South KoreaStudy visa

D-2 study visa in South Korea

The study visa for South Korea is a status for foreign nationals enrolling on full-time higher education programmes at an accredited Korean university, or carrying out targeted academic research at a university. It is obtained by applicants and students on university programmes and by participants in student exchanges.

Source: Republic of Korea visa portal (visa.go.kr), list of visa types

Who can obtain a D-2 visa

Korea's official visa portal divides D-2 status into sub-categories by level and purpose of study.

University programmes

Associate degree programme (D-2-1)
Bachelor's degree programme (D-2-2)
Master's degree programme (D-2-3)
Doctoral programme (D-2-4)

Research and exchange

Targeted academic research at a university or research institute (D-2-5)
Participation in a student exchange programme (D-2-6)

What it costs

Single-entry visa (stay of more than 90 days)	60 USD
Double-entry visa (up to 2 trips)	70 USD
Multiple-entry visa with unlimited entries	90 USD

Documents to gather

To obtain a D-2 visa and enter the country you need:

Passport
A D-2 visa or a certificate of confirmation of visa issuance from the Korean immigration service
Visa application form
Disembarkation card — completed on entry
Documents for the particular D-2 sub-category, as determined by the consulate or the immigration service

How the process runs

Obtaining a D-2 visa and entering the country works as follows.

1
File the documents at a Korean embassy or consulate
The applicant submits the passport, the visa application form and the documents for their D-2 sub-category to the consular section of the Korean embassy. In some cases a certificate of confirmation of visa issuance is obtained beforehand from the Korean immigration service.
2
Collect the completed visa
up to 3 months
The visa must be collected no later than 3 months after the date of the application or after notification of the Minister of Justice's approval — otherwise the documents must be filed again.
3
Enter Korea and register as a foreign resident
within 90 days of entry
On entry you present the passport, the visa and the disembarkation card. The period of stay on D-2 exceeds 90 days, so within 90 days of entry you complete alien registration (or file a report of your place of residence) with the regional immigration service.

Timelines and rights

Work

Part-time work is allowed only with permission for activity outside the status of stay (체류자격외활동허가). The permission is issued by the regional immigration office; a separate notification is filed when the place of part-time work changes.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

A stay of more than 90 days requires alien registration within 90 days of entry. A change of educational institution must be reported within 15 days, otherwise a fine applies under article 35 of the Immigration Control Act.

The period of stay is extended at the immigration service for your place of residence; the fee is 60,000 won. If the status changes after the studies, for example to a work visa or a job-seeking visa, the change of status costs 100,000 won. The alien registration card is issued or reissued for 35,000 won, cash only.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	D-2 study visa	visa for remote workers	Work visa for specialists
Visa term	The period of stay is extended at the immigration office for your place of residence	Around 1 year (one renewal possible); the rules are still taking shape	1-2 years initially, renewable
Work	Part-time work is allowed only with permission for activity outside the status of stay (체류자격외활동허가)	Remote work only for a foreign employer; local work is prohibited	Work for the sponsor; a change requires approval
Residence	A stay of more than 90 days requires alien registration within 90 days of entry	Stay within the permitted period; it does not count towards permanent residence	Mainly residence; absences are restricted for permanent residence

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Eligibility for permanent residence (F-5) comes from 5 years on statuses D-7 to D-10, E-1 to E-7 or F-2. Study on D-2 is not on that list: the qualifying period starts to accrue after a change of status to a work status or to D-10. Conduct, the ability to support yourself and basic knowledge of the country are also assessed.

Route to citizenship

Since 20 December 2018 only holders of permanent residence (F-5) may apply for general naturalisation. It requires 5 years of continuous residence in Korea, income or support from family, and knowledge of the Korean language and customs. The application fee is 300,000 won.

Frequently asked questions about D-2 study visa

Who can obtain a D-2 visa?

Korea's official visa portal identifies six D-2 sub-categories: the associate degree programme (D-2-1), bachelor's degree (D-2-2), master's degree (D-2-3), doctoral programme (D-2-4), targeted academic research (D-2-5) and participation in a student exchange (D-2-6).

How much does a D-2 visa cost?

A single-entry visa for a stay of more than 90 days costs 60 US dollars, a two-entry visa 70 dollars, and a multiple-entry visa with unlimited entries 90 dollars. The fee is not refunded, even if the visa is refused.

How long does it take to obtain the visa?

The completed visa must be collected no later than 3 months after the date of the application or after notification of the Minister of Justice's approval. If you miss that deadline, the documents must be filed again.

How does the D-2 visa differ from the D-4 visa?

D-4 is intended for those studying Korean at a language institute attached to a university, studying at an institution that does not qualify for D-2 status, or undergoing technical or practical training at a public or community research institution. D-2 is used for full-time university programmes and targeted academic research — the full list of sub-categories D-2-1 to D-2-6 is given in the question above.

Can you work part time while studying on D-2?

D-2 is not on the list of statuses that allow work without separate permission (the list comprises C-4, E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, E-5, E-6, E-7, E-9, E-10, F-2, F-4, F-5, F-6, H-1). Any part-time work requires permission for activity outside the status of stay from the local immigration service.

How do you extend your stay or change status after the studies?

The period of stay is extended at the immigration service for your place of residence; the fee is 60,000 won. A change of the status of stay, for example to a work visa after graduation, costs 100,000 won.

Does studying on D-2 give a right to Korean citizenship?

General naturalisation is available only with permanent resident status (F-5): it requires at least 5 years of continuous residence in Korea, financial independence and basic knowledge of the Korean language and customs. The application fee is 300,000 won.

Other ways to move to South Korea

Every route in one list — migration programmes: South Korea.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.