42 Unfilled Spots at Seoul National, Yonsei, and Korea Universities
Uncertainty Remains for 2026 Admissions
Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University were unable to fill a total of 42 freshman spots until the very end during last year's admissions. This is interpreted as a result of increasing natural science applicants withdrawing due to a strong preference for medical schools.
On the 9th, Jongno Academy analyzed the freshman enrollment rates of Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University disclosed on University Alimi over the past five years and revealed that these three universities failed to fill a total of 42 students across 30 departments for the 2024 academic year. Yonsei University had 18 unfilled spots, Korea University 15, and Seoul National University 9.
In the 2020 academic year, the number of unfilled spots at these three schools was 21, more than doubling in five years. By field, 30 were in natural sciences, 11 in humanities, and 1 in arts and physical education. The number of unfilled spots in natural sciences increased threefold from 10 in 2020 to 30 in 2024. This change is analyzed as a result of the intensified 'medical school concentration' among top-tier students.
There were 23 natural science departments with unfilled spots, tripling from 7 in 2020. Yonsei University's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering had the highest number with 4 unfilled spots, while Yonsei's Business Administration and Applied Statistics departments each had 3 unfilled spots. Seoul National University's Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Department of Plant Production Science, Yonsei University's Department of Artificial Intelligence, and Korea University's Business Administration and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering each failed to fill 2 spots.
In the case of Seoul National University, 8 students were not admitted in the natural sciences, marking the highest record in five years. In the previous year, 2023, Seoul National University had zero unfilled spots in natural sciences.
For the 2025 academic year admissions, it is predicted that the number of unfilled spots will increase as the medical school quota was expanded by 1,469. Jongno Academy stated, "In the 2025 academic year, the medical school admission quota will be significantly expanded, which may increase additional admissions to medical schools among top-tier students," and added, "there is a high possibility that unexpected large-scale unfilled spots will also occur at top universities."
They also predicted that if the medical school admission quota is reduced in the 2026 academic year, there will be excessive advantages and disadvantages in medical school admissions by grade. The 2026 quota was decided as 'zero increase,' and the 2027 quota is likely to be adjusted later. With the medical school quota likely to fluctuate for three consecutive years, the uncertainty in admissions predictions has increased. Jongno Academy emphasized, "The 2025 admissions involved variables such as ▶medical school admission quotas ▶the non-major selection process, which accounted for up to 30% of the admission quotas at major universities, causing significant occurrences of admission scores and additional admissions due to overlapping acceptances," and stressed, "the detailed plans for the 2026 medical school admissions, including selection methods, regional talent selection ratios, and the scale of early and regular admissions, should be announced promptly."
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