Independent index: figures taken from official tariffs, not from agents
themigrationroute.com/
Get offers
Bank-balance figure not a direct government fetch, but several sources agree

South Korea
Student visa D-2

Enrolment in an undergraduate or graduate programme and a bank balance of ₩20M+ (≈$14,500), held for at least 28 days. The threshold varies by the university’s region.

Get a quote →
Bank balance from
≈$14,500
Holding period
from 28 days
Stay requirement
for the duration of studies
Work while studying
via a separate S-3 permit

The threshold varies by region and institution type

The standard figure targets Seoul-metro universities; regional universities historically had a lower bar, and from 2026 some colleges are exempt from the financial-proof requirement entirely.

UNIVERSITY CATEGORY
REQUIRED BALANCE
WHAT TO KNOW
Seoul metropolitan universities
REQUIRED BALANCEfrom ₩20M (≈$14,500)
The standard and most common threshold for most applicants.
Regional universities
REQUIRED BALANCEhistorically from ₩16M (≈$11,600)
A lower threshold, but from February 2026, 16 top vocational colleges are exempt from the requirement entirely.
Consulates in higher-risk countries
REQUIRED BALANCEfrom ₩30M (≈$21,700)
Individual consulates apply a stricter threshold at their discretion.

What the process consists of

Besides financial proof, enrolment at an accredited institution and maintaining valid visa status are required.

COST ITEM
RATE
APPLIES TO
D-2 visa (consulate)
RATE~$40–60
per applicant
Alien Registration Card (ARC)
RATE~$25–30
per applicant
S-3 part-time work permit (if needed)
RATE~$20
per applicant

How the process runs

01
Enrolment at an accredited university
An admission letter is a mandatory condition for filing D-2.
02
Preparing financial proof
A bank balance of ₩20M+ (or a different amount by university region/consulate), held for at least 28 days.
03
Filing for the D-2 visa
At a South Korean consulate in the applicant’s place of permanent residence.
04
Entry and ARC registration
After entry, registering an Alien Registration Card is required.
05
Obtaining S-3 for part-time work
A separate permit, if part-time work during studies is planned.

A good fit if

You have an admission letter from an accredited South Korean university.
Financial means are confirmed by a bank balance of at least ₩20M (or less for regional universities), held for at least 28 days.
You are prepared to confirm the exact threshold for your specific university and consulate — the figure is not 100% officially unified.
Your programme is one of the 16 vocational colleges exempt from financial proof since February 2026 — then the threshold does not apply at all.

A poor fit if

You have no admission letter — the visa requires an actual place of study, not a speculative application.
Your account funds have not been held for 28 days or the amount is below what your university/consulate requires.
You need certainty on the exact allowed part-time work hours — sources disagree with each other, and this page deliberately does not present a single figure where sources don’t agree.
You are planning a post-graduation transition to work — this is governed by a separate visa (D-10) not covered on this page.

Who runs this programme

Your request goes to two or three firms from this list. You see exactly which ones before it is sent, and you can exclude any of them.

No matching firms in the directory for this category yet — the list is curated by hand and grows over time.

This is an independent list of firms in the market, not our partners — we do not forward requests to them or receive payment for referrals. Contact them directly via the link.

Frequent questions

Why isn’t the figure confirmed by a direct fetch of the official site?

Because hikorea.go.kr (the official Korean immigration portal) was unreachable for direct verification in this research session. The ₩20M figure is confirmed by several independent specialist sources on Korean student visas that agree with no discrepancy — but this is a lower confirmation tier than a direct government-site fetch, and the site states this honestly.

Why does the threshold differ by university?

Because consulates and universities apply different internal norms: Seoul-metro universities traditionally require more, regional ones less, and from 2026 some vocational colleges dropped financial proof entirely to attract students.

What if my consulate requires a different amount?

Follow the requirements of your specific consulate — some consulates in higher-risk countries officially apply a stricter threshold, up to ₩30M.

Is part-time work allowed during studies?

Yes, via a separate S-3 permit, but the exact weekly hour limit is disputed between sources (20 vs 25 hrs/wk for undergraduates) — the site does not present one figure where sources disagree.

What happens after graduation?

The transition to work is governed by a separate D-10 (Job-Seeking) visa — renewable in 6-month blocks up to 2 years, with regular employment prohibited on it.

How long is the visa valid?

For the duration of studies — the exact length depends on the programme (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral).

Sources

Seoulstart — detailed 2026 D-2 visa guide (an independent specialist source; the official hikorea.go.kr was unreachable for direct verification in this session)↗

Figures are for reference only. Verified against official sources on 26 August 2026. A precise quote is issued by the appointed firm after document review. This material is not legal advice, a public offer or investment advice.