Student Visas in South Korea
Studying there, and whether study leads to residency
The D-2 status covers degree study at an accredited Korean institution and the D-4 status covers language courses and other non-degree programmes. Study is a recognised route onward: graduates may move to a D-10 job-seeking status, and time spent studying counts toward the points and residence requirements that follow.
| Degree study | D-2, tied to an accredited institution source |
| Language study | D-4, language institutes and non-degree courses |
| After graduation | D-10 job seeking, commonly six months at a time |
| Part-time work | Permitted with prior authorisation, subject to weekly caps source |
What an application requires
- A certificate of admission from an institution authorised to host foreign students; institutions are graded, and those with poor visa compliance records face additional restrictions on their applicants.
- Proof of financial capacity, commonly a bank balance held for a specified period covering tuition and living costs for the first year.
- Academic records, usually apostilled or consular-legalised, and often verified through an academic verification service.
- Evidence of language ability, either a TOPIK level for Korean-taught programmes or an English test score for English-taught ones.
Working while studying
Part-time work is permitted but is not automatic: a student must obtain permission before starting, and the weekly hour cap varies with the level of study and with the student's Korean language level as measured by TOPIK. Higher TOPIK levels commonly unlock more permitted hours.
Working without that permission, or beyond the cap, is a status violation and is the most common reason a student's later change of status is refused.
From study to work
A graduate of a Korean university is in a materially stronger position than an applicant from abroad. The D-10 job-seeking status gives time to find employment inside the country, employers are more comfortable with a domestic degree, and the E-7 occupation and experience conditions are applied more leniently to graduates of Korean institutions in some sub-categories.
Study time also counts in the F-2-7 points system, where a Korean degree scores more than a foreign one, and Korean-language study feeds directly into the TOPIK score that the same system rewards.
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Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.