Can Be Used for Lifelong Education Expenses Such as Certification and Language Courses
First Round of Applications Targets Low-Income Individuals and Persons with Disabilities
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is launching the first round of applications for the Lifelong Education Voucher, valued at 350,000 won per year, to help educationally disadvantaged groups continue their learning.
On April 23, the city announced that it will begin accepting applications for citizens seeking support through the Lifelong Education Voucher from 10:00 a.m. on April 24 until May 14.
The Lifelong Education Voucher is a program that provides financial support for adult Seoul citizens to enroll in lifelong education courses such as certification, language, and entrepreneurship. This year, a total of 18,959 recipients will receive vouchers worth 350,000 won per year, amounting to a total budget of 6.6 billion won.
The first round of support this year targets 14,332 low-income individuals, including basic livelihood security recipients, those in the next-lowest income bracket, and registered persons with disabilities in the city. The voucher is intended for personal use only, and the amount is deducted according to the course tuition fee up to a total of 350,000 won. It cannot be used solely for purchasing textbooks or for buying wired or wireless electronic and communication devices without enrolling in a course.
There are four types of voucher support: ▲General (age 19 and above) ▲Digital (age 30 and above) ▲Senior (age 65 and above) ▲Disabled (registered persons with disabilities age 19 and above). Duplicate support across types is not allowed. The current round of recruitment is for the General Voucher and the Disabled Voucher. Applications for the General Voucher can be submitted through the 'Seoul Lifelong Education Voucher' website, and applications for the Disabled Voucher can be submitted through the 'Bojogeum24' website. Recruitment for the Digital Voucher (1,685 recipients) and the Senior Voucher (1,346 recipients) is scheduled to be announced in June.
The results of the selection process will be available at the end of next month on the Lifelong Education Voucher website, and individual notifications will also be sent to successful applicants. Those who are finally selected will receive points worth up to 350,000 won per year through the NH Nonghyup Cheum Card. The awarded points must be used by the end of this year.
Jung Jinwoo, Director of the Seoul Lifelong Education Bureau, stated, "In the midst of rapid social change, ongoing competency development for adults through lifelong education is essential," and added, "Based on Seoul's philosophy of 'walking with the disadvantaged,' we will do our utmost to ensure that everyone can engage in lifelong learning and design a better life through it."
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