49 Best universities for Applied/Engineering Physics in South Korea

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in South Korea ranked based on their research performance in Applied/Engineering Physics. A graph of 408K citations received by 12.2K academic papers made by 49 universities in South Korea was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Seoul National University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#26 in Asia

#81 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 28,378
Founded: 1946

2. Hanyang University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#40 in Asia

#106 in the World

Enrollment: 35,000
Founded: 1939

3. KAIST

South Korea | Daejeon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#46 in Asia

#121 in the World

Enrollment: 10,249
Founded: 1971

4. Sungkyunkwan University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#47 in Asia

#122 in the World

Founded: 1398

5. Yonsei University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#52 in Asia

#148 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 29,502
Founded: 1957

6. Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology

South Korea | Eonyang

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#63 in Asia

#182 in the World

Enrollment: 4,255
Founded: 2009

7. Pohang University of Science and Technology

South Korea | Pohang

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#65 in Asia

#185 in the World

Enrollment: 3,425
Founded: 1986

8. Korea University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#89 in Asia

#261 in the World

Enrollment: 24,351
Founded: 1905

9. Kyung Hee University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#147 in Asia

#480 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Enrollment: 35,826
Founded: 1949

10. Chonbuk National University

South Korea | Jeonju

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#154 in Asia

#500 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 32,300
Founded: 1947

11. Sejong University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#158 in Asia

#512 in the World

Enrollment: 13,350
Founded: 1940

12. Chonnam National University

South Korea | Gwangju

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#159 in Asia

#513 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 33,195
Founded: 1909

13. Pusan National University

South Korea | Busan

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#166 in Asia

#532 in the World

Enrollment: 27,780
Founded: 1946

14. Inha University

South Korea | Incheon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#209 in Asia

#626 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Enrollment: 20,613
Founded: 1954

15. Yeungnam University

South Korea | Gyeongsan

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#230 in Asia

#687 in the World

Enrollment: 21,000
Founded: 1947

16. Chungnam National University

South Korea | Daejeon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#238 in Asia

#704 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1952

17. Dongguk University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#243 in Asia

#718 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 28,204
Founded: 1906

18. Soongsil University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#247 in Asia

#730 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 16,000
Founded: 1897

19. Pukyong National University

South Korea | Busan

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#248 in Asia

#734 in the World

Enrollment: 28,100
Founded: 1924

20. Kyungpook National University

South Korea | Daegu

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#263 in Asia

#761 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 38,616
Founded: 1946

21. Dankook University

South Korea | Yongin

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#264 in Asia

#763 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 28,654
Founded: 1947

22. Chung-Ang University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#276 in Asia

#788 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 28,221
Founded: 1918

23. University of Seoul

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#293 in Asia

#815 in the World

Enrollment: 15,967
Founded: 1918

24. University of Science and Technology Korea

South Korea | Daejeon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#314 in Asia

#864 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 1,292
Founded: 2003

25. Gyeongsang National University

South Korea | Jinju

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#322 in Asia

#878 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1948

26. Ajou University

South Korea | Suwon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#334 in Asia

#900 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1973

27. University of Ulsan

South Korea | Ulsan

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#345 in Asia

#923 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1970

28. Ewha Womans University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#359 in Asia

#961 in the World

Enrollment: 24,680
Founded: 1886

29. Gachon University

South Korea | Seongnam

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#360 in Asia

#964 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 18,995
Founded: 1982

30. Jeonju University

South Korea | Jeonju

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#384 in Asia

#1016 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1964

31. Sogang University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#398 in Asia

#1039 in the World

Enrollment: 9,227
Male:Female: 55:45
Founded: 1960

32. Hongik University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#416 in Asia

#1070 in the World

Founded: 1946

33. Konkuk University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#419 in Asia

#1078 in the World

Enrollment: 21,620
Founded: 1946

34. Chungbuk National University

South Korea | Cheongju

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#428 in Asia

#1104 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Enrollment: 24,300
Founded: 1951

35. Kangwon National University

South Korea | Chuncheon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#432 in Asia

#1111 in the World

Enrollment: 38,064
Founded: 1947

36. University of Incheon

South Korea | Incheon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#446 in Asia

#1140 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Enrollment: 13,822
Founded: 1988

37. Kookmin University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#469 in Asia

#1175 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Enrollment: 24,000
Founded: 1946

38. Kwangwoon University

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#492 in Asia

#1216 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 9,807
Founded: 1934

39. Anyang University - South Korea

South Korea | Anyang

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#506 in Asia

#1244 in the World

Enrollment: 7,540
Founded: 1948

40. Seoul National University of Science and Technology

South Korea | Seoul

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#515 in Asia

#1257 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Founded: 1910

41. Sunchon National University

South Korea | Suncheon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#539 in Asia

#1309 in the World

Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1935

42. Chosun University

South Korea | Gwangju

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#553 in Asia

#1332 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 23,000
Founded: 1946

43. Kumoh National University of Technology

South Korea | Gumi

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#557 in Asia

#1338 in the World

Enrollment: 10,463
Founded: 1980

44. Changwon National University

South Korea | Changwon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#583 in Asia

#1385 in the World

Enrollment: 9,320
Founded: 1969

45. Kongju National University

South Korea | Gongju

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#611 in Asia

#1443 in the World

Enrollment: 22,000
Founded: 1948

46. Kyonggi University

South Korea | Suwon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#618 in Asia

#1450 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 16,400
Founded: 1947

47. Korea National University of Transportation

South Korea | Chungju

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#624 in Asia

#1466 in the World

Enrollment: 13,400
Founded: 1962

48. Hanbat National University

South Korea | Daejeon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#653 in Asia

#1505 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 14,290
Founded: 1927

49. Dong-Eui University

South Korea | Busan

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#661 in Asia

#1518 in the World

Enrollment: 24,200
Founded: 1976

The best cities to study Applied/Engineering Physics in South Korea based on the number of universities and their ranks are Seoul, Daejeon, Eonyang, and Pohang.

Physics subfields in South Korea

Acoustical Engineering113

Astrobiology37

Astrophysics and Astronomy110

Atomic and Molecular physics71

Biophysics58

Condensed Matter Physics93

Optical Engineering130

Quantum and Particle physics142

Theoretical Physics49