Card Points Worth 350,000 Won Provided Annually
Seocho District in Seoul (District Mayor Jeon Seongsoo) will accept first-round applications for the "2025 Seoul Lifelong Education Voucher" from April 24 to May 14. The "Lifelong Education Voucher" is a program that provides annual educational support worth 350,000 won per person to low-income individuals, seniors, people with disabilities, and adults seeking digital education. The aim is to reduce disparities in lifelong education and improve quality of life.
This year, Seocho District plans to offer the Lifelong Education Voucher to a total of 759 people. Those selected as beneficiaries can use the voucher to pay for course fees and textbook costs at institutions eligible to accept the voucher, including those located in other cities and provinces. Eligible courses include certification, entrepreneurship, language, humanities, and more.
Starting April 24, the district will begin the first round of applications for low-income individuals and people with disabilities. In this round, the district plans to select and support 598 general voucher recipients from the basic and near-poverty groups, as well as 40 recipients for the Lifelong Education Voucher for people with disabilities.
This "Lifelong Education Voucher" project is a rebranding of the previously district-run "Seocho-type Lifelong Education Voucher" to the legally recognized term "Lifelong Education Voucher." The project will now be jointly managed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seocho District, and the Seoul Lifelong Education Promotion Agency.
Starting this year, the Lifelong Education Voucher support program is divided into four categories according to recipient characteristics: the General Lifelong Education Voucher (adults aged 19 and over), the Digital Lifelong Education Voucher (adults aged 30 and over), the Senior Lifelong Education Voucher (adults aged 65 and over), and the Lifelong Education Voucher for people with disabilities (registered adults with disabilities aged 19 and over). Each applicant can only receive support from one of these four categories, with no overlapping benefits.
Among these, the first-round application for the General Lifelong Education Voucher is open to adults aged 19 and over who are registered residents of Seocho District and belong to the basic or near-poverty groups (including recipients of disability benefits, disability pensions, or those eligible under the Single-Parent Family Support Act). Applications can be submitted through the Seoul Lifelong Education Voucher website.
For the Lifelong Education Voucher for people with disabilities, eligible applicants are registered residents of Seocho District aged 19 and over who are registered as disabled. Applications can be submitted by searching for "Seoul Lifelong Education Voucher for People with Disabilities" on the Bokji24 website. Applications for the Digital and Senior Lifelong Education Vouchers will be accepted in June.
Once selected as a beneficiary, the applicant will receive up to 350,000 won per year as points loaded onto an NH Nonghyup Cheum Card (credit or debit) issued in their name. These points can be used for course fees and textbook costs. Selection results will be posted on the Lifelong Education Voucher website at the end of May and will also be individually notified to recipients via mobile phone and other means.
District Mayor Jeon Seongsoo stated, "We will continue to do our best to reduce educational disparities caused by social and economic circumstances and to create an environment where everyone can pursue lifelong learning with peace of mind."
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