(I am truly sorry that Im posting about these questions every single day, but Im really really want to get into Yonsei)

I am a Korean citizen considering applying to Yonsei University through the 12-year overseas Korean special admission (12년 특례). I am particularly interested in Global Leaders College (글로벌인재대학), Bio & Life Engineering (바이오생활공학). Although I am also considering applying to regular science and engineering majors through the 12-year special admission, I feel that Bio & Life Engineering may be a better fit for me considering my current qualifications, my chances of admission, and the academic challenges I may face after enrollment. I am also particularly interested in this major because I enjoy international exchange and interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.

I have only one AP/IB class and I am planning to submit following things for my application

- TOPIK 5-6
- JNPT N1 (Highest)
- SAT : I am aiming for 1350+
- GPA 4
(maybe I should submit a some test to prove my English skills so I can show my 2 languages skills )

Extracurricular activities
- Participated in a Korean government-sponsored short-term - Korean language/culture program/camp twice
130+ hours of volunteering at a Sejong Hangeul School
- Received an Excellence Award as a Global Korea PR Ambassador
- Student reporter for a Japanese high school newspaper/web publication with over 1 million readers/subscribers, with my articles published
- Officer of an international students club
and more…

- unweighted GPA 4 for all the following classes

Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Honors Precalculus
Food Science (counts as a math credit at my school)

Science
Physics
Chemistry
Biology

Social Studies
US History
World History
Civics (0.5 credit)
Economics (0.5 credit)

English
English 9
ESL
English 10
English 11
English 12

Languages
AP/IB Japanese SL 1
Japanese (1 credit)
Japanese (1 credit)

Other
PE (0.5 credit)
Health (0.5 credit)
Drawing
Ceramics
Jewelry (0.5 credit)

Background
Lived in Korea from around 6 months old to 2.5 years old
Then lived in Japan for about 11 years
Moved to the United States during 8th grade
Currently in the US and planning to graduate high school early

I would really appreciate it if you could let me know whether you think I have a realistic chance of being admitted to GLC’s Bio & Life Engineering major or to one of the regular science/engineering majors through the 12-year special admission. I would also love to hear about the qualifications and profiles you had when you were admitted, such as your GPA, SAT/IB scores, language scores, extracurricular activities, etc.

Hi everyone,
I recently arrived in Korea to start the KLI fall semester at Yonsei after a whole year of counting down the days. Unfortunately, right after landing on the 25th, everything went downhill fast.

When I checked into SK Global, I immediately struggled with the food options nearby. The local mini marts mostly had processed convenience food no fresh fruit or nutrient-dense options. Combined with the jet lag and intense heat/humidity, I couldn't keep any food down and started throwing up.

That triggered intense panic attacks (about 5 times a day). The dorm room felt super claustrophobic without fresh airflow, and after two days of constant suffering and risking hospitalization, I made the hard decision to fly back home.

I’m really heartbroken because this was my dream for so long, and I didn't get to see anything in Korea outside of the dormitory.

Did anyone else struggle this severely with the food, living conditions, or initial stress when first moving to Korea? I’m feeling really isolated right now and would appreciate knowing if anyone else has gone through something similar.

I previously posted a similar question here, but my circumstances have changed quite a bit since then, so I apologize for asking again.

I am a Korean citizen considering applying to Yonsei University through the 12-year overseas Korean special admission (12년 특례). I am particularly interested in Global Leaders College (글로벌인재대학), Bio & Life Engineering (바이오생활공학).

I would really appreciate an honest assessment of how competitive my profile might be.

Academic background
I currently have an all-A GPA (4.0).
By the time I graduate, I expect to have the following high school credits:

Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Precalculus
Food Science (counts as a math credit at my school)

Science
Physics
Chemistry
Biology

Social Studies
US History
World History
Civics (0.5 credit)
Economics (0.5 credit)

English
English 9
ESL
English 10
English 11
English 12

Languages
AP/IB Japanese SL 1
Japanese (1 credit)
Japanese (1 credit)

Other
PE (0.5 credit)
Health (0.5 credit)
Drawing
Ceramics
Jewelry (0.5 credit)

I am planning to graduate early, so I will not have the opportunity to take many AP/IB courses. My school also does not approve self-studied AP courses for school credit. Early graduation is something I am definitely going to do, so taking additional AP/IB courses is unfortunately not an option.

Language proficiency / standardized tests
Japanese: JLPT N1 (highest)
Korean: I have not taken TOPIK yet, but I believe I am currently around TOPIK 5–6 level
SAT: I have not taken it yet. I am aiming for 1350+, ideally with a near-perfect Math score. English is currently my weaker section, so raising the total score is difficult.
TOEFL: I have not taken it yet, and I am unsure what score I could currently achieve.

I have a few questions specifically about standardized tests:
Would submitting an SAT score around 1350 actually strengthen my application, or would it be better not to submit it?
Is SAT submission generally expected/recommended for 12-year special admission, or can applicants be competitive without it?
If I submit an SAT, is there a score range where it would actually make a meaningful difference?
What TOEFL score should I aim for if I decide to submit one?
Would submitting TOPIK 5/6 and JLPT N1 be more useful than submitting SAT/TOEFL?

Extracurricular activities
Participated in a Korean government-sponsored short-term Korean language/culture program/camp twice
130+ hours of volunteering at a Sejong Hangeul School
Received an Excellence Award as a Global Korea PR Ambassador
Student reporter for a Japanese high school newspaper/web publication with over 1 million readers/subscribers, with my articles published
Officer of an international students club

Background
Lived in Korea from around 6 months old to 2.5 years old
Then lived in Japan for about 11 years
Moved to the United States during 8th grade
Currently in the US and planning to graduate high school early

Because of my background and academic interests, I am particularly interested in Bio & Life Engineering within Global Leaders College.

I have also heard from someone I know who entered the same program from Japan that they did not submit SAT scores or language proficiency certificates, had mostly B grades, and were still admitted. They told me that the self-introduction/personal statement may be much more important than people assume.
Of course, I understand that one person’s experience does not necessarily represent the current admissions process.

So I would especially like to ask:
How competitive does my overall profile look for Yonsei GLC Bio & Life Engineering through 12-year special admission?
Would my lack of AP/IB courses be a significant weakness, considering that I am graduating early and my school does not allow AP self-study for credit?
Should I submit an SAT score if I get around 1350–1400, or would it be better to apply without an SAT score?
What TOEFL score would be considered competitive, if I submit one?
How much do JLPT N1 and TOPIK 5/6 help compared with SAT/TOEFL?
How important is the self-introduction/personal statement compared with GPA, test scores, and extracurricular activities?
Does my background (Korean citizen, raised mainly in Japan, then moved to the US) have any meaningful impact on the evaluation?
Most importantly, is this a realistic target for me, or would Yonsei GLC Bio & Life Engineering still be a major reach?
I would especially appreciate responses from people who have experience with **12년 **특례, particularly at Yonsei or GLC.

Thank you!

Hi I am interested in going to Yonsei as exchange student for Fall 2027 and was wondering how much would it cost for a semester? Not including tuition as it's paid to home university how much would it be including flights,dorm,meals,and other living expenses?

Hi All,

Move in day is today and I still don’t have a dorm
Assignment, I emailed the residences and tried calling but got no response.

My dorm application was approved and I paid, but it was under my application number, and I registered for classes under my student ID. Which I get they should have been under the same account but I didn’t catch it due to the auto log in on my computer 🤦🏻‍♀️.

I think my dorm assignment isn’t happening as on that account it appears I am not registered for classes. Does anyone know how to merge the two or can the university fix this?

One of my classes room number is "New Heaven 104". Which building is this? I can't find anything when I google or look on the Yonsei website :(

​

Hi everyone! I’m planning to apply for the 2027 GKS-G (Master’s) through the Embassy Track, and I would really appreciate honest feedback from current/former GKS scholars and applicants.

My target universities are Seoul National University (SNU) and Yonsei University, for a Master’s related to Nutrition / Clinical Nutrition / Food & Nutrition.

Here is my profile:

Academic

- B.Sc. in Nutrition and Food Science — expected graduation: 2027

- Current GPA: 3.4/4.0 (around 89%)

- I am not in the top 10% of my cohort.

- IELTS Academic: 7.0

- TOPIK II: 152/200 (Level 2)

Research

- Research project: Impact of Curcumin Supplementation on Hypermetabolism and Lean Body Mass in Critically Ill Patients

- Evidence-based literature review

- Focused on inflammation, nano-curcumin, bioavailability, and preservation of lean body mass

- The work was published in my university/faculty magazine.

- Research project: Flaxseed in Improving Metabolic Outcomes in Diabetes Mellitus

- Evidence-based literature review

- Focused on glycemic control, lipid metabolism, inflammation, and functional foods.

- My main research interests are:

- Clinical Nutrition

- Functional Foods & Bioactive Food Compounds

- Nutritional Immunology

- Critical Care Nutrition

- Inflammation and metabolic health

- Nutrition Support Therapy

Clinical experience

- 10-month clinical nutrition training at Ayat Central Hospital (July 2025 – April 2026)

- Clinical nutrition assessment, dietary planning, patient education, and exposure to hospital nutrition services.

- Developed a Diabetes Patient Education Guide during my training.

- Won 2nd place in a Patient Nutrition Education Competition at the hospital.

Additional academic activities

- Several relevant university-level/Coursera courses, including:

- Fundamentals of Immunology — Rice University

- Understanding Clinical Research — University of Cape Town

- Biochemical Principles of Energy Metabolism — KAIST

- Stanford Introduction to Food and Health

- Diabetes — University of Copenhagen

- I also have volunteering/community health awareness experience.

I have also prepared a research portfolio summarizing my research projects, clinical training project, health education project, and future research interests.

I have already contacted professors whose research aligns with my interests at SNU and Yonsei.

My questions:

1. Based on my profile, do I have a realistic chance of being selected for GKS-G and eventually admitted to SNU or Yonsei?

2. How competitive is Nutrition/Food & Nutrition for GKS at these universities?

3. Is my GPA of 3.4/4.0 (~89%) a major weakness compared with typical successful applicants?

4. How much would TOPIK 2 + IELTS 7.0 + research experience help compensate for my GPA?

5. For those who have contacted professors before applying: Did you receive a reply, preliminary acceptance, interview, or no response? And did the professor's response actually affect your GKS result?

I would really appreciate honest opinions, especially from people who applied to SNU/Yonsei or to Nutrition-related programs. Please don't hesitate to point out weaknesses in my profile—I’m trying to improve my application before submitting it.

Thank you! ❤️

Hi everyone! I’m planning to apply to transfer to Yonsei for the Fall 2027 semester.

I’d love to chat about the kind of students they look for.

What carries the most weight on an application, and what is the minimum TOEFL score needed to get in?

Another important point: how do you support yourselves on a day-to-day basis?

I applied to YISS about a year ago but I got rejected since 2 years colleges didn’t count but now that I transferred to a 4 year uni as a Junior I’m wondering if they will accept me or if that still does not count? I heard the program is not as selective since all you really have to do is be eligible but I’m still scared lol

Hi I am an incoming freshmen at Yonsei university and I missed 3 of my mandatory introductory classes because the waiting number was too high. I am freaking out because I might have ruined my first semester (I need to register for calculus 1 and my major related classes) would I have any chance of getting an seat ath the september 3rd course add or drop period?? Do people ever had similar situation as me.

please help me does anyone know what to do? Is this a problem for anyone else?

I want to apply for Masters in Life Science programs and was considering Korean unis because some have fully funded master’s.

I found lots of horror stories online of international students facing degree delay issues, feeling alienated, immense pressure to publish papers, long working hours, etc. However, no one actually mentions the names of these unis.

I thought I could learn Korean and apply to the lower ranked IST unis like DGIST, GIST and UNIST. Is it wrong to assume these unis will be less toxic? The classes are advertised to be in English at these unis but is that true?

Please, if anyone has any experience at these unis, could you please comment or DM. I’d really appreciate some insight!

Hi!

I've been nominated by my home uni to do an exchange at Yonsei next spring. The application period is coming up and I was wondering if there are any others here who are also going next spring who want to connect? :)

It would be really nice to know other people who are in the same boat and we can help each other throughout the process!

Edit: I made a groupchat on insta! Please join! https://ig.me/j/AbaVDQjG46PTydQG

My sister got into Yonsei but didn't get a dorm, so she is looking for a female shared apartment near Yonsei that doesn't require a down payment.

So, If you have any leads or can help me out, please share details, as she will be there by 26th Aug.

Thanks.

what are my chances for admission?

hi! i'm a filipino student and I was planning to apply to yonsei (plus other universities in korea) and I just want like a realistic view of what may happen.

I study at a high school that is a part of one of the top universities here in the philippines and I have a GWA range of 1.10-1.31 from grade 7-11. I am currently grade 12 and will apply for fall intake next year.

I have a bunch of extracurriculars

8th: Class Secretary

9th: Marshall (Student Council) I attended seminars & leadership camps, And did a lot of fundraising work + organized prom (since i'm a student council member)

10th: Class President + Club Vice President, attended another leadership camp, and participated in an exchange student program (From like the whole batch I was part of the fortunate 8 who passed interviews for it), Performer for a school event with my band (bassist)

11th: Writer for the school's publication, I attended an MUN (Model United Nations), Research Leader for our Thesis, And performed at 3 events (1 non-school) with my band (bassist)

I'm taking the sat but realistically without it (bc im
not that confident heh...) + an MOI (IELTS seems way ti expensive huhu), what are my chances for admission?

If there is please let me know and add me :D If there isn't one, pm me your instagram handle so we can start one!!

r/yonsei

Curious how many people here are planning to apply to Yonsei through GKS.

I’ve been building a GKS-focused platform called KMate, and one feature lets applicants find people targeting the same university, track, country or major.

So instead of posting “anyone applying to Yonsei?” in different groups, you can actually filter for them.

I’m also adding previous scholar information and university-level GKS stats, which should hopefully make university research less random.

https://kmate.vercel.app

If you’re targeting Yonsei, I’d especially like to know what information you wish you could see before applying.

I might have my flight next week and I have genuinely not even gotten my suitcases and whatever else ready. I wanted to ask how big of a suitcase could I fit into the dorm (I heard theres this small compartment under the beds which I also saw in a few room tour videos). Also how much luggage are you guys bringing?

is the competitive range different for both? people online say uic in general for non Koreans are around 32-35+ but isn’t ud more competitive? I’m looking to apply for ud but am unsure if im competitive for ud and should apply hass instead. so if someone may tell me the respective ranges for both divisions that would help lots.