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Which student visa do you need?

There are only two, and the difference is simple: D-2 is for a degree, D-4 is for language study. Everything below follows from that one choice.

visa types for students

stages, in a fixed order

days to register after arrival

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HiKorea, the official helpline

THE SHORT VERSION

A student visa isn't a tourist visa you convert

You cannot arrive as a tourist and switch to D-2 or D-4 once you're here. The application has to start from your home country, before you fly.

It's tied to one school, not portable

Your visa is linked to the university that sponsored it. Transferring schools usually means re-applying, not just updating an address.

The timeline is longer than it looks

Between admission, visa processing and your embassy's schedule, most students need 3 to 6 months. Starting late is the single biggest cause of missed intakes.

START HERE

D-2 or D-4

Pick the row that matches your situation. If you have not been admitted to a degree programme yet, you are looking at D-4.

D-2

STUDY VISA

For students admitted to a degree programme

For an associate, bachelor's, master's or doctoral programme at a Korean university. You cannot apply until your university issues your Standard Certificate of Admission.

STAYLength of your programme, extended each year

PART-TIME WORKAllowed with permission, 25–30 hrs/week

AFTER GRADUATIONCan switch to D-10 or E-7

Degree programmesAdmission certificate required

D-4

LANGUAGE TRAINING VISA

For Korean-language study at a university institute

For Korean language training at a university language institute, for a maximum of two years. Many students take this route first and switch to a D-2 once they are admitted to a degree programme.

STAY6 months at a time, up to 2 years total

PART-TIME WORKOnly after 6 months, fewer hours allowed

AFTER GRADUATIONSwitch to D-2 once admitted to a degree

Language instituteUp to 2 years

Still not sure which one applies to you?

If you have an admission letter for a degree course, it is D-2. If you are coming to learn Korean first, or you have not been admitted anywhere yet, it is D-4. Contact us if your case is in between.

WHAT CHANGED RECENTLY

Visa rules change mid-application

Korean student-visa policy shifts without much warning, and the official sources are Korean-only. This board tracks what changed, in plain language, as it happens.

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Nothing on the board matches that

Try a different search term or category, or ask an advisor directly about your situation.

EMAIL ALERTS

Find out the week it changes, not the week you apply

Pick the categories you care about and we'll email you the day we post about them — nothing else, ever.

You will be emailed when we post about D-2.

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HOW TO PREPARE

Four stages, in this order

Each stage depends on the one before it. Doing them out of order is the most common reason applications get delayed.

018 DOCS

University Application

Choose your school and submit your application documents. Diplomas issued outside Korea need an apostille.

Roughly 6–9 months before your intake

024 DOCS

Enrollment After Acceptance

Pay your tuition and prove your financial capacity. Your university then issues the certificate you need for the visa.

Before the enrollment deadline

034 DOCS

Visa (D-2) Application

Apply at the Korean embassy or consulate in your own country. Processing usually takes two to four weeks.

At least 1 month before you fly

044 DOCS

After Arrival · Alien Registration

Register at your local immigration office and collect your ARC. Without it you cannot open a bank account or get a phone plan.

Within 90 days of arrival

See all 20 documents, stage by stage

The Document Locker builds your own list — it marks what is required, optional, or conditional, and unlocks each stage as you finish the one before.

DO NOT GET THIS WRONG

Four mistakes that cost students a semester

Every one of these is recoverable if you catch it early, and expensive if you do not.

1MONEY

Depositing the money right before you apply

Only a balance that has been in the account for three months or longer counts. A large deposit made days before you apply is treated as borrowed money and rejected.

2TB TEST

Testing at the wrong hospital

If your nationality requires a tuberculosis certificate, it must come from a hospital designated by the Korean embassy. A certificate from any other hospital will not be accepted.

3PASSPORT

A passport that expires during your studies

Renew it before you apply for the visa, not after. Replacing your passport mid-programme means redoing your registration card as well.

4DEADLINE

Missing the 90-day registration window

Book your immigration appointment as soon as you land. Slots fill up quickly at the start of each semester, and the 90 days do not pause because the office is full.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

The questions everyone asks

QDo I need a tuberculosis test certificate?

AOnly if you hold the nationality of a country classified as high-risk for tuberculosis. If you do, you must be tested at a hospital designated by the Korean embassy — a certificate from any other hospital will not be accepted.

QHow much money do I have to show?

ARoughly 10 to 20 million KRW, depending on your university and programme. Only a balance that has been in the account for three months or longer counts — depositing a large sum shortly before you apply will not be accepted.

₩10M–20MHeld 3+ months

QWhen do I have to apply for my alien registration card?

AWithin 90 days of arriving in Korea, at the immigration office for your area. Book your appointment early — slots fill up quickly at the start of each semester.

90 days

QCan I switch from a D-4 to a D-2 without leaving Korea?

AYes. Once a university admits you to a degree programme and issues your Standard Certificate of Admission, you apply to change your status at your local immigration office. Start the paperwork before your D-4 expires.

QCan I work part-time on a student visa?

ANot automatically. You need confirmation from your university and permission from immigration first. On a D-2 the limit is 25–30 hours a week during term, depending on your grades and Korean level; on a D-4 you must wait six months and the limits are lower.

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GET IN TOUCH

Your case is probably not the standard one.

Nationality, previous refusals, a gap in your studies, family-run finances — the details are what decide these applications. An advisor who speaks your language will look at yours and tell you what to fix before you submit.

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This information is for reference only and rules change. Always confirm with HiKorea (☎ 1345) or your university's international office before you submit.