What grade would a 16 year old be in Korea?
High schools in South Korea teach students for three years, from first grade (age 15–16) to third grade (age 17–18), and students commonly graduate at age 17 or 18.
Birth Year | Age | Korean |
---|---|---|
2009 | 15 years old | 열다섯 살 |
2008 | 16 years old | 열여섯 살 |
2007 | 17 years old | 열일곱 살 |
2006 | 18 years old | 열여덟 살 |
Age | Grade | School |
---|---|---|
General | ||
17 | 11 | High School |
18 | 12 | |
19 | 13 | University (Bachelor's Degree) |
General Academic High School
In grades 11 and 12, students then choose elective subjects in addition to common subjects like Korean, mathematics, English, and a second foreign language.
Currently, the most widely used calculation method in Korea is the so-called "Korean age system", in which a person is one year old at birth and then gains a year on the first day of each new year.
The age of majority is 18 years in almost all OECD countries (Table PF1. 8. A). The exceptions are Canada (19 in certain territories), Japan (20), Korea (19), New Zealand (20), and the United States (19 in Alabama, Nebraska, Puerto Rico and 21 in Mississippi).
Alcohol. The legal drinking age in Korea is 19 years of age. Although it is legal to drink alcohol in public, disorderly conduct under the influence of alcohol can result in hefty fines and a visit to the police station.
Well-known for its high-achieving students, South Korea's education system is quite demanding. Students spend much of their time, often between 12 to 16 hours per day, at school or at a special after-school academy called a hagwon.
This level of education, from around age 15 to 18, isn't considered compulsory in South Korea, although the take up is high. If students want to go to university, they must take the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which is notoriously difficult.
How long is college in Korea?
The Korean education is a single-track system, which operates on 6-3-3-4 basis, with six years of elementary school, three years of middle school, three years of high school, and four years at the undergraduate university level .
15+ Hour School Days:
Everyone has to attend school at 8 am, and they leave school at around 9 or10 pm. This means students have to wake up at 7 am, and they go to bed around 11 pm. Unfortunately, because of this schedule, their dinner is served at school. School is the only place for them to socialize.

Korean children have only about 6 weeks of summer vacation, usually from mid-July to late August, but university students keep trains and buses busy throughout the season.
Age | Grade | Educational establishments |
---|---|---|
14-15 | 3 (9th) | Junior high school/Lower secondary school (中学校 chūgakkō) Compulsory Education |
15-16 | 1 (10th) | Senior high school/Upper secondary school (高等学校 kōtōgakkō, abbr. 高校 kōkō) |
16-17 | 2 (11th) | |
17-18 | 3 (12th) |
Age | UK Years | US/International Grades |
---|---|---|
14 - 15 | Year 10 | 9th Grade (Freshman) |
15 - 16 | Year 11 | 10th Grade (Sophomore) |
16 - 17 | Year 12 / Lower 6th | 11th Grade (Junior) |
17 - 18 | Year 13 / Upper 6th | 12th Grade (Senior) |
The 10th grade is the second year of a student's high school period (usually aged 15–16) and is referred to as sophomore year, so in a four year course the stages are freshman, sophomore, junior and senior.
Grade | Scale | US Grade |
---|---|---|
A+ | 95.00 - 100.00 | A+ |
A | 90.00 - 94.99 | A |
B+ | 85.00 - 89.99 | AB |
B | 80.00 - 84.99 | B |
Primary education in Korea is free and compulsory providing the general rudimentary education necessary in life. Enrollment rate at primary schools is as high as 99.9%. The quantitative expansion of primary education is due to the high public zeal for education and the educational policies of the government.
In primary and secondary schools, a D is usually the lowest passing grade. However, there are some schools that consider a C the lowest passing grade, so the general standard is that anything below a 60% or 70% is failing, depending on the grading scale.
If you're asking yourself, “how old am I in Korean age” there are three simple ways to get the answer. One of the easiest and simplest ways of knowing your age in South Korea is to add one year to the current year and then subtract your year of birth. This method will make you one year older than your Western age.
Why do Koreans ask your age?
In Korean society, age differentiates an individual's roles and responsibilities, and this generates a rigid hierarchy system in family, work, and communities. If you have been in a Korean community, you might have experienced that elders have the authority to make decisions.
South Koreans are deemed to be a year old when they are born, and a year is added every 1 January. The unusual – and increasingly unpopular – custom means a baby born on New Year's Eve becomes two years old as soon as the clock strikes midnight.
Males over 18 and females over 16 years old may marry with their parents' or guardians' consent. Otherwise South Korea's age of consent to marriage is 20 in Korean age (19 in international age).
Kim said, referring to the law stipulating that offenders younger than 14 should be sent to youth detention centers for up to two years, rather than be subject to criminal law. Legal minors aged 14 and up can be punished by the criminal law, but with different standards to adults. Rep.
All Member States establish a minimum age for sexual consent. Most Member States set this between 14 and 16 years. The lowest minimum age is 14 years, set in seven Member States: Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Portugal. The highest is set at 18 years – in Malta.
Driving licenses in South Korea may be attained at age 18 for cars and motorcycles. South Korea is one of the few nations that issue International Driving Permits (IDP) to sixteen-year-olds. This was made possible by a South Korean law in 2009, which gave Military cadets the requirement of driving a motor-vehicle.
Bring your passport and check the club's age limit
If you're not Korean, bring your passport. Clubs are quite particular and will not accept foreign ICs or car licenses as IDs. You have to be at least 19 years old.
In South Korea, nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are classified as tobacco products, and their sale is prohibited to minors under 19 years.
The school's students are allowed to possess cell phones on campus but are completely prohibited from using them, according to the NHRCK. If students want to use a mobile phone during breaks or lunch time, they have to ask for a teachers' permission.
No Prom or Homecoming: Usually, in other parts during the homecoming, proms and other cultural activities are organized. But, in South Korean schools, there is nothing like that. There are no societies organizing such parties. Also, students generally go to other places to celebrate.
Is Korean school stressful?
In intense academic environments such as in South Korea, students experience extreme levels of academic stress. This stress peaks as students prepare for the college entrance exam in the final year of high school.
Among all of them, Taiwan stands out by having the longest school hours, which has angered some students while others think it's necessary.
Average number of hours in the school day and average number of days in the school year for public schools, by state: 2007–08 | ||
---|---|---|
State | Average number of hours in the school day | Average number of days in the school year |
United States | 6.64 | 180 |
Alabama | 7.03 | 180 |
Alaska | 6.48 | 180 |
A typical day finds high schoolers studying before school begins at about 8:00 A.M. Classes run for 50 minutes each, with a morning break and a 50-minute lunch period. The afternoon session resumes at about 1:00 P.M., and classes continue until about 4:00 or 4:30, followed by the cleaning of the classroom.
The College Scholastic Ability Test, SAT Korean, or CSAT, sometimes known as Suneung, is a standardised test that is accepted by South Korean colleges favoured by the ministry of education.
Can you study in Korea without knowing Korean? Yes. Although directly enrolling at a university will be difficult for those without a foundation of the Korean language, there are many language schools that take all levels of Korean speakers. Many Korean classes at language schools are designed for beginners in mind!
The standard of Korean schools is really high and private and public schools both provide a great quality of teaching. The basic construction of Korea's education system is as follows: Compulsory education is composed of six years in elementary, three years in middle school, and three years in high school.
The age of majority is 18 years in almost all OECD countries (Table PF1. 8. A). The exceptions are Canada (19 in certain territories), Japan (20), Korea (19), New Zealand (20), and the United States (19 in Alabama, Nebraska, Puerto Rico and 21 in Mississippi).
Legal age in Korea is 19.
Child Welfare Act Art. 3 – Definitions 1. The term “child” means a person who is under 18 years of age.
How old are high school juniors in Korea?
Primary | Elementary School | 8–13 |
---|---|---|
Middle | Middle School | 13–15 |
Secondary | High School | 16–18 |
Vocational | Vocational High School | 17–18 |
Vocational | Junior Vocational Colleges |
The legal drinking age in Korea is 19 years of age. Although it is legal to drink alcohol in public, disorderly conduct under the influence of alcohol can result in hefty fines and a visit to the police station.
The legal age for consensual sex varies between 16 and 17 years across Australian state and territory jurisdictions (see Table 2). For other sexual activities, the criminal legislation relating to different types of sexual behaviours and interactions varies across Australian jurisdictions.
The lowest Age of Consent in the world is 11, in Nigeria.
The age of consent is 12 in the Philippines and Angola, and 13 in Burkina Faso, Comoros, Niger, and Japan.
Driving licenses in South Korea may be attained at age 18 for cars and motorcycles. South Korea is one of the few nations that issue International Driving Permits (IDP) to sixteen-year-olds.
The age of adulthood in Japan was lowered from 20 to 18 on April 1, 2022. This makes it possible for 18- or 19-year-olds to sign a smartphone contract or take out a loan without parental consent, but also means that they need to take responsibility for such decisions.
Currently, minors under the age of 14 cannot be convicted of a crime in South Korea. If such children commit offenses, they are referred to community service programs or youth correction institutions.
Countries and states | Must be married | Unrestricted |
---|---|---|
Hetero | ||
Cambodia | No | 18 |
China | No | 14 |
Gaza Strip | Yes | 18 |
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