Foreign students in Korea call for support after graduation
Summary
Foreign students in Korea say the hardest part begins after graduation, when university support ends and they must find jobs, change visas and secure housing on their own. The Korea Times discussed the issue Thursday with five students from Iran, China, Russia, India and the Philippines. They said current programs focus more on life during enrollment than on the transition to employment and residency. The students called for practical, measurable follow-up support.
Key Facts
- More than 320,000 foreign nationals are now studying in Korea.
- The discussion included five students from Iran, China, Russia, India and the Philippines.
- Ghazal Esmaeili said ending scholarship and university support would leave her responsible for finding a new visa status and employment.
- Aya Cassandra Dela Cruz said universities may require a Level 3 score in the Test of Proficiency in Korean while some employers seek Level 6.
- The students suggested quarterly meetings, partnerships and transparent reporting instead of one-time consultations.
Foreign students from five countries discuss challenges facing international students in Korea at The Korea Times headquarters in Jung District, Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Jang Hwi-seong
With more than 320,000 foreign nationals now studying in Korea, international students say the hardest part may begin when university support ends: finding jobs, changing visas and securing housing on their own.
The Korea Times held a discussion, Thursday, with five students from Iran, China, Russia, India and the Philippines to hear about their experiences and discuss ways to improve support after graduation.
The students said government and university programs often focus on life during enrollment, leaving graduates to navigate the transition into employment and longer-term residency with limited practical assistance.
Ghazal Esmaeili, an Iranian master's student at Korea University who has spent three years in Korea as a Global Korea Scholarship recipient, said she had rarely worried about visa or daily-life issues because of scholarship and university support.
But she said the end of that support would leave her responsible for finding a new visa status and employment, making the transition daunting.
Aya Cassandra Dela Cruz, a Filipino master's student at Korea University, said the gap between university requirements and the job market can be substantial.
She said universities may require a Level 3 score in the Test of Proficiency in Korean, while some employers seek candidates with Level 6 proficiency.
Maksim Efremov, a Russian undergraduate student at SolBridge International School of Business in Daejeon, said some foreigners unable to find legal work can be pushed toward illegal employment, creating broader economic concerns.
Housing was another concern, with Vaya Sakshi, an Indian master's student at the University of Seoul, saying she repeatedly encountered listings within her budget that were unavailable to foreigners.
Ma Lanxin, a Chinese master's student at Yonsei University, said foreign and Korean student communities remain largely separate, limiting opportunities for language exchange and networking.
The students called for a forum that would produce measurable results, suggesting quarterly meetings, partnerships and transparent reporting rather than one-time consultations.
They also said future policy discussions should gather data from a broader range of students, whose needs differ by nationality, language, academic background and career plans.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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