11 private university law schools to cut tuition by 15%

11 private university law schools to cut tuition by 15%. May. 17, 2016 08:00. by 이은택 기자nabi@donga.com.

Law schools across the nation, which were criticized as being "money schools" and "schools for the privileged" due to suspicions over unfair admission practices and hefty tuition, have decided to freeze or cut tuition fees. The schools are apparently taking the measure as part of their efforts to ease growing social criticism against them.

“All of the 10 national and public university law schools nationwide have decided to freeze tuition fees until the year 2020,” the Education Ministry said on Monday. “Of 15 private university law schools, 11 have decided to cut tuition fees.”

The average annual tuition for national and public university law schools stands at 10.442 million (8,870 US dollars), or about half that of private university law schools. The Seoul National University School of Law is most expensive at 13.392 million won (11,370 dollars), while Chungnam National University School of Law is the cheapest at 9.648 million won (8,190 dollars).

Of the 15 private university law schools, 11 schools including Sungkyunkwan University School of Law have decided to cut their tuition. Ten schools including Chung-Ang University School of Law are set to lower tuition from last year’s annual level by 15 percent in total, including 7.5 percent in this year’s second semester, and additional 7.5 percent in next year’s first semester. The reduced tuition fees will be kept at the level through 2020. "The tuition for Konkuk University School of Law is already lower than that of other university law schools, and hence reduction by the school will be smaller," an Education Ministry source said.

“Irrespective of freezing or cutting tuition fees, all law schools should maintain the ratio of scholarship students to 30 percent or higher as before,” an Education Ministry source said. “The measure is expected to significantly ease financial burden on students, who wish to enter law school.”