U-turn on med school admissions in S. Korea leaves students reeling

With only four months left until 2026 admissions kick off, uncertainty on medical school enrollment is fueling confusion among students.

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SEOUL -

South Korea's recent proposal to conditionally roll back its planned increase and cap 2026's medical school enrollment at 3,058 - the same figure maintained for nearly three decades - has fueled growing frustration among high school seniors, those taking the university admission test and their parents.

Under the original plan, the government had set the 2026 medical school enrollment quota at 5,058 students. The Yoon Suk-yeol administration's flagship policy aimed to increase the quota for annual medical student admissions by 2,000 to tackle the country's shortage of healthcare professionals.

However, with strong backlash from the medical community persisting for a year, the Ministry of Education reversed its plan on March 7, saying it would go back to 3,058 seats only if students on leave return to their studies, suggesting the final number will hinge on whether medical students currently on leave decide to return.

As a result, students preparing for medical school now face an unpredictable admissions landscape, with quotas potentially fluctuating between 3,058 and 5,058 spots, depending on the outcome of the stand-off between the government and medical students.