This year, the competition ratio for the non-major (major elective selection system) admission process at major domestic universities was lower than the average competition ratio of each university. Although the government has supported the expansion of non-major admissions with a budget, analysis suggests this is due to the high preference of test-takers for specific departments, such as medical schools.
On the 26th, Jongno Academy announced the analysis results of the competition ratios for non-major admissions for the 2025 academic year at the 10 major universities.
Non-major admissions are divided into Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 selects students without distinction between humanities and sciences, while Type 2 recruits based on affiliated college and department.
In the case of Type 1, the competition ratio was 3.7 to 1 in the first group. The universities selecting non-majors in the first group are Korea University, Sungkyunkwan University, and Kyunghee University. Korea University’s Type 1 (Free Major) competition ratio was 2.9 to 1, lower than the university's average competition ratio (4.9 to 1). Kyunghee University and Sungkyunkwan University had competition ratios of 3.8 to 1 each. Kyunghee University’s overall average competition ratio is 4.8 to 1, while Sungkyunkwan University's is 5.9 to 1.
The universities in the second group showed a similar trend. Seoul National University had a competition ratio of 3.7 to 1 for Type 1, lower than the overall average of 3.9 to 1. Sogang University also recorded 6.5 to 1, falling below the overall average (7.5 to 1). Ewha Womans University had a competition ratio of 3.0 to 1, which is lower than the overall average (4.3 to 1).
Type 2 is similar. Type 2 recruited 5 universities each from the humanities and natural sciences. The competition ratio for humanities at Seoul National University was 2.4 to 1, lower than the overall competition ratio of 3.2 to 1. The natural sciences also had a competition ratio of 3.0 to 1, lower than the overall average of 4.0 to 1. Yonsei University reported a competition ratio of 3.4 to 1 for humanities and 3.7 to 1 for natural sciences, both lower than the overall competition ratios (3.6 to 1, 4.6 to 1).
However, in the third group, the competition ratio for non-major admissions exceeded the overall average. The third group showed a competition ratio of 19.1 to 1, which is high compared to the first group (3.6 to 1) and the second group (3.5 to 1).
Lim Seong-ho, the representative of Jongno Academy, noted that "considering the high competition ratio for non-major admissions newly established and expanded in the 2025 academic year, the overall preference for general majors was relatively low," and added, "In the case of non-major admissions, if a candidate passes specific departments, there is a high possibility of transferring to those specific departments."