Education System

The school system in Korea follows a 6-3-3-4 ladder pattern which consists of elementary school (6 yrs/1st to 6th grades), middle school (3 yrs/7th to 9th grades), high school (3 yrs/10th to 12th grades) and university (4 yrs) or college (2-3 yrs).
Universities have course for master (2-3 yrs) and doctorate (2-3 yrs) degree programs.

Education course in Korea

• Education course in Korea

  Age	Grade	Level	Name of course
  			General education course	Special education course
  3		Pre-school	Kindergarten	Special school
  4
  5
  7	1	Elementary education	Elementary schools	Special school
  8	2
  9	3
  10	4
  11	5
  12	6
  13	7	Secondary education	Middle school	Special school, Civic School and Other
  14	8
  15	9
  16	10		High school	Special school, Air & Correspondence high School Technical school and others
  17	11
  18	12
  19	13	Post-secondary Education	University (Bachelor degree)	College Industry University, University of Education, Technical School, Distance education school Air and Correspondence College
  20	14
  21	15
  22	16
  23	17		Graduate School (Master Degree)
  24	18
  25	19		Doctorate degree
  26	20
  27	21

education system

Semesters

In Korea, the school year begins in March with summer vacation during July through August, and second semester beginning in September. The long winter vacation lasts from December to February.

• Start of year : March
• First semester : From March to August
• Second semester : From September to February

Elementary schools

Korea's elementary education is free and compulsory and provides a basic education for living. The enrollment rate for elementary education reaches 99%. This high enrollment is attributable to the great Korean zeal for education and the government's support of education policy. Generally, children aged 3 to 5 attend kindergarten and Children begin at 7 years old with grade one. Elementary schools consist of grade one to sixth. They are mostly public schools. Education programs between public and private schools are almost the same.

Middle school

Korea's middle school provides students with a secondary education based on their educational foundation from elementary school. Competitive entrance examinations at the middle-school level were abolished in 1968. Since then, students have been assigned to secondary institutions by computer in accordance with locations within the boundary of the school district. Middle school is free and compulsory, with 3 years of education. The number of private schools is more than that of public schools. Their education programs are almost the same.

High School

High school education provides students with a basic professional education based on the education foundation from middle school. Korean high schools are divided into general schools, vocational schools, others (foreign language and art specialty high schools, and science high school). The high school education lasts 3 years and is not mandatory. Students may chose schools when it comes to vocational schools or others but they typically are assigned to a school by computer in the same way as for middles school.

* There is no limitation for foreign students in attending schools (elementary, middle and high school) in Korea. Under the Education Act, the admission of foreign students depends on school regulations. For those who want to attend a Korean school, they may visit the school and follow through the regulations on foreign students.

College

College provides an education after the completion of secondary education. There are about 150 colleges nationwide, about 10 of which are public. Many of them provide a boarding house within their campus and their tuition fees are cheaper than universities. A college education nurtures students as medium skilled technicians equipped with solid technology and knowledge. Those who graduate from college can get jobs or enter into university.

University

In Korea, there are about 250 universities, whose 4 year course providing bachelor degree. Universities for medical, oriental medicine and dentistry are 6 year courses. Korean universities have various courses and have their own regulations on credits, prerequisite credits for graduation, maximum credits for a semester, how to acquire credits and special credits. Universities are divided into national, public and private. Most universities are private.

Universities have their own conditions for admission but there is little difference among them. For those entering into universities and colleges, language will not be a barrier since they offer Korean language courses for foreign students.

* Program for full time semesters

• Program for full time semesters : Full time program
• Exchanging students according to an exchange agreement with the foreign universities with which they set up a sister school relationship
• Basic educational program during vacations, Korean language course , and others.
• Universities that are interested in the' globalization of university education' issue have 30% of all lectures taught in English. As for lectures delivered in English, the rate is much higher in graduate schools than universities. Some universities have established international departments where all lectures are delivered in English.

Korean language course

Many universities operate a Korean language Institute for foreigners. Short-term (3 to 4 weeks) course are aimed at intensively improving communication skil. Long -term English language courses (10 to 40 weeks) are to improve the effects of studying on Korean language through real life activates, along with the operation of a culture class for fostering understanding of Korean culture.

Master or doctorate degree

University graduate schools have courses for master's degrees (2 to 3 years) and doctorate degree (2 to 3 years). Graduate schools are divided into a graduate school for basic theory and academy research, a professional graduate school for adaptation of practical theory and, research and development, a special graduate school that provide education to business people through night classes.