Education Ministry sets 2026 medical school admission quota at 3,058

The Ministry of Education said on Thursday that it has set the number of medical school admissions for the 2026 academic year at 3,058, the same level as the 2024 academic year. However, the ministry emphasized that this is a temporary measure that applies only to the 2026 academic year. From the 2027 academic year, the number will be determined by the Medical Manpower Supply and Demand Estimation Committee.

Lee Ju-ho, Minister of Education, announced this at a briefing at the government complex in Seoul on Thursday. The decision was made in response to suggestions from university presidents that the government should prioritize the number of medical school seats to normalize medical education. The briefing was also attended by Lee Jong-tae, president of the Korea Association of Medical Colleges (KAMC), and Lee Jin-woo, president of the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (KAMS).

“It is true that the participation of medical students in classes has not reached the level suggested by the KAMC and presidents of medical schools in March,” Lee said. “But we decided to accept the proposal of the KAMC and the medical school presidents’ association, believing that they will maximize efforts in the educational field if the government confirms the 3,058 students.”

He said that medical students who do not attend classes in protest of the government’s increase of medical school admissions for 2025 will be dealt with strictly according to academic rules. “There will be no academic flexibility measures like last year,” Lee said, emphasizing that the education ministry will operate the academic year strictly according to the academic rules, including not allowing students to advance to the next year for missing classes.

Medical school deans are urging students to return to the classroom.

Lee Jong-tae, president of the Korea Association of Medical Colleges (KAMC), said, “Most students at 40 medical schools nationwide have completed enrollment and returned to school. Medical education has resumed after a two-year hiatus, and students have begun preparing to become future doctors. However, many remain hesitant or refuse to attend classes. The deans feel a sense of responsibility for this.”

He emphasized that there will be no “academic flexibility” for students who fail to return.

“The basic policy for the 2025 academic year is to strictly follow academic regulations. As both the Ministry of Education and the association of medical schools have repeatedly made clear, deans cannot make exceptions to this policy,” Lee said. “In this situation, students must act responsibly to avoid consequences that could harm their futures.”

Meanwhile, Lee Jin-woo, president of the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (KAMS), called on trainee physicians to return to their training hospitals.

“Medical policy cannot be shaped overnight,” Lee said. “It is a long journey that requires ongoing dialogue and cooperation.”