Address: 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, 03722 Seoul, South Korea
Medicine, Engineering, Business, Social Sciences, Humanities, Theology, Music, Computing
Yonsei University is a private Christian research university in Seoul, and its roots lie in Gwanghyewon, a Western-medicine hospital founded in April 1885 by the American missionary Horace Newton Allen. Chosun Christian College was founded in March 1915 by Horace Grant Underwood and later renamed Yonhi College, which was recognised as a university in 1946. In 1957 the Severance Union Medical College and Yonhi University merged to form Yonsei University. Its name combines Yon, from Yonhi, with Sei, from Severance.
The motto is the truth will set you free, taken from the Gospel of John. Together with Seoul National University and Korea University, Yonsei is one of the three most prestigious universities in South Korea, known as SKY.
The Sinchon campus, in Seodaemun District of Seoul, is home to most academic departments. The International Campus at Songdo, in Incheon, hosts a residential college programme in which most freshmen spend their first year. In 2022 the university had 29,832 students, 18,200 of them undergraduates and 11,632 graduate students, taught by 1,712 academic staff, with 1,166 administrative staff.
The undergraduate colleges cover liberal arts, commerce and economics, business, science, engineering, life science and biotechnology, computing, theology, social sciences, music, human ecology and education, together with University College, Underwood International College, medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and the Global Leaders College. The Graduate School has many specialised schools, and a separate Law School exists.
The Severance hospitals form the medical network of the university: Severance Hospital at Sinchon, Gangnam Severance Hospital and Yongin Severance Hospital, with Songdo Severance Hospital under construction in 2024. In the QS World University Rankings 2026 Yonsei was 50th, and first among private universities in Korea. Graduates include the novelist Han Kang, who received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, the film director Bong Joon-ho, the former foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha, the poet Yun Dong-ju and the mathematician Jeong Han Kim. Tuition differs by programme. Check the current tariff. Teaching is largely in Korean.
Domains taught:
Chemistry, Data Analytics, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Finance, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
Severance Hospital, Gangnam Severance Hospital and Yongin Severance Hospital, and the Songdo International Campus in Incheon.
Research:
Medicine, engineering, life science and biotechnology, computing, business, social sciences and the humanities.
Famous Alumnis:
Han Kang, Bong Joon-ho, Kang Kyung-wha, Yun Dong-ju, Koo Bon-moo, Jeong Han Kim
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2878
Current students***:
29832
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
One of the three most prestigious universities in South Korea, Severance medical network, Songdo residential college for first-year students, strong QS ranking.
Cons
Very competitive admission, demanding academic culture, teaching largely in Korean.
Best For
Students aiming at one of the top three Korean universities, with strong medicine, engineering, business and humanities.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Also strong in finance, chemistry and physics, Korea University makes a sensible second look at home; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and has almost the same size, at about 31,130 students.
Also strong in chemistry, physics and mathematics, Seoul National University makes a sensible second look at home; it covers agriculture and materials as well, and has almost the same size, at about 28,300 students.
On content, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and this university are close, as both teach chemistry, physics and mathematics; it covers robotics and AI and machine learning as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 12,348 students against roughly 29,832 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
On content, National Taiwan University in Taiwan and this university are close, as both teach finance, chemistry and physics; it covers agriculture as well, and is slightly larger, at about 34,483 students against roughly 29,832 here.
Students considering a move abroad can look at Emory University in the United States, where finance, chemistry and mathematics also form the core, and it is also a private institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes.
In Australia, Macquarie University teaches much the same core subjects, finance, chemistry and physics, and it is public, whereas this institution is private, and also offers graduate certificate programmes.
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology offers an international parallel to this institution, with finance, chemistry and physics as common ground; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and covers AI and machine learning as well.
On content, University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong and this university are close, as both teach finance, chemistry and physics; it is public, whereas this university is private, and runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Yonsei University?
The main Sinchon campus is in Seodaemun District, Seoul, and an International Campus is at Songdo, Incheon.
When did it become Yonsei University?
In 1957, when the Severance Union Medical College and Yonhi University merged.
What does Yonsei mean?
It combines Yon, from Yonhi, with Sei, from Severance.
What is its motto?
The truth will set you free.
What is SKY?
The three most prestigious Korean universities: Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei.
How many students does it have?
29,832 in 2022, including 18,200 undergraduates.
Where do freshmen study?
Most freshmen spend their first year in the residential college programme at the Songdo campus.
Which hospitals belong to its network?
Severance Hospital, Gangnam Severance Hospital and Yongin Severance Hospital.
Which Nobel laureate studied there?
The novelist Han Kang, who received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature.
What does it cost?
Tuition differs by programme. Check the current tariff.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Biology, Engineering, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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