The DGIST (President Lee Geonwoo) Convergence Talent Education Institute is publicly recruiting 100 new students for the 2025 academic year for the "Science Creativity School," a program aimed at nurturing local science talent. This recruitment targets 6th-grade elementary and 1st and 2nd-grade middle school students in Dalseong-gun, Daegu. All educational programs are provided completely free of charge.
The Science Creativity School is a core program of the DGIST Convergence Talent Education Institute, which was established in 2024. It was launched to identify and systematically nurture local science and technology talent at an early stage. DGIST is building a gifted education model that promotes mutual growth with the local community by opening the university’s advanced research infrastructure and faculty to the public. This recruitment marks the first official selection of regular students for the program.
The recruitment process is divided into elementary and middle school tracks. The elementary track selects a total of 20 students, with 10 students each for the Convergence Mathematics and Convergence Science fields. The middle school track is divided into a basic course for 1st graders and an advanced course for 2nd graders, recruiting 10 students each in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Life Science, for a total of 80 students. All 100 selected students will utilize DGIST’s laboratories and research spaces and participate in inquiry-based classes that foster creative problem-solving skills.
Notably, the curriculum, jointly designed by DGIST full-time professors and gifted education specialists, consists of convergence-type project classes rather than simple repetition of regular coursework. Reading activities are also included as a mandatory component, allowing students to develop scientific thinking and expressive abilities.
The student selection process consists of three stages. In the first stage, applications and recommendation letters from homeroom or subject teachers are comprehensively evaluated. The second stage involves an assessment of creative problem-solving abilities. The final stage is an interview to determine the final successful candidates. Applications will be accepted from 10:00 a.m. on June 24 to 5:00 p.m. on July 4. The results for the first round will be announced on July 11, the second round on July 25, and the final successful candidates will be announced at 6:00 p.m. on August 8.
A social integration admission track will also be implemented. Up to approximately 20% of the quota for each course will be prioritized for this track, and candidates must achieve at least 70% of the average score of general applicants. This aims to enhance equity in educational opportunities and promote diversity in the field of science.
Successful applicants will receive a total of 40 hours of education over 10 weeks, every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., from August 21 to November 20. Classes will be conducted in a practice-oriented manner using DGIST’s state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and spaces, and will include activities that encourage students’ independent inquiry.
Admissions information sessions will also be held three times in different areas of Dalseong-gun. The first session will take place on June 13 at the DGIST R1 International Conference Room, the second on June 18 at the Hwawon Women’s Culture and Welfare Center Gukhwa Hall, and the third on June 20 at the Dalseong Culture Center Baeknyeon Hall. Each session will begin at 6:00 p.m.
Seok Changwon, Director of the DGIST Convergence Talent Education Institute, stated, "The Convergence Talent Education Institute will become a key institution that discovers outstanding local talent early and helps them grow into leaders of science and technology in Korea. We will continue to invest and make every effort to create a gifted education ecosystem that is connected not only within Korea but also to the world."
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