Intensive Application Period from the 2nd to the 19th
Applications Available Online and at Administrative Welfare Centers
Unified Support as Education Activity Support Fund Starting This Year
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Ministry of Education provides educational benefits to reduce the burden of education expenses and guarantee educational opportunities for low-income families.
On the 1st, the Ministry of Education announced that it will operate a concentrated application period for educational benefits and educational expense support from the 2nd to the 19th. Applications can still be made after the concentrated application period, but since admission fees and tuition are supported from the month of application, it is advantageous to apply at the beginning of the semester.
Educational benefits are part of the Basic Livelihood Security System with uniform nationwide support standards, while educational expense support is a project supported according to the budget of each metropolitan and provincial office of education, with different support standards by region. Parents wishing to apply can visit their local eup/myeon/dong administrative welfare center or apply through the Bokjiro or Education Expense One-Click websites.
Educational benefits and educational expenses can be applied for by parents or guardians. If you are already receiving support, you do not need to reapply. However, even if there are siblings receiving support, families with students newly entering elementary school must apply again. Low-income groups such as basic livelihood recipients, single-parent families, and legally designated lower-income groups must apply separately for educational expense support, submitting only the application form and consent form for providing financial information.
Educational benefits are granted to those whose income and property investigation results show they are below 50% of the median income. The selection criteria for educational benefits are 1,544,040 KRW for a two-person household, 1,991,975 KRW for a three-person household, and 2,438,145 KRW for a four-person household.
Even if not selected as an educational benefit recipient, if you meet the support criteria of each metropolitan and provincial office of education (usually 50% to 80% of the median income), you can receive educational expense support. The decision on educational benefit eligibility is made within 30 to 60 days after application and notified by mail. The results of the educational expense review are announced via text message to mobile phones from late April to early May.
Starting this year, educational benefits will be integrated into an educational activity support fund that students can use autonomously, instead of the previous item-based support (stationery expenses, supplementary textbook expenses). The support amount has increased by an average of 24% compared to last year.
Elementary school students will receive 286,000 KRW annually, middle school students 376,000 KRW, and high school students 448,000 KRW. High school students attending schools excluded from free education can receive full additional support for admission fees, tuition, and textbook costs.
If selected as an educational expense recipient, support is provided for admission fees, tuition, school operation support fees, textbook costs, meal expenses (lunch), after-school free course vouchers (up to 600,000 KRW annually), computer and internet communication fees (up to 230,000 KRW annually), and more.
Educational benefits have increased by an average of 420% for elementary, middle, and high school students compared to 2017. This year, the total budget for educational benefits and educational expenses is approximately 280 billion KRW, with an estimated 310,000 educational benefit recipients and 570,000 educational expense recipients (including overlap with educational benefit recipients).
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