[Edaily Reporter KIM EUNG-YEOL ] Prospective students are flocking to contract degree programs that guarantee employment at major corporations after graduation. In the 2027 academic year’s early admissions cycle, the number of applicants to contract degree programs at major corporations— SamsungElectronics(005930), SK hynix(000660), and HyundaiMotor(005380) —increased by more than 18% compared to the previous year, reaching an all-time high.

According to an analysis by Jongno Academy on the 15th, the total number of applicants for 13 contract majors affiliated with seven major corporations in the 2027 academic year’s early admissions round was 8,994. This represents an increase of 1,387 (18.2%) compared to the previous year (7,607). Although the number of available spots increased from 368 to 383 during the same period, the number of applicants rose even more sharply, causing the average competition ratio to rise from 20.67 to 1 to 23.48 to 1.

In particular, the strength of contract programs in the semiconductor field was especially pronounced during the 2027 academic year’s early admissions round. For the five semiconductor contract programs, 5,992 applicants vied for 210 spots, resulting in a competition ratio of 28.53 to 1. The number of applicants increased by 972 (19.4%) compared to the previous year’s 5,020. In addition, the number of applicants for contract programs in the information security field increased by 15.1% year-over-year, while applicants for automotive contract programs rose by 10.3%.

The program with the highest competition rate by department was the Department of Systems Semiconductor Engineering at Sogang University, a contract program sponsored by SK hynix. With 20 spots available, 1,323 applicants applied, resulting in a competition ratio of 66.15 to 1. The number of applicants also rose by 36.5% compared to the previous year (969), reaching 1,323.

Hanyang University’s Department of Semiconductor Engineering, another SK hynix contract program, also saw 1,421 applicants for 32 openings, resulting in a competition ratio of 44.41 to 1. This figure is higher than the previous year’s ratio of 36.59 to 1. The competition ratio for Korea University’s Department of Semiconductor Engineering—another contract program—also rose from 12.04 to 1 in the 2026 academic year to 14.57 to 1 in the 2027 academic year. Looking at the average competition ratio for the three SK hynix contract programs, it rose from 30.96 to 1 in the 2026 academic year to 39.40 to 1 in the 2027 academic year.

Among SamsungElectronics’ contract programs, the increase in the competition ratio for Sungkyunkwan University’s Department of Semiconductor Systems Engineering was particularly notable. The department recorded a competition ratio of 36.84 to 1, with 2,026 applicants vying for 55 spots. The competition ratio rose compared to the previous year (31.22 to 1), and the number of applicants increased by 18% from 1,717. The average competition ratio for all five SamsungElectronics-affiliated contract programs rose from 19.50 to 1 in the 2026 academic year to 21.04 to 1 in the 2027 academic year.

In addition, the Department of Smart Home Appliances—a new program established by Pusan National University in partnership with LGELECTRONICS(066570)—recorded a competition ratio of 30.15 to 1, with 603 applicants vying for 20 spots. Korea University’s School of Smart Mobility, a program in partnership with HyundaiMotor, recorded a competition ratio of 14.33 to 1, with 430 applicants for 30 spots. The Department of Information Security at Soongsil University, in partnership with LG Uplus, saw 160 applicants for 12 spots, resulting in a competition ratio of 13.33 to 1.

However, not all contract programs saw an increase in applicants. Contract programs in the battery sector, which is facing challenging market conditions, saw a sharp drop of 117 applicants (36.2%) compared to the previous year, while applications for contract programs in the telecommunications and mobile sectors also fell by 11.0% and 21.3%, respectively.

While the overall popularity of contract programs is rising amid the job crisis due to expectations of employment at large corporations, application trends vary by industry depending on sector-specific conditions. In particular, the semiconductor sector is expected to continue its boom, driven by the growth of the artificial intelligence (AI) market, leading to a surge in applicants for related contract programs.

Lim Seong-ho, CEO of Jongno Academy, analyzed, “While preference is rising not only for semiconductors but also for smart home appliances, automobiles, and information security, in some sectors—such as batteries and telecommunications—both the number of applicants and the competition rate are declining simultaneously,” adding, “Industry conditions are clearly influencing applications to contract programs.” He continued, “As the preference for contract programs grows amid the employment crisis, the level of preference and admission cutoffs will vary depending on industry trends.”