"Targeting Times When Elementary Teachers Are Unpopular"…Nationwide Education University Early Admission Competition Rate Hits 5-Year High

"Due to Expectations from Lower Cutoff Scores, It Seems There Was Adverse Selection"
Number of Early Applicants and Competition Rate Reach Highest in 5 Years

The competition rate for early admission to the 10 national education universities for the 2025 academic year has reached the highest level in five years.

Elementary school students going to school. The photo is not directly related to the content of the article.

On the 22nd, Jongro Academy announced that the competition rate for early admission to the 10 education universities for the 2025 academic year was calculated at 5.95 to 1. This is the highest competition rate since the 2021 academic year. Previously (2021?2024 academic years), the highest was 5.82 to 1 in 2022. The total number of early admission applicants was 13,470, an 18.7% increase from the previous year (11,348), also the highest in five years.

By school, the number of applicants to Gyeongin National University of Education increased by 46.7%, from 1,782 in the previous year to 2,614 for the 2025 academic year. The competition rate rose from 4.58 to 1 to 6.52 to 1. The number of applicants to Seoul National University of Education increased by 24.4%, from 673 to 837 during the same period. The competition rate also rose from 3.64 to 1 to 4.52 to 1. The competition rates for seven other education universities also increased: ▲Cheongju National University of Education 6.35 to 1 → 7.88 to 1 ▲Daegu National University of Education 4.99 to 1 → 6.49 to 1 ▲Gongju National University of Education 5.62 to 1 → 5.75 to 1 ▲Gwangju National University of Education 4.09 to 1 → 5.53 to 1 ▲Jeonju National University of Education 3.53 to 1 → 4.81 to 1.

The number of applicants to the two metropolitan area education universities, Seoul and Gyeongin, increased by 40.6%, from 2,455 to 3,451. The number of applicants to the remaining eight non-metropolitan education universities increased by 12.7%, from 8,893 to 10,019. The competition rate for the three elementary education departments at Ewha Womans University, Korea National University of Education, and Jeju National University also slightly increased from 5.91 to 1 to 5.94 to 1.

However, the competition rates for three education universities slightly decreased: ▲Busan National University of Education (6.76 to 1 → 6.57 to 1) ▲Chuncheon National University of Education (5.77 to 1 → 5.67 to 1) ▲Jinju National University of Education (4.93 to 1 → 4.85 to 1).

Jongro Academy interpreted the increase in early admission applicants and competition rates at education universities as reflecting an expectation that admission cutoffs would fall, due to a decline in preference for education universities caused by recent infringements on teachers' rights and a decrease in the school-age population. This year, Seoul National University of Education relaxed the minimum academic achievement standard, which previously disqualified applicants if the sum of grades in four areas of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) exceeded 9, to a sum of 10 or less. Gyeongin National University of Education and Jeonju National University of Education also relaxed their four-area grade sum standards from 11 to 12 and from 12 to 15, respectively.

Lim Seong-ho, CEO of Jongro Academy, said, "While policy effects such as improvements in teacher treatment may have played a role, a significant number of examinees likely made reverse choices due to expectations of lower admission cutoffs. Given the increase in applicants and the relaxation of the CSAT minimum academic achievement standards this year, the scale of unfilled early admission spots is expected to decrease compared to last year."

Meanwhile, in the 2024 academic year university entrance exam held last year, the unfilled rate for early admission at the 10 national education universities nationwide was relatively high at 32.7%. Vacant spots not filled during early admission are carried over to regular admission for selection. Therefore, last year led to a decline in the cutoff scores for regular admission.