Study visa at a glance
| Official name | Study (D-2) |
|---|---|
| Scope of activity | Regular programme education and specific research at a junior college or higher-level institution, or at an academic research institute |
| Part-time work | Needs confirmation by the school's officer and permission in advance. Allowed hours vary with the previous semester's grades and Korean language ability |
| Subtypes | Associate · Bachelor's · Master's · Doctoral · Research · Exchange student · Work and study · Visiting student |
| Foreign resident registration | If you stay 91 days or more, apply within 90 days of your entry date |
| Report of changes | If your institution or organisation changes, report the change to your registered details |
| What K-Biz Visa handles | Consultation, document preparation and filing with the immigration office |
Subtypes
| Code | Name | How they differ |
|---|---|---|
| D-2-1 | Associate degree | Regular associate degree programme |
| D-2-2 | Bachelor's degree | Regular bachelor's programme |
| D-2-3 | Master's degree | Regular master's programme |
| D-2-4 | Doctoral degree | Regular doctoral programme |
| D-2-5 | Research study | Specific research |
| D-2-6 | Exchange student | Exchange programme |
| D-2-7 | Work and study | Programme linking work and study |
| D-2-8 | Visiting student | Visiting student |
Subtypes follow the degree programme and the form of stay. The first step is to settle which programme you are entering.
Common points of confusion
- Language schools
- D-2 is for regular programme education. Korean language schools and private training fall under General training (D-4).
- Admission and the visa
- A letter of admission is the starting document for a visa application. Visa issuance is reviewed separately, according to your nationality, the Korean embassy or consulate, and the documents you submit.
- Work
- Profit-making activity is outside the scope of this visa status. Part-time work is allowed only after confirmation by the school's international student officer and permission in advance.
- Different allowed hours
- Within the same study visa (D-2), allowed weekday hours vary with the programme and whether you meet the Korean language requirement. The rules for vacations and weekends also differ by programme.
Before the consultation
In your first enquiry, tell us the school and programme you plan to enter and your current stay situation.
What to tell us first
- The school and programme you plan to enter
- Whether it is a degree programme or training
- Your current visa status and entry plans
- Whether family will come with you
Documents we ask for later
- Letter of admission
- Certificate of your highest education
- Financial documents
- Copies of your passport and ID
We ask only for the sensitive documents the review needs, and keep and delete them under our privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions
D-2 covers regular programmes at a junior college or higher-level institution, or at an academic research institute. Language school training falls under General training (D-4).
The subtypes are associate degree (D-2-1), bachelor's (D-2-2), master's (D-2-3), doctoral (D-2-4), research (D-2-5), exchange student (D-2-6), work-study linked (D-2-7) and visiting student (D-2-8).
If your institution changes, you must report the change to your registered details. If your programme changes, the change of visa status procedure is checked separately as well.
Only after confirmation by the school's international student officer and permission in advance. For the study visa (D-2), the general requirement is an average grade of C or above in the previous semester.
Allowed hours depend on the programme and whether you meet the Korean language requirement. For students who meet it, the baseline is 25 hours on weekdays for associate and bachelor's programmes and 30 hours on weekdays for master's and doctoral programmes; if you do not meet it, the hours are shorter. Preferential conditions, such as enrolment at a certified university, high grades or high Korean ability, allow longer hours.
Visiting students (D-2-8) become eligible six months after the date of their change of visa status or their entry date. Work in professional fields, in some industries such as manufacturing and construction, in special-type employment, and under dispatch or subcontracting arrangements is restricted, with separate exception rules. The rules change when the guidance manual is revised, so they are applied as they stand on the date you apply.
Related agencies and laws
The procedures and criteria on this page follow the guidance of the agencies and the laws below. How they apply is checked case by case.
Agencies
- Ministry of Justice immigration offices
- Korea Visa Portal
Laws
- Immigration Act
- Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act
- Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act
Send an enquiryTell us the programme you plan to enter and your current status, and we will reply setting out the routes to check.