01
Apply directly to a university language institute (어학당). You'll typically pay tuition for at least two 10-week terms before the admission certificate is issued.
Documents
- Admission certificate from the institute
- Tuition receipt
D-4
Language Study Visa
General Trainee (Language Course)
For Korean language programs at university language institutes (어학당). The most common first visa for people planning to enter a degree program later.
0/4 stamped
Korean terms in ( ) are the exact words to show or say at the immigration counter.
Before you arrive
02
03
After you arrive in Korea
04
Documents for your nationality
Some documents depend on your country. Pick it to see what changes for you.
Count your deadlines
Enter your dates to see how many days you have. The 90-day residence-card deadline is the one most people miss.
Fill in a date above to see your countdown.
Estimate only — confirm exact dates with HiKorea.
Want a reminder before each deadline?
Sign in and we'll save your dates and track every deadline on My page — no more mental math.
Exceptions worth knowing
- Part-time work permission (S-3) opens after 6 months of stay: allowed hours scale with your Korean level (about 10 hrs/week baseline, up to 25 hrs/week on weekdays with TOPIK 3+, plus weekends/vacation), and you need at least TOPIK 2. You also need 90%+ attendance last term and your institute's sign-off.
- Switching D-4 → D-2 can be done inside Korea once you're admitted to a degree program.
- Family dependents: D-4 language trainees generally cannot sponsor an F-3 dependent visa (only after 2+ years' stay, and even then in limited cases) — a spouse or children usually need an F-1 visitor visa or case-by-case approval. Check with 1345.
Unsure about your case?
Call 1345, the Immigration Contact Center (19 languages; +82-1345 from abroad), describe your situation, and ask for the document checklist for your case by email. Can't make calls? HiKorea's online inquiry answers in writing, and before you fly, your local Korean embassy's email works just as well.
This is a guide — confirm before you act
Get into Korea is an independent guide, not a government body and not legal or administrative advice. Requirements change often and depend on your nationality and situation, so details here may be outdated or not apply to you. We take no responsibility for any decision made from this page — always verify your exact case with the official sources below before you apply or pay any fee.
Official sources — verify here