<update: February 8, 2023>

In order to apply for the student visa, admitted students must obtain a COA from KAIST. COA is a legal admission permit from a Korean university issued only after reviewing academic qualifications, financial capability, and other admission requirements under immigration guidelines. Therefore, those who accept the offer from KAIST must provide all the following materials to our office within the applicable due dates.

• < Due dates for the required material submission to obtain COA >

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  • The required material submission dates vary by the tuition funding plan. Make sure your materials will arrive at our office within the designated dates.

    §   Those admitted with FULL tuition grants from KAIST or other institutions/organizations: December 15, 2023 – January 5, 2024

    §   Those admitted with NO or PARTIAL tuition grants: February 2, 2024

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• < The address to submit required materials for COA >

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  • Graduate Admissions Team

  • # 110, E 16-1 Building, KAIST

  • 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu

  • Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea

  • Office +82-42-350-2354

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A. Certification of Degree (s) and Transcript (s)

• Those who accept the offers must provide all the degrees and transcripts written in the applications certified ① under the Hague Convention (the Apostille certificate*), ② by the Korean embassy where the schools attended are located, or ③ by the embassy or consulate in South Korea where the schools attended are located.
  * see the contracting parties of the Hague Convention (CLICK)

• < Notes for those who graduated from Chinese or Korean universities >

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  • Degrees and transcripts conferred by Chinese universities must be attested by the Korean embassy in China or by Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD, 学信网) . Those who take the second option must provide Online Verification Report of Higher Education Degree Certificate and China Higher Education Student’s Academic Transcripts certified by CSSD.
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  • Degrees and transcripts conferred by Korean universities bearing valid authentication numbers don’t need to obtain any further certifications.

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• Submitted degree (s) and transcript (s) must bear the ORIGINAL apostille certificates or consular stamps/signatures. Likewise, NO OTHER FORM, such as colored, notarized, or attested even by other trusted entities, will be accepted unless they bear the original apostille certificates or consular stamps/signatures. KAIST will only issue COA based on the materials that meet the above requirements.
• KAIST does NOT return certified degree (s) and transcript (s) submitted to Office of Admissions according to school regulations and government guidelines. Therefore, those who want to avoid submitting the original degree (s) and transcript (s) may obtain another certification on photocopies of the documents bearing the original apostille certificates or consular stamps/signatures. KAIST will accept those materials as long as they bear the original apostille certificates or consular stamps/signatures.

• < How to submit photocopies bearing the original certificates >

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  • Obtaining recognized certification >> Making copies of the certified documents >> Obtaining another certification on the copies >> Submitting the copies bearing the original certificates

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• All degree (s) and transcript (s) must be written in English or Korean, preferably by the issuing institution or notary public. Therefore, the translation must be done before the certification.
• The degree that qualifies for graduate admission must be conferred before the intended enrollment date. No certificates indicating provisional or expected graduation will be accepted as official evidence to support the eligibility requirements. Only the official degree conferred before the matriculation date will qualify for the eligibility requirements. Offers of admission to those who graduate after the enrollment date will automatically be revoked.

B. Financial Documents

• COA requires proof of funding for one academic year, which is equivalent to KRW 16,000,000 (KRW 20,000,000 for the programs in the Seoul Campus). Financial documents include bank statements, grant letters, or scholarships from an organization or institution, including KAIST. The total amount of the bank balance and grants in the provided documents must cover the whole cost of attendance for one academic year.
• All the documents must be valid and can be presented in USD (preferred) or your currency. Especially the bank statement must indicate the balance enough to cover the budget for one academic year - combined with other grants and scholarships - and be issued within 30 days from the date of application for COA unless it has its valid date. Also, all financial documents must be written in English or Korean and submitted in the original copy.

• < Notes for Chinese and Uzbek students >

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  • Chinese students must submit bank statements issued within 30 days from the date of application for COA and freeze the balance until 30 days after the same date.
  • Uzbek students must submit bank statements issued by the Korean bank located in Uzbekistan, saving at least KRW 8,000,000 held for three months at a minimum.

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• Requirements on financial capability may vary by the Korean embassy. Visit the official website of the Korean embassy to apply for a student visa and check the requirements for the student visa application.

C. Proof of Citizenship and Family Relation

• Admitted students must submit their passport copies, their parents' public identification documents indicating their country of citizenship, and a public document certifying the relation between admitted students and their parents.
• All documents - except passports - must be written in English or Korean and submitted in the original copy. Otherwise, they must be attested by a notary public.
• a. Admitted student’s ID: Passport copy valid for at least six months

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  • Overseas Koreans must additionally provide a certificate indicating the renunciation of Korean citizenship.

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• b. Parents’ IDs: Passport copies or public identification documents indicating the country of citizenship

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  • Those who lost either or both parents must provide a public document certifying the loss.
    e.g., death certificate, divorce certificate, single-parent family certificate

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• c. Certificate of family relation: Public document certifying the relation between the admitted student and parents
     e.g., family registration certificate/card, birth certificate
• < Notes for Overseas Koreans >

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  • Overseas Koreans must additionally submit a certificate indicating the renunciation of Korean citizenship.
  • Overseas Koreans whose parent (s) has held Korean citizenship must additionally submit a certificate indicating the renunciation of Korean citizenship of the parent (s).
  • Overseas Koreans whose parent (s) still holds Korean citizenship must additionally submit all transcripts and graduation certificates for all grades in elementary, junior high, and high schools certified by one of the options in section A. Certification of Degree (s) and Transcript (s). Otherwise, certificates confirming the completion of the entire education outside Korea certified by the recognized option must be submitted.

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