Keimyung University Ranks the Nation’s No.1 Regular Admission Competition Rate Among Large Universities for 2026 Academic Year
proving the competitiveness of non–Seoul metropolitan area universities.
confirming a “shift in criteria for choosing universities”.
Keimyung University recorded one of the highest admission competitive rates nationwide in the 2026 regular admissions process among large universities with more than 3,000 admission seats, reflecting a shift in applicants’ criteria for university selection.
Keimyung University announced that, based on the results of applications for the 2026 regular admissions cycle, 5,648 applicants applied for 566 quota-based seats, resulting in a competition rate of 9.98 to 1. This marks the highest regular-admission competition rate nationwide among the large universities admitting 3,000 or more students through the admission process, underscoring the strong national competitiveness of a non–Seoul metropolitan area university. Compared with the previous year’s (2025) rate of 7.93 to 1, it represents a significant increase and sets a new all-time record.
A clear shift was also seen in the regional distribution of applicants. Of all applicants, 9.8% were from Seoul and 11.1% were from Gyeonggi Province, meaning the proportion of applicants from the Seoul metropolitan area was higher than that from the Busan–Ulsan–Gyeongnam (BUKG) region. This suggests a growing trend of placing greater importance on the substance and environment of education and the ability to plan one’s career, rather than on geographic accessibility, when choosing a university.
The university believes that its ongoing educational innovations—such as expanding AI-based education, building advanced digital infrastructure, promoting interdisciplinary convergence programs, and creating a practice-oriented learning environment—have contributed to the increase in applications. In particular, it pointed to being the first university in Korea to establish both artificial intelligence (AI) and software-defined networking (SDN) infrastructure simultaneously, and to expand AI-utilization education across all academic divisions, as factors that have strengthened its competitiveness.
Dean of Admissions at Keimyung University, said, “Keimyung’s case shows that a university’s competitiveness is determined not by its location but by the content and environment of its education.” He added, “Even outside the capital region, if a university has cutting-edge digital infrastructure and major-tailored employment tracks, students can fully design the career paths they want.” He further noted that “The trend is strengthening among applicants, parents, and teachers who provide career guidance to evaluate universities based on the quality of education, infrastructure, and employment outcomes rather than on address or location.”