Mock applications to Seoul universities fall for second straight year as regional schools gain ground

Students are turning less often to Seoul universities in mock applications, while regional universities are drawing more interest. The shift appeared in an analysis of 53,107 mock-application records collected over the five admissions years from 2023 through 2027.

The data, analyzed by admissions information provider Jinhak, showed that the national share of applicants targeting universities in Seoul fell for the second year in a row. Outside the capital region, the proportion choosing universities in their home areas rose for a second consecutive year.

The trend was also visible among students from Seoul. The share of students who attended high school in Seoul and included Seoul universities in their mock applications dropped from 77.6% for the 2026 admissions year to 74% for 2027, a decline of 3.6 percentage points. Among students from Gyeonggi and Incheon, the figure fell from 65.5% to 62.8%.

Students outside the capital region showed a similar movement away from Seoul. Among high school students from Jeju, the share making mock applications to Seoul universities declined from 63.7% to 56.1%. The figures point to the possibility of increased applications to regional universities when the 2027 early admissions period begins on the 7th.