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EduAtlasHub·University Brochure
Est. 1946
Private

Hongik University

"Hongik Ingan — To Broadly Benefit Humanity"
🇰🇷 South Korea ◯ Seoul ◍ 13.4% international ⬡ Asia
Last updated: September 9, 2026
Official Site → Apply Now
QS World 2026
#1401+
Global Ranking
Acceptance
Not Available
Students
21305
Tuition/yr
Not Available
Employed
Not Available
Faculty Ratio
Not Available
Quick Summary

Hongik University is a private South Korean university founded in 1946 in Seoul, internationally recognized for its College of Fine Arts — the largest in Korea — and ranked 44th worldwide for Art & Design in QS's 2026 subject rankings. Its 1971 merger with Soodo College of Engineering broadened the university into architecture and engineering alongside its arts strength, and it now enrolls roughly 21,000 students across Seoul, Sejong, and Daehakro campuses. The surrounding Hongdae district, named informally after the university, is one of Seoul's best-known creative and nightlife neighborhoods. It suits students seeking a portfolio-driven path into design, fine arts, or architecture, taught primarily in Korean with TOPIK proficiency expected of most applicants.

01
Institutional Profile
Who they are

Hongik houses Korea's largest College of Fine Arts, and in QS's 2026 subject rankings it placed 44th in the world for Art & Design specifically — a far stronger showing than its unranked overall QS position, which tells prospective students the university's strength is genuinely concentrated rather than broad-based. Its name and educational philosophy derive from Hongik Ingan, the founding principle of Korea's earliest kingdom, Gojoseon, meaning "to broadly benefit humanity" — a distinctive institutional identity with roots in ancient Korean historical texts rather than a generic modern mission statement. The university's 1971 merger with Soodo College of Engineering, which is what earned it full university status, gave it engineering and architecture programs alongside its arts college, so students who want both a top design pedigree and access to technical fields have that combination in one institution. Its location directly adjacent to Hongdae, the Seoul neighborhood that itself takes its informal name from the university, immerses students in a working arts and music district rather than a self-contained academic bubble.

Subject Strengths
Art & Design
Founded1946
TypePrivate
Total Students21305
Intl Students13.4%
Faculty RatioNot Available
CampusUrban, adjacent to the Hongdae commercial and arts district
Campus SizeMain campus in Mapo-gu, Seoul, plus a Sejong campus and Daehakro campus
Affiliated HospitalsNot Available
AccreditationAccredited by South Korea's Ministry of Education; Korea Architecture Accrediting Board (KAAB) for architecture programs
02
Global Standing
Three independent ranking systems
QS World 2026
#1401+
Quacquarelli Symonds
Times Higher Ed
Not Available
THE World University
ARWU Shanghai
Not Available
Academic Ranking
03
Academics & Research
What you can study
Bachelor's degrees,Master's degrees,Doctoral degrees,41 undergraduate departments across engineering, arts, social science, and humanities
Programs
Yes — Hongik began doctoral-level education in 1973 and now offers PhD programs across its graduate schools, including art, design, and engineering.
PhD Programs
Limited — Hongik's degree instruction is primarily in-person and Korean-medium, with most programs requiring a minimum TOPIK Level 3 proficiency; there is no significant fully online degree track.
Online Programs
Art and Design Research Institute,Institute of Industrial Technology,AI-Semiconductor Convergence Research Building (Hwaseong campus)
Research Centers
Hongik operates Korea's largest College of Fine Arts by enrollment, a distinction that concentrates its research and creative output in visual art, design, and architecture rather than spreading evenly across disciplines. The university's Art & Design Valley building, completed in 2023 on the Seoul campus, was purpose-built to consolidate design studios and exhibition space, reflecting continued institutional investment in that core strength. Hongik's 1971 merger with Soodo College of Engineering, which is what gained it full university status, means its engineering and architecture programs trace to a separate founding lineage than its art programs, and the two sides of the university still operate as fairly distinct academic cultures. In QS's 2026 subject rankings, Hongik placed 44th worldwide in Art & Design, a subject-specific placement that is far stronger than its unranked (1401+) overall QS position, underscoring how concentrated its research and reputation are in that one field.
Research Output
Accredited by South Korea's Ministry of Education; Korea Architecture Accrediting Board (KAAB) for architecture programs
Accreditation
04
Admissions Brief
What it takes to get in
Entry Requirements
Acceptance RateNot Available
IELTS5.5
TOEFL80
Min GPANot Available
GRENot Available
GMATNot Available
SATNot Available
ACTNot Available
Key Dates
FALLApplication Deadline · Typically May-June for September entry (varies by program and admission round)
SPRINGApplication Deadline · Typically October-November for March entry (varies by program and admission round)
MAR-APRDecisions Released
Required Documents
TranscriptsSOPEnglish ScoresLORsPassport
Insider Tip
For Fine Arts, Industrial Design, and other studio-based majors, a strong portfolio matters more than any single test score, so applicants should prioritize building and documenting original work well before the application window opens. Because nearly all instruction is in Korean, most undergraduate programs expect at least TOPIK Level 3, and competitive applicants to Korean-medium programs typically present a higher level than the stated minimum. Hongik's 1971 merger with Soodo College of Engineering means its engineering and architecture departments are administratively and culturally distinct from its art college, so applicants should research the specific department's admission process rather than assuming a single university-wide standard applies. International applicants should also confirm which of Hongik's three campuses — the main Seoul (Sangsu-dong) campus, Sejong, or Daehakro — hosts their intended program, since facilities and student life differ meaningfully between them.

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05
Cost Ledger
Amounts in South Korean Won
Living Cost
₩13,000,000/yr
per year · KRW
Scholarships AvailableHongik Global Scholarship,International Student Scholarship (first-semester tuition reduction),TOPIK-based merit tuition waivers (up to full first-semester waiver at TOPIK Level 6)
Financial AidInternational students receive an automatic tuition reduction in their first semester, and additional TOPIK-proficiency-based waivers are available; further merit- and need-based aid is administered through Hongik's international admissions office.
Work-StudyKorean immigration rules allow international students on an eligible visa status to apply for permission to work part-time off campus, rather than a dedicated university work-study scheme.
Calculate My Cost →
06
Featured & Popular Programs
A sample from Bachelor's degrees,Master's degrees,Doctoral degrees,41 undergraduate departments across engineering, arts, social science, and humanities programs total
ProgramLevelDuration
Fine ArtsBACHELOR3-4 YRS
Industrial DesignMASTER1-2 YRS
Visual Communication DesignPHD3-5 YRS
ArchitectureMBA12-24 MO
Business AdministrationBACHELOR3-4 YRS
View All Programs →
07
Career Outcomes
Where graduates land
Not Available
Average Salary After Graduation
Not Available
Employment Rate
Industry Connections
Hongik's concentration of design talent has made it a recruiting source for Korean design studiosadvertising agenciesand product-design divisions of major manufacturers based in and around Seoul. Its 1971 absorption of Soodo College of Engineering also gave it a foothold in engineering fieldsand its newer AI-Semiconductor Convergence Research Building on the Hwaseong campus signals an effort to build ties with Korea's semiconductor industrya sector concentrated in that region. The university's location adjacent to Hongdaeone of Seoul's dense creative and nightlife districtsmeans design and fine arts students are immersed in a working commercial art and music scene rather than an isolated academic campuswhich shapes informal industry exposure even outside formal placement programs. Because Hongik does not publish a centralized industry-partner listmost of these connections operate at the department level rather than through a single university-wide employer relations office.
Notable Alumni
Park Seo-bo (painter, founder of the Dansaekhwa monochrome painting movement and former Dean of Hongik's College of Fine Arts),Lee Bul (contemporary installation artist),Kim Kulim (avant-garde artist)
08
Campus & Student Life
Life beyond lectures
Housing
Yes — Hongik operates on-campus dormitories with priority allocation for international and first-year students, supplemented by off-campus housing common in the surrounding Hongdae neighborhood.
Sports Facilities
Campus gymnasium,fitness center,outdoor athletic field
Student Clubs
Over 100 student clubs spanning fine art, music, performance, and academic societies, reflecting the university's concentration of arts students
Library Resources
Hongik University Central Library,specialized art and design archives and slide/image collections supporting the College of Fine Arts
Exchange Programs
Hongik maintains exchange and dual-degree partnerships with universities worldwide, with a particular concentration of partner art and design schools given its College of Fine Arts' international profile.
Summer Programs
International Summer School offering Korean language and culture coursework for visiting students
✦
What sets it apart
The Art & Design Valley building, completed in 2023, was purpose-built to consolidate studio and exhibition space for the College of Fine Arts, reflecting continued institutional investment in Hongik's signature strength rather than resting on its existing reputation. The university operates across three physically separate campuses — the main Seoul (Sangsu-dong) campus, a Sejong campus established in the late 1980s, and a Daehakro campus opened in 2002 — so program location varies by department in a way applicants need to check individually. Hongdae, the surrounding neighborhood famous across Seoul for street art, indie music venues, and youth culture, grew up directly around the university and takes its common nickname from it, giving fine arts and design students an unusually direct link between their coursework and a living local creative economy. Alumnus Park Seo-bo, a founder of the Dansaekhwa monochrome painting movement whose market and museum presence expanded internationally through the 2010s, gives the College of Fine Arts a concrete tie to a specific art-historical movement rather than a vague claim of artistic prestige.
09
Funding
Scholarships matched to South Korea

Below is a curated index of international funding opportunities and external scholarship programs that eligible students may apply for when attending this institution.

Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) Fully Funded Approximately 15,000,000 KRW to 20,000,000 KRW per year Deadline: Undergraduate: September/October; Graduate: February/March (Exact dates vary by embassy or university track) → KAIST International Student Scholarship Fully Funded Full tuition exemption and 350,000 KRW monthly stipend Deadline: Early: December; Regular: January; Late: May (Exact dates vary by year) → POSTECH Graduate Fellowship Fully Funded Approximately 1,100,000 KRW for Master's and 1,500,000 KRW for PhD per month Deadline: Late May for Fall intake; Late November for Spring intake → SNU Global Scholarship Fully Funded Full tuition waiver plus approximately 1,200,000 KRW per month for living expenses Deadline: March for Fall semester; September for Spring semester → Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship (QInF) Fully Funded $100,000 per winning team (USA); €40,000 (Europe); ₹10,00,000 (India) Deadline: January - February (Varies by region annually) → Samsung Global Research Outreach (GRO) Program Approximately $100,000 to $150,000 USD per year Deadline: Typically August (Annual cycle) → View all South Korea scholarships →
10
Questions
Answered
What is the acceptance rate?+
Not available. Check the official website.
What English score do I need?+
Requirements: IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL 80.
How much does it cost per year?+
Estimated total cost is not available per year including tuition and living.
Are scholarships available?+
Hongik Global Scholarship,International Student Scholarship (first-semester tuition reduction),TOPIK-based merit tuition waivers (up to full first-semester waiver at TOPIK Level 6)
What is the application deadline?+
Fall: Typically May-June for September entry (varies by program and admission round). Spring: Typically October-November for March entry (varies by program and admission round).
Can I work while studying?+
Korean immigration rules allow international students on an eligible visa status to apply for permission to work part-time off campus, rather than a dedicated university work-study scheme.
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