Yonsei University

Name

Yonsei University

Legal name

YONSEI UNIV

Website

https://yonsei.ac.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1885

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM-Focused Research Universities (Engineering & Applied Sciences) (EDAHABAB)

Keywords

• Higher education
• University research
• Healthcare services
• Graduate programs
• International exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Yonsei University generates primary revenue from tuition and academic fees charged to undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree program students. Tuition refund standards apply (full refund within 14 days, 5/6 within 15-30 days, 2/3 within 31-60 days, 1/2 within 61-90 days, no refund after 91 days). Installment payment plans are available with no interest or application costs.
2. Research Funding: The university receives substantial research funding from government agencies, international organizations, and industry partners. In 2023, research funding reached 533.3 billion KRW across 175 research centers. Funding sources include MSIT, MOE, Innosuisse, KIAT, and various corporate partnerships.
3. Healthcare Services (Yonsei University Health System): Yonsei University Health System (YUHS), comprising Severance Hospital, Yonsei Cancer Hospital, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yongin Severance Hospital, and associated dental and nursing colleges, generates revenue through patient care services, medical procedures, and hospital operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Yonsei University is a private research university that delivers undergraduate and graduate education across 14 colleges and 15+ graduate schools at three South Korean campuses, supported by 175 research centers and the Yonsei University Health System. It also sells non-degree programs (Korean Language Institute, YISS, WAY) to international learners and conducts sponsored research with government and industry partners.

Product overview

Yonsei University operates as a comprehensive private research university with a diverse portfolio of educational programs and research initiatives. The institution offers undergraduate and graduate programs across 14 colleges and 15 graduate schools, including specialized programs such as Underwood International College, Global Leaders College, and the Graduate School of International Studies. Healthcare services are provided through the Yonsei University Health System, encompassing Severance Hospital and affiliated medical facilities. The university maintains advanced research infrastructure including quantum computing capabilities through IBM Quantum System One, and conducts collaborative research in AI-powered healthcare, quantum-AI drug discovery, and sustainable technology development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• QS World University Rankings 2026: 50th globally, 1st among private universities in Asia
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability12 records

Feature15 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AnthropiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Anthropic opened its Seoul office and partnered with Korean AI ecosystem institutions including Yonsei University, along with KAIST, Korea University, and POSTECH. Anthropic's Korea Representative Director Choi Ki-young stated the company will cooperate with Korean research institutions to support the local AI ecosystem, with Claude already deployed at major Korean enterprises.
• Seoul AI FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Seoul AI Foundation and Yonsei University researchers announced a joint initiative to develop a formal analytical framework and Seoul-specific 'AI divide index' for measuring AI inequality among residents. The research team will conduct deep-dive interviews with representative demographic groups to design a measurement model tailored to Seoul's population.
• Sungkyunkwan University Advanced Institute of Nano TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026SKKU's research team on Density Dry Electrode Technology for battery manufacturing collaborated with Yonsei University for simulations. The technology aims for Battery Electrode Foundry commercialization through startup Corenergy Solution.
• Voyager Technologies (NYSE: VOYG)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Voyager Technologies signed an MOU with Yonsei University in Seoul to develop research programs and applications within the VISTA (Voyager Institute for Space, Technology and Advancement) science park ecosystem at The Ohio State University. The partnership positions Yonsei alongside Fortune 500 companies, startups, and government agencies within a U.S. science park dedicated to in-space research, manufacturing, and services.
• KAIST, Dongguk University, Chungbuk National UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026Collaborative research with KAIST, Dongguk University, and Chungbuk National University to develop a universal design principle for all-solid-state batteries using tungsten-based oxygen anchoring in halide-based solid electrolytes. Breakthrough published in Advanced Energy Materials, demonstrating air-stable, high-performance solid-state battery technology.
• Wavelet MedicalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026AI-powered fetal brain monitoring startup Wavelet Medical, spun out of Yale, entered a co-creation partnership with Yonsei University Health System as one of three clinical pilot sites for its non-invasive fetal EEG monitoring platform that uses AI algorithms to reconstruct fetal brain activity from abdominal sensors.
• Samsung Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2026Joint research with Samsung Medical Center to develop a wireless electroceutical device using ultrasound to generate triboelectricity in a biodegradable polymer for drug-free pain relief. Preclinical trials on rats and pigs demonstrated significant pain reduction with rapid nerve function recovery and no tissue damage. Research published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.
• BasgenBiominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 December 2025BasgenBio partnered with Yonsei University and Dankook University for its digital-twin hair loss drug program. As part of Korea's Deep-tech Challenge Project, BasgenBio receives up to 3.6 billion KRW in government R&D funding to mine clinical and omics datasets for drug targets and use simulation to prioritize candidates.
• EmersoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025Emerson and Yonsei University collaborated to improve energy efficiency in 6G wireless networks by developing AI-powered machine learning models that dynamically adjust base station behavior. Early findings suggest approximately 33% reduction in base station power consumption vs. current RF on/off switching techniques. The testbed was demonstrated at 2025 IEEE Global Communications Conference.
• University of CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2025Yonsei University recruited Professor Han Nam-sik from the University of Cambridge to lead quantum-AI drug discovery research at its new Department of Quantum Information. Professor Han brings expertise in using quantum computing to analyze complex protein-protein interaction networks. Yonsei plans to establish a joint research center with Cambridge to foster continued innovation and industry-academia collaboration.
• Korea University Vaccine Innovation CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2025Yonsei University is part of a multidisciplinary consortium led by Korea University Vaccine Innovation Center for the 2025 Korea-ARPA-H Project, a five-year health security research project with KRW 12.5 billion budget focused on developing broad-spectrum antiviral agents and combination therapies. Other consortium members include Seoul National University, S2CBIO Co., Ltd., and Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology.
• IBMcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2024Yonsei University installed Korea's first IBM Quantum System One quantum computer in November 2024, establishing advanced quantum infrastructure and enabling quantum computing research and education programs including quantum-AI drug discovery.
• TerapetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Terapet, Yonsei University, and Oncosoft Inc. secured multi-million funding from Innosuisse (Swiss Innovation Agency) and KIAT (Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology) to develop a personalized quality assurance device for heavy ion therapy at South Korea's first carbon ion therapy center. The collaboration aims to advance healthcare technology and foster Swiss-Korean innovation partnerships. Project started November 2023, lasting three years.
• Oncosoft Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Joint collaboration with Terapet and Yonsei University on multi-million funded project for personalized quality assurance device for heavy ion therapy. Part of Swiss-Korean innovation partnership funded by Innosuisse and KIAT.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• National University of Singapore (NUS): NUS is Asia's consistently top-ranked university and a global research leader. It competes with Yonsei for international students, QS and THE rankings positioning, and global research partnerships across STEM and professional fields.
• Seoul National University (SNU): SNU is Korea's top public research university and the dominant incumbent ranked ahead of Yonsei in national brand reputation. As a larger public institution with broader research funding, it competes with Yonsei for top students, faculty, and research grants.
• Tsinghua University: Tsinghua is China's leading research university and a top global competitor in engineering, AI, and quantum research. It competes with Yonsei for international rankings, research talent, and STEM faculty recruitment across Asia.
• POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology): POSTECH is a top Korean private science and engineering research university. It is included in the Anthropic Korea AI ecosystem partnership alongside Yonsei and competes for STEM research funding and rankings.
• KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology): KAIST is Korea's leading STEM-focused public research university, headquartered in Daejeon. It competes with Yonsei for engineering, AI, and quantum research talent and has partnered with Yonsei on Anthropic's Korean AI ecosystem and battery research.
• University of Hong Kong (HKU): HKU is a leading research-intensive university in Hong Kong and a comparable top-tier Asian private/public research institution. It competes with Yonsei for international student recruitment, global rankings (QS top 50), and faculty talent across Asia.

Others

• Samsung Medical Center: Samsung Medical Center is a leading Korean hospital that co-develops research with Yonsei, including the ultrasound-powered wireless electroceutical device published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. It represents a clinical research partner comparable to Yonsei's own Severance Health System.
• University of Cambridge: Cambridge is a top global research university with which Yonsei maintains a strategic research partnership, notably recruiting Professor Han Nam-sik to lead its quantum-AI drug discovery program and planning a joint research center.

Direct peers

• Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU): SKKU is the third member of Korea's elite SKY private university group, founded in 1398. It competes directly with Yonsei for Korean students and has collaborated with Yonsei on density dry electrode battery technology research.
• Korea University: Korea University is one of the SKY trio of top Korean private research universities, founded in 1905 and located in Seoul. It directly competes with Yonsei for domestic students, faculty, and rankings, and recently partnered with Yonsei on the Korea-ARPA-H antiviral consortium.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ysuniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/Yonsei.University.Seoul
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yonsei
• Instagraminstagram.com/yonsei_official
• Xx.com/yonsei_u

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments9 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yonsei University