🇰🇷 Study in South Korea: The 2026 Journey, Step by Step
The full 2026 student journey to South Korea: an admission letter, a D-2 visa, an alien registration card and permit-based part-time work. What visa officers check, what to pack to cut first-month costs, and how much part-time work really covers.
At a glance: the 2026 numbers
| What | South Korea |
|---|---|
| Document you need from the school | Standard Admission Letter from an IEQAS-certified university |
| Living costs to show | about US$18,000–20,000 a year (or the won equivalent); confirm in your admission pack |
| Work in term | 25 h/week (TOPIK 3–4) |
| Minimum wage | ₩10,320 an hour |
| Plugs and voltage | Type C/F plugs, 220 V |
| Cash to declare | more than US$10,000 |
Step 1–8: the journey in order
Timings count back from your course start date. Start earlier if you need a scholarship or an education loan: both add months.
What the visa officer is looking for
✅ A genuine admission
From a certified university.
✅ Funds for a year
Bank statements in your or your sponsor's name.
✅ Study plan
Why this course and why Korea.
✅ Language level
TOPIK for Korean-taught programmes.
✅ Honest history
Past refusals disclosed.
Before you leave: pack to cut your first-month costs
The first month abroad is the most expensive: deposits, bedding, a phone plan, transport cards and kitchen basics all land at once. Packing the right things from home, and leaving the wrong ones behind, saves real money and trouble at the border. Korea runs on 220 V, so Indian appliances work with a Type C/F adapter.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| ✅ Bring: Winter clothing | Seoul winters are below freezing |
| ✅ Bring: Pressure cooker and one heavy pan | cooking at home saves money |
| ✅ Bring: Ground, sealed spices | declare food items |
| ✅ Bring: Prescription medicines in original packs | with the prescription |
| ✅ Bring: Type C/F adapters | Indian 220–230 V appliances then work |
| ✅ Bring: Passport photos | for the ARC |
| 🛒 Buy there: Bedding | cheap at markets and discount stores |
| 🛒 Buy there: A transport card | T-money cards work across cities |
| ⛔ Never pack: Meat products | banned and fined |
| ⛔ Never pack: Fresh fruit and vegetables undeclared | fines |
| ⛔ Never pack: Undeclared cash of more than US$10,000 | penalties |
💵 Declare more than US$10,000 in cash on arrival. Use a forex card or a low-fee multi-currency account for most of your money, and carry only enough cash for the first few days. Full South Korea customs rules →
Paying your fees by working, within the rules
| Rule | South Korea in 2026 |
|---|---|
| During term | On weekdays, up to 25 hours a week for bachelor's students who meet the Korean standard (TOPIK 3 in years 1–2, TOPIK 4 in years 3–4; 10 hours without) and 30 for master's and PhD students with TOPIK 4 (15 without) |
| Breaks | No separate weekly limit at weekends and in vacations if you meet the Korean-language standard, at your permitted workplace |
| Minimum wage | ₩10,320 an hour (national minimum wage for 2026) |
| Legal maximum in term | ₩7,740,000 a year (25 h × 30 weeks) |
Worked example. A realistic plan is fewer hours than the legal maximum, because shifts are not always available and grades matter. Here is what 15 hours a week in term and 35 in breaks earns:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Term: 15 h/week × 30 weeks × ₩10,320 | ₩4,644,000 |
| Breaks: 35 h/week × 12 weeks × ₩10,320 | ₩4,334,400 |
| Gross earnings a year | ₩8,978,400 |
| Tuition (example: a private university, one year) | ₩9,000,000 |
| Living costs (example living budget of about ₩1,000,000 a month in Seoul) | ₩12,000,000 |
| Share of living costs covered | 75% |
| Share of tuition + living covered | 43% |
The pattern is the same everywhere: part-time work can cover much of your living costs, but rarely tuition. Plan to pay tuition from savings, a loan or a scholarship, and use wages for rent, food and the second year's buffer. Never go over your hour limit: breaching visa conditions can lead to cancellation and refusals later.
Other ways to bring the bill down
- Global Korea Scholarship (tuition, stipend and flights)
- University tuition scholarships tied to grades and TOPIK
- Unlimited weekend and vacation hours once you meet the language standard
- D-10 job-seeking visa after graduating
Try your own numbers below. The legal-maximum button fills the most you are allowed to work.
Your first two weeks after landing
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Alien Registration Card | within 90 days |
| Health insurance | national scheme for students |
| Bank account and phone | need your ARC for most plans |
| Part-time work permit | before you start any job |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the steps to study in South Korea?
1) Choose a university. 2) Language tests. 3) Apply (or apply for GKS). 4) Get your admission letter and show funds. 5) Apply for the D-2 visa. 6) Alien registration. 7) Get a part-time work permit. 8) Work within your permitted hours.
What do visa officers look for in a South Korea student visa application?
A genuine admission: From a certified university. Funds for a year: Bank statements in your or your sponsor's name. Study plan: Why this course and why Korea.
Can I pay my tuition by working part-time in South Korea?
Only partly. Working 15 hours a week in term and 35 in breaks at ₩10,320 an hour earns about ₩8,978,400 a year before tax, roughly 75% of the ₩12,000,000 living-cost figure. You must show the first year's funds before the visa is granted, so wages are for later years and living costs, not for getting the visa.
How many hours can international students work in South Korea?
On weekdays, up to 25 hours a week for bachelor's students who meet the Korean standard (TOPIK 3 in years 1–2, TOPIK 4 in years 3–4; 10 hours without) and 30 for master's and PhD students with TOPIK 4 (15 without). No separate weekly limit at weekends and in vacations if you meet the Korean-language standard, at your permitted workplace.
What should I pack to save money when moving to South Korea?
Bring: winter clothing; pressure cooker and one heavy pan; ground, sealed spices; prescription medicines in original packs; type C/F adapters. Buy there: bedding; a transport card.
Do I need permission to work part-time in Korea?
Yes. D-2 students need a part-time employment permit for each job, confirmed by the school and approved by immigration through Hi-Korea, before starting work.
Sources
Figures on this page were checked against these sources on 31 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official site before you apply.