Address: 25-2 Sungkyunkwan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03063, South Korea
Engineering;AI and Machine Learning;Materials
Oldest university in Korea, tracing back to 1398, SKKU is renowned for integrating tradition with modern research and education.
Sungkyunkwan University, SKKU, traces its origins to the Sungkyunkwan, the national Confucian academy founded in Seoul in 1398 under the Joseon dynasty, which makes it the oldest institution of higher education in Korea. It became a modern university in the twentieth century, and since 1996 the Samsung Group has supported it as its foundation. It has about 31,000 students and 2,300 staff, and around one student in five comes from abroad. The humanities and social sciences campus is in Jongno, in the old city of Seoul, and the natural sciences campus is in Suwon.
The Seoul campus lies next to the Munmyo shrine, where Confucius and Korean scholars are honoured, and next to the Myeongnyundang, a lecture hall of the old academy, with ginkgo trees of about 500 years that give the campus its autumn colour. The Suwon campus is modern and holds engineering, natural sciences, medicine and the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology collaboration. The two campuses combine tradition and technology, which is a part of the university’s identity.
The university is known for its programmes in business, economics, law, engineering, semiconductors, information technology, medicine and Confucian studies. The Samsung Medical Center is the main teaching hospital, and the SKKU Advanced Institute of Nano Technology works on graphene and carbon materials. Close links with Samsung Electronics give graduates access to employment in the semiconductor and electronics sectors, and a department of semiconductor system engineering has been created.
Admission for Korean students uses the national exam and the university’s own screening, while international applicants apply directly with academic records and language tests. Teaching is in Korean and English, and proof of Korean or English proficiency is required. Tuition is higher than at national universities, and the amounts depend on the faculty. Check the current tariff and the scholarships offered to international students.
Seoul is expensive, but SKKU provides dormitories on both campuses, and the Jongno area has cafes and bookshops used by students.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Engineering, Materials
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
Partnerships with Samsung Group and global research universities
Research:
Research focuses on IT, biotechnology, and materials science
Famous Alumnis:
Lee Byung-chul
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2300
Current students***:
31000
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
260000
Pros
Strong corporate affiliation with Samsung; modern facilities
Ewha Womans University sits close to this university on AI and machine learning and engineering; it is slightly smaller, at about 21,000 students against roughly 31,000 here, and is also a private institution.
On content, Kyung Hee University and this university are close, as both teach AI and machine learning and engineering; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers life sciences as well.
Think of Sookmyung Women's University when AI and machine learning and engineering is the priority: it is smaller, enrolling about 14,000 students against roughly 31,000 here, and is also a private institution.
Dankook University overlaps with this institution on AI and machine learning and engineering, so the two are easy to compare, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers life sciences as well.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of AI and machine learning and engineering can consider Ajou University, and it is smaller, enrolling about 17,000 students against roughly 31,000 here, and is also a private institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
For a study option in Brazil with a comparable spread of materials and engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul is the reference point: it covers physics as well, and has almost the same size, at about 30,000 students.
Nanjing University, in China, takes a similar route through materials, AI and machine learning and engineering; it is slightly larger, at about 35,700 students against roughly 31,000 here, and is public, whereas this institution is private.
National University of Science and Technology in Russia pursues a similar profile in materials, AI and machine learning and engineering, and it is public, whereas this university is private, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Abroad, State University of Campinas (Brazil) covers engineering in a comparable way, and it is public, whereas this institution is private, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Tampere University (Finland) works on the same fields as this university, chiefly materials, AI and machine learning and engineering; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers optics and signal processing as well.
*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 SKKU?
The humanities campus is at 25-2 Sungkyunkwan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The natural sciences campus is in Suwon.
How old is it?
It traces its origins to the Sungkyunkwan academy founded in 1398, which makes it the oldest institution of higher education in Korea.
Who supports it?
The Samsung Group has supported it as its foundation since 1996.
How large is it?
About 31,000 students and 2,300 staff.
What is the Munmyo?
A Confucian shrine next to the Seoul campus where Confucius and Korean scholars are honoured.
What is it known for?
Business, economics, law, engineering, semiconductors, information technology, medicine and Confucian studies.
What is the Samsung Medical Center?
The main teaching hospital linked to the university.
How do international students apply?
They apply directly with academic records and language tests.
What language are courses taught in?
Korean and English, and proof of proficiency is required.
What does it cost?
Tuition is higher than at national universities and depends on the faculty. Check the current tariff and scholarships.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Engineering, Machine Learning, Materials, Research and Development, Sustainable 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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