Recruitment of New Talent through Industry-Academia Collaboration
Gachon University announced on December 15 that it will simultaneously conduct the undergraduate regular admissions for the early employment contract-based departments for the 2026 academic year, as well as the additional admissions for the general graduate school’s spring semester.
The early employment contract-based departments are an industry-academia cooperation model supported by the Ministry of Education, in which employment at a partner company is guaranteed upon admission. The goal is to nurture practical, industry-ready professionals tailored to the needs of the field.
For the undergraduate regular admissions (Type B), new students will be recruited in five departments: ▲Biomedical Device ▲Game and Visual Media ▲Semiconductor and Display ▲Semiconductor Design ▲Future Automotive. Applications will be accepted from December 29 to December 31.
The first round of successful candidates will be announced on January 13, 2026, and interviews will be held two days later, on January 15. The final list of admitted students will be released on January 23. Upon promotion to the third year, students must sign an employment contract with a partner company and are required to maintain this contract until graduation. The program operates as a standard four-year bachelor's course, and, in principle, taking a leave of absence is restricted during enrollment.
The graduate school’s early employment contract-based department (Department of Next-Generation Semiconductors) will recruit 25 new master's students through the additional admissions for the 2026 spring semester. The majors are divided into two tracks: ▲Next-Generation Semiconductor Engineering and ▲Next-Generation Semiconductor Design. Applications will be accepted from December 18 to December 26, 5:00 p.m.
The selection process will take place from January 7 to January 12, 2026, according to each company’s schedule, and successful candidates will be announced on January 20. Students will enroll in March 2026 and study full-time for one year. In the first and second semesters, they will receive 12 credits per semester of major and practical training based on corporate demand. In the third semester, they will complete a 6-credit R&D project jointly conducted with their employer upon employment, earning a total of 30 credits for their master’s degree. The graduation thesis may be substituted with an R&D project report.
The early employment contract-based departments offer various scholarship benefits, including tuition and living expenses. For undergraduates, full tuition is covered by a government scholarship in the first year, and in the second year, the university provides a scholarship covering 50% of tuition. From the third year onward, the partner company where the student is employed provides a scholarship covering 50% of tuition.
For the graduate program, full tuition for the first and second semesters and up to 1 million won per month in living expenses are provided. In the third semester, students receive a salary from the partner company and a scholarship covering half of their tuition.
Further details can be found in the Gachon University early employment contract-based department (graduate school) admissions announcement.
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