In South Korea’s school system, the school year normally begins in March.
The Korean school calendar traditionally starts at the beginning of March and runs through the following January or February, depending on the school’s term structure. Primary and secondary schools generally begin their first semester in March.
South Korea historically used a three-term calendar similar to Japan’s, but many schools later adopted a two-semester arrangement. The exact timing of holidays and term breaks can vary, while international schools often follow an August-to-June schedule instead.
The March start is also used by many South Korean universities, whose first semester commonly begins around March 2. The calendar was temporarily disrupted in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the school year until April; the March-to-January pattern returned in 2021.