- Ranked 2nd nationwide in internationalization education and 6th in student support: Spurring global competitiveness

- Ranked 1st in three indicators, demonstrating competitiveness in internationalization as a “foreign student-friendly university”

The University of Seoul ranked 7th overall in the “1st Korea Times Internationalization Excellence University Evaluation” hosted by the Korea Times, with major universities such as Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University taking the top spots. This achievement is a tangible validation of the University’s vision, Defining Global Excellence in Higher Education, and indicates that the University has been recognized for its global excellence in education.

The evaluation was conducted on 54 universities nationwide based on 22 indicators in four areas, including education, research, student support, and graduate outcomes, and the top 30 universities were selected as “Internationalization Excellence Universities.”

The University of Seoul ranked 2nd nationwide in education, 6th in student support, 13th in graduate outcomes, and 18th in research, demonstrating its balanced performance in internationalization development. The University ranked 1st in the areas of education and student support, including scholarship-to-tuition ratio, accreditation level for internationalization competency in education, and proportion of international students meeting language requirements, proving that it provides a foreign student-friendly educational environment.

Furthermore, the University ranked 4th nationwide in international student retention through tailored support programs such as the foreign teaching assistant system, 1:1 mentoring and tutoring programs, and supporters.

The Korea Times Internationalization Excellence University Evaluation was introduced to assess the actual level of university internationalization amid changes in Korea’s higher education environment, including declining birth rates, a shrinking school-age population, and increasing numbers of international students. It addresses the limitations of existing English-language global university rankings and provides a domestic standard for evaluating education, research, and student support systems, serving as a new benchmark for international competitiveness among Korean universities.

“Based on the public nature of the University of Seoul, which connects the city and the world, we are striving to become a university where international students want to come and learn, and where they can continue their studies and lives with peace of mind,” stated President Yongkul Won. “We will continue to focus on expanding our multinational student community and strengthening global research cooperation, so that we can provide practical help and various learning opportunities for international students visiting Korea.”

The University of Seoul plans to further strengthen its internationalization capabilities by diversifying the recruitment of international students, expanding its global network, and establishing a sustainable support system.