Inside South Korea’s university programs offering a direct route to Samsung and SK Hynix
Inside South Korea’s university programs offering a direct route to Samsung and SK Hynix. Sogang University's Jung said that the competition rate and admission cutoffs were higher for the 2026 academic year than for 2025. watch nowVIDEO5:1705:17South Korea’s university programs are offering direct routes to major chipmakersSquawk Box AsiaScholarships and obligationsAt the Sogang program, every admitted student automatically gets a SK Hynix scholarship.
What happened
Skip NavigationMarketsBusinessInvestingTechPolitics & PolicyVideoWatchlistInvesting ClubPROLivestreamMenuKey PointsSouth Korean universities offer company-linked degrees that provide financial support and pathways to jobs at Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix years before students graduate. The corporate programs belong to a category within South Korea's university system known as "contract departments. SK Hynix has partnerships with several South Korean universities including Korea University and Hanyang University. Rival Samsung Electronics collaborates with institutes such as Yonsei University, the Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, as well as the Ulsan Institute of Science and Technology.
Rising competition For those looking to ride the AI boom, these programs are particularly lucrative, as Samsung and SK Hynix offer its workers massive pay packets. For South Korea's chip giants, recruitment no longer begins after university, but in their bid to attract top talent and create a strong pipeline, the search begins in these contract departments. 5% for the 2026 regular-admission cycle, while applications to SK Hynix-linked programs increased 12.
The wider picture
In this articleSKHYFollow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNTSEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – NOVEMBER 13: Students wait for the start of the annual college entrance examinations at an exam hall on November 13, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. Success in the exam, one of the most rigorous standardized tests in the world, allows students to study at Korea’s top universities. (Photo by Kim Hong-Ji – Pool/Getty Images)Pool | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesAI disruption has led several prominent entrepreneurs to question the value of traditional college graduate programs.
But top South Korean tech companies continue to ascribe value to degrees. In fact, they are helping craft university courses that fast-track entry into the AI sector, with some offering guaranteed jobs to graduates. Jung Chae-rin is a second-year student at Sogang University's Department of System Semiconductor Engineering, a four-year degree established in partnership with memory-chip maker SK Hynix. At Sungkyunkwan University, or SKKU, third-year student Kim Tae-rin is at the Department of Intelligent Software, a five-year integrated bachelor's and master's program in AI software, created in partnership with Samsung Electronics.
Her route also increases the chances of employment, but she must first clear a separate Samsung hiring process. The university did not elaborate on other queries sent, including what happens if a student does not clear the Samsung employment process.
What has been reported
Company and classroomSamsung provides "various experiential opportunities" for the SKKU scholars, including participating in Samsung Electronics internship programs, visiting overseas research centers, and attending international academic conferences. "Every week, SK Hynix employees or executives, or professors from SK Hynix University, would come and lecture on the technology or business area they are responsible for. She was able to propose solutions to real industry issues directly to the SK Hynix executives themselves and receive live feedback from them.
Applications to Samsung-linked contract departments rose 6. Her course comes with a guarantee of employment in SK Hynix upon graduation. Kim and Jung told CNBC that these programs offered them financial support and greater certainty of securing a job. For the companies, the programs create a pipeline of skilled workers. "Jongro Academy data revealed that applications to Samsung Electronics contract departments increased by 6.
What happens next
5% in the 2026 academic year, while for SK Hynix-linked contract departments, they increased by 12. Overall, for all Samsung Electronics contract courses, there were 13. 44 applicants for every spot, and for SK Hynix contract department courses, 9. 7 for employment with SK Hynix, according to Jung. SK Hynix said graduates must work for the company for a period equal to the duration of their financial support. They enter at the same rank and receive the same base salary and benefits as other entry-level university recruits, the company said.
The path is slightly different for Samsung Electronics, however.
The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across cnbc.com, theguardian.com. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.