Archive · 9 Nov 2025
South Korea’s Top Universities Reject Students for School Bullying
Imagine you want to get into a really good school.
Usually, schools look at your grades and how well you do on big tests.
But in South Korea, the best schools are now also looking at whether you've been a bully.
If you've hurt other students badly at school, even if you have perfect grades, you might not get in.
Six big universities have already said no to 45 students for this reason.
Even students who got top scores on their tests were turned away if they had a history of bullying.
Starting next year, all schools in South Korea will have to check for bullying records.
This is because getting into a good university is very important for future jobs in Korea.
Serious bullying marks will now stay on your school record forever, so colleges can see them.
Some people worry that students who are accused of bullying might try to fight these records with lawyers.
South Korea's top universities are now rejecting students with disciplinary records for school violence.
Six out of ten major national universities have turned away 45 applicants due to their history of bullying.
This policy impacts students even if they have achieved high scores on the national college entrance exam.
Starting in 2025, all South Korean universities must deduct points for school violence offenses from applications.
Serious disciplinary actions for school violence will be permanently recorded, influencing future university admissions.
- Who
- South Korea’s top universities and national universities
- What
- Have begun rejecting applicants with records of school violence, regardless of their academic scores.
- When
- The policy is in effect for the 2025 admissions and starting next year, all universities will be required to deduct points for school violence.
- Where
- South Korea
- Why
- To prioritize a student's character and past behavior alongside academic performance, and to deter school violence.
Supporters of the Policy
Potential Challenges and Criticisms
Focus on Character and Behavior
Supporters of the Policy
This policy prioritizes a student's character and past behavior alongside academic achievements, signaling a shift towards valuing a well-rounded individual.
Potential Challenges and Criticisms
While character is important, concerns may arise about the fairness and subjectivity of disciplinary records, and the potential for appeals and legal challenges to disrupt the process.
Deterrent Effect of School Violence
Supporters of the Policy
Implementing strict consequences for school violence, with permanent records for serious offenses, aims to deter future bullying and create a safer school environment.
Potential Challenges and Criticisms
The intense pressure to enter top universities could lead to an increase in students and their families hiring lawyers to fight disciplinary decisions, potentially overwhelming the legal system and delaying admissions.
- Universities Implementing Policy
- Six out of ten major national universities
- Total Applicants Rejected
- 45
- Reason for Rejection
- Disciplinary records for school violence
- Policy Effective From
- 2025 admissions
- Severity of School Violence Records
- Level 6 and above are permanently recorded
- Exam Name
- College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) / Suneung