung recruitment events on campus; many professors have direct research projects with Samsung researchers; graduates from Semiconductor, Electronic, and Computer Engineering departments enter a direct Samsung employment pipeline unmatched by any other Korean university
• SKK GSB Global Corporate Network — MBA dual-degree partnerships with MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Ross, Tuck, Kelley, and SMU open global career pathways for business graduates across Asia, North America, and Europe
• 653 University Partnerships / 21 Dual-Degree Programs — Extensive international exchange and research career networks spanning Asia, Europe, and North America 
• Post-Study Work Options in Korea — D-10 Job-Seeker Visa (6 months–1 year) for graduates; E-7 Skilled Worker Visa for qualified professionals; F-5 Permanent Residency fast-track for high-skilled graduates under Korea's Point-Based Immigration System

For personalised guidance on SKKU admissions, connect with the experts at Polygon Campus today.