"Apply Now for the High School Employment Incentive!"... Korea Student Aid Foundation Offers 2 Million Won First Payment, 3 Million Won Second Payment

The Ministry of Education (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Jooho) and the Korea Student Aid Foundation (Chairman Bae Byungil) announced on May 12 that applications have opened for the 2025 High School Employment Incentive Program, which aims to promote employment of high school graduates with technical skills in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-sized companies.

The application period runs from 9:00 a.m. on May 12 until 6:00 p.m. on June 30. Eligible applicants are third-year students at vocational high schools in 2025, or third-year students at general high schools who have participated in vocational education consignment programs for at least six months (180 days). They must be employed (or currently working) at SMEs or mid-sized companies, and work at least 15 hours per week.

Korea Student Aid Foundation

Students wishing to apply for the employment incentive must first open a bank account in their own name and obtain a certificate of authentication (such as private simple authentication from Naver, KakaoBank, etc., a financial certificate, or a joint certificate) before applying.

For applicants to the 2025 High School Employment Incentive Program, the incentive will be paid starting in 2026 after verifying their employment period. In 2025, for applicants to the 2024 High School Employment Incentive Program, the incentive will be paid in two installments based on verified employment history through employment insurance information.

If three months of employment are verified within 12 months from the program reference date (October 1 of the third year of high school, until September 30 of the following year), the first installment of 2 million won will be provided. If an additional nine months of employment are verified within 30 months from the program reference date, a second installment of 3 million won will be provided.

In addition, applicants who complete their application for the 2025 High School Employment Incentive Program may pre-apply for the On-site Training Support Grant. Eligible applicants for the On-site Training Support Grant are third-year students at domestic vocational high schools who plan to participate in industry recruitment-type on-site training. After completing their training, students must confirm their on-site training information and complete the final application during the main application period for the On-site Training Support Grant (scheduled for September) in order to receive the grant.

For applicants to the 2025 On-site Training Support Grant, a maximum training allowance of 3.6 million won per person (60,000 won per day, up to 60 days) will be provided.

Bae Byungil, Chairman of the Korea Student Aid Foundation, stated, "We will make every effort to ensure that students with the intention to work at SMEs and mid-sized companies do not miss out on the High School Employment Incentive Program simply because they are unaware of it." He added, "We will continue to actively support the smooth transition into society for vocational high school graduates (or soon-to-be graduates), whose employment prospects and working conditions are vulnerable due to economic uncertainty and the resulting decrease in job opportunities."