2027 College Admissions: Competition Decreases for SKY Universities

In the 2027 college admissions cycle, the number of applicants for the top-tier "SKY" universities—Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University—has decreased by about 3,300 compared to the previous year, resulting in a slight drop in competition ratios. Notably, competition for medical schools has also declined across the board, while there is a significant polarization in application trends, with a surge in applicants for Korea University's essay admissions.

Experts attribute this trend to a decrease in third-year high school students, an increase in repeat test-takers, and the unique circumstances surrounding the final year of the current admissions system, which has led to a noticeable preference for "stable" applications among candidates.

According to an analysis by Jongno Academy, Yuwon, Etoos, and Jinhaksa on September 10, the final competition ratio for early admissions at the three universities is 14.40:1, with a total of 71,54 spots available and 103,014 applicants, a decrease of 3,362 applicants (3.2%) from last year’s ratio of 14.93:1.

By university, Seoul National University’s competition ratio fell from 8.12:1 to 7.37:1, and Yonsei University’s dropped from 15.10:1 to 14.02:1. In contrast, Korea University saw a slight increase from 20.35:1 to 20.46:1.

The competition ratio for medical schools, a major focus for top-tier science students, has decreased at all three universities. The number of spots available remains at 210, but the number of applicants has dropped from 2,947 to 2,587, a decline of 12.2%. Consequently, the overall competition ratio fell from 14.03:1 to 12.32:1.

This decline is closely related to the overall weakness in student record admissions. The number of applicants for Yonsei University’s student record (recommended type) has decreased by 25.1%, while Korea University’s school recommendation applications have dropped by 18.5%. The comprehensive student record admissions have also seen declines, with Yonsei’s activity excellence type down by 4.0% and Korea University’s academic excellence type down by 4.8%.

In contrast, the essay admissions have shown clear polarization. Korea University’s essay admissions saw a significant increase of 11.5% (2,899 applicants), resulting in a competition ratio of 79.90:1, which drove the overall increase in competition for the university. The competition ratio for Korea University’s business school essay admissions reached an astonishing 198.33:1. However, Yonsei University’s essay admissions saw an increase in competition ratio due to a reduction in available spots, even as the actual number of applicants decreased by 11.4%.

Competition ratios for advanced programs, such as semiconductor engineering, also varied. Korea University’s semiconductor engineering program increased from 12.04:1 to 14.57:1, while Yonsei University’s system semiconductor engineering program saw a slight decrease from 11.26:1 to 11.11:1.

Admissions experts have noted a clear trend toward "stable" applications in the results of this year’s SKY early admissions. Lim Seong-ho, head of Jongno Academy, stated, "Given that the 2027 admissions cycle is the last year of the current system, it is presumed that third-year students opted for stable applications rather than risky upward applications. Additionally, the introduction of the regional doctor system for local medical schools has also contributed to the dispersion of top-tier science students."

Lee Man-ki, head of Yuwon Educational Assessment Research Institute, commented, "Both Yonsei University and Korea University saw decreases in applicants for student record and comprehensive admissions, leading students who find it difficult to compete in humanities student record admissions to seek upward applications through essays to top-tier universities."

Kim Byeong-jin, head of Etoos Educational Assessment Research Institute, noted, "The overall decrease in applicants is influenced by a reduction in the total number of test-takers compared to the 2026 admissions cycle. All three universities have limited the eligibility for school recommendation admissions to prospective graduates, which has inevitably led to a decrease in applicants for that category due to the decline in current students."

Woo Yeon-cheol, head of Jinhaksa Admissions Strategy Research Institute, remarked, "While Seoul National University and Yonsei University experienced a drop in competition ratios, Korea University’s results were similar to last year, indicating a clear trend. The decrease in current students has weakened student record and comprehensive admissions, while the influx of repeat test-takers has intensified competition in essay admissions, suggesting a need to focus on changes in competition dynamics by admission type rather than overall competition ratios."

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