92% of International Students in Korea Live in One-Room Rentals as Campus Housing Shortage Fuels Reverse-Discrimination Dispute

More than nine in 10 international students in South Korea live in private rentals such as one-room units and low-rise apartments rather than university dormitories, according to new government data.

International Students Turn to One-Room Rentals as 91.9% Live in Jeonse or Monthly Leases

Data released on the 21st by the National Data Office included the '2025 Survey Results on Immigrant Residency and Employment', which found that the share of international students living in jeonse or monthly leases was 91.9%. That far exceeds the average share of all foreign residents in the country living in such leases (59.3%). By contrast, free accommodation accounted for 7.9% and owner-occupied housing for 0.5%.

A breakdown by dwelling type makes students' dependence on the private rental market even clearer. General housing, including one-room units and low-rise apartments, accounted for 75.3%, while dormitory residency was only 12.7%. Other forms, such as gosiwon-style micro-rooms and lodging establishments, made up 7.3%, and apartments were 4.7%.

Seoul-Area Concentration Drives Rent Hikes, Sparks Reverse-Discrimination Claims

That trend, combined with a sharp rise in international students, is having a ripple effect on campus housing. According to Ministry of Justice statistics, as of December last year there were about 308,000 international students residing in the country, with more than half concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area. However, 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 — had an even lower rate of 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. That shift is contributing to a general rise in rents in those areas. Conflicts over limited housing resources between international and domestic students are also intensifying. In January, for example, Jeonbuk National University attempted to prioritize a large dormitory for international students as part of a national project but withdrew the plan after strong backlash from domestic students, igniting a 'reverse-discrimination controversy'.