This year, the number of applicants for special purpose high schools and autonomous private high schools has decreased compared to last year. Analysts suggest this reflects uncertainties regarding the government's medical school quota policy and the financial burden of special purpose and autonomous private high schools.
According to the analysis of the '2025 admissions status for special purpose and autonomous private high schools' announced by Jongno Academy on the 20th, the average competition ratio of 31 autonomous private high schools nationwide is 1.33 to 1. This is a decrease from 1.37 to 1 last year.
This year, the number of applicants is 13,745, a 3.5% decrease from the previous year (14,238). These statistics exclude two autonomous private high schools, Daegu Gyeongseong High School and Busan Haeundae High School, which did not disclose their competition ratios for the 2024 school year.
Additionally, the average competition ratio for eight international high schools for the 2025 school year is 1.86 to 1, down from 1.88 to 1 the previous year. The number of applicants is 2,184, a decrease of 1% (21 applicants).
Initially, there were expectations that the competition for special purpose and autonomous private high school admissions among the first-year high school students, who will be the first to experience the 2028 college admission reform, would become intense. This reform primarily aims to reduce the burden of academic records by changing the existing 9-point grading system to a 5-point system. As a result, it was anticipated that the competition for academic records among students of special purpose and autonomous private high schools, which was intense compared to general high schools, would decrease, leading to an influx of students wishing to enter these schools.
Lim Seong-ho, director of Jongno Academy, noted, 'The expansion of medical school admission quotas is also currently uncertain, which can be interpreted as a low level of policy reliability. Additionally, the worsening economic situation appears to have contributed to the financial burden.'
However, the competition ratio for 28 foreign language high schools rose to 1.39 to 1, up from 1.32 to 1 last year. The number of applicants also increased to 7,673, compared to 7,264 the previous year. Director Lim explained, 'With the complete integration of humanities and sciences, humanities students can now apply to science tracks.' This means that students can apply to medical schools and other options after entering foreign language high schools.
Meanwhile, the highest competition ratio for the 2025 admissions to special purpose and autonomous private high schools was recorded by Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies (Gyeonggi) at 2.68 to 1. This was followed by Hana High School (Seoul) at 2.52 to 1, Hyundai Cheongun High School (Ulsan) at 2.33 to 1, Sangsang High School (Jeonbuk) at 2.2 to 1, Seoul International High School (Seoul) at 2.15 to 1, Sejong International High School (Sejong) at 2.06 to 1, Goyang International High School (Gyeonggi) at 2.03 to 1, Myeongdeok Foreign Language High School (Seoul) at 1.94 to 1, Dongtan International High School (Gyeonggi) at 1.85 to 1, and Incheon International High School (Incheon) at 1.84 to 1.