North Korean students undergo grueling preparations and tough competition to enter prestigious universities just like those in South Korea, according to North Korea experts and defectors.

Around this time, students in the North have a hectic schedule in preparation for a set of college entrance exams, just as South Korean students do, they said.

Children in the communist state enter four years of elementary school at around eight and then six years of middle-high school, after which they decide whether to receive tertiary education.

The competition rate for entrance into top-tier universities mostly in Pyongyang such as Kim Il-sung University is known to be about 30 to 1. 

Some children from rich families receive expensive private education just like in the South, and IT or foreign language majors are most popular among students, according to news reports.

A book on North Korean society and unification issues, which was recently published by the Institute for Peace Affairs, gives a glimpse into the reclusive country’s educational system. The book was made with the help of some 10 North Korea experts.

According to the book, since 1991, the North has administered a preliminary exam for college entrance. It instituted the exam to prevent any irregularities in the college entrance process. Previously, students enter universities with a recommendation from those in high authority.

Administered by city or county education offices between October and November, the exam is comprised of six subjects: revolutionary history, Korean language and literature, math, English, chemistry and physics.

Only 20 percent of the applicants can take another entrance exam in February, which is given by each university.

Most students go to colleges in their provinces, but smart and wealthy ones prefer to enter those in the capital. Around 10 percent of the students go to university after graduation from their middle-high schools.

The most popular schools are Kim Il-sung University in the category of human studies and social science, Kimchaek University of Technology for engineering and technology and Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies for the foreign language category, according to the book.

Although the socialist state espouses free education, there appears to be private lessons wealthy parents provide for give to their children.

“They do not openly give private education to their children in North Korea. But some teachers give their students private lessons and their parents give them some money or food and others as a token of gratitude,” a North Korean defector told The Korea Herald, declining to be named.

Experts estimate that about 20-30 percent of students in large cities receive private education, and that a considerable number of teachers live on the money they earn from private lessons.

Some defectors said that there are many corruption cases in the college entrance process. Some use bribes, or regional and school connections to help their children gain admissions to preeminent schools, they said.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)