International Schools in Korea: Eligibility Rules, Costs and the Admission Process

How international schools work in Korea

International schools in Korea operate under the Ministry of Education’s rules, which means enrolment is limited to specific eligibility groups rather than open to every child in the country. The schools follow a foreign curriculum (American, British, IB and others) and teach in English or another foreign language. For foreign residents, they are the standard route for children to continue an overseas-style education while the family is posted in Korea.

The practical model is set by the largest American-curriculum school, Korea International School (KIS), but the same eligibility framework applies across the accredited international schools.

Eligibility criteria

The Ministry of Education sets the eligibility groups, and a school will only admit a child who fits at least one of them. The most common categories are:

• Foreign-national parent — a child with one or more parents holding a nationality other than Korean, verified by the residence card (ARC) and family registry.
• Three years of overseas residence — a child who has lived overseas for at least 3 years (1,095 days), verified by the entry-and-exit certificate.
• Overseas school record — a child who completed six semesters at an overseas school (verified by report cards and a letter of attendance).
• Naturalised-citizen parent — a child of a naturalised Korean citizen who, by the school’s operations committee, cannot continue in the local system.
• Children of outstanding overseas talent — a separate quota for children of holders of the K-Tech Pass or equivalent talent-designation certificates.

Which category you fall into decides the documentation: residence cards or overseas-Korean records, the entry-and-exit certificate, and translated, notarised school reports where relevant. The eligibility rules are national, so confirm the exact category and documents with the school’s admissions office before applying.

Costs

International school tuition in Korea is substantial. Using Korea International School’s published 2026–27 figures as a benchmark:

• Pre/Junior Kindergarten: about 19.5 million won
• Grades K–5: about 21.95 million won
• Middle school grades: about 23.9 million won
• High school grades: about 27.7 million won

On top of tuition there are one-time fees — an application fee, a registration fee, an entrance fee for new students and a refundable book deposit — so a first-year enrolment costs more than the annual tuition alone. Fees differ by school, grade and currency mix (tuition is often billed partly in won and partly in dollars), so treat these figures as a benchmark and check the specific school’s fee schedule.

The admission process

Most international schools in Korea admit on a rolling basis rather than one intake per year, which suits families relocating mid-year. The typical process:

1. Confirm eligibility — identify which Ministry of Education category fits the child and gather the documents.
2. Apply online — complete the school’s application form.
3. Entrance testing and interview — English and mathematics assessments, plus an interview; the specifics vary by grade.
4. Result — schools usually notify within a week or two of the assessment.

Schools recommend having all eligibility documents and testing completed at least a month before the intended first day. English support (EAL) is available at several schools for students who need it, so a strong academic record can matter as much as current English level.

Practical notes

• Plan documents early. Eligibility certificates — residence cards, entry-and-exit records, translated school reports — take time to assemble, and some must be recent.
• Check the specific school. Curriculum, grade range, fees and EAL policy differ by school, so shortlist schools by curriculum and location before applying.
• Costs are real. Between tuition and one-time fees, an international school education is a major budget item — confirm the full fee schedule before committing.

Note — Ministry of Education eligibility rules, school fee schedules and admission processes change. Confirm the current criteria and fees directly with the school and the Ministry of Education before applying.