The number of Chinese students enrolled in graduate programs at South Korean universities has surged over the past decade, and now account for more than half of all foreign master's and doctoral students in the country.
Chinese graduate students totaled 30,081 as of April 1 last year, according to data submitted by the Education Ministry to Rep. Kim Min-jeon of the National Assembly’s Education Committee. The figure represents a 167 percent increase from 11,250 in 2016, marking a roughly 2.6-fold rise over the period.
Foreign graduate students overall reached 59,040 last year, with Chinese nationals making up the majority. The number of Chinese students in master’s and doctoral programs first exceeded 20,000 in 2020 and surpassed 30,000 for the first time last year, the data show.
Their share among foreign graduate students has also steadily climbed. Chinese students accounted for as much as 59.2 percent in 2022, and although the ratio has edged slightly lower since then, they still represent more than half of the total.
Korea’s business schools have emerged as a particularly popular option. Chinese students are increasingly enrolling in MBA programs, drawn by shorter degree timelines and tuition that is often lower than that of major universities in China.
Last year, 168 Chinese students were enrolled in MBA programs at Korean universities, compared with 920 Korean students, the data shows. While the number of Korean MBA students has fallen to about two-thirds of its 2016 level, Chinese enrollment has increased more than tenfold over the same period.
Analysts said the trend reflects overlapping incentives — growing demand among Chinese students seeking graduate credentials and financial pressures prompting Korean universities to recruit more international students.
Some observers have also raised concerns that certain Chinese students may use Korean graduate degrees as a pathway to obtain Beijing household registration, or hukou.
Securing Beijing hukou provides access to public benefits such as compulsory education and health care for children, but competition is intense. In some cases, obtaining an overseas graduate degree can ease the requirements.
“If Korean graduate schools are effectively functioning as a tool to take advantage of another country’s institutional system, that would be a serious issue,” Kim said. “The structure of graduate admissions for foreign students needs to be reviewed.”
hnpark@heraldcorp.com
