Politics · South Korea · 4 hrs ago
1,728 medical school applicants gave up places in 2026 early admissions
1,728 students gave up early-admission places at South Korean medical schools for the 2026 academic year.
The figure was 95.4% of the 1,812 places offered across 39 schools.
Most withdrawals were linked to students getting into multiple medical schools, then choosing one place over another.
Withdrawal rates varied by region and selection route, with especially high turnover in some regional and Gyeonggi-Incheon programs.
A new regional doctor scheme is expanding medical school intake for the 2027 academic year.
Analysts expect the larger intake to lead to more students moving between offers, and possibly more unfilled early-admission places.
Some unfilled places may move to regular admissions, but the number for this year is not yet known.
A total of 1,728 students who were admitted to medical schools through early admissions for the 2026 academic year gave up their places.
The figure was 95.4% of the 1,812 places offered across 39 medical schools.
Most withdrawals were attributed to students receiving offers from more than one medical school.
An admissions analyst said withdrawals could rise in the 2027 admissions cycle as medical school places expand under the regional doctor system.
- Who
- 1,728 students admitted to medical schools through early admissions.
- What
- They gave up their places. The total was 95.4% of the 1,812 places offered.
- When
- The 2026 academic year.
- Where
- 39 medical schools across South Korea.
- Why
- Most withdrawals were attributed to students receiving offers from more than one medical school.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
In early admissions at 39 medical schools, 1,728 admitted students gave up their places.
An analyst said expanded medical school admissions under the regional doctor system could increase withdrawals and places carried over to regular admissions.
- Students who gave up places
- 1,728
- Medical schools covered
- 39
- Places offered
- 1,812
- Share of places offered
- 95.4%
- Places carried over to regular admissions
- 50 at 11 universities
1 source
What people are saying
Students admitted through nationwide selection at non-capital-area schools are thought to have left after also being admitted to medical schools in the capital area, while students admitted to medical schools in the Gyeongin region are thought to have left after also being admitted to medical schools in Seoul.
The expansion of medical school admissions under the regional doctor system for the 2027 academic year could lead to more withdrawals due to multiple admissions in early admissions, and the number of places unfilled in early admissions and carried over to regular admissions could also increase.