Korea hosted 314,397 international students as of February 2026, according to Korean Immigration Service figures. That clears the government's Study Korea 300K target, which had set 300,000 by 2027, roughly two years ahead of schedule and against expert predictions that it would be missed. Its February 2026 total of 314,397 breaks down into 238,905 at higher education institutions, 75,033 in Korean language programs, and 459 in other language training. For regional private universities and junior colleges, international recruitment moved some years ago from a growth strategy to a solvency question. Under the fourth cycle of the 교육국제화역량인증제 (international education competency certification) system, running 2025 to 2028, the share of incoming international students required to hold certified language ability rose from 30 percent to 40 percent in 2026.