Seoul Elementary and Middle School Students Can Go to Rural Study in Jeju

[Financial News] The rural study area where elementary and middle school students in Seoul live for a certain period in rural areas has been expanded from the existing Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do Special Self-Governing Province, and Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 29th that it will recruit new students to participate in the rural study program for the second semester of the 2025 academic year from June 5 to 13.
Rural study is an ecological transition education program where urban students live in rural areas for a certain period, learn in nature, and experience community culture.
The study targets are from first graders of public elementary schools to second graders of middle schools, and the study period is from six months to one year.
The study types are divided into family stay, study center, and homestay. However, the newly added Jeju area will be operated as a family stay study in this second semester recruitment, focusing on establishing a stable settlement base.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education provides a monthly study fee of 300,000 to 500,000 won for six months to students selected for rural study. If there is one child, 300,000 won, two children 400,000 won, and three or more children 500,000 won. In addition, each study area education office and local government also provide 300,000 to 600,000 won separately. A city education office official explained, "The support amount varies depending on the region and study conditions, so you need to check the rural study recruitment details and the Gangwon, Jeonnam, Jeonbuk, Jeju education office rural study website."
The recruitment schedule for rural study students for the second semester ends on June 13, with preliminary assignments made on the 18th, and pre-visits to study areas from the 19th to the 30th. After completing the final study application, the final rural study school will be assigned on July 7. After changing addresses and transferring schools by August 14, the study life will start around mid-August.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's rural study has steadily increased in the number of participating students every semester since 2021. It started with 81 students in the first semester of 2021, and as of the first semester of 2025, a total of 376 students are participating, with a cumulative number of 2,227 students.
In addition, according to the city education office's monitoring results, the overall satisfaction with rural study is high at an average of 89%, and positive effects have been confirmed, especially in enhancing nature-friendly ecological sensitivity.
Geun-sik Jeong, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, said, "Rural study is education where students live in nature and local communities, reflect on their own lives, and learn new values," adding, "I hope the learning experience where cities and rural areas grow together in various study areas, including Jeju, will spread further."




monarch@fnnews.com Kim Manki Reporter