Residence, studio or shared flat: 2026 rents around Seoul's universities, the deposit to plan for and registration steps.
To find housing in Seoul during your studies, three options dominate: a room in a university residence, a studio rented on your own (the "one-room") and a shared flat in a shared apartment or house. The right choice depends on three criteria: your monthly budget, the sum you can tie up as a deposit, and the length of your stay.
Demand is strong. According to the Ministry of Justice, cited by The Korea Times, Korea had 308,838 foreign students in December 2025, 17.1% more than a year earlier and twice as many as in 2020. Seoul hosts the largest share of this population: 82,911 international students according to the same newspaper. Residence places are not enough, and most students live in private housing around the campuses.
On the private market, rents are rising. According to the property platform Dabang, cited by the Korea JoongAng Daily in August 2026, a studio near Seoul's major universities rented for an average of 625,000 won per month in July 2026, up 7.7% over a year, for a reference deposit of 10 million won. Here is how to compare the options.
It is often the simplest solution on arrival: no large deposit, a contract for the length of the semester, and a certificate of residence provided by the university, useful for your administrative procedures. In return, places are limited, double rooms are common and payment is made in one go.
A concrete example: for the autumn 2026 semester, Korea University lists, in its call for applications aimed at master's and doctoral students and KGSP scholarship holders, the following rates for four months at Anam Global House: 2,430,000 won for a single room, 1,922,000 won for a double room and 1,173,000 won for a triple room. The CJ I House studio costs 2,976,000 won for four months. The university states that the sum must be paid in one go. Each institution sets its own prices and calendars: check your university's housing office website as soon as you are admitted.
The one-room is a studio in a small building, most often rented as "wolse": a deposit, then a monthly rent. The other Korean system, "jeonse", relies on a very high deposit with little or no monthly rent; it is rarely accessible to a foreign student. In 2026, the studio rents published by Dabang are calculated on a deposit of 10 million won: so plan for this sum, or a sum of the same order, on top of the first rent. Across all 25 districts of Seoul, the average rent of a one-room of 33 m² or less reached 710,000 won in March 2026 according to the Dabang report cited by The Financial News.
Sharing an apartment or a house reduces the individual rent and above all the deposit, split between the occupants. Before signing, check three points: whose name the lease is in, who gets the deposit back on departure, and how the charges are split. If you join an existing shared flat, ask for a written document stating your share of the rent, your share of the deposit and the end date. The goshiwon, a small furnished room with shared spaces, remains the cheapest option: expect about 300 euros per month including charges, with no deposit, for reduced comfort.
The most logical thing is to search near your campus. In February 2026, the Korea JoongAng Daily published, based on Dabang data, the average rent for studios of 33 m² or less around ten major universities, for a deposit of 10 million won. The average across the ten areas stood at 622,000 won a month, up 2% over a year, and average charges at 82,000 won.
Note that these gaps shift fast. The Korea JoongAng Daily reported in August 2026 a 26% rise over a year in rents around Seoul National University, the biggest of the areas studied. International neighbourhoods such as Yongsan (Itaewon, Hannam-dong) or Gangnam have some of the highest rents in the city and are a poor fit for a student budget.
A landlord or residence will generally ask for your passport, your visa, a certificate of enrolment and proof of resources (grant, transfer from your parents). The lease is drafted in Korean: have it translated before signing and keep written proof of every payment, in particular the deposit. Never send money for a home that nobody has viewed for you.
Any foreigner staying more than 90 days in Korea must register with the competent immigration office within 90 days of entry. This is what gets you your residence card (formerly the Alien Registration Card). The notice published in February 2026 by Incheon National University for the spring semester lists the documents required:
An important point: these documents must be issued after your date of entry into Korea. Your rental contract therefore serves directly for your registration. Many universities organise a group submission at the start of the semester; check with your international office.
The pressure is likely to last. The Korea Times notes that the capital region rent index, calculated by the Korea Real Estate Board, reached 101.51 in December 2025, its highest level since the series began in June 2015, and that officetel rents rose 0.76% in the last quarter of 2025, the biggest rise ever measured. So start your search early, especially before the March start of term.
If you are preparing your arrival from France, Remoters can put you in touch with a home finder based in Seoul: they search for you, view homes, help you put together your application and review the lease before signing. The first conversation and the quote are free.
Short answers to the questions our readers ask, written to stand on their own.
Sources cited in this article
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