More than 10,700 students left three of South Korea’s most prestigious universities — Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University — before graduating over the past five years, according to an analysis of university disclosures.
The three schools, collectively known as SKY, recorded 10,736 departures from 2021 through 2025, Jongro Academy said, citing data from the Higher Education in Korea disclosure system.
The annual figure has exceeded 2,000 for four consecutive years, though it fell 19.4 percent to 2,012 in 2025 from a five-year high of 2,496 in 2024.
The figures cover students who withdrew as well as those who failed to register or return from leave. They do not show why students left or where they went next.
Korea University recorded the most departures last year, with 836, followed by Yonsei with 801 and SNU with 375. Natural sciences students accounted for 1,297 of the combined total, or 64.5 percent. Humanities students made up 654, or 32.5 percent, while 61, or 3 percent, were in arts and sports programs.
Some of the largest numbers were in engineering and life sciences. Yonsei’s engineering division recorded 132 departures and Korea University’s life sciences department 44.
At SNU, electrical and computer engineering and advanced convergence each recorded 26 departures. Among humanities programs, Korea University’s business school recorded 48 and Yonsei’s Underwood division 38.
“Natural sciences students who dropped out of Yonsei and Korea universities are presumed to have re-enrolled at Seoul National University or medical schools, while those who dropped out of SNU's natural sciences programs are presumed to have re-enrolled at medical schools,” said Lim Seong-ho, head of Jongro Academy.
The 2024 peak coincided with an expansion of medical school admissions for the 2025 academic year. The intake rose by about 1,500 places before returning to the previous level of 3,058 for 2026.
The timing lends context to Lim’s assessment, but the university departure figures cannot establish how many students subsequently entered medical schools.
Medical school admissions are set to expand again by 490 places for the 2027 academic year under a regional doctor program.
Students admitted through the program will receive financial support and must work in designated regions for 10 years after obtaining their medical licenses. Whether the additional places will affect departures from SKY universities remains uncertain.
shwang9@heraldcorp.com