Frequently asked questions

Local teachers who teach Korean at King Sejong Institutes around the world can apply. If you meet one of these requirements, you are placed in the matching track: (1) a Korean Language Teacher Certificate, Grade 1 or 2; (2) completion of a Korean language teacher training program or the K-Teacher program; (3) a bachelor's degree and at least 1 year of Korean teaching experience. Up to 350 teachers are selected in total.

Click [Apply] on the program website. You do not need to log in. There are 5 steps: email verification → basic information → qualifications and experience → upload documents → review and consent. Each step is saved automatically, so you can continue later by verifying the same email again. If a colleague gave you a referral code, enter it in the Qualifications and experience step (optional).

The code has 6 digits and is valid for 10 minutes. First, check your spam folder and make sure there are no typos in your email address. You can ask for a new code after 60 seconds, up to 3 times in 10 minutes. If you still do not get it, tell us on the Private inquiry board on the website.

Upload fields appear based on your answers in the Qualifications and experience step (for example, your certificate, a training program or K-Teacher certificate, proof of your degree or experience, or a recommendation letter from the institute director). You can upload PDF, JPG, and PNG files, up to 10MB per file. HWP files are not accepted. Save them as PDF in the Hangul program and upload the PDF.

When you enter your qualifications and experience, your expected track appears right away. It is the first match in this order: certificate → training program or K-Teacher → teaching experience. An administrator then checks your documents and confirms your final track. Your confirmed track decides your course, your mentor, and your completion criteria. Planned seats are about 180 for Track 1, about 110 for Track 2, and about 60 for Track 3.

If 350 or fewer eligible teachers apply, all of them are selected. If more than 350 apply, 4 criteria are considered: years of service at King Sejong Institute, recent teaching evaluation results, a recommendation letter from the institute director, and work in a hardship or high-risk area. The balance across regions and institutes is also checked. Applicants who are not selected go on a waiting list, and seats are filled in order if someone drops out. Details may change after consultation with the Foundation.

Check the status under Application status on the website, after email verification. If your documents need to be fixed, you get an email asking for corrections. Please upload the documents again by the deadline in the email. Selection results, the training schedule, and how to take the courses are sent to the email you used to apply.

You do not need to sign up. Open the [Activate account] link in your selection email (valid for 72 hours), set your password, agree to the terms, and check your time zone and language. Then you are logged in right away. The email you used to apply becomes your account, and you are automatically enrolled in the course for your track. If the link has expired, use [Forgot password] on the login page.

Track 1 has 30 hours (Field teaching methods seminar 12 hours, Best lesson case analysis 6 hours, Lesson improvement consulting 12 hours). Track 2 has 32 hours (K-Teacher elective course 20 hours, live mentoring sessions 2 hours, 1:1 intensive teaching practice 8 hours, teacher certification exam prep lecture 2 hours). Track 3 has 58 hours (K-Teacher general course 53 hours, lead mentor program 3 hours, comprehensive exam prep lectures 2 hours). Details may change after consultation with the Foundation.

Courses start on October 1 and run for 10 weeks for each track. The program ends on December 10, 2026. Check weekly lessons, assignment deadlines, and live sessions in [Schedule] and [My classroom], shown in local time and Korea time (KST). Dates may change after consultation with the Foundation.

Track 2 teachers take a 20-hour elective course designed for the Foundation. Track 3 teachers take the general course with 130 lessons (about 53 hours). Both are taken on Saemteo, the Korean language teaching and learning center of the National Institute of Korean Language. Track 1 teachers do not take K-Teacher, and the [K-Teacher completion] menu in the LMS appears only for Track 2 and 3 teachers.

Apply for Saemteo membership by September 18, and finish course registration by Monday, September 28. Only then can you join the class that starts on October 1. If you miss one class, your study period becomes much shorter, so please keep to the schedule. The operations team collects documents and helps you sign up.

It is worth up to KRW 500,000 per person and is given as items, not cash. Choose 1 package: A. AI and content creation (KRW 480,000), B. Online skill building, C. Subject and teaching methods, D. Korean Wave culture (KRW 500,000 each), or E. Mix your own (combine items from A–D within the limit). Packages A–D all include a prepaid card or gift card.