Can foreign children attend public schools in Korea?

Yes, foreign children can attend public schools in Korea. When a child reaches elementary school age, anyone can receive an education, regardless of nationality or residence status.

Elementary education is compulsory and free. But if a child is not sent to school, the parents who get a fine are Korean nationals. Foreign parents are not subject to this. The child's right to education is guaranteed in the same way.

How to apply (elementary school)

• Admission (transfer) application form — Get it at the school. The form differs by city or province.
• Certificate of entry and exit records or alien registration — For example, a certificate of entry and exit records (출입국사실증명서). If this is hard to get, you can use a lease contract or a residence confirmation guarantee signed by neighbors (거주사실 인우보증서) instead.
• Proof of education — A graduation certificate, enrollment certificate, report card, and so on.

1. Contact the elementary school in the school district where you live. The vice principal or the head of academic affairs will give advice.
2. Submit your documents and apply for admission.
3. A child who has just arrived from abroad will be placed in a grade after the school reviews the documents or tests school subjects.

The basic rule is that a child enters school in March of the year after turning 6 (Korean age rule: full age 6). If the parents want, the child can start 1 year early (full age 5) or 1 year late. You apply for this at your local community center (주민센터) from October 1 to December 31 each year.

💡 Good to know

• Education documents: Documents from foreign schools must be checked with an apostille, then translated into Korean and notarized. If your country is not a member of the apostille convention, get them notarized in your home country and then confirmed by a Korean consulate. For documents in languages other than English, both the original and the translation must be notarized.
• Recognition of education: 6 or more years of schooling is recognized as elementary school graduation. 9 or more years is recognized as middle school graduation. 12 or more years is recognized as high school graduation.
• If you have no documents: A refugee child, or a child who cannot prove prior education, can ask the city or provincial office of education (시·도교육청) for an education recognition review.
• Other school choices: National and private elementary schools select their own students. The timing differs by school, so ask the school directly. There are also foreign schools. Their admission process differs by school.
• Guidebook: You can download the guidebook 'Sending Your Child to School' in 12 languages from the Multicultural Education Portal (www.edu4mc.or.kr).

For middle school and high school, permission for transfer admission can differ depending on the school's situation. First decide your child's age and grade, then contact the district office of education (교육지원청) or the school where you live. Please check the exact details once more with 1345 or the relevant office of education.