Education and Schools in Seoul

Education and schools in Seoul are excellent and famed for their academic rigour. Expats looking for a school for their children will have plenty of options in both the public and international school domains.

Public schools in Seoul

Expats moving to Seoul rarely send their children to public schools. The Korean education system is praised for the results its students consistently produce, but many expat families find the high-pressure, intensely focused approach difficult to adapt to. There’s also a language barrier to contend with, as Korean is the language of instruction in public schools.

Education and Schools in South Korea

Useful links

• Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education
• Seoul Metropolitan Government: Education for Foreign Residents

Private schools in Seoul

Private schools in Seoul typically refer to hagwons (학원) – for-profit private academies that operate outside regular school hours. These after-school institutions are a cornerstone of South Korean education culture and cover subjects ranging from academic tutoring to music, art, sports, and other enrichment activities.

Hagwons function differently from Western private schools. Children attend these academies after their regular school day ends, often staying until late evening.

For expat families, hagwons can serve specific purposes: Korean language instruction, maintaining your child’s mother tongue proficiency, or supplementing subjects where your child may be behind due to differences in curriculum. Some expat families find the hagwon system too intense and prefer to hire a tutor.

International schools in Seoul

Expats moving to Seoul with children might find that international school fees are their greatest expense. As a result of Seoul’s medium-sized diplomatic community and significant American army population, there is a wide range of international schools to choose from, many of which follow either the International Baccalaureate programme or the American curriculum.

Most expats send their children to international schools to retain some continuity in their lives. South Korean culture places great importance on academic achievement, and this spills over into Seoul’s international schools to some extent. Because of this, expat children might feel more pressure to excel academically than they did in their home countries. Schools also maintain a culture of utmost respect towards teachers, which might require adjustment for children used to more relaxed environments.

If you’re sending your children to international schools in Seoul, explore your options as soon as possible. Schools may have long waiting lists. Admission to these schools can be competitive, and may include entry tests and interviews.

Best International Schools in Seoul

Special educational needs in Seoul

By law, children in South Korea cannot be refused admission or discriminated against by any school because of disabilities. Public education in South Korea is also free for children with physical and intellectual disabilities from the ages of five to 18.

Seoul has over 30 special-needs schools, but many children with disabilities attend mainstream schools. Students who spend a lot of time in the hospital can also study online while receiving medical treatment.

For a child to attend a school for special educational needs, they must first be registered as a child with a disability at their local district office. Parents can then apply to the school of their choice.

Not all international schools in Seoul cater for children with special educational needs, so check with the relevant school about their support services and qualified staff.

Useful links

• Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education: Special Education
• Angloinfo: Special Needs Education in South Korea

Tutors in Seoul

Tutors can be useful for expat children transitioning into a new school environment. They can be hired for anything from general assistance with school subjects to helping maintain a child’s proficiency in their mother tongue or helping them to learn Korean. Differences in education systems may result in expat children being behind in some areas of their new curriculum, and tutors are an excellent way to catch up.

Tutoring in South Korea is big business, so expats will have plenty of choices. Research different options thoroughly before deciding on a tutor. Tutoring can be done one-on-one, through online classes and videos, or by attending a hagwon (private after-school academy). You can find tutors through online platforms like MyPrivateTutor and AmazingTalker, word-of-mouth recommendations from other parents, or by checking with your child’s school for suggestions.

Useful links

• MyPrivateTutor: Find Tutors in Seoul
• AmazingTalker: Online Korean and English Tutors
• Preply: Korean Tutors in Seoul