[2025 Early Admission Special] Korea University Introduces New Essay Admission... 100% Essay Evaluation with Minimum CSAT Requirements

Abolishment of Academic Excellence Interview, 100% Document Screening
50% Expansion of Interview for Equal Opportunity and Employed Applicant Tracks

Korea University will select 2,680 new students in the early admission process this year, an increase of 87 from the previous year. Notably, a new essay screening has been introduced this year, recruiting 361 students. The admissions will be divided as follows: 652 students through the student record-based screening, 1,602 students through the comprehensive student record screening, 361 students through the essay screening, and 65 students through practical skills and achievement-based screening.

The student record-based screening, which accounts for the largest proportion of early admissions, is divided into the student record (curriculum) screening (school recommendation screening) and the comprehensive student record screening (academic excellence screening, Cyber Defense screening, field suitability screening, equal opportunity screening, and employed applicant screening). The student record (curriculum) screening (school recommendation screening) combines 80% of the student record (curriculum) grades and 20% of documents, applying a minimum CSAT score requirement to select the final successful candidates. The document evaluation assesses the thoroughness of curriculum completion and community competency.

The comprehensive student record screening evaluates the applicant’s student record holistically. The academic excellence screening, Cyber Defense screening, field suitability screening, equal opportunity screening, and employed applicant screening, which fall under the comprehensive student record screening, comprehensively assess the applicant’s student record. Therefore, applicants who have balanced academics with various activities can receive favorable evaluations.

Jeonghwan, Dean of Admissions, Korea University

The academic excellence screening has abolished interviews and selects candidates based on 100% document evaluation, with a minimum CSAT score requirement applied. For the field suitability screening, in the first stage, candidates are selected at five times the number of available spots based on 100% document evaluation, followed by a 7-minute text-based interview in the second stage. The final selection combines 50% of the first stage score and 50% of the interview score. However, applicants to the College of Medicine undergo a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI). The field suitability screening does not apply a minimum CSAT score requirement.

The equal opportunity screening and employed applicant screening do not apply a minimum CSAT score requirement. The interview weighting has been increased from 30% to 50%. In the first stage, candidates are selected at three times the number of available spots based on 100% document evaluation, and in the second stage, 50% of the first stage score and 50% of the interview score are combined. The text-based interview lasts 6 minutes. All interviews for early admission are conducted face-to-face.

The newly established essay screening reflects 100% of the essay score. The minimum CSAT score requirements are ▲a total of 8 or less across 4 subjects (humanities and natural sciences) ▲a total of 5 or less across 4 subjects (College of Business Administration).