UST applicants up 83.5% in 3 years, employment rate hits 94%

Record number of applicants in the 2025 academic year

Students conduct research at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology School under UST. [UST]

"About 50% of doctoral graduates publish as first authors in international journals ranked in the top 10% by JCR — and roughly 10% of domestic graduates land full-time positions at government-funded research institutes."

The University of Science and Technology (UST) has seen its domestic applicant pool grow for three consecutive years, setting an all-time record in the 2025 academic year.

The number of domestic applicants under the general admissions track rose from 437 in the 2022 academic year to 802 in 2025, growing at an average annual rate of 22.4% — an increase of 83.5%, nearly doubling the applicant pool over three years.

By comparison, total applicants to domestic graduate programs in natural sciences and engineering nationwide grew from 50,057 to 60,177 over the same period, an average annual increase of 6.33% and a cumulative rise of about 20%, according to higher education statistics. UST's annual growth rate was roughly 3.5 times that figure, and its cumulative applicant growth was about four times the national average.

The enrollment fill rate also hit 100% for three consecutive years from 2023 through 2025. In the 2025 academic year, UST achieved full enrollment even after expanding its capacity from 300 to 390 students. Taking into account the shortage of science and engineering talent in Korea, rising demand from national laboratory schools for student recruitment, and the sustained growth in applicants, UST plans to increase its domestic general-track enrollment quota by an additional 10% starting in the 2027 academic year, bringing annual admissions to 430 students.

UST attributes the sustained growth in applicants to growing recognition among science and engineering students of the university's strengths: a distinctive research-focused educational infrastructure anchored in national laboratories, top-tier scholarship benefits, outstanding student research output, and the increasingly visible career achievements of graduates as the institution passes its 20th year.

A 2025 UST awareness survey found that 34.1% of respondents said they were meaningfully familiar with the university — the highest figure on record. Still, only about one in three undergraduate students nationwide has a meaningful awareness of UST.

The main administrative building of the University of Science and Technology. [Herald DB]

About 10% of UST's domestic graduates are hired as full-time researchers at one of 28 government-funded research institutes, and a growing number of alumni have risen to leadership roles such as center director or division head. Faculty appointments at major universities — including Seoul National University, Kyungpook National University and Sejong University — are also on the rise, as are cases of graduates advancing to senior policy positions at central government ministries such as the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Environment. More recently, graduates have begun emerging as CEOs and CTOs of deep tech venture companies spun out of national laboratories. As of 2025, the employment rate for domestic graduates stands at 94.6%.

Students participate as student researchers in national R&D projects at government laboratories, contributing as first authors and receiving intensive research-centered training. As of February 2026, 46.4% of doctoral students graduated having published as first authors in international journals ranked in the top 10% by JCR, reflecting the university's strong research output.

UST President Kang Dae-im said the university expects applicant numbers to continue rising as its profile grows, and pledged to further strengthen its research-focused educational capabilities and expand scholarship benefits "to develop UST into the nation's premier graduate school for science and engineering."

UST operates as a direct educational institution under the Ministry of Science and ICT, channeling educational functions through 30 national research institutes to train specialist talent in science and technology. About 1,500 doctoral researchers affiliated with those institutes currently serve as UST faculty, and new faculty members — drawn primarily from early-career researchers in strategically important fields — are appointed each year.

UST students participate as student researchers in national projects spanning cutting-edge fields such as AI and quantum information. All students receive full tuition support of 2.5 million won (about $1,630) per semester. Doctoral students receive a monthly research stipend of at least 1.9 million won, and master's students receive at least 1.43 million won per month, based on a work contract.

nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com