In the 2027 academic year early admissions, the number of applicants to semiconductor contract departments at major universities hit an all-time high. The number of applicants to Pusan National University, Chonnam National University, and Chungnam National University, which receive focused support under the government's "creating 10 Seoul National Universities" policy, also rose by double digits from a year earlier.
According to Jongno Academy on the 11th, a total of 5,992 people applied to the semiconductor contract departments at five universities, including Yonsei University, Korea University, Sungkyunkwan University, Sogang University, and Hanyang University. That is up 972 (19.4%) from a year earlier. The average competition ratio was 28.53 to 1, the highest ever.
By university, the increases in applicants were large at Sogang University, Hanyang University, Korea University, and Sungkyunkwan University. Sogang University rose 36.5% (354 people) from a year earlier; Hanyang University, 21.3% (250); Korea University, 21.1% (71); and Sungkyunkwan University, 18.0% (309).
Yonsei University was the only one among the five where applicants decreased. It fell 1.5% (12 people) from a year earlier.
By corporations, SK hynix contract departments showed a marked increase. A total of 3,152 people applied to SK hynix contract departments, up 675 (27.3%) from a year earlier. Among SK hynix contract departments, Sogang University's Department of System Semiconductor Engineering had the highest competition ratio at 66.15 to 1. Hanyang University's Department of Semiconductor Engineering was 44.41 to 1.
Samsung Electronics contract departments drew 2,840 applicants, up 297 (11.7%) from a year earlier. Within Samsung Electronics contract departments, Sungkyunkwan University's Department of Semiconductor Systems Engineering recorded 36.84 to 1. It was followed by Korea University's SK hynix Department of Semiconductor Engineering at 14.57 to 1 and Yonsei University's Samsung Electronics Department of System Semiconductor Engineering at 10.85 to 1.
Interest among test-takers in semiconductor contract departments has steadily risen in recent years. The five universities' applicant counts increased from 2,234 in the 2021 academic year to 2,971 in 2022, 3,663 in 2023, 4,121 in 2024, and 4,829 in 2025. It reached 5,020 in 2026 and climbed by nearly 1,000 to 5,992 in 2027.
Meanwhile, the number of early admissions applicants to Pusan National University, Chonnam National University, and Chungnam National University, which receive focused support under the government's "creating 10 Seoul National Universities" policy, also jumped. The three national universities drew a total of 99,883 applicants for the 2027 academic year early admissions, up 11.6% from 89,469 a year earlier. The average competition ratio also rose from 8.29 to 1 to 9.16 to 1.
Pusan National University saw applicants increase 19.0% (6,599) from a year earlier, recording a competition ratio of 11.55 to 1. Chonnam National University posted 6.64 to 1 as applicants rose 5.1% (1,274), while Chungnam National University recorded 9.58 to 1 with an 8.6% (2,541) increase in applicants.
To nurture Pusan National University, Chonnam National University, and Chungnam National University as regional growth hubs, the government will provide about 70 billion won in additional support per school this year. It also plans to inject about 80 billion won each year from next year through 2030.