Korean students putting off graduation
A chart generated by Gemini
More university students are officially postponing degrees to avoid resume gaps and keep access to campus perks
A growing number of university students are postponing graduation until they secure a job. Remaining enrolled allows them to use campus facilities for job hunting. They also want to avoid a rushed job search, because a person's first job dictates long-term pay and career prospects.
An analysis by the Hankook Ilbo confirmed this trend. The newspaper reviewed disclosures from AcademyInfo, a state-run higher education portal, and Ministry of Education data submitted to Rep. Jung Sung-kook of the People Power Party.
Applications for programs allowing students to defer graduation jumped 45.5 percent at eight four-year universities in Seoul. These include Konkuk, Dongguk, Sogang, Yonsei, Chung-Ang, Hanyang, Hongik and Ewha Womans University. The number rose from 4,825 in 2022 to 7,020 in April this year, but the actual number is likely higher.
Resume gap stigma, loss of campus perks fuel graduation delays
The figures exclude students who postpone graduation by completing their coursework but not the procedures to receive their diplomas, or whose studies take longer than the traditional four years. Instead, they focus on formal programs that allow eligible students to postpone receiving their degrees, typically for up to two years.
The biggest reason for delaying graduation is fear of an employment gap. As the job market worsens, time spent job hunting may be viewed as a red flag. Kim, a 25-year-old student at Hanyang University’s College of Education, decided to maintain student status while they consider employment outside of teaching, and applied to delay graduation.
"I heard that interviewers view a long period of job preparation after graduation negatively," Kim said.
Practical benefits also play a major role. Woo, a 21-year-old senior in Ewha Womans University School of Business, plans to delay graduation.
"Losing access to university facilities after graduation is a major concern," she said.
Some universities partner with corporations to provide paid artificial intelligence (AI) services to students for free.
"I delayed graduation partly because I wanted to retain benefits available only to students, including library access, study rooms for state exams and AI subscriptions," Kim said. "Maintaining student status also provides more employment information and opportunities, including internships and programs for enrolled students."
Seoul National University lacks a formal deferral of graduation. However, 624 undergraduates stayed beyond the regular term of study to take just one to three credits during the spring semester. This equals about 15.8 percent of the university’s incoming freshman class, a five-year high.
A job center at a university in Seoul / Yonhap
Rigid labor market, corporate wage gaps prompt formal deferral policies
More universities are introducing deferral of degree for undergraduates to meet student demand. Kyung Hee University introduced its program this year, while Korea and Soongsil University did so last year. In the past, students remained enrolled by intentionally leaving coursework incomplete or delaying thesis submission. Now, universities have formalized the process.
An academic affairs official at Soongsil said the school introduced the program in response to student requests and a tight job market.
"Because we sought to provide support comparable to that offered to enrolled students, we set the deferral period at one year to limit the university’s financial burden," the official said.
The number of young people delaying graduation is expected to grow. A college diploma no longer guarantees employment, and the entry-level job market remains difficult amid restructuring driven by AI. Jung Heung-jun, a business administration professor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, said the trend is ultimately rooted in structural labor market issues.
"Jobs sought by young people, including positions at major conglomerates and public institutions, account for only about 20 to 30 percent of the total," Jung said. "As gaps in wages, benefits and performance bonuses widen, more young people will prolong or repeat their job searches in hopes of securing better positions."
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.