Visa

Student Visa in Korea (D-2): Documents, ARC, and the Research Visa

Ray ConsultingJune 23, 202671 views

International students who want to study at Korean universities must obtain a student visa (D-2). This guide is based on official information from the Korea University Global Service Center (GSC) and covers the D-2 visa types, required documents, financial requirements, the Alien Registration Card (ARC), and the researcher visa (D-2-5) process in detail.

Student Visa (D-2): General Overview

Under Korean immigration law, all international students must obtain a student visa (D-2) before the start of the semester. The D-2 visa is issued at the Korean embassy/consulate in the student's home country before entering Korea. Some documents take a long time to prepare, so it is recommended to prepare them in advance in order to obtain the visa on time. Obtaining the D-2 visa on time is the student's own responsibility.

If a student obtained a D-2 visa for the same degree level based on another university's Certificate of Admission (CoA), they may be required to leave the country and obtain a new D-2 visa at the embassy using the new university's CoA.

D-2 Visa Types

D-2-3 — Master's Degree
D-2-4 — Doctorate (Ph.D), and integrated Master's and Doctoral program
D-2-7 — KGSP (Korean Government Scholarship Program) student (regardless of degree type)

Right to Change of Status (short-term → D-2)

People holding the following visa statuses may apply to change to D-2 status (○ — allowed, × — not allowed; "Special monitoring / Minister-designated countries" is a separate column):

B-1/B-2 (short-term): Ordinary countries — ○ · Special-monitoring countries — ×
C-3-1 / C-3-4 (accredited university): ○ · ×
C-3-1 / C-3-4 (non-accredited university): ○ · ×
C-3-8: ○ · ○
C-3-2~3 / C-3-5~7 / C-3-9~10: × · ×

Note: Students holding an A, E, or F type visa are not required to apply for a D-2 visa.

Applying for a D-2 Visa: Required Documents (new students)

Mandatory documents:

Visa application form — with a passport-sized photo attached (3.5 cm × 4.5 cm)
Passport — with a copy of the ID page (photo page)
Certificate of Admission — issued by the university administration
ID card — the student's identity document from their country of residence
Application fee — 60–90 US dollars
The university's Business Registration certificate — issued by the administration

Additional documents if required:

Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate — from a hospital designated by the embassy/consulate
Final education documents (diploma, etc.)
Financial statement
NIIED invitation — those who have an invitation do not submit financial proof, regardless of nationality

Countries Where the TB Test Is Required

Nationals of the following countries who have not submitted a certificate since March 2, 2016 must submit a TB test certificate:

Uzbekistan is on this list. Full list: China, Sri Lanka, Russia, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Nepal, East Timor, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mongolia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Laos, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, Peru, Papua New Guinea.

Final Education Documents

Submit one of the following: Apostille / verification by the Korean embassy in the country where the final education was completed / China Credentials Verification for Chinese diplomas.

Financial Statement (new students)

Amount: at least 20,000,000 KRW per year (KRW or USD only)
Issue date: must be issued within 30 days of the application date
Students abroad: the account of the student or a parent (if it is a parent's account — a certificate of kinship is required)
Those in Korea (with an ARC): only the student's own bank account

Applying for the CoA (Certificate of Admission) — new students

Contact the administration of the school you were admitted to:

Graduate School — [email protected]
Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) — [email protected]
Global MBA — [email protected]
Professional Graduate School — [email protected] (Global Service Center)

Important Notes

D-2 requirements may differ depending on the individual and the embassy — contact the Korean embassy in your country before applying.
After getting your passport back, verify that the visa was issued in the university's name as either Master's (D-2-3) or Doctorate/integrated (D-2-4).
If the wrong type (for example D-2-1 or D-2-2) was issued, notify the embassy immediately and have it corrected.

Applying for a D-2 Visa: Required Documents (enrolled students)

The list of documents is similar to that for new students (items 1–6 mandatory, 7–10 if required); only the financial requirement is calculated differently:

Financial statement: for 6 months [Tuition + 1,231,000 KRW × 6 / 2]
Issue date: within 30 days of the application date
Students abroad — the account of the student or a parent (if a parent's, a certificate of kinship); in Korea (with an ARC) — only their own account.

Alien Registration Card (ARC)

The ARC (Alien Registration Card) is an identity document that certifies the legal residence of foreigners in Korea. After entering Korea with a D-2 visa, students must apply for an ARC at the Sejongno Immigration Office before the start of the semester. Korea University students go to the Sejongno office specifically, regardless of where they live.

Important: Register the ARC within 90 days of your arrival (a fine is imposed if you are late). Do not leave Korea until the ARC is completed — without an ARC, re-entry or renewal of the D-2 visa is not possible.

Required documents:

Application form — with a photo attached (35 × 45 mm)
Passport — with a copy of the ID page and the D-2 visa page
Proof of residence — on campus: a "Confirmation of Residence" from the CJ I-House office (signed) + payment receipt; off campus: a copy of the lease agreement (if the agreement is not in your name — a copy of the landlord's ID + a confirmation letter)
Application fee — 35,000 KRW (cash) (increased as of January 1, 2025)
Certificate of registration or tuition payment (once the semester has started — a Certificate of Enrollment)

Do not forget to have your fingerprints scanned before leaving the immigration office.
If your address, passport number, or name changes — update the ARC within 14 days (for an address, at the local "dong" office or district office).

Mandatory Requirements After Arrival and Before Departure

After arrival

Visit the Global Service Center in person and submit the "Arrival Report" by the Friday of the first week of classes. New students must also report their arrival to the CoA office. As proof of ARC, the following are accepted: the appointment receipt (Sejongno), the certificate of application for a residence permit, or a copy of the front/back of the ARC.

Before departure

All students must notify the GSC at least 1 week before leaving Korea (by email or in person).
It is not required for a short vacation trip, but if the length of the trip is uncertain/extended — notify them.
Graduation, dual degree, exchange, work, or leaving permanently — must always be reported.
If you leave for a one-semester exchange or dual degree, send your departure and return flight tickets to [email protected] so that your D-2 visa can be reactivated upon return.

Research Student Visa (D-2-5)

For those who want to engage in research activities without attending classes.

Eligibility

Those who are not university students but hold a master's degree or higher and want to conduct research in a specialized field (experiments, writing a dissertation, etc.).
Research-assistant-level activity after completing a master's degree, or post-doctoral research with a scholarship sufficient for living, falls into this category.
Being engaged under a professor's personal research service contract (개인연구용역) is excluded.
Exception: undergraduate students in natural science/engineering fields in their home country who want to conduct research at Korea University.

Process

Eligibility check: the research institute invites the researcher, or the applicant applies directly (master's+ requirement).
Step 1 — President's seal: the foreign researcher prepares the documents; the department/institute submits the documents and requests the president's seal on the "Confirmation of Foreign Researcher"; the GSC reviews and signs the documents.
Step 2: the department/institute obtains the president's official seal.
Step 3 — Visa at the embassy: usually required — the sealed "Confirmation of Research Student," the Business Registration certificate, and other documents (varies by consulate — check in advance).
Step 4 — ARC after arrival: the ARC is registered at the immigration office within 90 days; a confirmation letter with the president's seal dated after the arrival date is required.

The GSC only reviews the documents for the president's seal; the inviting department/institute is responsible for the process from the researcher's entry through their residence.

Note for Citizens of Uzbekistan

Citizens of Uzbekistan must submit a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate when applying for a D-2 visa (see the list above). In addition, the financial statement, final education documents (apostille), and Certificate of Admission should be prepared in advance.

Note: this information is based on the Korea University Global Service Center source and is subject to change. The exact requirements differ depending on the individual and the embassy — check with the Korean embassy before applying.

Ray Consulting specialists provide full support with the D-2 student visa, document preparation, and the admission process. Contact us for a free consultation.