Sahmyook University will admit 1,029 students for the 2027 academic year through its early admissions process, a significant increase of 24.73% (204 students) from last year's 825. As a result, early admissions will account for nearly 80% of the total enrollment.
A notable change this year is the expansion of the 'Essay Excellence Admission Program.' The university will select 277 students from all departments, excluding theology and arts, marking a 79.87% increase (123 students) from last year's 154. The pharmacy department will also introduce an essay-based admission process for the first time, admitting five students.
The Essay Excellence Admission Program will not consider student records, relying solely on essay exam scores for admissions. The minimum academic standards for general departments require students to achieve a grade of 3 or higher in one of the subjects: Korean, English, Mathematics, or one inquiry subject, significantly reducing the burden on applicants. For pharmacy, students must meet a combined grade of 5 or lower across three subjects: Korean, English, Mathematics (calculus or geometry), and one science subject.
The essay exam will be conducted in a 'short-answer essay' format, which is simpler and requires shorter responses compared to traditional language or math essays, easing the pressure on students. General departments will have 13 questions in Korean and Mathematics to complete in 80 minutes, down from 15 questions last year. The pharmacy department will have eight questions in Mathematics, with the same 80-minute time limit.
The Seoum Talent Program (comprehensive admission) will select 231 students. In the first stage, 100% of candidates will be chosen based on document evaluation, with four times the number of students advancing to the second stage, where 60% of the first-stage score and 40% from an interview will be combined. The document evaluation will assess academic, career, and community competencies based on the information recorded in student records.
The second-stage interview will be based on the document evaluation without any prompts, focusing on individual questions. Each interview will last no longer than eight minutes. All interviews will be conducted anonymously, with candidates' names, schools, and family information kept confidential. Mentioning these details could result in penalties, so candidates should be cautious.
The Seoum Talent Program has minimum academic standards only for the pharmacy department, requiring a combined grade of 5 or lower across three subjects: Korean, English, Mathematics (calculus or geometry), and one science subject.
The principal recommendation program will admit 131 students based solely on academic records, considering grades from the first semester of the first year to the first semester of the third year without differentiation by year. Candidates must receive recommendations from their high school principals, but there is no limit on the number of recommendations per school.
In the principal recommendation program, the physical education and art and design departments will also consider practical exam scores. The physical education department will weigh student records at 40% and practical scores at 60%, while the art and design department will weigh student records at 20% and practical scores at 80%.
The principal recommendation program has revised its method of reflecting academic scores. The 'five-grade system' will be implemented a year earlier than planned for the 2028 academic year. The existing nine-grade scores will be converted into five grades: A (100 points) for grades 1-2, B (99 points) for grades 3-4, C (98 points) for grade 5, D (90 points) for grades 6-7, and E (70 points) for grades 8-9.
With the reduction in score gaps between grades, practical scores will likely become a decisive factor for admission in the art and design and physical education departments, where practical assessments carry more weight. However, the pharmacy department will maintain the existing nine-grade system due to the need for differentiation at the highest levels, where even decimal points can determine admission outcomes.
The minimum academic standards for the principal recommendation program require a combined grade of 7 or lower across two subjects for general departments, 6 or lower for nursing and physical therapy, and 5 or lower for pharmacy across three subjects: Korean, English, Mathematics (calculus or geometry), and one science subject. There are no minimum academic standards for the physical education and art and design departments.
The pharmacy department will admit 26 students through early admissions this year, an increase of 10 from last year's 16. This includes 7 from the Seoum Talent Program (comprehensive), 5 from the Essay Excellence Program, 3 from the principal recommendation program, 3 from recommendations by Seventh-day Adventist pastors, 3 from rural areas (non-quota), 3 from Opportunity Balance II (non-quota), and 2 from special education candidates (non-quota).
All applicants can apply across different admission programs. Applications will be accepted from September 7 to 11 through the JinHak Apply platform.
A notable change this year is the expansion of the 'Essay Excellence Admission Program.' The university will select 277 students from all departments, excluding theology and arts, marking a 79.87% increase (123 students) from last year's 154. The pharmacy department will also introduce an essay-based admission process for the first time, admitting five students.
The Essay Excellence Admission Program will not consider student records, relying solely on essay exam scores for admissions. The minimum academic standards for general departments require students to achieve a grade of 3 or higher in one of the subjects: Korean, English, Mathematics, or one inquiry subject, significantly reducing the burden on applicants. For pharmacy, students must meet a combined grade of 5 or lower across three subjects: Korean, English, Mathematics (calculus or geometry), and one science subject.
The essay exam will be conducted in a 'short-answer essay' format, which is simpler and requires shorter responses compared to traditional language or math essays, easing the pressure on students. General departments will have 13 questions in Korean and Mathematics to complete in 80 minutes, down from 15 questions last year. The pharmacy department will have eight questions in Mathematics, with the same 80-minute time limit.
The Seoum Talent Program (comprehensive admission) will select 231 students. In the first stage, 100% of candidates will be chosen based on document evaluation, with four times the number of students advancing to the second stage, where 60% of the first-stage score and 40% from an interview will be combined. The document evaluation will assess academic, career, and community competencies based on the information recorded in student records.
The second-stage interview will be based on the document evaluation without any prompts, focusing on individual questions. Each interview will last no longer than eight minutes. All interviews will be conducted anonymously, with candidates' names, schools, and family information kept confidential. Mentioning these details could result in penalties, so candidates should be cautious.
The Seoum Talent Program has minimum academic standards only for the pharmacy department, requiring a combined grade of 5 or lower across three subjects: Korean, English, Mathematics (calculus or geometry), and one science subject.
The principal recommendation program will admit 131 students based solely on academic records, considering grades from the first semester of the first year to the first semester of the third year without differentiation by year. Candidates must receive recommendations from their high school principals, but there is no limit on the number of recommendations per school.
In the principal recommendation program, the physical education and art and design departments will also consider practical exam scores. The physical education department will weigh student records at 40% and practical scores at 60%, while the art and design department will weigh student records at 20% and practical scores at 80%.
The principal recommendation program has revised its method of reflecting academic scores. The 'five-grade system' will be implemented a year earlier than planned for the 2028 academic year. The existing nine-grade scores will be converted into five grades: A (100 points) for grades 1-2, B (99 points) for grades 3-4, C (98 points) for grade 5, D (90 points) for grades 6-7, and E (70 points) for grades 8-9.
With the reduction in score gaps between grades, practical scores will likely become a decisive factor for admission in the art and design and physical education departments, where practical assessments carry more weight. However, the pharmacy department will maintain the existing nine-grade system due to the need for differentiation at the highest levels, where even decimal points can determine admission outcomes.
The minimum academic standards for the principal recommendation program require a combined grade of 7 or lower across two subjects for general departments, 6 or lower for nursing and physical therapy, and 5 or lower for pharmacy across three subjects: Korean, English, Mathematics (calculus or geometry), and one science subject. There are no minimum academic standards for the physical education and art and design departments.
The pharmacy department will admit 26 students through early admissions this year, an increase of 10 from last year's 16. This includes 7 from the Seoum Talent Program (comprehensive), 5 from the Essay Excellence Program, 3 from the principal recommendation program, 3 from recommendations by Seventh-day Adventist pastors, 3 from rural areas (non-quota), 3 from Opportunity Balance II (non-quota), and 2 from special education candidates (non-quota).
All applicants can apply across different admission programs. Applications will be accepted from September 7 to 11 through the JinHak Apply platform.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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