South Korea has opened its doors to bright overseas students. Foreign students skilled in science and technology can look forward to studying at leading South Korean universities with a much simpler pathway to permanent residency.
South Korea’s Ministry of Justice has launched ‘K-STAR Visa Track’ to attract over 400 outstanding foreign science and technology talents annually and support their long-term settlement in Korea.
What is K-STAR Visa Track
South Korea has granted to presidents of selected universities through evaluation, to recommend outstanding foreign students.
The recommended students can obtain residency status (F-2) immediately upon graduation without employment requirements, and may apply for permanent residency (F-5) after 3 years. If outstanding research achievements are demonstrated, the foreign students may apply for special naturalization regardless of their length of stay.
The K-STAR Visa Track is an expanded and reorganized version of the existing ‘Science and Technology Talent Permanent Residency/Naturalization Fast-Track Program’, which had previously granted such benefits only to international students graduating from the five major Institutes of Science and Technology.
K-STAR Visa Track Universities
The Ministry of Justice plans to operate the K-STAR Visa Track in cooperation with universities, so that overseas science and technology talent can enter Korea more easily, and highly trained individuals fostered with national resources can remain in the country and settle stably without leaving.
Through this reform, about 20 additional general universities (to be designated through evaluation) will also be included, enabling their international students to apply for residency status (F-2) without employment requirements.
Through this system reform, the number of outstanding foreign talents eligible for residency status (F-2), which had previously been limited to about 100 people annually, is expected to expand to around 400 per year. This will allow foreign talents with master’s and doctoral degrees to continue their research activities more stably in Korea.
Applications from universities will be accepted through October. The final list of selected universities will be announced in December after review by a private evaluation panel. In particular, emphasis will be placed on the university’s procedures for recommending outstanding talents and its ongoing support plan to ensure that these individuals can progress to permanent residency and naturalization.