Susi (Early Admissions)

In Korean university admissions, Susi (early admissions) is a system that selects students through a variety of screening elements other than the CSAT score, and accounts for about 80% of all admissio

Susi (Early Admissions)

Overview

Susi mojip (隨時募集, "rolling/early recruitment") is one of South Korea's university admission tracks, a concept contrasted with Jeongsi mojip (regular admissions), which uses the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) score as its main criterion. Susi selects students using a variety of elements beyond the CSAT, including the high school student record (internal grades), self-introduction letters, interviews, essay exams (nonsul), practical skills tests, and application documents, and each university autonomously determines its screening methods and schedule. For a long time, the structure has been maintained in which about 75–80% of total university quotas are filled through Susi and the remaining 20–25% through Jeongsi.

Main Content

Concept and Characteristics of Susi

Susi began to expand in the late 1990s and became the central axis of Korean university admissions after the 2000s. Its greatest characteristics are the diversity of screening types and the autonomy of individual universities. Universities accept applications in the first semester (September) and generally conduct screenings between October and December. Because the main screenings often take place before the CSAT exam (November), applicants bear the burden of preparing for the CSAT and applying through Susi at the same time. Susi is also broadly classified into six screening types (student record–academic, student record–comprehensive, essay, practical skills/performance, special talent, and other).

Susi has a limit on the number of applications. Applicants may apply to a maximum of six (some special screenings are separate), and this limit is called the "six Susi cards." If a student is admitted through Susi, they cannot apply through Jeongsi, and regardless of whether they enroll, the opportunity to take part in Jeongsi disappears under the principle that "admission through Susi = giving up Jeongsi." If a student is not admitted through Susi, however, they may apply through Jeongsi.

Screening Types

Student record–academic screening is a method that selects students mainly based on high school internal grades (academic subject grades). It is highly accessible because most students can apply, but the cutoff for internal grades is extremely high at top-tier universities. It typically minimizes documents and interviews and takes the form of 100% academic grades or 80% academic + 20% non-academic.

Student record–comprehensive screening (Hakjong) evaluates not only internal grades but also self-introduction letters, non-academic activities in the school life record, recommendation letters, and interviews in a comprehensive manner. Its stated purpose is to examine a student's suitability for the major, potential for growth, and character from multiple angles, but criticism has steadily been raised that it encourages dependence on private tutoring and competition to build up credentials. Since 2019, institutional reforms to strengthen fairness have continued, such as reducing the number of self-introduction letter questions and restricting the recording of achievements in non-academic activities.

Essay screening mainly reflects the score of an essay exam set by the university. Due to controversy over the burden of private education costs and polarization in essay-writing ability, it has been on a declining trend since the 2010s.

Practical skills/performance screening reflects practical exam scores or competition results in the arts and physical education fields. Special talent screening evaluates special abilities in specific fields such as foreign languages, science, and athletics, and has recently been greatly reduced.

Comparison of Susi and Jeongsi

| Category | Susi | Jeongsi |

|------|------|------|

| Share of admissions | approx. 75–80% | approx. 20–25% |

| Main evaluation elements | Student record, essay, interview, practical skills | CSAT score |

| Number of applications | up to 6 | 1 each in Ga/Na/Da groups |

| Screening period | September–December | December–January |

| Applying to Jeongsi if admitted | Not possible | Not applicable |

Recent Trends

As of 2024–2025, the Susi system is at a major turning point. Through the 2028 school year university admissions reform plan, the Ministry of Education confirmed the abolition of self-introduction letters in student record–comprehensive screening (starting with the 2024 school year), and some universities are moving to reduce or abolish essay screening. In addition, following 2025, the expansion of medical school quotas and the creation of advanced-technology departments are making competition rates in the natural sciences track even fiercer. Major universities in Seoul are maintaining the share of Susi while adjusting in the direction of expanding socially considerate screenings such as regional balance and opportunity balance. Starting with the 2026 school year, the full implementation of the high school credit system and changes to the method of recording the student record are expected to reorganize the criteria for Susi evaluation by generation. Furthermore, as AI-based career and admissions counseling services spread, changes are also appearing in how applicants establish their screening selection strategies.