Korean University of Science and Technology
UST is Korea's national graduate university, founded 2003, that delivers research-based science and technology education through 30 government-funded national research institutes. It serves 1,232 graduate students with 1,764 faculty and a 93.6% employment rate.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersDaejeon, South Korea
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Korean University of Science and Technology does
The University of Science and Technology (UST, 과학기술연합대학원대학교) is Korea's national research institute university, established in 2003 under Article 33 of the Act on the Establishment, Operation and Fostering of Government-Funded Science and Technology Research Institutions. UST operates a distributed graduate education model in which students conduct research directly at 30 government-funded national research institutes (including KIST, KAERI, ETRI, KRIBB, and KRISS) rather than at a single centralized campus. Headquarters are in Daejeon (Yuseong-gu), with the educational footprint spanning 30 institute locations across South Korea. As of 2026, UST enrolls 1,232 graduate students (doctoral, integrative, and master's programs) under 1,764 faculty, maintaining a student-to-faculty ratio of 1.65.
UST's core technology is a multidisciplinary graduate education platform integrated with national R&D infrastructure: students participate in national research projects using advanced facilities at partner institutes, supported by the Global Mentoring Conference Platform (online international lectures and mentoring) and the U-LINK Platform (employment matching for international students at Korean companies). The curriculum comprises 47 multidisciplinary convergent programs as of the 2026 second semester, with flagship tracks aligned to Korea's national strategic technology priorities (AI, biotech, nuclear, aerospace, etc.). Research output is substantial — 4.38 average SCI papers per PhD graduate, 6.70 average impact factor, and 46.1% of 2025 PhD graduates publishing in JCR top 10% journals as first authors.
UST's revenue model rests on three streams: graduate tuition (annual billing with scholarship and Korean Scholarship Foundation loan support), direct government funding from the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Council of Science & Technology, and industry-academia-research partnership revenue through joint research and talent development programs. Customer segments include domestic Korean graduate students, international graduate students (25.9% of enrollment, recruited from 18+ countries), the 30 partner national research institutes, and Korean employers that hire UST graduates (Samsung Electronics, Samsung Biologics, Hanwha Aerospace, Hyundai Motor, KAERI, ETRI). The 2024 graduate employment rate is 93.6%. Marketing is conducted via the official website, Naver Blog, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, the UST ON Webzine, press releases, and the U-LINK employment platform.
Korean University of Science and Technology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Korean University of Science and Technology
- Legal name
- 과학기술연합대학원대학교
- Website
- https://ust.ac.kr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- UST is Korea's national graduate university, founded 2003, that delivers research-based science and technology education through 30 government-funded national research institutes. It serves 1,232 graduate students with 1,764 faculty and a 93.6% employment rate.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Korean University of Science and Technology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education - Graduate Science and Technology
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis (EDAHAAAD), Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization) (EDAHABAH)
Keywords
Where Korean University of Science and Technology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Daejeon
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Korean University of Science and Technology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Graduate school tuition from enrolled students across doctoral, integrative, and master's programs
- Government Funding: Government subsidies and grants as a national research institute university under the Ministry of Education and Science Technology
- Industry Partnerships: Industry-academia-research cooperation revenue through joint research and talent development programs with companies
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Graduate program tuition with scholarship opportunities |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
Korean University of Science and Technology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UST provides graduate-level science and technology education through doctoral, integrative, and master's degree programs delivered across 30 government-funded national research institute campuses in South Korea. Students conduct research using advanced facilities at partner institutes including KIST, KAERI, ETRI, KRIBB, and KRISS, participating in national R&D projects while earning their degrees. The university complements its core educational offerings with the U-LINK employment matching platform, Global Mentoring Conference, and credit exchange programs with 48 partner universities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Graduate Degree Programs (Doctoral, Integrative, Master's) UST offers three graduate program tracks—doctoral, integrative, and master's—across 47 multidisciplinary convergent programs at 30 national research institute campuses. Students conduct research on-site at partner institutes including KIST, KAERI, ETRI, KRIBB, and KRISS, participating in national R&D projects while earning their degree. Programs are taught in Korean and English with support for both domestic and international students.
- U-LINK Employment Matching Platform Online employment platform operated by UST Industry-University Cooperation Foundation that connects international UST students and graduates with Korean companies seeking R&D talent. Supports recruitment, career development, and visa sponsorship processes for international students. Members can log in via Facebook, Google, or Kakao social authentication.
Quantifiable outcome
- 93.6% employment rate for 2024 graduates
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Korean University of Science and Technology
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Korean University of Science and Technology technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Korean University of Science and Technology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)coreKIST is one of the 30 national research institutes that serves as a UST campus, providing research facilities, faculty mentorship, and specialized programs for graduate students in various science and technology fields.
- Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI)coreKAERI serves as a UST campus offering nuclear science and engineering programs, with students conducting research using the institute's advanced facilities and participating in national nuclear R&D projects.
- Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI)coreETRI operates a UST campus providing programs in information and communications technology, digital twin, AI, and robotics research areas.
- Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)coreKRIBB campus offers biotechnology and life sciences programs with focus on cutting-edge research in bioscience and bioengineering.
- Korea Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS)coreKRISS serves as a UST campus specializing in measurement science, metrology, and standards research with 89 faculty members and 75 students.
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Japan)majorInternational partnership with Japan's national institutes graduate university for student exchange, joint research, and academic collaboration in science and technology.
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)majorCredit exchange partnership allowing UST students to take courses at KAIST (48 credit exchange partner universities including KAIST, SNU, Yonsei University)
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesmajorInternational partnership with China's academic institution for student exchange and research collaboration in science and technology fields.
- Korea Institute of Science and Technology EuropeminorEuropean branch of KIST providing international collaboration opportunities for UST students in Germany and Europe.
- Ecole des Mines de Saint-Etienne (France)minorInternational exchange partnership with French engineering school for student mobility and joint research programs.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Korean University of Science and Technology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Japan): Japan's national inter-university graduate research institution, explicitly partnered with UST. Operates a distributed-campus model across national research institutes — the closest structural analogue to UST outside Korea.
- POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology): Private Korean research-intensive science and technology university. Comparable to UST in graduate STEM focus, strong research output per faculty, and industry-linked employment outcomes.
- KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology): Korea's flagship science and technology research university. Both KAIST and UST compete for top STEM graduate students in Korea and operate research-focused graduate programs with strong government backing and industry placement.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS): China's graduate university affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences institutes. UST lists UCAS as an international partner, and both share a national-institute-based graduate education model.
Broad incumbents
- Seoul National University: Korea's premier comprehensive public research university. While broader in scope than UST, it competes for the same top domestic graduate applicants and has established credit exchange partnerships with UST.
- Tsinghua University: Leading Chinese research university with strong graduate STEM programs, government backing, and deep industry ties. Comparable to UST as a top-tier Asian research university competing for international S&T graduate talent.
- Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) system: Network of national STEM graduate institutions in India. Comparable as a flagship publicly-funded science and technology graduate training system producing high-impact research and industry-ready talent.
- ETH Zürich: Globally ranked public science and technology university with strong industry placement and government funding. Comparable to UST as a publicly-supported, research-intensive S&T graduate institution, though ETH is single-campus.
Emerging players
- Max Planck Schools (Germany): German network that links Max Planck Institutes with partner universities for graduate training. Structurally similar to UST's distributed national-institute model, with UST's European partner (KIST Europe) linking into this ecosystem.
Regional players
- École des Mines de Saint-Étienne: French engineering grande école and UST's listed European exchange partner. Comparable as an internationally-focused engineering/technology graduate institution, though it operates primarily in France rather than Korea.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Korean University of Science and Technology social profiles
Digital presenceKorean University of Science and Technology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Korean University of Science and Technology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Korean University of Science and Technology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Korean University of Science and Technology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Korean University of Science and Technology
What does Korean University of Science and Technology do?
UST provides graduate-level science and technology education through doctoral, integrative, and master's degree programs delivered across 30 government-funded national research institute campuses in South Korea. Students conduct research using advanced facilities at partner institutes including KIST, KAERI, ETRI, KRIBB, and KRISS, participating in national R&D projects while earning their degrees. The university complements its core educational offerings with the U-LINK employment matching platform, Global Mentoring Conference, and credit exchange programs with 48 partner universities.
Is Korean University of Science and Technology a public or private company?
Korean University of Science and Technology is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Korean University of Science and Technology founded?
Korean University of Science and Technology was founded in 2003.
Where is Korean University of Science and Technology based?
Korean University of Science and Technology is headquartered in Daejeon, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Korean University of Science and Technology make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are government Funding and industry Partnerships.
Who are Korean University of Science and Technology's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Japan), POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology), KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS). Broad incumbents are Seoul National University, Tsinghua University, Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) system and ETH Zürich. Max Planck Schools (Germany) is listed as an emerging player. École des Mines de Saint-Étienne is listed as a regional player.
Does Korean University of Science and Technology have an API?
No public API is recorded for Korean University of Science and Technology.
What industry is Korean University of Science and Technology in?
Korean University of Science and Technology's product category is Higher Education - Graduate Science and Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAF, Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools, with a secondary code of EDAHAAAD, Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.