KUALA LUMPUR - The Seoul Metropolitan Government will expand career guidance and university admission support for children from multicultural families as demographic changes reshape the education landscape.

The move comes as South Korea faces a declining school-age population alongside a steady increase in youth with immigrant backgrounds.

City officials said the Career and College Admission Support Programme for Children from Multicultural Families will introduce an Individual Career Pathway system this year, as reported by The Korea Times. 

Launched in 2014, the programme has supported 3,095 students and parents through 1,129 sessions over the past four years, achieving a satisfaction score of 4.84 out of five.

Each year, Seoul appoints specialised institutions through a competitive selection process to deliver one-to-one consultations, university entrance seminars and parent academies.

The initiative provides a dual-track support system covering both students and parents, from early career exploration to application strategies.

Immigrant-background youth are legally defined as individuals aged between nine and 24 who were raised in multicultural environments due to their own or their parents’ migration experiences.

Their population has increased significantly from about 68,000 in 2014 to approximately 200,000 in 2025.

In contrast, the country’s school-age population, defined as those aged six to 21, declined from 7.37 million in 2016 to 6.97 million last year.

The city said this demographic shift has elevated support for immigrant-background youth into a key policy priority.

The programme will be enhanced this year with a personalised system that analyses each student’s academic background, language proficiency and career aspirations.

Seoul aims to support more than 700 participants this year, with expanded counselling for middle school students.

Additional measures will focus on late-arriving students and those still uncertain about their academic and career pathways.

Applications can be submitted through the Korea Institute for Career and Admission Information via email at admin@ceckorea.org or by phone at 02-701-6716.

For further information, applicants may refer to mcfamily.or.kr and global.seoul.go.kr.

Park Eun-sook, head of the city’s multicultural affairs division, emphasised the importance of the initiative.

“Immigrant-background students are an important future human resource for our society, and it is crucial to help them fully realize their potential.

“Seoul will continue to strengthen customized career and college support to narrow the education gap and ensure equal access to educational opportunities,” she said.