US students are choosing South Korea. This marks a new milestone for the country, which over the past decade has been receiving spotlight as a popular study abroad destination for international students globally.
The data from the Institute of International Education (USA) and Korea’s Ministry of Justice corroborate the shift in mobility patterns.
In 2002/03, a small margin of internationally mobile US students was found in Korea, 834 or about 0.4% (739 of 174,629). Since then, inbound numbers have grown eight-fold (to 5,909) in 2022/23, representing a dramatic increase in the shares of total US students found globally. The ratio of US students in Korea to global numbers stood at 2.1% for the 2022/23 academic year while pandemic levels were even higher with US students in Korea representing nearly 7 percent of the global US study abroad population (977 out of 14,549).
Notably, Korea is exemplary for having not only the highest rate of growth in recent years, but also fast rebound rates in the post-pandemic era. These trends solidify Korea's status as an emerging and major player in the international exchange of US students.
In fact, many countries witnessed a downward trend in inbound rates. China, for instance, saw its numbers dwindle significantly due to political tensions and pandemic-related disruptions — from a high of 12,000~14,000 U.S. students in the pre-pandemic to a mere fraction thereof in subsequent years.
Korea’s quick turnabout reflects the country’s resilience and strategic initiative during a period of substantial volatility in the global student market. The same may be said of Japan’s circumstances with robust recovery rates post COVID-19. From the initial setback of hosting roughly one hundred US students in 2020/21, inbound numbers of US study abroad students increased to over 9,000 in 2022/23.
An insightful aspect of this growth is the shifting views among U.S. students towards diverse types of educational engagements in Korea. The shift in US student mobility is largely owed to an increase in credit mobility and short-term stays. According to the Korea’s Ministry of Justice, the D-2-6 and D-2-8 visa, associated with semester-based credit-seeking mobility, saw its numbers grow rapidly in recent years, particularly after 2018/19. The D-4-1 visa for language learners also showed notable resilience and growth, with steady increases throughout the period. The uncaptured number in short-term programs, such as faculty-led, customized, and internship programs or summer/winter programs offered by many Korean higher educational institutions should also not be overlooked. There has been a discernible pivot from traditional degree programs towards more flexible, short-term credit-bearing or language programs.
Korea’ s newfound popularity among U.S. students points to several pull factors.
Korea’s effective control of pandemic related disruptions may have been crucial. The implementation of sophisticated digital technology such as contact tracing apps, data-driven healthcare responses, and real-time public information systems kept infection rates down while perhaps presenting the country as a safe destination for study. This tech-driven approach not only helped manage the crisis efficiently but also enhanced Korea’s global reputation as a leader in innovation, contributing to its national brand as a secure and technologically advanced country.
The government’s continued investments in internationalization and quality management may also be significant, finally paying off as a long-term strategy that began in the 1990s, perhaps earlier. English medium instruction programs have been improving in both quality and quantity. Upgrades in this regard have made linguistic affinity a major pull factor with Anglophone international student populations drawn to the nearly universal presence of academic programs and courses taught in English. Korean higher education is now more than over accessible to international groups including US students who may also take advantage of the country’s growing national scholarship scheme, Global Korea Scholarship. Importantly, Korea’s national plan to reach 300,000 international student population by 2027 strongly supports KOR-US student mobility, particularly in STEM fields.
There are also five U.S. based transnational HEIs from Stony Brook University, George Mason University, University of Utah, and Fashion Institute of Technology, offering the American or international educational experience in Korea. They boost academic and educational exchanges across the Pacific Ocean by adding 230 degree and 110 credit mobility students to the enrollment portfolio. Korean HEIs are catching on, with liberal arts prominently marketed in academic programs or colleges. Yonsei University’s Underwood International College is a prime example of this.
Some pull factors challenge traditional international mobility patterns. For many U.S. and other international students, career or academic mobility (often dubbed as “vertical mobility”) may no longer be driving decisions to study abroad. K-pop music has become a worldwide sensation with BTS and NewJean “taking the world by storm.” The international hit series “Squid Game,” K-movies such as “Parasite,” and the recently recognized Han Kang for winning the Nobel Prize in Literature is adding to Korea’s reputational cache. Korea’s heritage and culture is now becoming center stage. Students drawn to the Korean culture are increasingly part of a global cultural migration. The pull of cultural immersion has become significant — over the utilitarian needs of career or academic mobility.
This shift, from utilitarian to cultural, is a step in a positive direction, reinforcing long-standing efforts by both countries to forge ties based on mutual understanding and cultural exchange. The Fulbright scholarship program, for example, was significant in paving the way for such collaboration since its inception in the 1950s. It is a matter of course to credit the historical KOR-US ties, and higher education is never an exception. Moreover, some distinguished third-party international education organizations are active in making contributions with their own plans and strategies.
The strategic implications of these trends for international education providers are profound. With Korea’s educational appeal strengthening, there is a clear indication that future program offerings should increasingly cater to the demand for shorter, more culturally integrated overseas learning experiences. This recognition aligns with broader shifts observed in student mobility trends, where traditional destinations are being reconsidered in the wake of global disruptions.
It appears that Korea's strategic enhancements in educational offerings, coupled with its cultural appeal, have positioned it uniquely on the academic world stage. This could also mean a greater emphasis on partnerships with Korean HEIs to develop well-thought-out programs that leverage the unique cultural and educational assets of the region. The growing interest in Korea as a study destination is also a reflection of broader societal and economic transformations within Asia, signaling a shift in global power dynamics and the emergence of Korea as a focal point of higher education innovation and opportunity.
*This article is co-authored by Kyuseok (KS) Kim (Center Director, IES Seoul | Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Education, Korea University) and Dr. Edward Choi (Assistant Professor, Underwood International College, Yonsei University), and featured by the PIE News (https://thepienews.com/koreas-internationalisation-drive-attracts-growing-numbers-of-us-students/).
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