University Profile
Pukyong National University국립부경대학교
Pukyong National University (국립부경대학교) is a national university in Nam-gu, Busan, South Korea. Korea's leading maritime and fisheries university with growing international programs.
At a Glance
Why students choose PKNU.
A National Marine & Engineering University
PKNU is one of Korea's leading national universities for marine studies, fisheries, environmental sciences and engineering, with a growing IT/convergence and global/interdisciplinary footprint.
The Kyungsung-PKNU Student District
Daeyeon Campus sits right inside one of Busan's strongest student neighborhoods, shared with Kyungsung University, cafés, food streets, bars and student housing all minutes from the gate.
Start at the OIA in Mirae Hall
Every international first step, ARC, insurance, dormitory, Student ID, Korean support, runs through the Office of International Affairs in Mirae Hall (A21), Room 101 on Daeyeon Campus.
Quick Facts
District
Nam-gu
Neighborhood
Daeyeon-dong
Nearest Station
경성대·부경대역 · Line 2
English Friendliness
3.5 / 5
Daeyeon Campus: 45, Yongso-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48513 · 부산광역시 남구 용소로 45. The Office of International Affairs is in Mirae Building (A21), Room 101 on this campus. Yongdang Campus: 365, Sinseon-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48547. Source: the Daeyeon address and OIA room are as printed on PKNU's international admissions site, admission.pknu.ac.kr, last checked August 2026.
The Reality Check
Always specify Daeyeon or Yongdang Campus.
PKNU runs two Busan campuses. Classes, dormitories, taxis and office visits all depend on which campus you need. For international administration, start at Mirae Hall (A21), Room 101 on Daeyeon Campus. Never just say 부경대학교 가 주세요 to a taxi, always add the campus and building name.
Taxi phrase, show to your driver
국립부경대학교 대연캠퍼스 미래관으로 가 주세요.
“Please take me to Mirae Hall, Daeyeon Campus, Pukyong National University.”
Study Matchmaker
Ready to Study at PKNU?
Let our official education partners evaluate your profile, verify documents, and process your Korean visa (D-2 / D-4), 100% free.
Start Free Evaluation NowNo fees · No spam · Profile reviewed within 48h
Reviewed with Korea Study Guide
University information on this page is reviewed with Korea Study Guide, an independent education advisory platform. Korea Study Guide can help you understand study routes, assess your profile and prepare for the application process.
The free profile review covers a look at your academic background, which study routes and universities may fit, and what documents you would need to prepare. It is guidance only: it does not submit applications for you and does not guarantee admission or a visa.
Programs
A national university with marine, engineering and global depth.
PKNU is a comprehensive national university with a clear identity in marine, fisheries, environmental and engineering-related fields, plus IT/convergence, global and interdisciplinary studies, natural sciences, humanities, social sciences and business.
Academic Fields
PKNU also runs a Division of Global & Interdisciplinary Studies and announced a preliminary English Track admission for international undergraduates from 2026, plus short-term programs such as the PKNU International Summer School (PKNU-ISS).
Language of Instruction
Korean-first, with growing English-track options.
Most degree teaching runs in Korean. English-track options exist inside the Division of Global & Interdisciplinary Studies, and admission information is published in English. International students are expected to build TOPIK competence through the PKNU Korean Language Program, our partners can confirm the live English-track catalogue for your cycle.
Academic Calendar
| Term | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Early March – Late June | Main international intake |
| Summer Session | July – August | PKNU-ISS short-term program |
| Fall Semester | Early September – Late December | Second international intake |
| Winter Session | January – February | Korean Language Program runs year-round |
Source: PKNU Office of International Affairs, admissions site hosting the degree course and Korean Language Program guide PDFs (EN), checked August 2026 · PKNU 2026 Admission Guide for Degree Course (PDF), checked August 2026.
Admissions
Start with the PKNU Office of International Affairs.
PKNU's official international admissions site is admission.pknu.ac.kr, run by the Office of International Affairs. This is the canonical address: PKNU's own English Admissions menu at pknu.ac.kr/eng/5 redirects straight to it. One practical warning, open it as http://admission.pknu.ac.kr and not https, because the HTTPS version presents a certificate whose hostname does not match and your browser will block it. The site carries the downloadable 모집요강 guide PDFs for both the degree courses and the Korean Language Program. The contact printed there is +82-51-629-6915, admissions@pknu.ac.kr, fax +82-51-629-6910, Office of International Affairs, Mirae Building Room 101, 45 Yongso-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48513. The application method has been stable across recent cycles: apply online through the Study in Korea portal, then post or hand-deliver your original documents to that office. Undergraduate and graduate notices are published separately and change each cycle, so confirm the live requirements before you translate or apostille anything.
Undergraduate International Admission
Not yet verified: please confirm directly with the university
Graduate International Admission
Not yet verified: please confirm directly with the university
International Student Support
Not yet verified: please confirm directly with the university
Korean Language Pathway
PKNU Korean Language Program
The PKNU Korean Language Program (국립부경대학교 한국어연수과정) runs through the International Student Support Team and is connected to a TOPIK test center on campus. Korean reinforcement programs for degree students are coordinated by the same team.
+82-51-629-6903
Intakes, deadlines, scholarships and required documents change every cycle. Rather than list outdated thresholds here, we route you to our official education partners, they confirm the live PKNU requirements for your country and program in 48 hours, free.
Source: PKNU Office of International Affairs, international admissions site (EN), checked August 2026 · PKNU English site, Admissions menu, redirects to admission.pknu.ac.kr, checked August 2026 · PKNU 2026 Admission Guide for Degree Course (PDF), checked August 2026.
Tuition, as currently published
Undergraduate tuition per semester, in KRW, from the 학부 등록금 table in PKNU's 2026 international admissions guide. Read the footnote before you budget, because PKNU labels these as 2025 academic year amounts.
Dormitory and meals are billed separately and PKNU does not publish those rates, see the Housing tab.
| Program | Per semester | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 인문사회계 Humanities and social sciences, including business | KRW 1,703,000 | |
| 글로벌자율전공학부 Global Self-Directed Major, international freshmen | KRW 1,872,000 | |
| 이학계 Natural sciences, excluding nursing | KRW 2,041,500 | |
| 체능계 Physical education | KRW 2,041,500 | |
| 공학계 Engineering | KRW 2,173,500 | |
| 예능계 Arts | KRW 2,173,500 | |
| 이학계 간호학과 Nursing | KRW 2,241,500 | PKNU has no medical school, so nursing is the relevant health-track rate. |
| Graduate, 인문사회계 humanities and social sciences | KRW 2,248,000 | Includes a 178,000 admission fee (입학금). |
| Graduate, 이학계 natural sciences | KRW 2,673,000 | |
| Graduate, 공학계 engineering | KRW 2,835,000 |
These are not 2026 figures. PKNU prints its own caveat directly under the table: 2025학년도 등록금 내역, 2026학년도 변동 가능, meaning these are 2025 academic year amounts and are subject to change for 2026. Publish-date honesty matters here, so treat them as the last published rate and not as a quote for your intake. Note also that PKNU's public tuition page at www.pknu.ac.kr/main/102 carries no numbers at all, it only points to the irumi.pknu.ac.kr registration system. In practice the only official document that prints the figures is the international admissions guide PDF. Checked on 3 August 2026.
Source: PKNU 2026 Admission Guide for Degree Course (PDF), 학부 등록금 table, checked August 2026 · PKNU public tuition page (KR), no figures, redirects to the irumi registration system, checked August 2026.
Scholarships
PKNU funds international students mainly through tuition discounts tied to your TOPIK level. The entry awards apply automatically to your first semester's tuition, and there is a separate, more generous track for students who complete PKNU's own Korean language course first. PKNU states an average of 1인당 연평균 장학금 290만원, roughly KRW 2,900,000 of scholarship per student per year.
입학장학금 Entry scholarship, TOPIK Level 6
100% of first semester tuition (A등급)TOPIK Level 6 at admission. Applied automatically to the first semester, no separate application.
입학장학금 Entry scholarship, TOPIK Level 5
About 40% of first semester tuition (C등급)TOPIK Level 5 at admission.
Treat this percentage as provisional. Two readings of the same guide PDF disagreed on how the Level 5 and Level 4 bands map to the A, B and C grades, and we could not settle it. The Level 6 row is the one we are confident in. Ask the Office of International Affairs to confirm your band in writing before you budget.
입학장학금 Entry scholarship, TOPIK Level 4
First semester support at the stated grade bandTOPIK Level 4 at admission.
The guide confirms Level 4 qualifies but the exact band, and therefore the exact percentage, could not be pinned down. Confirm with the OIA.
PKNU장학금, for graduates of the PKNU Korean language course
TOPIK Level 5: about 80% (B등급). TOPIK Level 4: about 80% (B등급) for new entrants. TOPIK Level 3: about 40% (C등급).Complete two or more consecutive semesters of PKNU's own Korean language course with a PASS (본교 한국어연수과정 2개학기 이상 연속 수료), keep overall attendance at 85% or above, and enter an undergraduate course within one year of finishing.
The practical effect is that doing PKNU's language course first buys you roughly one TOPIK level of discount. A Level 4 holder who came through the language course is treated like a Level 5 holder who did not.
Continuing merit scholarship
About 80% of the following semester's tuitionThe top 7% of international students by academic result.
Other named PKNU schemes
Information being verifiedThe guide also names Academic Excellence, TOPIK Score Improvement, Work-Study, Family, Research and Teaching Assistant, and Korean War Veteran Family scholarships. Amounts and thresholds for these are not published in the guide.
External scholarships open to PKNU students
Information being verifiedThe guide lists the Busan International Exchange Foundation, the Korea-China Friendship Association, the JS International Scholarship Foundation, the Ethiopian Students Scholarship, the Chinese Consulate General, Suhyup Bank and the PKNU alumni association. Each has its own application route and PKNU does not publish the amounts.
Global Korea Scholarship
We could not confirm whether PKNU is a GKS-designated institution, and we are not going to imply either answer. Here is exactly what we found. PKNU's own 2026 international admissions guide does not mention the Global Korea Scholarship, GKS, 정부초청장학금 or NIIED anywhere in the document. That is a real absence, not an oversight on our part. We could not check the government side either, because studyinkorea.go.kr blocks automated access. So the honest position is: unverified. Do not assume you can bring a GKS award to PKNU, and do not assume you cannot. Before you plan around it, check the NIIED designated-university list for your intake directly, or ask the Office of International Affairs on +82-51-629-6915 or admissions@pknu.ac.kr, or ask our education partners to confirm it for you.
All figures are from PKNU's 2026 international admissions guide, checked on 3 August 2026. Scholarship names, bands and percentages are reset by PKNU each cycle. Confirm against the guide for your own intake before you rely on any number here.
Source: PKNU 2026 Admission Guide for Degree Course (PDF), 입학장학금 and PKNU장학금 tables, checked August 2026.
Typical application windows
PKNU has published nothing for the 2027 academic year. The windows below are inferred from PKNU's two most recently published cycles and are offered only so you know roughly when to start gathering documents.
These 2027 windows are patterns from previous cycles, not confirmed dates. PKNU has not announced them and no 2027 guide exists yet. Do not book flights, resign from a job, pay a deposit or pay any agent against these windows. Confirm the live dates with the PKNU Office of International Affairs on +82-51-629-6915 or admissions@pknu.ac.kr, or with our official education partners, before you commit to anything.
| Intake | Window | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2027 (2027학년도 1학기, March start) | Expect the application window to open around mid-October 2026 and close mid to late November 2026. | Read off the Spring 2026 cycle, which ran from Monday 13 October 2025 to Friday 21 November 2025, closing at 18:00 KST. Not a confirmed date. |
| Fall 2027 (2027학년도 2학기, September start) | Expect the application window to open around mid-April 2027 and close mid-May 2027. | Read off the Fall 2025 cycle, which ran from Monday 14 April 2025 to Friday 16 May 2025, closing at 18:00 KST. Not a confirmed date. |
Last confirmed cycle: Fall 2026 is closed and decided. PKNU's 국제교류부 posted the successful applicant announcement (합격자 발표) on 16 July 2026. As of 3 August 2026 there was no 2027 notice and no 2027 모집요강 anywhere on the site. The next thing to watch for is the Spring 2027 notice, which on PKNU's own pattern is due around October 2026.
Applications are filed online through the Study in Korea portal at https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/ko/receipt/OnlineReceipt11.do, not on a PKNU portal. Original documents then go by post or in person to the Office of International Affairs, Room 101, Mirae Hall (A21), 45 Yongso-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48513. This two-step method has been stable across recent cycles.
Source: PKNU 국제교류부 notice board, Spring 2026 international admission notice (KR), checked August 2026 · PKNU 국제교류부 notice board, Fall 2025 international admission notice (KR), checked August 2026 · PKNU 국제교류부 notice board, Fall 2026 successful applicant announcement, posted 16 July 2026 (KR), checked August 2026.
From Gimhae Airport
By Subway · ~1 hour
- 01Gimhae Airport Light Rail
- 02Sasang Station (transfer → Line 2 toward Jangsan)
- 03Kyungsung Univ.-Pukyong Nat'l Univ. Station / 경성대·부경대역, Exit 3
- 04Walk 10–15 min to Daeyeon Campus (Mirae Hall A21)
By Bus
Many city buses stop at 부경대, 부경대대연캠퍼스 or 경성대·부경대. Useful numbers around Daeyeon include 10, 20, 22, 24, 27, 39, 40, 41, 42, 51, 83, 83-1, 108-1, 131, 139, 155, 583 and seat bus 1003. Some stop on nearby main roads, use Naver Map or KakaoMap for the final walk.
By Taxi
Use the campus and building name. For Daeyeon: 국립부경대학교 대연캠퍼스 미래관으로 가 주세요. For Yongdang: 국립부경대학교 용당캠퍼스로 가 주세요. PKNU also runs a shuttle bus between Daeyeon and Yongdang.
First Stop Checklist
- 1Go to OIA, Mirae Hall (A21), Room 101, Daeyeon Campus
- 2Confirm ARC / Visa process
- 3Check health insurance enrolment
- 4Confirm dormitory hall, room type and meal arrangement
- 5Ask about Korean language placement or support
- 6Confirm whether your classes are on Daeyeon or Yongdang
- 7Obtain physical Student ID
Useful Korean Phrases
국립부경대학교 국제교류부는 어디에 있어요?
Where is the PKNU Office of International Affairs?
대연캠퍼스 미래관 101호로 가고 싶어요.
I want to go to Room 101 in Mirae Hall, Daeyeon Campus.
Student Life
A national-university crowd inside Busan's strongest student district.
Student culture at PKNU mixes a serious national-university atmosphere with the very lively Kyungsung-PKNU neighborhood shared with Kyungsung University. The OIA runs programs such as I-Friend and International Day to plug new international students into campus life quickly.
Clubs & Communities
- Active marine, fisheries and engineering academic circles
- Global student programs through the OIA (I-Friend, International Day)
- Sports, music and culture circles across the Daeyeon campus
- Language exchange and international student groups
Club rosters change each semester, confirm current circles with the International Student Support Team on arrival.
The Student District
The streets around 경성대·부경대역 form one of Busan's strongest student areas, cafés, restaurants, bars, snack shops, stationery stores, convenience stores and student services all within minutes of the gate, shared with Kyungsung University.
By Line 2 you can quickly reach Seomyeon, Gwangan/Gwangalli, Centum and the Haeundae direction.
Support for international students
Office of International Affairs
Mirae Hall (A21), Room 101 on Daeyeon Campus handles ARC, visa, dormitory, insurance and Student ID. Main support number: 051-629-6903.
PKNU Korean Language Program
Run by the International Student Support Team with TOPIK center support and Korean reinforcement programs for degree students.
Daily life still needs Korean
Cafeteria menus, dormitory notices, rent signs and some health-center communication run in Korean. Papago, Naver Map and KakaoMap cover most everyday gaps.
On-Campus Dorms
PKNU runs three residence halls. On Daeyeon Campus: 세종1관 Sejong 1 Hall, opened 2009, and 세종2관 Sejong 2 Hall, opened 2016. On Yongdang Campus: 광개토관 Gwanggaeto Hall, opened 2004. Together they house roughly 3,135 residents, about 1,590 male and 1,545 female. PKNU's own English housing page marks the single rooms in Sejong 1 and Gwanggaeto as "Foreign residents allowed", and the single rooms in Sejong 2 as "For domestic use only". Rooms come with a bed, desk, chair, closet and refrigerator. You bring your own bedding. New students apply through the Office of International Affairs rather than directly to the halls.
| Room Type | Fee / Semester | Meals |
|---|---|---|
| 세종1관 Sejong 1 Hall, single room, Daeyeon Campus | Information being verified | 68 single rooms. Marked "Foreign residents allowed". Bed, desk, chair, closet and refrigerator provided, bring your own bedding. |
| 세종1관 Sejong 1 Hall, double room, Daeyeon Campus | Information being verified | 782 double rooms. Bed, desk, chair, closet and refrigerator provided, bring your own bedding. |
| 세종2관 Sejong 2 Hall, single room, Daeyeon Campus | Not open to international students | 54 single rooms, marked "For domestic use only" on PKNU's English housing page. |
| 세종2관 Sejong 2 Hall, double room, Daeyeon Campus | Information being verified | 471 double rooms. Bed, desk, chair, closet and refrigerator provided, bring your own bedding. |
| 광개토관 Gwanggaeto Hall, single room, Yongdang Campus | Information being verified | 15 single rooms. Marked "Foreign residents allowed". Bed, desk, chair, closet and refrigerator provided, bring your own bedding. |
| 광개토관 Gwanggaeto Hall, double room, Yongdang Campus | Information being verified | 246 double rooms. Bed, desk, chair, closet and refrigerator provided, bring your own bedding. |
Hall names, room counts and international access are taken verbatim from PKNU's official English housing page, checked on 3 August 2026. Fees are the gap. PKNU does not publish a per-hall, per-room-type fee table on any page we could reach. The full table lives on dormitory.pknu.ac.kr, which we could not open because the site presents a broken TLS certificate. There is no published figure for Sejong 2 in any room type, for Gwanggaeto in any room type, or for any single room. Meal arrangements are also not published, so do not assume meals are bundled into the room fee. Ask for the current fee and meal plan in writing before you pay. Hall desks: Sejong 1 on 051-629-6731~2, Sejong 2 on 051-629-6744~5, Gwanggaeto on 051-629-5266~7. Applications for new international students go through the Office of International Affairs on 051-629-6903.
Off-Campus Rent
A simple off-campus one-room around Daeyeon / the Kyungsung-PKNU area typically runs around KRW 350,000 – 500,000 / month, with a deposit of roughly KRW 3,000,000 – 5,000,000 and maintenance fees of KRW 50,000 – 100,000. Newer rooms can be higher. Useful search tools: Naver 부동산, 직방, 다방 and local real-estate offices.
Never sign sight-unseen. Use a vetted advisor to conduct a physical room check before sending any deposit.
Source: PKNU official English Housing page, halls, room types and foreign resident access, checked August 2026 · PKNU dormitory information page (KR), checked August 2026 · PKNU 2026 Admission Guide for Degree Course (PDF), checked August 2026.
다래락 Daeraerak Student Cafeteria and the campus food outlets
The main student cafeteria is 다래락 Daeraerak, on the 1st floor of the Nabi Center (B12) on Daeyeon Campus. It runs 09:00 to 18:30 and is closed weekends and public holidays, and it serves 정식 set meals, 한식 Korean dishes, 분식 snack-bar food and 양식 western dishes. Internal campus phone 7704. The other confirmed outlets are 라일락 Lilac, a faculty cafeteria on the 3rd floor of the Mirae Building serving a 정식 buffet, open 11:30 to 14:00 with student hours listed as 12:30 to 18:00, internal phone 7515; 한미락 Hanmirak, a faculty cafeteria on the 3rd floor of the Hanmireum Building on Yongdang Campus, lunch 11:30 to 14:00, internal phone 7518; and 타볼로 Tavolo on the 1st floor of the Dongwon Jangbogo Building, Monday to Saturday 11:00 to 20:00, closed Sundays and holidays, serving pasta, pizza and risotto, phone 070-4471-0790. All of the cafeterias are closed on weekends and public holidays except Tavolo, which also opens Saturdays. On prices, be careful with what you read elsewhere. PKNU publishes no general meal price list and no price range on any reachable official university or co-op page. The single price PKNU does publish is the subsidised 천원의 아침밥 breakfast at 1,000원, and that figure comes from a notice covering the 2025 exam period from 4 to 19 December, so treat it as indicative rather than a standing rate. For current prices, ask PKNU Co-op on 051-629-5692~6 or pknucoop@pknu.ac.kr.
Breakfast (천원의 아침밥)
08:50 – 10:30
The 1,000 KRW subsidised breakfast at 다래락 Daeraerak in the Nabi Center. Time and price are from a 2025 exam-period notice, so confirm they still run.
Lunch (다래락)
09:00 – 18:30
Daeraerak runs one continuous service window rather than split meal blocks. Closed weekends and public holidays.
Dinner
Until 18:30 at 다래락, until 20:00 at 타볼로
Daeraerak stops at 18:30. Tavolo in the Dongwon Jangbogo Building runs Monday to Saturday 11:00 to 20:00.
Libraries & Sports
- Library facilities span Central Library, Core Value Library, Cheongun Center and Engineering Library across Daeyeon and Yongdang campuses.
- Reading rooms run late, some until 23:00 or 01:00; additional 24-hour or exam-period access exists at selected spots.
- Other useful facilities: Student Service Center, campus shuttle between Daeyeon and Yongdang, student counseling and career services, plus OIA programs such as I-Friend and International Day.
Health & Medical
PKNU Health Center
Mirae Hall (A21), 1F, Room 108 on Daeyeon Campus. Tel +82-51-629-6781~2. Mon–Fri 09:00–12:00 / 13:00–18:00. English-speaking medical help is not clearly confirmed, bring a translation app and your insurance details.
Local clinics and hospitals
Ask the OIA or a Korean buddy for nearby clinics and hospitals around Daeyeon or Nam-gu.
For urgent situations anywhere in Korea, call 119.
Source: PKNU 후생복지시설 및 생협 page, campus cafeterias and opening hours (KR), checked August 2026 · PKNU notice, 천원의 아침밥 subsidised breakfast (KR), checked August 2026.
Around Daeyeon Campus
Daeyeon Campus opens directly into the Kyungsung-PKNU university district, one of Busan's strongest student areas, with cafés, restaurants, bars, snack shops, convenience stores, stationery shops, daily-supply stores and student housing along Yongso-ro and the streets between the station, PKNU and Kyungsung University.
The Kyungsung University side carries most of the restaurants and nightlife. Line 2 also gives easy access to Seomyeon, Gwangalli, Centum and the Haeundae direction for shopping and bigger nights out.
Emergency Contacts
Study Matchmaker
Not sure if PKNU is your match?
Take the 2-minute Study Matchmaker and we'll suggest the Busan universities that best fit your goals, budget, and language level.
No fees · No spam · Profile reviewed within 48h