"As More Students Prepare for Public Service Amid Job Crisis, Seoul National University Opens Civil Service Prep Class for Undergraduates"

'Seoyeonjae' at the Graduate School of Public Administration to Expand for Undergraduates Starting in 2026
Reflecting Increased Demand for Public Sector Preparation Amid Job Market Challenges

For the first time since its founding in 1946, Seoul National University will establish a dedicated space for undergraduate students preparing for the Grade 5 national civil service open competitive examination. This move appears to reflect the demands of undergraduates hoping to enter public service amid a challenging job market.

Seoul National University Main Gate

According to the Graduate School of Public Administration at Seoul National University and other sources on December 21, the university will expand the operation of 'Seoyeonjae,' a preparatory class previously reserved for graduate students, to include undergraduates preparing for Grade 5 civil service exams such as the administrative and technical exams starting in 2026. About 20 undergraduate students preparing for the Grade 5 civil service exam will be selected, and those chosen will be provided with an exclusive study space. Related programs, including special lectures for each test subject, will also be offered. Applications are open until December 24.

Until now, Seoul National University had not operated a preparatory class for undergraduates, citing that it conflicted with the direction of university education. Undergraduates had to prepare for the exams individually without any support system, but as the job market has worsened and more students are seeking public sector careers, the need for university-level support has been raised. As the exams have become more difficult and the importance of information sharing has grown, calls for systematic support from the university have increased.

Additionally, the recent decrease in the number of successful Seoul National University candidates in the Grade 5 civil service exam has been cited as another reason for this decision. This year, out of 220 final successful candidates for the Grade 5 administrative exam, 54 (24.5%) were from Seoul National University, only one more than the 53 successful candidates from Korea University, which ranked second.

Among students who have long called for the operation of a preparatory class, there is a welcoming response to the university's change in stance. However, some have expressed disappointment that the number of selected students is not larger.

However, a Seoul National University official stated, "The expansion of Seoyeonjae aims to provide undergraduates with a space to study and foster self-directed capabilities, and its nature is different from the preparatory classes operated at other universities."