Ajou University


Ajou University is a private research university located in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It was founded in 1973. Ajou University started as Ajou Engineering College with the aim of exchanging technology and culture through education between the French and South Korean governments.
Ajou is located on a single campus with Ajou University Hospital, Gwanggyo Bio-Techno Valley, Samsung Electronics headquarters, and CJ Blossom Park, a food bio-convergence research institute. Gyeonggi-do Pharmaceutical Association has signed MOUs with Ajou.
Ajou has established an advanced college of bio-convergence engineering that combines Biology, Biological engineering, medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, artificial intelligence, and mechanical engineering to protect human lives and help solve issues related to aging, diseases, health foods, and environmentally friendly materials.
There is Ajou University Hospital, an affiliated hospital of the medical school.
In 2020, Ajou established a campus in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Notable academic programs

  • Exchange student: As of 2021, the exchange program was held with 325 schools in 67 countries. It is a program that exchanges students with foreign universities and institutions where academic exchange agreements are signed. By paying tuition to their home university, students can study at an overseas university for a semester and transfer up to 6 credits to their home university. Ajou is a member of ISEP, CREPUQ, HUMAP, "n+i" Network, AUF.
  • Multiple degrees: A program that takes 1/2 of its graduation credits and takes the remaining credits from other schools, earning both Ajou University and other schools' degrees. It is currently operated by the Illinois Institute of Technology and Stony Brook University in the United States.
  • Blue Ladder: The business of the Ministry of Education of Korea. Despite the difficult environment, it supports overseas training experiences to college students who have dreams and passion for self-development and career development. Each university in charge selects students and proceeds with the program. Ajou University was selected in 2018 and runs for three years. The schools consist of the University of Michigan and the University of Washington in the United States, and Shanghai Transportation University in China.
  • Global Internship: A program that sends students to companies in 20 countries around the world for internships to provide more diverse and challenging overseas experience opportunities. It will provide opportunities to learn the senses and explore career in overseas industrial sites related to majors. It will be dispatched to INKE, IDB, KOTRA, CKP, W-OKTA, HMART, etc. It is recognized as credit for the third and fourth grade internship courses.
  • Short-term dispatch: It is a program that is sends students abroad to sister universities for about four weeks during the vacation. Participation in language training, international training programs, etc. at sister universities may be recognized as credits. Part of the program participation fee may be supported by scholarships.
  • Global Leadership in Business Administration
  • ABIZ Global Supporter

    Reputation and rankings

  • 2025 QS: World 631~640th
  • 2024 QS: World 631~640th
  • 2023 QS: World 488th
  • 2021 QS 50 Under 50: World 101-150th.
  • 2019 JoongAng Ilbo University Evaluation: Nation 11th.
  • 2019 Employment and Start-up Evaluation of Hankyung: Nation 5th.
  • 2021 WURI Global Top 100 Innovative Universities: World 62nd.
  • 2019 REUTERS Asia Pacific's Most Innovative Universities: Asia 24th.
  • 2021 THE Impact Rankings: 201-300th.

    Education programs

Symbol

The Statue of Pioneer, located at the school's main entrance, is the symbol of Ajou University.

Central Library

In order to contribute to the learning, cultivation and research of students and faculty members through the collection, accumulation and distribution of information, the Central Library was established on March 15, 1973. It was opened together with the opening of the prefecture elementary and junior college. At the time of opening, there were 120 seats of the first floor of the main building. From April 12, 1973, 1,272 books were purchased. In 1983, Kim Dae-woo, the chairman of the Daewoo Group, donated 5 billion won to renovate the Central Library. The new total floor space was 4,026 pyeong. On October 16, 2017, the entire second floor was remodeled into a community lounge, and the space that was previously used for the corridor on the first floor was expanded to build a café, rest area, and convenience facilities.

Dining halls

The campus is mainly served by two large cafeterias and small restaurants. The Dormitory Restaurant is close to the dormitories and is the biggest restaurant. It has two floors and serves both Korean and Western style foods with a daily rotating menu. The second biggest restaurant is called the Student Restaurant, located in the Student Union building. There are also smaller restaurants in Paldal hall, Dasan hall and Jonghap Hall.

Dormitories

There are five big dormitories on campus: Nam-jae dormitory, Yong-Ji dormitory, Hwa-hong dormitory, Kwang-Gyu dormitory, and the newly built International dormitory. Nam-jae and Yong-ji dormitories are exclusively boys dormitories, while Kwang-gyu is a girls dormitory. Hwa-hong houses both males and females and is open to foreigners as exchange students or regular students, along with the International dormitory. Except for Hwa-hong and International dormitory, all the dormitories house four occupants in each room. International and Hwa-hong have two-bed rooms, four-bed rooms, and single rooms for visiting professors.

Notable alumni