A student visa in Korea commonly reminds one of D-2, the typical visa international students apply for to study at a Korean university.

However, not everyone comes to Korea to attend a university right away. Some may want to attend Korean-learning classes and develop their language skills first or focus on professional training classes like cooking or even sign up for foreign language sessions that’s not about Korean.

This is where the D-4, General Training/Studying Korean Language visa comes in handy for you.

So what exactly is D-4, and how do you get one?

D-4 is for those willing to attend educational institutes that are not at university level, or do research or train at educational organizations that do not fall under D-2 categories.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to D-4 visa compiled by K-campus!

The following information is based on general searching results and conditions may differ depending on the policy and the applicant’s background status. Please refer to the immigration office and the official agencies for professional advice.

Different types of D-4 visa

There are a couple of variations to D-4.

D-4-1 (Korean Language Trainee) is the classic D-4 visa for students who plan to study Korean at a language institution, usually affiliated with Korean universities or at a higher education institution. Korean Language Institute, dubbed as “어학당” belongs to this case.

This visa is exclusively sponsored by Korean universities and not by private language schools.

D-4-2 (General Trainee (Others)) is for those entering Korea for research or training that are not for Korean Language Training but for other general fields.

D-4-3 (Elementary, Middle, High School) is for the younger students signing up for academic institutions equivalent to high school or below.

D-4-5 (Trainee Chef, Korean Cuisine) is for trainees in the Korean cuisine field, training at a Korean cooking academy designated by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

D-4-6 (General Trainee, Private Institute) applies to those who will train at a private academic institute, recognized for their outstanding performance.

D-4-7 (Foreign Language Trainee) is for those who are planning to learn a foreign language that is not Korean, at a language institution affiliated with a foreign academic institution in Korea. Easily said, you could be signing up to learn Russian, French or Chinese in Korea.

Who is eligible for D-4?

Students who register for a minimum of two sessions of the training semester can apply for D-4. If you are staying less than 90 days, short-term visas like C-3-1 (tourist visa) are what you need, not D-4.

Process of getting D-4

Ideally, you should begin your application roughly 6 months before you intend to start studying in Korea.

The application form and the required documents are best if submitted about 2-3 months before the start date of the course. March, June, September and December are the four months where the terms start. You can start registering up to a year early and finish the steps closer to the deadline.

First, if you are applying for D-4-1 (Korean Language Training), the affiliated university will most likely guide you through the steps and provide you with the required documents like the tuition receipt.

Long story short, you should fill out an e-Form through the Korea Visa Portal with all the required information and documents. Once the reviewing is done, you should book an offline visit at the consulate, embassy, the immigration office or an official institute in charge of the visa issuance.

What do you need to apply for D-4?

You need the following documents to apply, but make sure to double-check with the institutes or the administrative center just in case they require additional papers (e.g. Apostille)

- Passport

- A color passport photo (3.5 cm * 4.5cm), against a white background

- Copy of the Business Registration Certificate of the education institute.

- Standard Acceptance Letter from the university or an invitation letter for scholarship students.

- Certificate of enrollment or proof of highest education level

- Original financial statement documents (e.g., bank statements, scholarship receipts).

- Training Plan, including lecture schedules and details about training facilities