Jeju National University (JNU), selecting 1,868 students through rolling admissions, displays 'Regional Flagship National University' on downtown Seoul buses

【Financial News Jeju = Reporter Jeong Yong-bok】 "Jeju National University (JNU), a hub national university that people want to visit as much as Jeju."
Jeju National University (JNU) has placed brand advertisements on city buses running through downtown Seoul. This is a promotional strategy to directly expose the university to prospective students and parents in the metropolitan area by combining the regional appeal of Jeju with the image of the university.
On the morning of the 11th, an advertisement for Jeju National University (JNU) was attached to the rear of the No. 140 trunk bus operating in the Euljiro area of Seoul. It featured images of Hallasan and Jeju's nature against a blue background, followed by the phrase "A place you want to visit as much as Jeju," and prominently emphasized "Jeju National University (JNU), a regional hub national university."
This day also marks the last day for Jeju National University's early admission application period for the 2027 academic year. The university has been accepting applications for new students from the 7th until 6 p.m. on this day. It amounts to utilizing Seoul city buses, a medium closely integrated into daily life, at a time when interest is at its highest among prospective students facing university selection.
The number of students admitted through early admissions at Jeju National University (JNU) this year accounts for nearly three-quarters of the total freshman recruitment scale. According to Jeju National University (JNU), 1,868 students, or 74.5%, will be selected through early admissions out of a total recruitment quota of 2,509 for the 2027 academic year.
By type of admission, the Student Record Subject track accounts for 1,026 students, or 40.9% of the total recruitment quota. The Student Record Comprehensive track accounts for 760 students, or 30.3%, and the Practical/Performance track accounts for 82 students, or 3.3%.
One of the biggest changes in this year's admissions is the pre-medical program. The number of students admitted within the quota for the pre-medical program increased by 21, from 22 last year to 43 this year. A new regional doctor admission track was also introduced to foster regional medical personnel.
Seoul Bus No. 140, featuring advertisements, also stands out. It is a main route connecting the Dobongsan Station Metropolitan Transfer Center through downtown Seoul to the Gangnam District and Yangjae-dong areas. As it links northern residential areas with downtown business districts and the Gangnam District area, it serves as a mobile advertising medium that can repeatedly expose the university's brand to citizens of various age groups throughout the day.

At the heart of the advertising slogan is "regional hub national university." Jeju National University (JNU) has put its identity as a national hub national university front and center, rather than relying solely on the regional image of Jeju.
In particular, the phrase "as desirable as Jeju" links Jeju's high recognition as a travel destination to the university's brand. It leverages the fact that the university's location can act as a physical distance for students in the metropolitan area by presenting the experience of "living a university life in Jeju" itself as a selection factor.
This also aligns with Jeju National University's recent educational strategy. The university is strengthening its approach of utilizing the region itself as a resource for university education by expanding "runcations"—which utilize the entire island of Jeju as a learning space—as well as domestic and international student exchanges and the recruitment of international students.
Internationalization is also a key pillar of the student recruitment strategy. Jeju National University (JNU) has signed academic and student exchange agreements with 406 universities in 54 countries worldwide and operates exchange programs, language training, and overseas internships.
Advertising on Seoul city buses is significant in that it extended this strategy to public promotion outside the campus. Unlike methods that wait for students already interested in the university, such as admissions information sessions or university websites, this approach exposes the university's name and image first in everyday commuting spaces.
With competition for student recruitment intensifying among regional universities, the Seoul metropolitan area is a crucial recruitment market for Jeju National University (JNU). There is a growing need to go beyond simply recruiting local high school students and to simultaneously inform students from the capital area about the university's educational environment and the living and learning experiences in Jeju.
The sight of 'Jeju National University (JNU), a regional hub national university' appearing on a bus running through downtown Seoul on the last day of rolling admissions demonstrates that the university's student recruitment efforts are not confined to Jeju but are expanding into the everyday spaces of the metropolitan area.
The competitiveness of university promotion is expected to be determined ultimately not by the advertising exposure itself, but by how effectively it converts students who show interest after seeing the advertisement into actual applications and admissions.
[email protected] Jeong Yong-bok Reporter