"Opposition to Medical School Expansion... 248 New Seoul National University Students Take Leave This Year"

More Than Half Are in Natural Sciences
"Seem to Retake to Aim for Medical School Admission"

Among the first-year students who entered Seoul National University this year, 248 took a leave of absence during the first semester. Notably, more than half of them were from the natural sciences, leading to an analysis that they might be retaking the entrance exam to apply for medical schools, which have significantly increased their admission quotas.

According to Jongno Academy on the 24th, as of the 17th, 248 first-semester students at Seoul National University were on leave. Unlike other major universities, Seoul National University allows freshmen to take a leave of absence during their first semester.

Seoul National University Main Gate, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

By academic division, the natural sciences accounted for the largest number with 130 students (52.4%). This was followed by the integrated humanities and natural sciences division, including the College of Education and the Division of Liberal Studies, with 89 students (35.9%), humanities with 28 students (11.3%), and arts and physical education with 1 student (0.4%).

By college, the numbers were highest in the College of Engineering (60 students), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (51 students), College of Education and Division of Advanced Convergence (25 students each), and College of Natural Sciences (22 students).

The ratio of students on leave compared to enrolled students was highest in the College of Nursing at 25.4%, followed by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (15.3%) and the Division of Advanced Convergence (10.9%).

In the admissions industry, there is an analysis that Seoul National University students who took a leave of absence during their first semester are aiming to retake the exam to benefit from the increased medical school quotas.

Lim Seong-ho, CEO of Jongno Academy, explained, "In the 2024 academic year, it was analyzed that 8 out of 10 new science and engineering students at Seoul National University were within the medical school acceptance range. With the increase in medical school quotas in the 2025 academic year, the acceptance threshold is expected to lower, allowing nearly 100% of Seoul National University science and engineering freshmen to be accepted. This is why leaves of absence have occurred." He added, "Similar trends are expected to appear sequentially in the science and engineering departments of Korea University, Yonsei University, and other universities."