Country guide · South Korea
US sports scholarships for athletes from South Korea.
Grade conversion, NCAA eligibility, English requirements and the visa route, for student-athletes applying from South Korea.
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01The short version
Five steps from South Korea.
What to do, in order. The last one is where most athletes stall.
- 01
Keep your High School Diploma (고등학교 졸업장) grades up
Reported as a percentage and a 9-band relative grade.
- 02
Sit TOEFL or IELTS early
The score is valid for two years, so take it early and take it once.
- 03
Register for eligibility
With the NCAA Eligibility Center, or the NAIA or NJCAA centre if that is your route.
- 04
Build a highlight video
Open with your best 20 seconds: a coach decides in the first clip.
- 05
Email coaches directly
The step almost everyone skips, and the one that decides the outcome.
02Grade conversion
High School Diploma (고등학교 졸업장) to US GPA.
Reported as a percentage and a 9-band relative grade. This mapping is indicative: the NCAA Eligibility Center uses approved credential evaluators, and their conversion is the official one.
| South Korea grade | Indicative US equivalent |
|---|---|
| 90-100 | A |
| 80-89 | B |
| 70-79 | C |
| 60-69 | D |
| Below 60 | F |
03What to get right
The four things that decide it.
Transcripts, English, amateur status and the visa: what athletes applying from South Korea need to have in order.
- 01
High School Diploma (고등학교 졸업장)
US colleges recognise the High School Diploma (고등학교 졸업장). Send certified transcripts for every year of secondary school, not only the final one.
- 02
English requirement
TOEFL or IELTS is normally required.
- 03
Amateur status
Playing in a club academy is usually fine. Prize money, a professional contract or a signing fee can affect NCAA amateur status, so declare anything you have received rather than leaving it out.
- 04
F-1 student visa
Your college issues a Form I-20 once you are admitted. You then pay the SEVIS fee and book an interview at the nearest US embassy or consulate. Start as soon as the I-20 arrives, since interview waits vary widely by post.
04By sport
An established pathway from South Korea.
Each one opens the coaches recruiting that sport from South Korea.
05Questions
Questions from South Korea.
Can athletes from South Korea get US college sports scholarships?
Yes. US colleges recruit internationally across all three NCAA divisions as well as the NAIA and NJCAA. You need to meet the academic standard of the division you are targeting, register with the relevant eligibility centre, and make direct contact with coaches. Nothing about being based in South Korea disqualifies you.
How is the High School Diploma (고등학교 졸업장) converted to a US GPA?
Reported as a percentage and a 9-band relative grade. The table on this page shows the indicative mapping to US letter grades. The official conversion is not done by the college: the NCAA Eligibility Center uses approved credential evaluation services, and their result is the one that counts.
Do I need TOEFL or IELTS?
TOEFL or IELTS is normally required.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
For NCAA Division I and II the SAT and ACT are no longer required for initial eligibility. Individual colleges still set their own admissions policy, so some will ask for a score and some will not. Check the specific programs on your list rather than assuming.
When should I start if I am studying in South Korea?
Two academic years before you intend to enrol is a comfortable runway. That leaves time for eligibility registration, transcript evaluation, any English test, a highlight video, and the coach outreach itself, which is the part that takes longest.
06Start
Start contacting coaches.
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