5 private universities open gov't funded dormitories

By Kim Bo-eun

Five private universities have opened dormitories that can house 2,461 students in Seoul and the surrounding area this month, the education ministry said Thursday. Their construction is a joint effort of the ministry, the Korea Foundation for the Promotion of Private Schools and the schools themselves.

The opening is part of President Moon Jae-in’s pledge to increase dormitory capacity to house an additional 50,000 students, providing affordable housing for students, who are burdened by high tuition and housing costs.

The government provided the universities with low-interest funds for construction of the dorms.

Kyung Hee, Kwangwoon, Sangmyung, Shinhan and Korea Nazarene universities will offer students housing for an average of 220,000 won a month, which is lower than the costs of existing dorms of private universities which range from 290,000 won to 440,000 won. The monthly rent of studio apartments is at least 500,000 won.

The schools have established a 15 percent to 30 percent quota for students of low-income households and students with disabilities, and several schools have increased the pool of students who will pay discounted fees to 5 percent from 3 percent. These students will get a 30 to 50 percent discount on dormitory fees.

The dormitories which opened this month were constructed at schools in Seoul, Uijeongbu and Cheonan, which face the worst shortages.

According to ministry data, private universities offer housing to 19.4 percent of the country’s total students, which is lower than state and public universities which house 23.1 percent. Schools in Seoul and surrounding cities house 15 percent of the students, which is lower than 23.9 percent in other regions.

Currently, 26 government-funded dormitories are in operation and 12 are either being planned or under construction.