University is the traditional route pursued by South Korean students as it is by far the most prestigious form of higher education in South Korea. In 2004, nearly 90 per cent of general high school graduates achieved university entrance. In 2017, over 68.9 of South Korean high school graduates advanced to a university. Competition for university spots is fierce as many students vie for the most coveted spots at the country’s most prestigious universities, many of which are key national research universities offering bachelor’s, master’s, professional and doctoral degrees. The three most recognized universities in South Korea, known as “SKY” are Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Other well-known universities that have an international reputation in South Korea include Sogang University, Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, Kyung Hee University, Pohang University of Science and Technology, and local scientific institutions { Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), GIST, UNIST, and DGIST }.

Unlike the usage of grade point averages and percentages used in countries like the United States and Canada as a yardstick for eligibility, entrance to South Korean universities is based largely on the scores that students achieved on the CSAT, which accounts for 60 per cent of the admission criteria while the remaining 40 per cent is dependent on grades from comprehensive high school records.[80] In addition to the CSAT scores, universities also take volunteer experience, extra-curricular activities, letters of recommendation, school awards, portfolios into consideration when assessing a prospective applicant.