KAIST vs Yonsei University: Admission, Deadlines, Fees Compared

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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.