Korean school-year planner
Estimate a child’s elementary school entry year in Korea
Enter a Gregorian birth date to see the usual Korean elementary-school cohort and the years that may be possible with an early-entry or delayed-entry request. This is a planning estimate, not an enrollment decision.
Entry-year reference
Usual cohort
March 1 reference for the school year. This may not be the first classroom day.
One year earlier
Requires an early-entry request; it is not automatic.
One year later
Requires a delayed-entry request; it is not automatic.
How the estimate works
Under the Korean Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the usual March 1 entry reference falls in the year after a child turns six: birth year + 7. Children born in the same calendar year are in the same usual cohort, whether their birthday is January 1, December 31, or February 29. For example, a child born on any day in 2020 has a usual entry reference of March 1, 2027.
The law also permits a one-year-earlier or one-year-later route. Under the current Enforcement Decree, an early-entry application is submitted October 1–December 31 in the year the child turns five; a delayed-entry application uses the same window in the year the child turns six. These are application windows, not automatic assignments. Check the current procedure with the local eup, myeon, or dong office and the school or education office before acting.
When a birth date is not enough
- A child already enrolled, transferred, or assigned to a different grade needs an individual school record review.
- Foreign-national families and children entering after living or studying abroad may use different admission or transfer procedures. Ask the local school or education office; this calculator does not determine their status or grade.
- A school’s actual first day, orientation, enrollment notice, documents, and district assignment are set separately. Do not book travel or miss an official deadline based only on this estimate.
Sources and scope
- Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Article 13 (Korean) — usual entry year and one-year alternatives.
- Enforcement Decree, Article 15 (Korean) — cohort list and application windows.
- Ministry of Education records guidance (Korean) — foreign and returning students may need individual admission or transfer handling.
- Ministry of Education: Primary Education (English) — background on the six-year elementary level.
Rules checked September 29, 2026. Korean law and local instructions can change. The date you enter is processed in your browser and is not saved by this tool.
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- Korean age calculator — compare full-year and traditional counting ages.
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