'100% Freshman Enrollment Rate' at Yeungnam University... What Is the Secret? [Curiosity Lab]

2025 Academic Year Entrance Ceremony Freshman Welcome Party. Provided by Yeungnam University

Yeungnam University achieved a 100% freshman enrollment rate for the first time since the implementation of the university information disclosure system in 2008, based on the enrollment rate within the official university quota for the 2025 academic year. Following a record number of applicants in the early admission process, the early admission acceptance registration rate reached an all-time high of 98.34%. With this, Yeungnam University has ranked first in early admission acceptance registration rates in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region for three consecutive years.

Yeungnam University attributed its success to ▲ differentiated educational innovation and management strategies ▲ improvement in freshmen academic levels ▲ steady rise in domestic and international university rankings ▲ achievements in international development cooperation and social responsibility ▲ excellent retention employment rates and strengthened support for competency enhancement.

Yeungnam University analyzed that "the reasons students and parents choose Yeungnam University are systematic admissions management, differentiated educational innovation, and student-centered support policies." Despite the decline in the school-age population and intensified competition among universities, the university provides opportunities for minors and double majors to strengthen professional competencies required by the times through continuous educational innovation and department-specific specialization strategies. The restructuring of advanced departments, operation of practice-oriented curricula, strengthened industry-academia cooperation, and excellent employment support programs have served as factors that build trust among prospective students and parents.

Yeungnam University campus view. Provided by Yeungnam University

Yeungnam University self-assessed that it achieved not only an increase in the number of freshmen but also a significant improvement in the academic level of admitted students. In the 2023 regular admission, admission scores improved in 56 out of 60 recruitment units, and in about 30 units, the CSAT percentile (out of 300 points) rose by more than 10 points, indicating an overall enhancement in student quality.

The university is also showing achievements in domestic and international university evaluations. In the 2024 Leiden Ranking (evaluation criteria: proportion of top 10% cited papers (PP) · Full counting, No minimum), its overall ranking rose to enter the national top 5, and it ranked first domestically for 10 consecutive years in the Mathematics & Computer Science field. Additionally, in the 2024-2025 U.S. News and World Report global university rankings, its domestic rank rose by five places to 13th. Yeungnam University also won the 'CSV·ESG Porter Prize' in the project co-prosperity category for two consecutive years and was recognized for the Korean-style education ODA project achievements of the Park Chung-hee Saemaul Graduate School. In the 2024 World University Rankings of Innovation (WURI), it ranked 35th globally in leadership and 37th globally in social responsibility, placing third domestically in both categories.

President Choi Wae-chul is delivering the entrance ceremony speech at the entrance ceremony. Photo by Yeungnam University

Employment outcomes are also strong. The employment rate for large corporations, public enterprises, and national and local government positions is 36.5%, exceeding the non-capital region university average of 25.7%, and the retention employment rate is 81.8%, the second highest among regional universities (as of 2023). In the national 7th-grade regional talent recruitment, nine candidates passed in both 2022 and 2023, producing the highest number of successful candidates nationwide for two consecutive years. Yeungnam University increased its employment support budget from 1.5 billion KRW in 2020 to 3.6 billion KRW in 2024, a 2.5-fold increase.

Choi Oechul, President of Yeungnam University, stated, "Achieving the first 100% freshman enrollment rate is not just a number but signifies that Yeungnam University's consistent university innovation efforts have earned trust from students, parents, teachers, and the local community." He added, "We will continue to invest generously and dedicate ourselves to education that cultivates talents required by the times?creative and problem-solving individuals?contributing to Korea's development and addressing global challenges." He also expressed gratitude to the admissions office staff and all faculty and staff who worked hard to achieve the 100% enrollment rate for the first time since the university information disclosure system was implemented in 2008.

Yeungnam University, with campuses in Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, and Daegu, was formed by the merger of Daegu University (established in 1947 by Choi Jun, the 12th descendant of the wealthy Choi family of Gyeongju and an independence activist, unrelated to the current Daegu University) during the Park Chung-hee administration. The founder is the late President Park Chung-hee. The campus spans over 2.64 million square meters, ranking second nationwide after Seoul National University's Gwanak Campus. The undergraduate population exceeds 28,000, and to date, it has produced 240,000 graduates.