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KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)

Daejeon, South Korea

KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) is a national research university in Daejeon, South Korea, founded in 1971 as the country's first research-focused institution for science and engineering. It offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes across fields such as electrical engineering, computer science, mechanical and aerospace engineering, the natural sciences, and technology management, with many courses taught in English. International students apply directly through KAIST's online application system and are assessed on academic records, English proficiency and, for undergraduate entry, standardized test results.

Last updated

A clean modern East-Asian cityscape of orderly contemporary towers glowing softly at blue hour.
Full admissions guideKAIST Admission Guide for International Students8 min read · verified 12 July 2026

Location

Daejeon

Established

1971

Degree levels

Bachelor's, Master's, PhD

Instruction

English-taught

Rankings

Rankings are published annually by their respective organisations and change every year. Confirm the current-year position on the official ranking website before relying on it.

How to apply

Direct via KAIST online application (apply.kaist.ac.kr)

Admission tests

English proficiency: TOEFL / IELTS (or TEPS / TOEIC)Undergraduate: SAT / ACT / AP / IB standardized test scores (submitted where available/required)Graduate: application with academic transcripts and recommendation letters (English proficiency required)

Requirements change from one intake to the next — confirm the current ones on KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)’s official site (opens in a new tab) before you apply.

Applying to universities in East & Southeast Asia

Application platform
Direct via each university (no single regional platform; Japan via university portals/JASSO, Hong Kong undergraduate via JUPAS for local students)
Intakes
Varies by country — Japan: April & Sept/Oct; Singapore & Malaysia: Aug/Sept; South Korea & China: March & Sept
Student visa
Student visa / pass (varies by country)
Working while studying
Varies by country — many allow limited part-time work during term (for example Japan up to 28 hrs/week with permission; Singapore restricted); verify current rules on the official source before relying on them.

Official sources: Study in Japan — Government of Japan · Study in Korea — Government of Korea · Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore. Visa and work rules change — verify on the official source before relying on them.

Popular fields of study

Electrical EngineeringComputer ScienceMechanical EngineeringAerospace EngineeringPhysics and Natural SciencesBusiness and Technology Management
Visit official website

Source: KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) official website. Details here are for guidance only — tuition, deadlines, rankings and eligibility change every academic year, so confirm on the official university site before applying.

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