Number of higher education institutions South Korea 1980-2023, by type

In 2023, South Korea had 202 universities and 133 junior colleges. Generally, a university has a four-year curriculum, and a junior college has a two- or three-year curriculum for technical training courses.

Change in the number of universities

The number of universities in South Korea increased significantly until 2000, but gradually declined. This is related mainly to the government's policy of university restructuring due to a decrease in the school-age population. Especially in the case of junior colleges, the number has gradually decreased since 2005 as they were merged into universities run by the same corporation or reorganized into four-year universities.

Public vs. private universities

Higher education institutions in South Korea are also divided into public and private institutions. Public institutions include national and public universities that carry out various government-supported projects. Seoul National University, a national university located in Seoul, is one of South Korea's most prestigious universities. In the case of private universities, university administration is more flexible and sometimes operates with private companies. For example, Sungkyunkwan University was acquired by the Samsung Group.