92% of international students live in private rentals as campus housing shortage fuels reverse discrimination row

More than nine in ten international students in South Korea live in private rented housing such as one-room flats and villas, rather than in university dormitories. Many are on jeonse (a lump-sum deposit rental system) or monthly-rent arrangements. The government and universities are actively trying to attract international students, but the severe shortage of dormitory space is adding to the housing squeeze around university districts.

With dorms scarce, 91.9% of international students live in private rentals

The National Data Office published the 'Results of the 2025 Survey on Immigrant Residency and Employment', which found that the proportion of international students living under jeonse or monthly-rent arrangements reached 91.9%. That is far higher than the overall share of foreigners living in South Korea on such arrangements (59.3%). By contrast, rent-free residence accounted for 7.9% and owner-occupation for 0.5%.

Looking at accommodation types in detail, international students' reliance on the private rental market becomes even clearer. Ordinary houses, including one-room flats and villas, accounted for 75.3%—by far the largest share—while dormitory residence accounted for only 12.7%. Other forms, such as tiny rented rooms and other commercial lodgings, made up 7.3%, while apartments accounted for 4.7%.

Concentration of international students in the Seoul metropolitan area drives rent rises and sparks 'reverse discrimination' row among domestic students

This trend, combined with the sharp increase in international student numbers, is having a knock-on effect on housing conditions around universities. According to Ministry of Justice statistics, as of December last year there were about 308,000 international students living in South Korea, with more than half concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area. But as of October last year the average dormitory accommodation rate across 408 universities nationwide was only 22.2%, and universities in the Seoul metropolitan area, where international students cluster, fared worse at 17.8%.

Because dormitory supply has not kept pace with the growth in international students, students are being pushed into the private rental market around campuses. This is contributing to a general rise in rents in those areas. Conflict with domestic students over limited housing resources is also intensifying. In January, for example, Jeonbuk National University provoked a 'reverse discrimination' controversy when it attempted, citing a national project, to allocate a large dormitory preferentially to international students but withdrew the plan after strong protests from domestic students.