International Schools in Korea

There are approximately 40 foreign schools across Korea, with more than half located in Seoul. Tuition typically ranges from US$15,000 to US$25,000 annually, plus additional costs for school buses, textbooks, and extracurricular activities.

For a comprehensive directory of all international schools, visit the Ministry of Education portal at isi.go.kr/en/index.do

Types of International Education

1. Foreign Schools — For children of foreigners. Koreans returning after 3+ years abroad may be admitted within capacity limits.
2. Foreign Educational Institutions — Run by non-profit organizations under foreign curricula. No nationality restrictions.
3. Jeju International Schools — Located in Jeju English Education City. No nationality restrictions for admission.

Major International Schools

Seoul

1. Dwight School Seoul — IB curriculum, PS3-12. dwight.or.kr
2. Yongsan International School of Seoul (YISS) — IB program, K-12. yisseoul.org
3. Seoul Foreign School (SFS) — One of the oldest, established 1912

Gyeonggi-do

1. Korea International School Pangyo (KIS) — AP program, PK-12. kis.kr

Incheon / Songdo

1. Chadwick International — Holistic education, K-12. chadwickinternational.org
2. Cheongna Dalton School — AP program, K-12. daltonschool.kr

Learning Korean

Learning Korean is essential for daily life in Korea. Many free and low-cost programs are available:

1. Seoul Global Center — Free Korean classes for all non-Korean residents in Seoul. Tel: 82-2-2075-4130. global.seoul.go.kr
2. Multicultural Family Support Center — Free Korean classes including a home-teaching program that sends teachers to your home.
3. Korea Support Center for Foreign Workers — Korean language programs for workers.
4. University Korean Language Institutes — Intensive Korean programs at major universities (paid, typically 1.5-2 million KRW per semester).

Online Korean learning: King Sejong Institute (iksi.or.kr) and Talk to Me in Korean (talktomeinkorean.com) offer structured online courses.

Source: KOTRA 2019 Guide to Living in Korea. School info changes frequently — contact schools directly for current details.