[2026 Regular Admissions] Fewer Medical School Spots... Challenging English a Key Factor

Impact of Increased English Difficulty
Potential Rise in Unmet Early Admission Minimums
Careful Review of Final Number of Available Spots Needed
English Weighting Varies by University, Affecting Competitiveness

The application period for the 2026 regular university admissions will take place from December 29 to 31. As the number of available spots in medical schools has been reduced to the 2024 level prior to the planned increase, and considering the high difficulty of the English section in this year's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), it is advisable to develop a well-thought-out application strategy.

According to the Korean Council for University Education on December 24, as of December 12, a total of 193 universities are offering 69,272 spots for the 2026 regular admissions, accounting for 19.8% of the total 349,289 university admissions. The proportion of students selected through regular admissions has decreased from 21.1% in 2024 and 20.4% in 2025.

Of the regular admissions, 63,876 students, or 92.2%, will be selected based on the CSAT. The practical skills and achievement-based admissions account for 6.6% (4,565 students) of the total regular admissions. Special admissions, such as social integration tracks, contract departments, and overseas Koreans, will recruit 4,279 students, or 6.2%.

As with the early admissions, applicants must take into account the changes in medical school quotas for this regular admissions period. The medical school quota has been frozen at the 2024 level, meaning about 1,000 fewer students will be admitted compared to last year. Jongro Academy advised, "With the reduction in medical school admissions this year, changes in the acceptance scores for top-tier applicants are expected. It is important to predict the changes in last year's acceptance scores and the current situation."

Additionally, variables arising from the increased difficulty of the English section, which is graded on an absolute scale, are crucial. This year, only 3.11% of test-takers achieved the top grade in English, marking the lowest rate ever. As a result, it is likely that more students failed to meet the minimum CSAT requirements for early admissions. Since unfilled spots from early admissions in certain tracks are rolled over to regular admissions, applicants should carefully check the final number of available spots.

Universities differ in how much weight they assign to English scores among Korean, Math, English, and Inquiry, as well as in their scoring methods, so close attention is needed. At Yonsei University, a top grade in English is worth 100 points, the second grade 95 points, and the third grade 87.5 points. In contrast, Sogang University assigns 100 points for the top grade, 99.5 for the second, and 98.5 for the third, resulting in smaller differences between grades. Ajou University and Hanyang University (ERICA) both assign a 15% weight to English, but the point difference between the second and third grades is 3 points at Ajou University and 0.5 points at Hanyang University (ERICA), making English scores relatively more impactful at Ajou University.

Nam Yoon-gon, Director of the Megastudy Education Admissions Strategy Research Institute, said, "This year, the proportion of students achieving the top two English grades has dropped significantly, so the influence of English scores will be greater than ever. It is extremely important to closely examine each university's English weighting and the point differences between grades to find the university most advantageous for you."