Education

Guide to Living in Korea 

Education 

Education 

ISC 

Investor Support Center 

Invest Korea Plaza 2nd Fl. Yeomgok-dong, 

Seocho-gu, Seoul 

Tel: 1600-7119 

Fax: 02) 3497-1611

Foreign Schools 


in Korea 

Incheon 

1 

As of 2006, there were a total of 44 foreign schools in Korea. 

The highest concentration of foreign schools could be found 

in the capital, Seoul, with 16 schools. Five were located in the 

southeastern port of Busan. Another three were located in Daegu, and 

one each in Incheon, Daejeon and Gwangju. Six were found in 

Gyeonggi-do, while two were found in Gangwon-do, three in 

Chungcheongbuk-do, two in Chungcheongnam-do, two in Jeollabukdo, 

and two in Gyeongsangnam-do. 

Several metropolitan cities and provinces, namely Ulsan, 

Seoul 

16 

Gangwon-do 

2 

Gyeonggi-do 

6 

Chungcheongbuk-do 

3 

Chungcheongnam-do 

2 

Jeollabuk-do 

2 

Gwangju 

1 

Daejeon 

1 

Gyeongsangnam-do 

2 

Daegu 

3 

Pusan 

3 

Gyeongsangbuk-do, 

Jeollanam-do and Jeju-do, do 

not have foreign schools. It 

also bears noting here that 

many of the “foreign schools” 

are, in fact, Chinese schools 

(or, in Korean, hwagyo 

hakgyo). There are schools for 

Korea’s sizable ethnic Chinese 

community, who, although 

technically “foreigners,” have 

often lived in Korea for several 

generations. 

Most of the foreign schools 

use English as the language of 

instruction and follow US 

2 Guide to Living in Korea 

Education 3


List of Foreign schools and locations 

school curricula. This is not entirely the case — there are two French 

schools in Seoul as well as a German school, a Japanese school and 

even a Mongolian school. The schools also vary greatly in size — Seoul 

Foreign School in Seodaemun-gu, for instance, has nearly 1,500 students, 

while many others have less than 100. 

Sending your child to a foreign school can be an expensive proposition. 

Tuitions differ depending on the school, but you’re usually looking 

at somewhere between 12 million and 20 million won a year, or 

about US$12,000-20,000. Sending your child to a Korean school, of 

course, is a much cheaper option. However, it is best that your child 

has a reasonable command of the Korean language. Another option is 

homeschooling, which is actually more practical than you might think 

(see “Homeschooling” tip on page 10). 

See the table to the right for a list of foreign schools and locations. 

Name URL / Tel Address Grade Level Students 

Seoul Foreign School 

Seoul International 

School 

Korea International 

School 

Hanseong Chinese 

Middle and High School 

Yongsan International 

School of Seoul 

Korea International 

School 

www.sfs.or.kr 

02-330-3100 

www.siskorea.or.kr 

031-750-1200 

www.kis.or.kr 

031-789-0505 

http://scs.or.kr/ 

02-324-7027 

www.yisseoul.org 

02-797-5104 

www.kis.or.kr 

02-561-0509 

Seoul Japanese School 02-572-7011 

Hanseong Chinese 

Elementary School 

Lycee Francais de 

Seoul 

Korea Kent Foreign 

School 

Seoul Academy 

International School 

Lycee International 

Xavier 

German School Seoul 

Centennial Christian 

School 

Global Christian School 

Asia Pacifiv 

International School 

Rainbow International 

School 

02-776-3893 

www.lfseoul.org 

02-535-1158 

www.kkfs.org 

02-2201-7091 

www.seoulacademy.net 

02-554-1690 

www.xavier.sc.kr 

02-741-7688 

www.dsseoul.org 

02-749-7792 

www.ccslions.com 

02-772-9275~6 

www.gcskorea.org 

02-797-0234 

www.apis.seoul.kr 

02-907-2747 

www.rischool.org 

02-571-2917 

Yeonhui-dong, 

Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 

Bokjeong-dong, 

Sujeong-gu, Sungnam 

Baekhyun-dong, 

Bundang-gu, Sungnam 

Yeonhui-dong, 

Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 

Hannam-dong, 

Yongsan-gu, Seoul 

Gaepo-dong, 

Gangnam-gu, Seoul 

Gaepo-dong, Gangnamgu, 

Seoul 

Myeong-dong, Junggu, 

Seoul 

Banpo4-dong, Seochogu, 

Seoul 

Neung-dong, 

Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 

Daechi-dong, 

Gangnam-gu, Seoul 

Gugi-dong, Jongno-gu, 

Seoul 

Hannam-dong, 


Yongsan-dong 2 Ga, 

Seoul 

Bogwang-dong, 


Wolgye2-dong, Nowongu, 

Seoul 

Yangjae1-dong, 

Seocho-gu, Seoul 

K,E,M,H 1,458 

K,E,M,H 1,098 

K,E,M,H 645 

M,H 628 

K,E,M,H 564 

K,E,M,H 446 

K,E,M 430 

K,E 415 

K,E,M,H 317 

K,E,M,H 267 

K,E,M 132 

E,M,H 124 

K,E,M 

108Ä 

K,E,M,H 105 

K,E,M,H 62 

K,E,M,H - 

E 



Getting into a Foreign School 

Getting into 

a Foreign School 

General Requirements 

Different schools have different qualifications for entering. Moreover, 

relevant laws and regulations concerning foreign schools are subject to 

change. Here’s a rough guideline to what you’ll probably need to enroll 

your child in a foreign school. 

First off, your child should carry foreign citizenship. Also admitted 

are Koreans citizens who have permanent residency status overseas (ex. 

US “green card” holders), have resided for five or more years overseas, 

are of mixed ancestry (one parent should be a foreigner), or are of 

entirely foreign ancestry. 

To be eligible to attend a foreign school, your child should be one of 

the following: 

- A foreign citizen 

- A Korean with permanent residency status overseas 

- A Korean who has spent more than five years overseas 

- A Korean with at least one foreign parent 

Required documents for enrollment 

- A completed application form 

- Recently taken photographs 

- Documents proving your child’s eligibility to attend a foreign school 

- Reports and/or transcripts from any schools attended over the previous two years 

- A letter of recommendation from your child’s current teacher 



- A copy of your child’s passport 

- Standardized test scores 

- Medical form from a recent check-up 

Depending on the school and class, 

you may also need samples of your 

child’s written work, recent mathematics 

tests, and other documents. Be sure 

to check which documents are required 

by the school you’d like your child to 

attend before applying — either call up 

the school or visit their homepage (if 

available). If you’re in Korea, visit the 

school’s admission office for more 

information. You should also bring 

many of these documents with you to 

Korea, as getting them sent here can be 

a time-consuming process. 

Many foreign schools also require an 

interview and a placement test, especially 

an IPT oral English proficiency 

exam (see next page). After your child’s 

application is reviewed, it usually takes 

about a week for schools to notify parents 

with their entry decisions. 

Ballard & Tighe of the United States 

and given since 1979, is a test designed 

to assess and categorize a student’s proficiency 

in the English language. Its ultimate 

goal is to help schools identify 

those students with limited English proficiency 

so that they might receive special 

instruction with the goal of joining 

a mainstream class when language proficiency 

is eventually achieved. 

The test is divided into five testing 

levels. Level 1 is appropriate for prekindergarten 

and kindergarten students. 

Level 2 is for students grades 1-2 

(according to the US system). Level 3 is 

for grades 3-5. Level 4 is for grades 6-8 

and Level 5 for grades 9-12. 

TIP BOX 

classroom environment. 

For more information on the examination, 

see the homepage of Ballard & 

Tighe (www.ballard-tighe.com). 

Most schools also have a placement 

test. Placement tests differ from school to 

school. In the case of Korea International 

School, for instance, reading and writing 

tests are mandatory for all grades beyond 

first. Math tests are given according to 

grade level, and additional tests may be 

given at the discretion of the Office of 

Admissions. 

IDEA Language Proficiency 

Tests (IPT) and Placement Tests 

If your child is planning to attend a 

foreign school where the language of 

instruction is English, he or she may 

have to take the IDEA Language 

Proficiency Tests, or IPT. 

The IPT, designed by the company 

For most of those levels, four tests are 

available — reading, writing, listening 

and speaking. Each section of the 

examination tests the student’s ability 

to function in an English-speaking 

Alternative Options - Korean Schools and Homeschooling 

The majority of foreigners residing in 

Korea choose to send their children to 

international or foreign school, where 

their children receive Western (usually 

US)-style education with other foreign 

children. This is not a cheap option. 

At a cost of between US$12,000- 

20,000, this is prohibitively expensive 

for couples who do not enjoy the 

proverbial “expat” package. In fact, 

one of the most common complaints 

raised by foreigners, is the lack of 

affordable educational options. 

A much cheaper alternative, of 




Can Korean students attend foreign schools? 

A commonly asked question is 

whether Korean students can attend foreign 

schools. The answer is yes, some 

can. Korean students who have resided 

course, is to send your child to a local 

Korean school. The Korean school system 

is divided into six 

years of elementary 

school, followed by 

three years of middle 

school and three years 

of high school. The academic 

year is divided 

into two semesters — 

the first semester begins 

in early March and 

ends in late June, while 

the second semester 

begins in September 

and ends in mid- 

December. In between, 

there’s a one-month 

summer vacation and a 

long winter vacation. 

Korean schools are 

divided into public and 

private schools. The 

price disparity between 

the two is significant 

for elementary school, although for 

middle and high school, the difference 

in tuition is fairly minor. Admission to 

private schools is determined by random 

selection. 

It goes without saying, that if you’re 

going to enroll your child in 

a Korean school, language 

proficiency is important. 

Consider the Korean language 

ability of your child 

before enrolling him or her 

at a Korean school. 

Homeschooling is another 

option. If you’re dedicated 

and have the patience, 

homeschooling your children 

is not a bad option, 

even if you don’t fancy 

yourself a teacher. 

Nowadays, in the age of the 

Internet, there are plenty of 

accredited distance learning 

options available which give 

parents a flexible-yet-structured 

approach to their children’s 

education. 

Homeschool.com is a good 

place to start, as is the US 

Distance Learning Association 

(www.usdla.org). 

overseas for five years or more may 

attend foreign schools. Koreans with at 

least one foreign parent are also permitted. 


in Seoul Area 

1) Seoul International School (SIS) 

(031) 750-1200 

www.siskorea.or.kr 

Seoul International School was the first international school to be recognized 

by the Korean Ministry of Education. The school opened in 

1973 on the campus of Konkuk University, although it later moved to 

its present location in the Seoul suburb of Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do. 

Seoul International School offers an American curriculum for grades 

1 through 12. It also offers a two-year preschool course. The school 

was accredited by the California-based Western Association of School 

and Colleges (WASC) in 1979, with subsequent accreditations given in 

1985, 1991, 1997 and the spring of 2003. As of 2006, the school had 

1,098 students, making it one of the largest foreign schools in Korea. 

Applicants need to have three color photographs, photocopies of 

information pages of passports of child and parents, copies of the Alien 

Registration Card, sealed official transcripts from schools attended 

over the last two years, standardized test scores (if available), 

and recommendation letters (for middle and high school, 

recommendation letters from their current math and English 

teachers). A creative writing sample should be sent with 

teacher comments as well. Students will need to take an 

entrance exam, which is given in April and May. If you are 

applying from overseas and cannot take the exam, you should send 




standardized test scores that include 

national percentile and/or grade equivalences 

in reading, writing and math. 

Seoul International School is located 

on a large wooded campus, and has a 

wide range of facilities including two 

libraries, two gymnasiums, a playing 

field, tennis court, swimming pool, 

cafeteria and auditorium. The school 

also offers a variety of extracurricular 

activities, including sports teams and 

music bands. 

Tuition 

Tuition is as follows: 14.8 million won for 

kindergarten, 15.35 million won for elementary 

school, 17.07 million won for 

middle school, and 18.22 million won for 

high school. In addition, parents may 

have to pay additional fees for transportation 

and books. 

2) Seoul Foreign School (SFS) 

(02) 330-3100 

www.sfs.or.kr 

Seoul Foreign School seeks to provide 

students with a rigorous college 

preparatory curriculum — including 

the International Baccalaureate diploma 

program — within a “nurturing 

Christian atmosphere of acceptance 

and tolerance.” 

The school has a history that goes 

back to 1912, when it was founded by 

Methodist missionaries on the campus 

of Pai Chai Methodist Boys’ School. 

The campus is now located in Yeonhidong, 

near Yonsei University. 

The school follows the American system, 

with an elementary school, middle 

school and high school. Focus is also 

placed on building personal integrity 

centered on Christian values. However, 

the school accepts students of all faiths 

and traditions and nurtures acceptance 

and tolerance. The school also has a 

preschool and a British School. The 

British School offers a curriculum based 

around the English National Primary 

Strategy and National Curriculum for 

Reception to Year 9. 

The school also offers a wide range of 

extracurricular activities for students, 

including sports teams, music lessons 

and groups, and language classes. The 

well-appointed campus comes complete 

with a performing arts center and a football 

pitch complete with artificial turf. 

Tuition 

Tuition ranges from 12.55 million won for 

elementary school to 16.5 million won for 

high school. British School is 14.175 million 

won. 

3) Centennial Christian School 

(CCS) 

(02) 772-9275~6 

www.ccslions.com 

Founded by Dr. John Song in 1989, 

Centennial Christian School is a 

Christian international school that 

offers an American-style curriculum for 

classes from pre-kindergarten to high 

school grade 12. The school is located 

in Seoul’s Yongsan district, on the 

slopes of Mt. Namsan and not far from 

Yongsan High School. More specifically, 

it occupies three of six floors of the 

building formerly known as the 

International Christian School. 

As a Christian school whose object is 

to “train young people to become great 

scholars and Christians,” there are 

bible classes and a weekly service. Some 

85% of the student body are of 

Korean-American children, with large 

numbers of students from other Asian 

nations as well. 

Music classes are offered as a part of 

the curriculum. The school has a soccer 

team as well. 

Tuition 

Tuition is 10.5 million won (plus 2,280 

US dollars) a year. There are other fees 

as well, including a 2 million won “new 

student capital development fee” to 

cover facility costs. 




4) Yongsan International School 

of Seoul (YISS) 

(02) 797-5104 

www.yisseoul.org 

Yongsan International School is located 

in Hannam-dong in Yongsan, the heart 

of Seoul’s foreign community. YISS is 

fully accredited by both the Western 

Association of Schools and Colleges 

and the Association of Christian 

Schools International, so students who 

earn credits here have no problem 

transferring their credits anywhere in 

the world. 

The school, which began in 1990 as 

the International Christian School of 

Seoul, offers an internationalized USbased 

curriculum for students in 

Kindergarten (age 5) to grade 12. 

YISS takes pride in the cultural diversity 

of its students — this year, the 

school has 700 students from 40 different 

nations. In addition to academics, 

the school offers many extracurricular 

activities, including a large number of 

athletic teams, after school activities, 

student clubs and more. 

The new campus, constructed in 

2006, has over 50 classrooms, two 

libraries, a 400-seat auditorium, two 

gymnasiums, two outdoor playground 

areas, an indoor swimming pool and a 

soccer pitch with artificial turf. 

5) Korea Kent Foreign 

School 

(02) 2201-7091 

www.kkfs.org 

Located in Guui-dong, Gwangjin-gu, 

Korea Kent Foreign School was founded 

in 1993 as a high school-only institution, 

but now offers classes from 

kindergarten to the 12th grade of high 

school. 

The school is authorized by the 

Korean Minister of Education and is a 

member of the East Asia Regional 

Council of Overseas Schools, and 

accredited by the Western Association 

of Schools & Colleges. 

Curriculum basically follows the US 

model. The school seeks to create an 

environment that allows students to 

develop both academically and personally. 

The school seeks to maintain an 

18:1 student-to-teacher ratio in the 

classroom, although in middle and high 

school, classroom size may vary 

depending on student interest in particular 

classes. 

Class enrollment capacity is 300 students. 

The student body is quite multicultural, 

with students coming from 

some 28 nations. As some come from 

nations whose first languages aren’t 

English, ESL programs are offered as 

Tuition 

Tuition is 11.9 million won for elementary 

education, and 13.5 million won for secondary 

education. On top of that, there is 

a 1,600 US dollar “dollar tuition” cost 

and capital development fees of 5 million 

won for new students and 1 million won 

for returning students. 




well. Teachers, meanwhile, are mostly 

graduates of universities in the United 

States, Canada and other Englishspeaking 

nations. 

Facilities include a computer lab, 

library, cafeteria, PE areas and a play 

area. 

Tuition 

Tuition is 12 million won for elementary 

school, 12.5 million won for middle 

school and 13 million won for high 

school. 

6) Seoul Academy International 

School 

(02) 554-1690 

www.seoulacademy.net 

Seoul Academy International School is 

a small school offering US-style kindergarten, 

elementary and middle school 

classes in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu. 

The student body is usually about 

200 students, taught by some 26 teachers. 

In addition to the usual US curriculum, 

students can also take special 

classes in Art, Music, Physical 

Education, Computer and Korean 

Culture. There are a number of 

extracurricular activities offered as well, 

including Student Government, Chorus, 

Yearbook, Korean Language, Chess 

and Orchestra. There is a school soccer 

team for the more athletically minded. 

ESL programs are offered as well for 

students whose first language isn’t 

English. 

The school also seeks to teach students 

about their host nation. Six weeks 

in fall are dedicated to teaching about 

Korea, while Korean language classes 

are offered for grades 1 through 8. A 

Korean cultural festival is held in 

October, and the school promotes a 

number of field trips throughout Korea, 

including the DMZ and Suwon Folk 

Village. 

School facilities include a cafeteria 

and a library. 

Tuition 

Tuition is 17 million won a year, although 

parents should pay other costs as well 

for busing, books, etc. 

7) Seoul American Elementary 

School 

(02) 736-4613 

www.seoul-es.pac.dodea.edu 

Seoul American Elementary School is 

located on Yongsan Garrison, the large 

US military installation in the heart of 

Seoul. As a school attached to the US 

Department of Defense, most of the 

students are children of US servicemen 

serving in Korea. With over 1,000 students, 

the school is one of the largest 

US military elementary school in the 

Asia-Pacific region. 

As is the case with all US Department 

of Defense schools, it is accredited by 

the North Central Association of 

Colleges and Schools, and strictly follows 

a US curriculum. This is, in fact, 

as close to going to school in America 

without going to America. 

The school has all the facilities you’d 

expect from a US elementary school. 

Admission, however, is considerably 

more restricted than you’d find with 

other foreign schools. Admission is 

granted on a priority system: 

Priority I - Space required, tuition 

free for command-sponsored family 

members of military and DoD civilians. 

Priority II - Space available, tuitionpaying, 

federally connected for authorized 

family members of sponsors such 




as employees of other US government 

agencies, technical representatives of 

contractors, Red Cross employees, etc. 

(This category is considered the same as 

space required.) 

Priority III - Space available, tuition 

free for non-command sponsored 

dependents of military and DoD personnel. 

Priority IV - 

Space available, 

tuition paying 

for family members 

of private 

US citizens residing 

in Korea 

(non-federally connected). 

8) Seoul American High School 

(02) 797-3666 

www.seoul-hs.pac.dodea.edu 

Seoul American High School is, like 

Seoul American Elementary School, the 

US military high school in Seoul and 

located on Yongsan Garrison, the large 

US military installation in the heart of 

Seoul. With a student body of some 

600, it’s one of the largest US military 

high schools in the Asia-Pacific region. 

As is the case with all US Department 

of Defense schools, it is accredited by 

the North Central Association of 

Colleges and Schools, and follows a 

strictly US curriculum. This is, in fact, as 

close to going to school in America 

without going to America. 

Seoul American High School is precisely 

that — an American High School 

in Seoul. Accordingly, it’s got everything 

you’d expect from an American 

high school. School activities include 

JROTC, journalism, Model United 

Nations, basketball, football, cheerleading, 

step team, volleyball, tennis, 

drama, band, choir, soccer, swimming, 

cross country, swing club, chess club, 

reading club, Spanish club, German 

club, and speech club. Admission, how- 

ever, is considerably more restricted 

than you’d find with other foreign 

schools. Admission is granted on a priority 

system: 

9) Asia Pacific International 

School 

(02) 907-2747 

www.apis.seoul.kr 

Founded in 2007, Asia Pacific 

International School is located in 

Wolgye 2-dong, Nowon-gu, northern 

Seoul. According to its mission statement, 

the school “strives to educate its 

students, in a loving and caring 

Christian environment, to become globally 

enlightened citizens, who are able 

to bridge the gap between the East and 

the West and are ready to welcome the 

exciting challenges of the new Pacific 

Century.” 

The school offers a US-style curriculum 

for students aged elementary to 

high school. In order to prepare students 

for the Pacific Century, the school 

emphasizes foreign language education 

in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. As 

part of its enrichment program, the 

school allows students to take advantage 

of the best of Korea’s domestic 

curriculum (e.g. Korean literature, history, 

and culture) taught by teachers 

from partnering Korean schools. 

Extracurricular activities include a 

number of sports teams and clubs. The 




spacious campus includes a main academic 

building (with 60+ classrooms and 

offices), a main auditorium, children’s 

playground, athletic field, outdoor 

amphitheater, gymnasium, and a separate 

seasonal camp/conference facility. 

All classrooms have wireless broadband 

connections and equipped with Smart 

Boards. 

Tuition 

Tuition for elementary school is 13 million 

won plus 3,000 US dollars, while 

tuition for middle school is 14 million 

won plus 3,000 US dollars. High school 

tuition is to be announced. 

10) Korea International School 

(031) 789-0505 

www.kis.or.kr 

Founded in 1999, Korea International 

School, is one of Korea’s largest foreign 

schools. The school has two campuses 

— one in Bundang in the Seoul 

suburb of Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, and 

a second campus in Gaepo-dong, south 

of the Han River in Seoul. 

The school offers a US-style curriculum 

for students aged elementary to 

high school. The school seeks to inspire 

students with a passion for learning and 

to cultivate the competence, self-assurance, 

initiative, and creativity necessary 

for success in the global community. 

The spacious, forested Bundang 

campus, which opened only in 2007, 

has three classroom buildings — an 

elementary school, a middle school 

and a high school — as well as a soccer 

pitch, swimming pool, two 

libraries, gymnasium, performing arts 

center, computer lab, science lab, 

music rooms, art rooms, cafeteria, 

weight room, squash court and more. 

The Gaepo-dong campus, which used 

to serve as the main campus when the 

school was founded, has a library, 

computer lab, a multi-purpose room 

and more. Needless to say, these facilities 

allow for a wide range of academic 

and extracurricular activities, 

including sports teams and performing 

arts groups. 

Tuition 

Tuition is 12.65 million won and 5,200 

US dollars for elementary school, 13.47 

million won and 5,700 US dollars for 

middle school and 16.62 million won and 

6,200 US dollars for high school. 

11) L ycee Francais de Seoul 

(02) 535-1158 

www.lfseoul.org 

The Lycee Francais de Seoul, or Seoul 

French School, is located in a very 




architecturally pleasing building in the 

heart of Seoul’s French community in 

Bangbae-dong. It is a private school 

fully accredited by the French Ministry 

of Education and regulated by the 

National Agency for French Education 

Abroad. 

The school, which currently enrolls 

about 350 students, offers education in 

French to French speaking children 

aged three to 18. It has a kindergarten, 

primary and secondary school, as well 

as an upper school (otherwise known 

as the 6th form) that prepares students 

for the baccalauréat exam. 

As an additional admission requirement, 

Lycee Francais de Seoul requires 

proof that students have previously 

attended a French school. Students 

must also be proficient in French. 

Tuition 

Admission fees differ between French 

nationals and non-French nationals. For 

French nationals, kindergarten and primary 

school costs 6.668 million won, 

secondary school costs 9.064 million 

won and 6th Form costs 9.804 million 

won. For non-French nationals, kindergarten 

and primary school costs 8.36 

million won, secondary school costs 

11.735 million won and 6th Form costs 

12.31 million won. There is also a 

founder’s share of 5 million won. 

12) Deutsche Schule Seoul 

(02) 792-0797 

www.dsseoul.org 

The Deutsche Schule Seoul, or German 

School in Seoul, is Korea’s only 

German-language school with an integrated 

German-language kindergarten. 

Founded in 1976 on the initiative of 

German parents residing in Seoul, the 

private school, located in Hannamdong 

in Yongsan-gu, is financed and 

staffed by the German government. 

Academic credit earned at the school is 

recognized in Germany. 

The school provides pre-school and 

kindergarten classes and a 10-year 

Gymnasium course. Curriculum is 

based on the curriculum of the State of 

Thuringia. A two-year high school program 

is in the making, with the first 

classes to begin in 2009 and the first 

“German International Abitur” to be 

given in 2010. By the end of year 10, 

however, students should be able to 

freely transfer to any one of Seoul’s 

English-language high schools. In 2007- 

2008, the school had 150 students, 

including kindergarten children. 

Students should be competent in the 

German language. 

Tuition 

Tuition ranges from 7.7 million won for 

kindergarten to 14.52 million won for 

secondary school. 

13) Hanseong Chinese 

Elementary School 

(02) 779-3701 

The Hanseong Chinese School in 

Myeong-dong is one of Korea’s oldest 

schools for the nation’s ethnic Chinese 

minority. The school, located next to 

the old Chinese embassy in what used 

to be Seoul’s Chinatown, is a distinctive 

mid-20th century building painted in a 

striking pink color. 

At one time, the school had some 

2,300 students, but thanks to demographic 

changes and the move of the 

Chinese embassy, the student body has 

been reduced to 558 students as of last 

year, including elementary students. 

However, the school has grown 

increasingly popular with Korean parents 

looking to give their children a 

head start in Chinese, a language of 

growing importance in the Asia-Pacific 

region. 

In addition to the brightly painted 

pink building, the school has a spacious 

playground where you can 

sometimes see Chinese students engaging 

in Chinese-style calisthenics during 

the day. 

Tuition 

Tuition at Chinese schools in Korea generally 

runs about 170,000-270,000 won 

a month. 




14) Hanseong Chinese Middle 

and High School 

(02) 324-7027 

http://scs.or.kr/ 

or high school student would be expected 

to study, and there’s an assortment 

of extracurricular activities, including a 

Chinese calligraphy and painting class. 

Tuition 

Hanseong Chinese Middle and High 

School is Seoul’s preeminent school for 

overseas Chinese. Located on a beautiful 

campus near Yonsei University in 

Seodaemun-gu, the school seeks to provide 

a modern Chinese-language education 

while at the same time cultivating 

and protecting Chinese cultural values. 

Hanseong Chinese Middle and High 

School’s curriculum complies with that 

of the Republic of China (i.e., Taiwan). 

Students study all the subjects a middle 

Tuition at Chinese schools in Korea generally 

runs about 170,000-270,000 won 

a month. 

15) Japanese School in Seoul 

(02) 574-0348 

www.sjshp.or.kr 

Located in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu 

and founded in 1972, the Japanese 

school services Seoul’s Japanese community. 

The school provides Japaneselanguage 

education for students from 

kindergarten age to middle school. 

The school is recognized by the 

Japanese Ministry of Education, and is 

also recognized by the Korean Ministry 

of Education and Foreign Ministry. 

Most of the students tend to be young, 

and are usually the children of Japanese 

businessmen, bankers, journalists and 

diplomatic staff posted to Korea. The 

school employs teachers sent by the 

Japanese government and teachers 

hired locally. 

Curriculum basically follows instructions 

set by the Japanese Ministry of 

Education, but taking into account the 

overseas nature of the school, Korean 

language classes are given, as well as 

Tuition 

two hours of English 

conversation classes a 

week for elementary 

school students. 

Admission fees differ between members 

of the schools and new applicants. For 

returning students, kindergarten, primary 

and secondary school costs 300,000 won. 

For new students, admission fees cost all 

900,000 won. Tuition at Japanese School 

in Seoul runs about 170,000-290,000 

won. 





in the Provinces 

Seoul is the center of the educational world, as far as international 

schools are concerned. There are, however, international schools in 

some of Korea’s other large cities, such as Busan, Daejeon and 

Gwangju. 

Busan, being Korea’s second largest city and its biggest port, has a 

large foreign community. Accordingly, a number of foreign schools 

are located in the city, including the International School of Busan 

((051) 742-3332) and the Western Association of Schools and 

Colleges-accredited Busan Foreign School ((051) 747-9196). There is a 

Japanese school in Busan as well. 

In the southeastern city of Daegu, the heart of Gyeongsangbuk-do, 

Global Christian School of 

Daegu ((053) 255-5956) 

services much of the 

region’s foreign community. 

The school offers educational 

opportunities for students 

kindergarten through 

high school. As a Christian 

school, the school also 

tends to the spiritual side of its students, with morning prayer sessions 

and the like. 

Gwangju, a bustling industrial and economic center in the southwestern 

province of Jeollanam-do, is home to Kwangju Foreign School 

((062) 575-0900). Founded by Robert Holley, a noted international 

lawyer and Korean TV personality, It is the only foreign school in 

Jeollanam-do and offers a US-style curriculum for students kindergarten 

to high school. 

In Daejeon, Taejon Christian International School ((042) 633-3663) 

is an option for expatriates in central Korea. With nearly 600 students, 

it’s one of the 

largest foreign 

schools outside of 

Seoul. It’s also one of 

the oldest, having 

been founded by 

American missionaries 

in the 1950s. The 

school offers a USstyle 

curriculum for 

students elementary 

to high school, and is 

accredited with the 

Western Association of Schools and Colleges. 

Other foreign schools of interest include Indianhead International 




TIP BOX 

Differences Between Korean and Western School Systems 

School ((031) 826-3476) in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do; Gyeonggi 

Suwon International School ((031) 695-2800) in Suwon; Okpo 

International School ((055) 687-3283) on Geoje Island, near Busan; 

and Gyeongnam International Foreign School ((055) 853-5125), 

located in Sacheon, Gyeongsangnam-do. 

The Korean education system is one of 

the most competitive education systems 

in the world. Koreans take their children’s 

education very seriously, as is evidenced 

by the tremendous amount of 

money many Korean families will spend 

on private tutoring and overseas educational 

opportunities. 

One of the most prominent aspects of 

the Korean education system is the overriding 

emphasis placed on examinations 

in the Korean system. While test-taking 

is certainly an important part of a 

Western education as well, nowhere will 

test scores impact a student’s life more 

than in Korea. High school, in fact, can 

be seen as one big lead up to the university 

entrance exam. The strenuous preparation 

for this exam, requiring endless 

hours of cramming and memorization of 

facts, produced the infamous Korean 

social phenomenon of the “examination 

hell,” a truly grim period of student life 

marked by endless tests and study. 

Conditions are changing as society recognizes 

the ill-effects this system has on 

the social and emotional development of 

young Koreans (suicides, for example, 

were all-too-common news during this 

stressful period). However, you’ll still 

notice that Korean middle and especially 

high school students spend much more 

time at school than their Western counterparts, 

and even outside of school, 

much of their time is spent studying, 

either on their own or in private cram 

schools. 

While Western education seeks to nurture 

body and mind, the Korean school 

system tends to devote its energies exclusively 

to the latter. While school sports 

and extracurricular activities tend to 

occupy much of the time of Western 

middle and high school students, this is 

not the case in Korea (the major exception 

being schools with prominent sports 

programs). Moreover, while the Western 

system emphasizes creativity and thinking 

skills, the Korean system tends to 

focus more on “hard” and utilitarian 

subjects like math, science, Korean literature 

and English. 



Preschools 

Preschools 

Korea — and Seoul in particular, now has a number of kindergartens 

that cater to the needs of foreign toddlers, including 

Montessori School, Franciscan School, and Mustard Seed 

Christian Preschool. In addition to these schools, many if not most of 

the foreign schools listed earlier offer kindergarten and preschool 

classes. 

1) Early Childhood Learning Center International School 

(02) 795-8418 

www.eclcseoul.com 

ECLC is a non-profit, non-denominational International Early Years 

and Primary School for children aged 2 1/2 to 7 years. It is an Englishspeaking 

School with an enrollment of approximately 182 children 

from 30 different countries. 

Located in Itaewon, the center of Seoul’s expatriate community, ECLC 

is an IPC School (International Primary Curriculum) and is a member of 

the Korea Council of Overseas Schools (KORCOS), the European 

Council of International Schools (ECIS), and the East Asian 

Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS). 

The school follows the Montessori curriculum. 

ECLC occupies two sites, Treetops and The Garden 

House. Treetops comes equipped with three 

preschool classrooms for ages 3—4, and one toddler 



Preschools 

classroom for ages 2 1/2—3. The location 

also has an indoor playground, 

roof-top playground, fitness room and 

library. The school also has a fine view 

of Namsan park. 

The Garden House, meanwhile, has 

five classrooms including two kindergartens 

for ages 4—5 and two kindergartens 

for ages 5-6. There’s even a 

Primary Level 1 classroom for ages 6— 

7. The location also has a large outdoor 

garden, a common room, library and 

computer room. 

Tuition 

Full day tuition is 17.5 million won for an 

entire year. Half-day tuition is 10 million 

won for an entire year. Buses are provided 

for students living in the Itaewon, 

Hannam-dong, Ichon-dong, and 

Seongbuk-dong neighborhoods. 

2) Franciscan School 

(02) 798-2195 

franciscanschool.com 

Franciscan School is a preschool— 

kindergarten founded and operated by 

— as might be gathered from the name 

— the Franciscan Fathers of the 

Catholic Church. 

The school is located in Hannamdong, 

one of the most popular residential 

areas for foreigners in Seoul. The 

teachers are all native English speakers, 

and curriculum and programs are what 

you’d expect for an American 

preschool—kindergarten. 

School hours are from 9:00 am to 

2:30 pm. Nursery students, however, 

may stay for a half day (11:30 am) or a 

full day. The school begins accepting 

students at age 2, but they must be toilet 

trained and sufficiently mature for 

them to benefit from the program. 

Students are accepted on a seven to 

three-week trial basis, depending on the 

program they seek to enter. 

The school provides a number of 

activities for students as well. On the 

last Friday of every month, the school 

holds an assembly where students sing, 

recite poetry and congratulate birthday 

celebrants. There are a number of field 

trips to places around Korea, and well 

as a Fun Day, Sports Day and Novelty 

Day. There’s a year-end Christmas concert, 

too, where Santa visits to distribute 

presents. And as appropriate for an 

international school representing 

diverse nationalities, there is an 

International Day where students dress 

up in their national attire and bear the 

flags of their home nations. 

Tuition 

Tuition for nursery classes is 4.3 million 

for a half-day and 7.65 million for a fullday. 

Preschool and junior kindergarten 

tuition is 7.65 million won, while senior 

kindergarten is 8.125 million won. 

Tuesday and Thursday, while classes 

for four-year-olds meet on Monday, 

Wednesday and Friday. 

The base offers other preschool programs 

for US servicemen and their 

dependents, too, including Sure Start 

and Yongsan Child Development 

Center. 

For something a bit more, well, 

British, British International 

Kindergarten ((02) 790-9025) is located 

in Hannam-dong, right near UN 

Village. The spacious and well-appointed 

kindergarten follows a British curriculum 

and is supported by Orbital 

Education. 

Other preschool/nursery programs 

with English-language programs 

include: 

Appletree Nursery 

Tel (02) 502-0509 

Itaewon Nursery 

Tel (02) 795-2592 

Itaewon Samsung Nursery 

Tel (02) 3785-2478 

3) Other Preschools 

If you’re in the US military or a military 

dependent, Mustard Seed Christian 

Preschool ((02) 738-8503) — located 

on the sprawling US military garrison 

in Yongsan — offers preschool classes. 

Classes for three-year-olds meet on 

Rainbow School 

Tel (02) 796-2776 

Hana Kindergarten 

Tel(02) 394-1152 

Kid’s College 

Tel (02) 3662-6000 

YBM PSA 

Tel (02) 763-0509 



Korean Language Programs 

Korean 

Language 

Programs 

Opportunities to learn the Korean language are increasingly 

many as Korean grows as a language of economic, political 

and cultural importance. In Seoul, many universities offer 

Korean language classes for foreigners. Some programs, such as 

Yonsei University’s Korean Language Institute, have long histories 

and are quite prestigious. Others are newer and you should inquire 

into program specifics before applying. Even in the countryside, many 

regional universities and colleges now offer Korean language classes 

— if you’d like to learn the language in a small-town setting, it’s 

something you might look into. If you’re feeling really confident in 

your Korean skills, you can even try your hand at the Korean 

Proficiency Exam. 

Korean is not a particularly easy language to learn, but if you put 

in the time and effort, 

learning it can be a fun 

and rewarding experience 

and greatly improve the 

quality of your experience 

in Korea. If you 

would like to learn 

Korean, there are a number 

of programs available 

to you in Seoul. 

34 Guide to Living in Korea Education 35

Korean Language Programs 

1) Yonsei University Korean Language Institute 

(02) 392-6405 

Yonsei’s Korean Language Institute is the grandfather of Korean language 

education. Since opening in 1959, the institute has taught 

Korean to countless foreign missionaries, diplomats and scholars. 

Currently, the school has about 800 

students and 100 instructors. It offers 

several programs, including an intensive 

three-month Regular Program (where 

you can work to complete a one-year, 

six-month six-level course or a two-year 

eight-level course), various Special 

Programs, afternoon and evening programs, 

advanced programs and more. 

Tuition 

Tuition for the regular program is 1.48 million won. 

3) Ewha Language Center 

including an intensive three-month 

Regular Program. 

Tuition 

Tuition for the Regular Program is 1.47 million 

won. 

The language center of Ewha Women’s University offers Korean classes 

to both men and women. The school offers intensive, regular, shortterm 

intensive and special courses. 

Tuition 

Tuition for the intensive course (10 weeks, four hours a day) is 1.34 million won. 

4) Other Korean programs 

2) Sogang University Korean Language Education Center 

(02) 705-8088~9 

Jesuit-run Sogang University also has a 

well-regarded Korean language program. 

The school, founded in 1990, 

enrolls about 1,300 students each year. 

Unlike other Korean language programs, 

Sogang University focuses on 

speaking rather than grammar. Of four 

hours of daily instruction, two hours 

are dedicated to speaking. Like Yonsei, 

Sogang offers a variety of programs, 

Seoul National University Language Education Institute 

Tel (02) 880-5488 

Sookmyung Women’s University 

LinguaExpress 

Tel (02) 710-9165 

Korea University Language and 

Culture Center 

Tel (02) 3290-2971 

HUFS Foreign Language Training and 

Testing Center 

Tel (02) 962-7119 



Libraries and Book Stores 

Libraries and 

Book Stores 

1) Libraries 

Korea has traditionally been a nation that enjoys reading, so libraries 

are numerous. That being said, English-language material is not particularly 

easy to come by at public libraries. On the other hand, a number 

of nations operate cultural centers with libraries with foreign language 

books. There are a number of foreign-language bookstores as well 

where, in addition to the latest novels, you can buy textbooks and 

other necessary items for your educational needs. 

The National Library in Korea, in Sogong-dong, is the proverbial 

mother-of-all-libraries in Korea. Other major libraries include the 

National Assembly Library, the Supreme Court Library and Korea’s 

many university libraries. The Namsan Library, located next to 

Namsan Park, has a small foreign language section, but is better known 

as a nice place to stroll around 

with great views of the city. 

The National Library of Korea 

Tel (02) 535-4142 

www.nl.go.kr 

The National Assembly Library 

www.nanet.go.kr 

webw3@nanet.go.kr

Education

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