KAIST vs Yonsei University: Admission, Deadlines, Fees

Our read

KAIST and Yonsei both admit international undergraduates in Korea but on very different financial terms. KAIST, in Daejeon, teaches entirely in English and funds nearly every admitted international undergraduate with a full scholarship covering tuition, a stipend and health insurance, so its nominal tuition of KRW 3,433,000 a semester is rarely paid in full; it asks for IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 83, a comparatively strict floor for a Korean university, and admits through Early and Regular rounds for one March intake. Yonsei, in Seoul, admits once a year for a March start through its International Student Track, asks for a lower IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 71, and charges standard tuition of KRW 4,556,000 to 9,221,000 a semester depending on college, with no scholarship guarantee stated here. KAIST is far smaller, 10,249 students against Yonsei's 27,245. A student weighing cost heavily may find KAIST's scholarship coverage decisive despite its higher English bar; one who wants a broader range of colleges and a large campus may prefer Yonsei. Check each university's own page for current scholarship terms and college specific tuition.