Recruitment Slots Significantly Increased... Should Be Actively Considered for Early Admission
Hanyang University Essay Screening: 141:1 for Humanities, 164:1 for Natural Sciences
Korea University Regular Admission Group D: 69:1 for General Undergraduate
With the significant expansion of 'No Major (Major Autonomy Selection System)' admissions in the 2025 college entrance exams, it has become an essential factor to consider when applying early admission, according to an analysis.
On the 6th, Etoos Education Evaluation Research Institute analyzed the competition rates of major universities that conducted no major admissions in the 2025 early and regular admissions. In early admissions, Hanyang University’s Hanyang Intercollege Division’s essay screening showed the highest competition rates among major universities, with 141.13 to 1 in the humanities and 164.34 to 1 in the natural sciences.
Status of Early Admission (Type 1) Recruitment and Final Competition Rates for Undeclared Majors at 18 Major Universities for the 2025 Academic Year. Provided by Etoos Education Evaluation Research Institute
Until now, universities conducting no major (Type 1) early admissions were limited to six universities?Kyung Hee University, Korea University (Seoul), Seoul National University, University of Seoul, Ewha Womans University, and Hongik University?covering seven recruitment units. However, in the 2025 college entrance exams, this expanded significantly to 15 universities and 23 recruitment units. The Etoos Education Evaluation Research Institute explained that since the number of recruitment slots allocated to no major increased, applicants should actively consider no major admissions when applying early.
Among no major recruitment units, the competition rate was very high in the essay screening type. Kyung Hee University’s Division of Interdisciplinary Studies (111.1:1) and Hanyang University’s Hanyang Intercollege Division (humanities 141.1:1, natural sciences 164.3:1) showed high competition rates in most recruitment units, including essay screening. Sungkyunkwan University’s Division of Free Major Studies (95.7:1) and Korea University’s Division of Free Major Studies (91.0:1) also recorded competition rates close to 100 to 1.
Additionally, competition rates were higher in the comprehensive screening than in the school record screening. For example, Kyung Hee University’s Division of Interdisciplinary Studies (Seoul) had a competition rate of 32.8:1 in comprehensive screening and 11.7:1 in school record screening.
In regular admissions, Korea University had the highest competition rate. In the regular admission group D, Korea University’s general undergraduate admission competition rate was 69.5 to 1.
Among the 18 major universities, only six universities?Konkuk University, Kookmin University, Sungkyunkwan University, Chung-Ang University, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and Hongik University?offered group D recruitment, covering eight recruitment units, so top-tier students had limited options to apply in group D.
However, in the 2025 college entrance exams, with the expansion of no major admissions among major universities and the addition of group D recruitment units, the number of applicants applying in group D increased significantly, leading to higher competition rates.
Kim Byung-jin, head of Etoos Education Evaluation Research Institute, analyzed, "In the 2025 regular admissions, the addition of no major recruitment units to the existing six universities’ group D recruitment units likely diversified applicants’ admission application patterns compared to before."
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