All international students should acquire a D-2 visa before coming to Korea. Please visit the Korean embassy/consulate’s website and the check list of required documents for D-2 visa application. Certificate of Admission* is one of the necessary documents and it will be sent to the admitted students by airmail. Once you prepare all of the documents, you can submit them to the Korean embassy/consulate for your visa application.

Certificate of Admission

You must submit a Certificate of Admission to the embassy/consulate to get a D-2 visa. If you fail to receive your admission certificate, please contact the respective office below.

1. Full-time Graduate Students

• KAIST Office of Admissions Team
• Email : advanced.adm@kaist.ac.kr

2. Full-time Undergraduate Students

• Admissions Team
• Email : creative.adm@kaist.ac.kr

3. Exchange Students

• International Relations Team
• Email : incomingexchange@kaist.ac.kr or irt@kaist.edu 

If you’re eligible for F-4 (Overseas Korean) or E-3 (Researcher) or F-3 (Dependent Family), you may apply for those visa types since F-4, E-3 and F-3 visa include study activities in Korea. To find out how to apply for the E-3 visa, please click here.

Any foreigner who wishes to stay in Korea for more than 90 days needs to obtain a Residence Card (RC) from the Immigration Office. The card will act as your main form of identification during your time in Korea, and you will need a foreigner registration number for various occasions.

Foreigners intending to stay in Korea for more than 90 days must register within 90 days of entry. However, new international students are strongly advised to apply for a Residence Card (RC) as soon as they arrive at KAIST. In addition, if you are granted a new status or permission for a status change, you must report the change immediately after receiving notification of the new status.

Required Documents

• Application Form (available in the hikorea.go.kr website or the ISSS office)
• Passport (original and copy of ID and visa pages)
• A passport photo (3.5cm x 4.5cm)
• Fee: KRW 30,000 in cash
• Certificate of Enrollment (issued from the automated machine on the 1st floor of E11 Bldg.)
• Proof of Residency (can be printed out from the KAIST Dormitory System (kds.kaist.ac.kr) / copy of house contract)
• Tuberculosis (TB) Test Result (students from 35* countries only) → if you have already submitted this to the Korean embassy/consulate or the Immigration Office, you do not need to submit it again.

  *High TB-Risk Countries (35): China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Indonesia, India, Nepal, Vietnam, Thailand, Russia, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, East Timor, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, Peru, Papua New Guinea

Fingerprint Registration

After the above documents are submitted to the Immigration Office, you must register your fingerprints at the Immigration Office to complete your application.

Card Issuance

When you are done with the application, you will receive a sheet of paper showing that your application is being processed (named "Receipt"). The Immigration Office or ISSS will soon contact you when your card is ready for pickup.

Certificate of Alien Registration

It normally takes 2~3 weeks for your Residence Card to be issued. If you need it sooner, then you can get a Certificate of Foreign Resident Registration which can temporally act as a substitute for your Residence Card. This certificate is only issued to foreigners who have already completed their Foreign Resident Registration.
Visit the Yuseong District Office with your passport and a fee of KRW 2,000 (subject to change) to get the certificate issued.

If you lose your Residence Card, it is important that you report the loss within 14 days from the date of occurrence and get it reissued. You will need to bring the following documents to the Global Talent Visa Center (if you are in the KAIST Daejeon Campus).

• Application Form (available in the Visa Center)
• Copy of Passport
• Report of Loss Form (available at ISSS or Visa Center)
• Fee: KRW 30,000 in cash
• Proof of Residency (can be printed out from the KAIST Dormitory System (kds.kaist.ac.kr) / copy of house contract)

It is illegal for D-2 visa holders to obtain work outside of the university and earn an income without prior permission for activities outside the visa status. To get permission, you will need to submit the following forms and complete the necessary process before starting your job.

Part-Time Work Permission (Off-Campus): Non-Professional Occupation

※ The permitted hours differ depending on one’s English Proficiency Level

Required Documents *subject to change

• Application Form (attached)
• Passport (original and copy of ID page)
• Residence Card (original)
• Part-Time Work of Foreign Student Confirmation Form (attached)
  ※ All the other documents must be prepared in advance before receiving a signature from an ISSS staff.
  ※ Since the office hour of the staff may change due to a sudden event or a business trip, make appointment ahead of your visit to the ISSS office.
• Copy of Employment Contract (provided by your employer)
• Copy of Certificate of Business Registration (of your intended workplace)
  ※If “Manufacturing(제조업)” or “Construction(건설)” is included in the certificate, there is an additional form for the employer to fill out. Even if your job is not related to either manufacturing or construction, the document is a requirement. Please request it to ISSS via email.
  ※ If the company has never registered their information to the Immigration Office (which means you are the first foreign employee they have hired), you need to submit a copy of the employer’s ID.
• Official Transcript (minimum GPA required from the previous semester: 2.0)
• Certificate of Enrollment
• Copy of English Proficiency Test Result
  ※New TEPS: Requires conversion table from official TEPS website as well
• Certificate verifying that the official language of instruction at KAIST is English (send a request to ISSS via e-mail)
• Copy of the Application for Student Extracurricular Activities (Student Affairs Team) → unnecessary during vacation period

Internship (Off-Campus):

※ The permitted hours differ depending on one’s English Proficiency Level

Required Documents *subject to change

• Passport (original and copy of ID page)
• Residence Card (original)
• Part-Time Work of Foreign Student Confirmation Form (attached)
  ※ All items must be filled out in advance before asking for a signature from an ISSS staff.
  ※ Visit the ISSS office during working hours on weekdays (9:00~18:00 except lunch hours), W2-1 Bldg.
• Confirmation on Internship as a Requirement for Study (attached) → unnecessary during vacation period
  ※ You must acquire the Certificate of Internship Requirement issued by the KAIST Global Leadership Center (KGLC) to fill out the form.
  ※This is a 3-in-1 form made upon the request from the Ministry of Justice:
     ● Reason for Participation in Off-Campus Internship: Can be written by the student
     ● Confirmation from Faculty Advisor: Your faculty advisor (department office) must confirm that your off-campus internship is related to your study
     ● Recommendation from Dean: Need to receive a stamp from the dean, so please discuss with your department office beforehand
  ※ Please refer to the guidelines for the Internship Program (produced by the KGLC) in order to find the way to acquire the Certificate of Internship Requirement and the information on the persons in charge in each department.
• Copy of Employment Contract (provided by your employer; please see the attachment for an example)
• Copy of Internship Contract (provided by your employer; similar to employment contract but with additional content if needed by the company)
• Copy of Certificate of Business Registration (of your intended workplace)
  ※If “Manufacturing(제조업)” or “Construction(건설)” is included in the certificate, there is an additional form for the employer to fill out. Even if your job is not related to either manufacturing or construction, the document is a requirement. Please request it to ISSS via email.
  ※ If the company has never registered their information to the Immigration Office (which means you are the first foreign employee they have hired), you need to submit a copy of the employer’s ID.
• Official Transcript (minimum GPA required from the previous semester: 2.0)
• Certificate of Enrollment
• Copy of English Proficiency Test Result
  ※New TEPS: Requires conversion table from official TEPS website as well
• Certificate verifying that the official language of instruction at KAIST is English (send a request to ISSS via e-mail)

If any of the following changes should occur, you must report the change to the Immigration Office within 14 days of occurrence. If changes are not reported within 14 days, you will be fined according to Article 35 of the Immigration Act. If you need assistance, visit the ISSS office. ISSS office.

Changes to Report

• Change of name, sex, date of birth, or nationality
• Change of passport number, issuance date, or expiration date
• Change in the address of residence in Korea
• Change of university, workplace, or details of the affiliated organization (including name changes)

Required Documents

• Application Form
• Passport (original and copy of ID page)
• Residence Card (original and copy)
• Verifying documents for the respective changes

  * Items are subject to change depending on individual circumstances. You can either go to the Immigration Office in person or the hikorea.go.kr website.

A KAIST international student who takes a Leave of Absence (휴학) or Dispatch Without Leave of Absence (미휴학파견, e.g., going on an exchange program outside of Korea for 6 months or more) is considered to have stopped their study in Korea. This change in your student status must be reported to the Immigration Office by ISSS and you are obligated to leave Korea within 30 days from the date of occurrence.

Upon report, your permitted duration of stay will be automatically shortened regardless of your visa or the dates written on your RC.

In addition, your RC will expire due to the change in your foreign resident registration. You must turn in your RC at the international airport when leaving Korea.

To re-enter Korea, you must acquire a new student visa (D-2), which in turn means you need a new Certificate of Admission. When you are preparing to apply for a new student visa, please contact ISSS for a Certificate of Admission. Since you turned in your RC at the international airport on your departure, you must apply for a new one upon your return to Korea. Please visit the ISSS office for instructions on RC application.

* For students planning to go on Dispatch Without Leave of Absence must contact ISSS Team regarding the length of stay abroad beforehand.

If you need more information on immigration procedures or other related issues, please contact the Korea Immigration Call Center.

• The service is provided in 18 languages including English.
• Operating hours: 09:00~18:00, Monday to Friday
• Telephone number: 1345 (no area code needed)
• Website: www.hikorea.go.kr, www.immigration.go.kr