Seoul Kindergartens to Begin Recruiting New Students on Nov. 2; Resident Registration Certificates Can Also Be Submitted Online

[Financial News] Recruitment for the 2027 school year at public and private kindergartens in the Seoul area will begin on November 2. Applications will be handled through the online admissions system, the Early Childhood Education and Childcare Integration Portal (Kindergarten Admission). Applicants can also conveniently submit supporting documents, including resident registration certificates, through the portal.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 27th that recruitment for new students at all public and private kindergartens in Seoul will be conducted through the Early Childhood Education and Childcare Integration Portal starting November 2. Detailed admissions guidelines for each kindergarten will be available from 9 a.m. on the 28th. Eligible applicants are children aged 3 to 5 who were born between 2021 and 2023.
To reduce the paperwork burden on parents, this year's preschool admissions will offer an online eligibility-verification feature using Public MyData from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. However, those applying in person at a kindergarten must bring documents such as a resident registration certificate or a family relationship certificate. The required documents may vary according to each kindergarten's admissions guidelines, so applicants should check in advance.
The admissions process will proceed in the following order: priority admissions, general admissions, and additional admissions. Priority admissions, for legally defined low-income households, people eligible for national veterans' benefits, families of North Korean defectors, and others, will accept applications from November 2 through 4, with lottery results announced on November 9. Eligibility for priority admissions varies by kindergarten, so applicants should check with the kindergarten they wish to attend. General admissions, which are open to anyone, will accept applications from November 17 through 23, with results announced on November 26. Additional admissions will be held after December 1 at kindergartens that have unfilled places following general admissions.
New applicants may apply to up to three kindergartens, regardless of location or whether they are public or private. Children currently attending a kindergarten may apply to up to two. Applicants will be selected through a random lottery conducted by the system, regardless of the order in which they applied. The guidance leaflet attached to the press release recommends applying after 10 a.m. on the application day, as many users may access the system at once, and checking the lottery results after 4 p.m. on the day they are announced.
Selected children must be registered within the registration period. Those who applied in person must contact the relevant kindergarten to register. The registration period is November 10 through 11 for priority admissions and November 27 through 30 for general admissions. Anyone not registered within the applicable period will automatically be considered to have forfeited their place. Children selected and registered through priority admissions cannot apply through general admissions.
The SMOE said, “We will operate a transparent selection process to provide every child with a fair opportunity for admission and enable parents to apply to kindergartens with peace of mind,” adding, “We will actively support efforts to reduce the workload at kindergartens and ensure the smooth recruitment of preschool children.” 

[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter