Income Standard: 50% or Below
“Support starts on application date… Apply in March recommended”
Elementary and middle school activity support increased by 6%
‘[Financial News] The Ministry of Education is conducting a concentrated application period for educational benefits and expense support for elementary, middle, and high school students from March 3 to 20 to reduce the education cost burden of low-income households. This year, the educational activity support has been increased by an average of 6%. ‘,
‘A Ministry of Education spokesperson stated, “Since the support begins based on the application date, we recommend applying in March.” ‘,
‘This application targets families that require new support for the 2026 academic year. New applicants, such as students entering elementary school, must apply, while students already receiving support do not need to reapply. ‘,
‘Educational benefits are part of the Basic Livelihood Security System under the National Basic Living Security Act, provided to students from households earning 50% or less of the median income. Students in elementary, middle, and high schools receive educational activity support once a year. For schools not covered by free high school education, entrance and tuition fees and textbook expenses are also supported. ‘,
‘This year, the educational activity support has been increased to 502,000 KRW for elementary students, 699,000 KRW for middle school students, and 860,000 KRW for high school students. The support is provided in the form of vouchers that can be used with credit/debit cards, prepaid cards, and easy payment systems. ‘,
‘However, newly selected recipients for 2026 must apply for a voucher through the ‘Educational Benefit Voucher Website’. Since it is not automatically provided, missing the procedure can delay actual support. ‘,
‘Educational expense support is managed by city and provincial education offices according to their standards. This includes free pass rights for after-school programs, PC and internet communication expenses, entrance and tuition fees, school operation support fees, and meal expenses for schools not covered by free education. The support is available to basic living security recipients, those under protection as single-parent families, legally categorized lower-income groups, and households earning typically between 50-80% of the median income. ‘,
‘Applications can be made through the town/district Happiness Welfare Center, Education Cost Central Counseling Center, Health and Welfare Counseling Center, and the Educational Benefit Voucher Counseling Center (Korea Student Aid Foundation). ‘,
‘Roh Jin-young, Head of the Student Support Bureau, stated, “The Ministry of Education will continue efforts to ensure educational opportunities for students from low-income households, and we hope that through educational benefits and support, students can focus a little more on their education despite challenging circumstances.”’