Are you searching for the best medical schools in Korea? Then you must read to the end. Korea, an East Asian nation on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, shares one of the world’s most heavily militarized borders with North Korea.
It’s equally known for its green, hilly countryside dotted with cherry trees and centuries-old Buddhist temples, plus its coastal fishing villages, sub-tropical islands and high-tech cities such as Seoul, the capital.
It is highly influenced by American culture but still manages to hold onto its proud history and culture. In this article, we have put down all you need to know about medical schools in Korea.
Why study in Korea as an international student?
Korea has proven to be one of the best education destinations for both international and local students for the following reasons:
Quality Education
The academic environment in Korea is highly competitive. Koreans take education – particularly higher education – very seriously.
Academics in Korea are very competitive; students treat their teachers with respect and are extremely serious about their studies.
Korea has a number of prestigious universities, and most of these are located in Seoul. Attending one of the universities is seen as a prerequisite for success in Korean society.
If you are interested in learning the Korean language, studying in Korea is your best option.
Most universities in the United States do not offer Korean languagethe programs, so, international study is often your only option if you want to learn the language.
Home stay programs have shown to be extraordinarily helpful for students learning a foreign language. No matter what your field of interest, South Korea has a program to suit your needs as an international student.
Information and Communication Technology
Korea’s information and communication technology is considered one of the best in the world. Korea is especially notable for its expertise in IT and Robotics.
As an international student, studying in Korea will expose you to the latest cutting-edge technologies, giving you a considerable edge over other students when you enter the workforce.
Additionally, this makes Korea a great place for international students with an interest in technology study.
Employment Opportunities
Korea is constantly bubbling with economic growth and a teeming population which in turn requires an endless supply of workforce opening up a wide range of employment opportunities.
Graduates from Korean universities are highly sought after by employers all over the world.
In addition, the South Korean economy is extremely stable, assuring you a financially secure future following graduation.
Medicine in Korea
Compared to other countries in the region, Korea has several advantages that few countries have. In addition to being allowed to work part-time, international students will receive the following benefits:
Medicine is Highly Placed in Korea
Medicine in Korea is focused on quality. Accordingly, universities and colleges specializing in medicine are assured of the academic curriculum, professional faculty, and modern equipment.
Moreover, Korea stands out for aesthetics. Therefore, medical issues before and after cosmetology are of concern. That is why employment opportunities for medical graduates are very high.
Learning environment
Korea has an ideal and intelligent learning environment with the most innovative medical equipment and facilities in the world.
This means that students will have access to cutting-edge science in the earliest and fastest way. Moreover, in Korea, there is a team of leading teachers and doctors who are enthusiastic about students, ready to convey the best experiences.
International students are also provided with scholarship aid in order to help ease off the burden of tuition and living expenses.
This is a great environment for students to study and research deeply about medicine.
Attractive job opportunities after graduation
The quality of Korean education is always leading compared to other Asian countries.
In addition, universities and colleges in Korea also create conditions for students to experience practically, not purely acquire theoretical knowledge.
The combination of practice and theory helps students to gain more skills and experience in the real world. In addition, Korean qualifications are recognized worldwide, and highly appreciated by many other countries.
After graduating from universities and colleges in Korea, you will be welcomed into many leading medical clinics and hospitals with attractive salaries.
Typically medical practitioners in Korea(South) earn around 9,140,000 KRW to 15,400,000 KRW on average.
The List of Best Medical Schools in Korea
- Seoul National University
- University of Ulsan
- Korea University
- Yonsei University
- Sungkyunkwan University
- Hanyang University
- Catholic University of Korea
- Pusan National University
- Kyungpook National University
- Inje University
Now, let’s look more into these medical schools in Korea.
Seoul National University(SNU) College of Medicine
| Address | 103 Daehak- ro, Jongnogu, Seoul, South Korea |
| Phone | +82 2- 740- 8114 |
| Website | www.medicine.snu.ac.kr |
History: Seoul National University (SNU) is a national public research university located in Seoul, South Korea. It is considered the most prestigious University in South Korea and was established in 1946.
This is one of the medical schools in Korea that has three campuses in Gwanak-, gu, Daehangno and Pyeongchang. Seoul National University College of Medicine (SNU medicine) was established in 1899 as the first accredited medical school in Korea.
The ultimate goal of SNU medical school is to develop innovative, fundamental technology and treatment techniques and then apply them to clinical practice.
Ranking: Seoul National University College of Medicine is ranked:
- #1 best medical school in Korea
- #2 best medical school in Asia
- #28 best medical school in the world by QS world university ranking
- #37 best global university in medicine and dentistry according to THE world university ranking in 2021
Programs offered: SUMC offers programs in different fields of medicine and they include, anatomy, anesthesiology & pain medicine, biochemistry & molecular biology, biomedical engineering, clinical pharmacology & therapeutics, dermatology, emergency medicine, family medicine, and forensic medicine. Click here to see all programs.
Admission requirements: SNUCM admission is considered very competitive with an acceptance rate of 20%.
The following are the requirements; an application form correctly filled, a personal statement, study plan, two recommendation letters, proof of language proficiency, a GPA of 3.6, IB 37, IELTS 5.5 and a TOEFL score of 80 on average.
Tuition: estimated tuition fee for domestic students is 2,460,000 KRW and 10,076,000 KRW for international students. The living cost is 12,960,000 KRW.
University of Ulsan College of Medicine
| Address | Daehak-ro 102, Mugeo- dong, Ulsan, KR, South Korea |
| Phone | +82- 52- 277- 3101 |
| Website | www.global.ulsan.ac.kr |
History: the university of Ulsan college of medicine (UUCM) is the medical school of the university of Ulsan and is located in Songpa- gu, Seoul, South Korea.
The college was founded in 1988. The college has 3 teaching hospitals namely; Ulsan university hospital, Gangneung Asan hospital, and Asan medical center.
Ranking:
- #3 best medical school in South Korea
- #32 best medical school in Asia
- #214 best global university in the world
- #154 best in clinical medicine
- #150 best in surgery
Programs offered: university of Ulsan college of medicine offers an array of programs and they include; biomedical engineering, biomedical science, ophthalmology, emergency management, pharmacology, pharmacy, nephrology, obstetrics & gynecology, general surgery, nursing, occupational & environmental medicine, neurology, psychiatry, radiation oncology, microbiology & immunology, laboratory medicine.
Admission requirements: if you wish to pursue a career at the university of Ulsan college of medicine, you must complete the TOEFL exam with a minimum score of 70, a GPA of 2.0, and IELTS 5.5.
Click here to see all requirements on the basis of nationality, academics, and language.
Tuition: tuition fee for medical programs is $4,000 for undergraduate students and between $6,300- $5,100 for graduate students depending on the major.
Non-tuition fees include, an entrance fee of $700, a registration fee of $100 and a dormitory fee(optional) of $830.
Click here to see all tuition and scholarship aid/criteria.
Korean University
| Address | South Korea, Seoul, Seongbuk- gu 73 |
| Phone | +82 2- 2286- 1125 |
| Website | www.medicine.korea.ac.kr |
History: Korea University is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. The university was established in 1905 and is regarded as one of the three most prestigious institutions of higher learning in Korea.
Korea University College of Medicine is one of the medical schools in Korea. It is one of the oldest medical schools in South Korea.
It has been historically regarded as one of the country’s top medical schools.
The school aims at producing doctors for the community, practicing medicine grounded in truth, justice, and freedom.
Ranking: Korea university college of medicine has landed within the top 200 schools worldwide.
- According to THE world ranking in 2021, it was ranked #90
- #154 best university in the world by QS ranking in 2020
- #5 best medical school in South Korea
- #45 best medical school in Asia.
Programs offered: Korea university college of medicine offers the following programs, anatomy, physiology, pathology, translational and clinical research, internal medicine, and biomedical science.
Click here to see all programs
Admission requirements: in order to stand the chance of being admitted into Korea university college of medicine, you must have an average GPA of 2.8, IB 30, IELTS 6, and a TOEFL score of 100.
Tuition: tuition fee for the bachelor’s program is $11,222 per year and master’s program is $11,000 per year.
Yonsei University
| Address | 50- 1 Yonsei- ro, Sinchon- dong, seodaemun- gu, Seoul, South Korea |
| Phone | +82- 2- 2- 2228- 2035- 8 |
| Website | www.medicine.yonsei.ac.kr |
History: Yonsei University is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. The university was established in 1957 through the union of Yonhi college and Severance union medical college, the first of its kind.
Yonsei University is deemed one of the three most prestigious institutions in the country and is particularly respected in the study of medicine.
Ranking: Yonsei university is ranked:
- #1 among Asian private universities
- #5 best university in South Korea
- #51 best university in Asia
- # 79 best university in the QS world university ranking in 2022
- #317 best global university
Programs offered: Yonsei University College of medicine offers the following majors, medicine, medical science, public health, medical life system information, convergence medicine, medical device industry, integrative medicine, digital health care.
Admission requirements: Yonsei University College of Medicine (YUCM) selects new students through two systems.
One is based on advancement from the department of pre-medicine and the other is based on the admission of well-qualified applicants who have received a bachelor’s degree from other approved universities in Korea or foreign countries.
Average score requirements include a GPA of 2.5, IB 27, IELTS 7, and TOEFL 80.
Tuition: medical college tuition must be paid no longer than the last day of the registration period at the beginning of each semester.
Click here for all fees.
Sungkyunkwan University
| Address | 711111, 1F, medicine school (Suwon campus) |
| Phone | +82 – 31 – 290 – 6021- 4 |
| Website | www.skkumed.ac.kr |
History: Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) is a private comprehensive research University in South Korea located in central Seoul.
The school was founded in 1398, was reformed as a modern school in 1895 and promoted as a college in 1946.
SKKU school of medicine was established in 1997 and aims to educate globally talented medical scientists who carry the value of humanity, righteousness, wisdom, and propriety, raising competent and compassionate physicians, have characteristics of self-directed learners.
Ranking:
- SKKU school of medicine is ranked #46 in the world by THE ranking in 2022.
- #230 best global university
- #32 best global university in Asia
- #2 best global university in South Korea
Programs offered: SKKU college of medicine offers the following programs, internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, neurology, nuclear medicine, and laboratory medicine.
Admission requirements: to be able to get a successful admission into Sungkyunkwan university, students need to complete IELTS with a minimum score of 6, a GPA of 3.0, IB 33, and TOEFL 80. Click here to see all other requirements.
Tuition: see tuition fees, living costs, and scholarship aid for international students here
How to apply: to apply, be sure to meet all the requirements then visit the school’s website to start an application.
Hanyang University
| Address | 222 wangsimni- ro, seongdong- gu, Seoul, South Korea |
| Phone | +82 – 2 – 2220 – 1842 |
| Website | www.medix.hanyang.ac.kr |
History: Hanyang University is a private research university in South Korea. The university was established in 1939 and has its main campus located in Seoul while the satellite campus (the Education Research Industry Cluster) campus is in Ansan.
The college of medicine was established to realize the founding foundation principles of the institution which are diligence, honesty, humility, modesty & public service, and to foster responsible medical professionals who would improve national health.
Ranking:
- #5 best university in Seoul
- #6 best university in South Korea
- #72 best university in Asia
- #484 best global university in the world
- # 156 QS global ranking in 2022
Programs offered: Hanyang University medical college offers an array of programs and they include, including anesthesia & pain medicine, cardiology, dentistry, dermatology, emergency medicine, endocrinology, family medicine, gastroenterology, general surgery, neurology, nuclear medicine, and laboratory medicine. Click here to see all programs.
Admission requirements: Hanyang university medical college is extremely competitive with an acceptance rate of 3%. A GPA of 2.5, IB 27, IELTS 6.0, and TOEFL score of 75 on average is required for admission. See all grade requirements and documentation here
Tuition: bachelor’s degree tuition fee for international students is $9,770 per year while that for master’s degree is $10,927 per year. Living cost is between $1,001 – $7,558 per month.
Catholic University of Korea
| Address | 222 Banpo- daero seocho – gu, Seoul, (06591) |
| Phone | +82 2- 740- 9714 |
| Website | www.medicine.catholic.ac.kr |
History: Catholic University of Korea is a private Roman Catholic institution of higher education in South Korea.
It was established in 1855 and operates campuses in Seoul and Bucheon city. The university’s medical school is considered one of the best medical schools in South Korea and has eight affiliated hospitals in major cities of the country.
Since its establishment in 1954, the college of medicine of the Catholic University of Korea has grown into one of the prestigious medical schools in the country through world-class medical education, biomedical research, patient care, and volunteer services.
Ranking:
- #4 best medical school in South Korea
- #13 best medical school in Seoul
- #34 best medical school in Asia
- #224 best medical school in the world
Programs offered: Catholic university of Korea college of medicine offers the following programs, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, gastroenterology & hepatology, radiology & nuclear medicine, optometry, cosmetology, surgery, dermatology, oncology & cancer research, plastic surgery, sonography & ultrasound, orthodontics, radiation therapy, pathology, urology, dentistry, cardiology, pediatrics, psychiatry, anatomy & physiology, pharmacology, nursing, family medicine, virology, public health, clinical psychology, gerontology.
Admission requirements: Catholic university Korea college of medicine’s average score requirement for applicants is, a GPA of 3.0, IB 33, IELTS 5.5, and TOEFL 80.
The minimum TOPIK score for bachelor’s and master’s degrees is 3.
Tuition: click here to see the tuition fees for all medical departments. The fees unit is KRW.
Pusan National University
| Address | 2 busandaehak- ro 63 beon- gil, Geumjeong- gu, Busan, South Korea |
| Phone | +82 51- 512- 0311 |
| Website | www.medicine.pusan.ac.kr |
History: Pusan National University also known as Busan national university is one of the ten flagships Korean National Universities located in Busan (Pusan).
The school was established in 1946 on truth, freedom, and service. The university focuses on strengthening its research and educational capacities as Korea’s best national university with its vision of ” a university guided by the future of the students and a university loved by the people”.
Ranking:
- #1 best university in Busan
- #10 best universities in South Korea
- #131 best university in Asia
- #720 best university in the world by edurank.
Programs offered: Pusan national University school of medicine offers an array of programs and they include, biochemistry, pathology, forensic medicine, microbiology & immunology, pharmacology, physiology, biomedical engineering, anatomy, parasitology & tropical medicine, preventive & occupational medicine and clinical sciences. Click here to see all programs.
Admission requirements: Pusan National University requires students to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 and IB 27 in order to stand a good chance of getting admitted into the school.
An average entrance score of 6.5 in IELTS and TOEFL 78 is required.
Tuition: Pusan bachelor’s degree tuition for both citizens and foreigners is $3,063 per year and living expenses are between $710 to $1,134 per month.
See tuition fees and scholarship aids/requirements here.
Kyungpook National University
| Address | 680 Gukchaebosang- ro, Jung- gu, Daegu, South Korea |
| Phone | +82 53- 420- 4910 |
| Website | www.med.knu.ac.kr |
History: Kyungpook National University is a national university representing Daegu metropolitan city and Gyeongbuk province in South Korea.
It is located in Daegu metropolitan city and was founded in 1946.
Ranking:
- #1 best university in Daegu
- #11 best university in South Korea
- #148 best university in Asia
- #760 best global university in the world.
Programs offered: Kyungpook national university medical school offers the following programs in basic science and clinical medicine, anatomy, biochemistry, forensic medicine, pathology, pharmacology, internal medicine, dermatology, anesthesiology & pain medicine. Click here to see all programs.
Admission requirements: Kyungpook national university requires that applicants have a minimum GPA of 2.7, IB 27, IELTS 5.5 and TOEFL 71.
Click here to see the admission guide for undergraduate international students in different languages and visit here for admission and schedule procedures.
Tuition: Bachelor’s degree tuition fee for both citizens and foreigners is $3,586 per year while the master’s degree tuition fee for both citizens and foreigners is $4,466 per year. Living expenses are between $714 to $1,196 per month.
How to apply: send an application through the school website but be sure to meet all admission requirements.
Inje University
| Address | 75 Bokji- ro, Busanjin- gu, Busan, South Korea |
| Phone | +82 51- 890 – 6625 |
| Website | www.med.inje.ac.kr |
History: Inje University is a private university founded in 1932, located in Gimhae, South Korea.
The founding mission is to save the world through love and virtue while the educational goals are to preserve nature, value, human lives, and philanthropy.
Inje University college of medicine aims to nurture qualified talents responsible for the health of the society and international communities based on the founding spirits of “saving the world through humanitarian medical practices” and “saving the world with benevolence and virtue”.
Inje University college of medicine has found its place as one of the best medical schools in Korea.
Ranking:
- #1 best university in Gimhae
- #41 best university in South Korea
- #625 best university in Asia
- #2126 best global university in the world.
Programs offered: Inje university college of medicine offers an array of programs and they include; biomedical engineering, biomedical science, ophthalmology, emergency Management, pharmacology, pharmacy, nephrology, obstetrics & gynecology, general surgery, nursing, occupational & environmental medicine, neurology, psychiatry, radiation oncology, microbiology & immunology, laboratory medicine.
Admission requirements: Inje admission is said to be uncompetitive, with an acceptance rate of 70%.
Applicants are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 in order to stand a chance to get admission into the school with an average academic score of 24 in IB, IELTS 6, and TOEFL 83.
Tuition: bachelor’s and master’s degree tuition fee is $4,999 per year. Living expenses is $714 – $1,196 per month.
FAQs
What is the best medical school in Korea?
Seoul National University (SNU) College of Medicine.
The SNU College of Medicine is not only the best medical school in Korea, but it is also considered the best in Asia (according to the US News Rankings)
Is South Korea good for medical students?
The success of South Korea’s education system draws students from different parts of the world, and many international students take an interest in studying Medicine in this country.
Aside from the high-quality education, aspiring doctors can look to a productive and fulfilling life in South Korea.
Can I Study Medicine in English in Korea?
Yes, you can study medicine in Korea as an international student especially if you have the necessary forms and requirements, also, as long as you can speak Korean.
There are many medical universities in Korea that are accepting international students into their programs.
Is a Korean medical degree valid in the USA?
A medical degree obtained from a medical school listed on the World Directory of Medical Schools is valid in the US. The country doesn’t matter.
How long is medical school in Korea?
Medical students have to fulfill four years of medical education on top of either a two-year premedical course or a four-year bachelor’s degree.
Which country is best for medical study?
The United States of America. The US, without a doubt, is the best country to study medicine. As per the QS Top Universities ranking.
Which country is it hardest to become a doctor in?
In general, the toughest countries in which to become a doctor are the United States and Canada since both of these countries require completion of an undergraduate degree first.