International schools in Seoul: fees, admissions and who's allowed in

In Seoul your kids' Australian passport matters more than your bank balance, at first anyway. Then the fee invoice arrives.

The short version

• Korea has a legal category called "foreign schools". They're set up mainly for foreign children, and Korean children can only fill a capped share of places [1].
• Australian children qualify as foreign nationals, so eligibility is rarely the problem. Getting a place at the right campus in the right year can be.
• At Seoul Foreign School, high school tuition for 2026–27 is ₩33,370,000 plus US$14,955 a year, before entrance fees and the bus [2]. Across Korea, international school tuition runs from about ₩20 million to ₩60 million a year [3].
• Korean public schools take foreign children too. They're free, the teaching is in Korean, and the school year starts in March, just like at home.
• We couldn't find a Seoul school teaching the Australian curriculum. Most Aussie families choose IB or British programmes, which translate well when you move home.

How foreign schools work in Korea

Korea separates "foreign schools" (외국인학교) from ordinary private schools. They're licensed by the provincial or city education office under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the government runs an English information site listing them, International School Information [1].

The admission rules are what make them different. According to that site, three groups of children can enrol [1]:

1. Foreign children.
2. Korean nationals who have lived abroad for more than three years.
3. Children of people who have acquired Korean nationality.

Korean students who meet the rules can make up to 30% of a school's places, rising to 50% with approval from the superintendent of education [1]. In December 2025 the Korea Herald reported that some regional cities were loosening these rules further, and that Korea punishes schools that break admission rules with suspensions on taking Korean students [3]. For you, the point is simple: your kids are in the group these schools were built for.

Dual nationals

If one parent is Korean, your child may hold Korean citizenship as well as Australian. Schools assess dual nationals case by case under these rules, and the paperwork can be heavier. Ask the admissions office early, before you sign a lease near the campus.

The main schools and what they teach

Seoul's international schools fall into three broad camps. The list below covers schools in or very close to Seoul. Check each school's website for current year levels and spaces.

There are also French, Japanese, Chinese and Christian foreign schools, and a growing number of private "international" academies that are not licensed as foreign schools. Those unlicensed academies may not give your child a recognised qualification, so check the school appears on the government list [1].

Which curriculum suits an Australian family?

• IB. The Diploma is recognised by Australian universities, which convert IB scores to an ATAR equivalent. It's the safest bet if you might go home during senior school.
• British. IGCSE and A-levels are also accepted by Australian universities. The British year structure differs from ours, so placement on return takes a conversation with the school.
• American. AP and the US high school diploma are accepted for university entry, but the fit with Australian year levels is the trickiest of the three.

What it costs in 2026

Fees in Seoul are often quoted in two currencies, won and US dollars, because part of the cost covers overseas-hired teachers. Here's Seoul Foreign School's published schedule for 2026–27 [2]:

On top of tuition, new students pay a ₩450,000 application fee, a ₩650,000 registration fee and a ₩5,500,000 entrance fee. The school bus is ₩4,200,000 a year [2].

For comparison, German School Seoul International lists ₩27,680,000 a year for school-age students in 2026–27, plus a ₩3,000,000 family admission fee [4]. The Korea Herald puts the national range at roughly ₩20 million to ₩60 million a year [3]. We haven't listed other schools' fees because they change every year. Ask for the current schedule in writing.

Who pays?

Many expat packages in Korea include a school allowance, especially for diplomats, military contractors and senior hires at Korean conglomerates. English teachers and people on local contracts usually pay themselves. If you're negotiating a job offer, put school fees on the table before you sign. For the tax side of an allowance, see our guide to income tax in Korea.

Getting a place: the steps

Admissions run all year at most schools, but popular year levels fill up. Here's the order that works:

1. Shortlist by commute. Seoul traffic is slow. Pick schools first, then look for housing in the same area, such as Hannam-dong for Yongsan schools or Banpo for Dulwich.
2. Check eligibility in writing. Confirm your child fits the foreign school rules, especially if they hold dual citizenship [1].
3. Gather documents. The government site lists proof of entry, passport, health records, previous school reports and, where needed, English test results [1]. Ask your Australian school for two years of reports and a transfer letter.
4. Apply and pay the application fee. Expect assessments or interviews for older children.
5. Hold the offer. Pay the registration and entrance fees by the deadline, or the place goes to the waitlist.
6. Sort the visa. Children usually get a dependant visa linked to a parent's visa, then their own Alien Registration Card. See our guide to your ARC in Seoul.

Most foreign schools follow a northern-hemisphere year starting in August. Seoul Foreign School's 2026–27 year runs from 10 August 2026 to 11 June 2027 [2]. Arriving from Australia in January means joining halfway through a year.

Korean public schools: the free option

Korean public schools accept foreign children. Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, now writes to registered foreign families to remind them about primary school enrolment, because foreign children are not covered by compulsory education and many parents miss the enrolment window [5].

What that means in practice:

• It's free and the school year starts in March, like in Australia.
• Lessons are in Korean. Young children often pick up the language quickly. Teenagers usually find it much harder, especially for exam-heavy subjects.
• You enrol through your local school or district education office, based on your registered address. Bring passports, ARCs and previous school records.
• Expect long days. Many Korean children attend private academies (hagwon) after school. You don't have to, but your kids will notice.

For young children staying several years, public school can be a genuine gift. For a teenager on a two-year posting who's heading back for Year 11 and 12 at home, it's a gamble.

Coming home to Australian schooling

Your kids will go back into a state system with its own year levels and age rules. A few things make re-entry easier:

• Keep every report and transcript, translated into English if they're in Korean.
• Stay close to Australian age-to-year expectations. Korea's school starting age and the northern-hemisphere year at foreign schools can push a child half a year ahead or behind.
• Plan senior school early. If you'll be back for Year 11, talk to the target Australian school about subject choices before you leave Seoul.

Our living-abroad guide on schooling Australian kids abroad and coming home walks through enrolment, year placement and university entry. And for honest school reviews from parents, ask in Cooee South Korea, our Facebook group for Australians in South Korea.

Sources

1. International School Information: establishment and admission of foreign schools (Korean government)
2. Tuition and fees 2026–2027 – Seoul Foreign School
3. Global education, gated access: Who gets into Korea's international schools – The Korea Herald via Asia News Network, December 2025
4. Tuition fees 2026–2027 – German School Seoul International (PDF)
5. Gyeonggi Province sends elementary school admission guidance to registered foreign children – Gyeonggi Provincial Government, February 2025

Keep reading

• Learning Korean in Seoul: uni institutes, KIIP and the TOPIK
• Renting in Seoul as an Australian
• Moving to Seoul from Australia: the complete guide
• Schooling Australian kids abroad and coming home