Transferring To Yonsei: What Are Your Options?

Yonsei University is a highly selective institution, with an acceptance rate of just 18% for all students and 0.5-1% for international students. The university offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, including courses in law, liberal arts, economics, social sciences, engineering, software, and pharmacy. With an international student population of 17%, Yonsei University accommodates transfer students from diverse backgrounds. The application process for transfer students involves submitting academic records, transcripts, and proof of language proficiency, with specific requirements varying for international and domestic applicants.

Transfer application requirements

Yonsei University does accept transfer students. Here are the transfer application requirements for the Underwood International College (UIC) at Yonsei University:

Eligibility

International students can apply for the UIC junior class (third grade). International students are defined as non-Korean citizens whose parents are also non-Korean citizens. A Korean citizen with dual citizenship does not qualify as an international applicant.

To be eligible for transfer admission, applicants must have completed their freshman and sophomore years or subsequent years, or received an Associate of Arts (AA) degree from a college or university. They must have earned 63 (or 68 for the Integrated Science and Engineering Division, ISE) credits and at least half of the required credits necessary for graduation at their previous university. For three-year British universities, they must have completed two-thirds or more of the credits.

Application Process

The application process for transfer students involves the following steps:

• Academic Transcript(s): Applicants must submit official transcripts from their previous college or university, verifying the completion of the required number of credits.
• Document Review: This step involves the evaluation of additional documents, such as the "certificate of completion" for freshman or sophomore years if previously enrolled in a college or university in Korea.
• Interview: Applicants may be invited for an interview as part of the transfer application process.
• Transfer Application Form: Applicants need to fill out the UIC Application Form for transfers, which includes an essay or personal statement.
• Verification of Enrollment and Official Transcript: Applicants must provide verification of their enrollment and official transcripts from their previous college or university.
• Certificate of High School Graduation: A certificate of high school graduation is required, but it does not need an Apostille.
• Official Document Showing University Graduation Requirements: Applicants need to submit an official document indicating their previous university's graduation requirements, including the number of credits needed for completion.
• Passports and Birth Certificate: Applicants must provide copies of their passport and birth certificate.
• Renunciation of Korean Citizenship: Foreigners with Korean ethnicity must provide legal documentation verifying the renunciation of Korean citizenship for themselves and their parents. This can include a Certificate of Family Relationship or verification from the Korean government, Korean Counsel, or the Ministry of Justice.
• Honors, Awards, and English Proficiency Test Scores: Applicants can submit any relevant documentation not included in their transcripts, such as honors, awards, or English proficiency test scores.

Additional Information:

• The application deadline for international transfer students for the 2025 academic year is December 6th.
• Applicants must submit all documents by post before the document submission deadline.
• International students are advised to refer to the website of the Office of Admissions for detailed information: http://admission.yonsei.ac.kr/seoul.

Transfer application process

Yonsei University does accept transfer students. Here is a detailed overview of the transfer application process for international students:

Eligibility:

• International students can apply for transfer to the Underwood International College (UIC) Junior class (third grade).
• International students are defined as non-Korean citizens with both parents as non-Korean citizens.
• Applicants must have completed their freshman and sophomore years, received an Associate of Arts (AA) degree, or have completed subsequent years at a college or university.
• Transfer applicants must have earned a minimum of 63 credits (68 for Integrated Science and Engineering Division, or ISE) and at least half of the required credits necessary for graduation at their previous university.
• For three-year British universities, two-thirds or more of the required credits must be completed.

Required Documents:

• Academic transcripts from your previous university.
• Verification of enrollment and official transcripts from your previous university.
• Certificate of high school graduation (not required for some countries).
• Official document showing the graduation requirement credits and accreditation of your previous university.
• Applicant's and parent's passports, as well as the applicant's birth certificate.
• For foreigners with Korean ethnicity, legal documentation verifying the renunciation of Korean citizenship for the applicant and their parents is required.
• Honors, awards, English proficiency test scores, and other qualifications not recorded on transcripts.

Apostille Requirement:

• Verification of enrollment, official transcripts, and certificates of high school graduation can be done through Apostille stamps if the student attended school in a country that is a member of the Hague Convention.
• Alternatively, you can obtain Korean Consulate Confirmation or China Qualifications Verification of CDGDC if you studied in the People's Republic of China.

Application Evaluation:

The application is evaluated based on three components:

• Academic Transcript(s) (out of 60 points)
• Document Review (out of 20 points)
• Interview (out of 20 points)
• Application Form and Fee:

• Complete the Transfer Application Form, which includes an essay or personal statement.
• Pay the application fee of around 5,000 INR (Indian Rupees).

Submission and Waiting Period:

• Submit all application documents by post before the deadline.
• Wait for official confirmation from Yonsei University.

Transfer application deadlines

Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, has a transfer application process for international students. The university offers transfer admission to the Underwood International College (UIC) for international students who have completed their freshman and sophomore years or received an Associate of Arts (AA) degree at a college or university.

The transfer application deadlines for international students at Yonsei University are as follows:

Application Period

The application period for transfer students at Yonsei University's Underwood International College (UIC) for the academic year 2025 is from December 6th onwards. The specific deadline for document submissions is not stated, but it is important to note that all application documents must be received by post before the deadline.

Academic Year 2025

For the academic year 2025, the transfer application deadline for international students is December 6th, 2024, as mentioned in the previous section.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programs

For undergraduate programs, the application deadline for international students is September 22nd, 2024. Meanwhile, the deadline for postgraduate programs is April 26th, 2024. These deadlines are for international students applying to Yonsei University in general, not specifically for transfer students.

Transfer application fees

Exchange Students

Exchange students are those who are nominated by an overseas university under a bilateral exchange agreement. Exchange program candidates can apply through the International Office of their home university. Tuition is paid to the home university, and in most cases, the application and documentation fee is waived.

Visiting Students

Visiting (Institution/University)

The student's institution or home university pays for their students' application fee and tuition to Yonsei University.

Visiting (Individual)

Students pay for their application fee and tuition directly to Yonsei University. The application fee is KRW 100,000 (approximately $80).

Transfer student eligibility

Yonsei University does accept transfer students, and the eligibility criteria for international students applying for a transfer to the Underwood International College (UIC) are outlined below.

Firstly, international students are defined as non-Korean citizens whose parents are also non-Korean citizens. Applicants with dual citizenship, one of which is Korean, are not considered international students.

To be eligible for a transfer to the UIC, students must have completed their freshman and sophomore years, or subsequent years, or received an AA (Associate of Arts) degree at a college or university.

Transfer applicants must have earned 63 (68 for ISE) credits and at least half of the required credits necessary for graduation at their previous university. For three-year British universities, two-thirds or more of the credits must be completed.

Students who have earned credits from an exchange or visiting college must receive confirmation of these credits from the previous university and submit an official transcript during the application period.

The application process for transfer students includes an academic transcript review (out of 60 points), a document review (out of 20 points), and an interview (out of 20 points).

The required documents for international transfer students include:

• Verification of enrollment and official transcripts from the previous college or university
• Certificate of high school graduation (unless from a Korean high school)
• Official document showing the university's graduation requirement credit and accreditation
• Applicant's and their parents' passports, as well as the applicant's birth certificate copy
• Legal documentation verifying the renunciation of Korean citizenship for the applicant and their parents, if applicable
• Honors, awards, English proficiency test scores, and other qualifications not recorded on the transcript

Frequently asked questions