106,377 Applicants for Early Admission to SKY Universities This Year
Number of Applicants Down 3.2% from Last Year
The number of applicants for early admission to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University (collectively known as SKY) for the 2026 academic year has decreased compared to the previous year. In particular, the number of early admission applicants to the medical schools at these universities has dropped significantly, leading to an overall decline in competition rates.
On September 11, Jongno Academy announced that as of this date, the total number of early admission applicants to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University, which have all closed their early application periods, was 106,377. This represents a decrease of 3,478 applicants (3.2%) from the previous year. As a result, the average competition rate across the three universities dropped to 14.93 to 1, down from 15.60 to 1 last year.
By university, Seoul National University’s competition rate fell from 9.07 to 1 to 8.12 to 1, and Yonsei University’s dropped from 16.39 to 1 to 15.10 to 1. In contrast, Korea University’s competition rate saw a slight increase from 20.30 to 1 to 20.35 to 1.
The number of applicants to the medical schools at the three universities was 3,271, a decrease of 964 (22.8%) from the previous year. Seoul National University saw a reduction of 240 applicants (-18.6%), Yonsei University 216 (-24.0%), and Korea University 508 (-24.8%). As a result, the average competition rate for the medical schools at these universities dropped from 18.82 to 1 to 14.47 to 1 during this period. Specifically, Seoul National University’s rate fell from 13.56 to 1 to 10.92 to 1, Yonsei University from 14.29 to 1 to 10.86 to 1, and Korea University from 30.55 to 1 to 22.97 to 1.
The departments with the highest competition rates at each university were as follows: In the humanities, Seoul National University’s Sociology Department (general admission) had a rate of 16.50 to 1, Yonsei University’s Truth and Freedom College (humanities, essay-based admission) had 83.58 to 1, and Korea University’s Business School (essay-based admission) had 170.58 to 1. In the natural sciences, Seoul National University’s Department of Applied Biological Chemistry (general admission) had 19.27 to 1, Yonsei University’s College of Dentistry (essay-based admission) had 107.60 to 1, and Korea University’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (essay-based admission) had 93.80 to 1.
Jongno Academy cited a trend among top-tier students to apply to less competitive schools as the main reason for the decline in competition rates at the three universities and their medical schools. The sharp reduction in medical school quotas this year, along with anxiety caused by the so-called “Satam Run” phenomenon-where students opt for social studies subjects instead of science-are seen as contributing factors, leading applicants to pursue more stable application strategies.
In addition, Jongno Academy analyzed that the decrease in the number of top-tier repeat applicants this year, following last year’s increase of 1,500 in medical school admissions quotas, may also be related to the drop in competition rates.
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