Why Are Our Student Service Fees Free?

We often receive these questions from students preparing to study in Korea.

“If you are an education agency, why don’t you charge students a service fee?”
“If it’s free, is it really trustworthy?”
“If you don’t charge students, do you only recommend certain universities?”

These are completely understandable questions, especially when you are preparing to study abroad for the first time.

So, we would like to honestly explain how we operate and how we support our students.

Q. Why don’t you charge students a service fee?

A. Because our agency operates through service fees received through our cooperation with universities and educational institutions.

We do not charge students a separate agency service fee for supporting their study-abroad preparation in Korea.

However, actual expenses such as university tuition, Korean language institute tuition, visa application fees, notarization and translation costs are separate expenses that students are responsible for.

Therefore, when we say our service is “free,” it does not mean that every cost related to studying in Korea is free. It means that we do not charge students a separate agency service fee for our support.

Q. If you don’t charge students, how do we know you are trustworthy?

A. We understand why you may have this concern, which is why we believe it is important to be transparent about how we operate.

Our role is not simply to submit an application on behalf of a student.

We support students preparing to study in Korea with:

Information about Korean universities and Korean language institutes
School consultations based on each student’s academic background and circumstances
Support in choosing a school based on their preferred region and major
Guidance throughout the university application process
Preparation and review of admission documents
Guidance on visa-related procedures
Information on what to prepare before entering Korea

We help students understand and prepare for the various steps involved in studying in Korea, so they do not have to handle the entire complicated process alone.

Q. Then do you only recommend universities that pay you a service fee?

A. No.

We first consider the student’s preferred region, university, major, academic goals, and current circumstances.

We do not operate by automatically recommending a university simply because it provides a higher service fee.

If a student already has a specific university in mind, we first check whether the student is eligible to apply and what the university’s admission requirements are, and then explain the options that are suitable for the student.

Q. Can I apply to the university I want?

A. Yes, you can.

If you already have a university you want to attend, we can start the consultation based on that university.

However, not every student can be admitted under the same conditions.

We first check factors such as educational background, academic grades, TOPIK level, financial documents, nationality, and application period to determine whether the student can actually apply.

Rather than promising that admission is always possible, we focus on finding realistic options based on the student’s current circumstances.

Q. If the service is free, won’t you provide less support with consultation or documents?

A. Regardless of whether the service is free, we believe every student’s preparation process should be carefully reviewed.

From university applications to visa applications, studying in Korea involves various documents and procedures.

Missing or incorrectly preparing documents can cause unnecessary delays and additional costs for students.

That is why we first review each student’s circumstances, explain the necessary documents and procedures, and check the prepared documents together throughout the application process.

Q. Can I apply by myself without using an education agency?

A. Of course.

If you are able to contact the university directly and prepare all the necessary documents yourself, you do not necessarily need an education agency.

However, for students preparing to study in Korea for the first time, it can be difficult to handle everything at once—from choosing a university and submitting an application to preparing documents and applying for a visa.

Our role is to help students better understand and prepare for these processes by providing consultation and practical support.

Q. What is the most important thing in the end?

We believe that what matters most is reliable information and accurate guidance, rather than simply saying that our service is “free.”

We do not automatically recommend a specific university to students, nor do we promise admission or visa approval.

We first consider each student’s circumstances and goals, and focus on providing realistic information about universities they can actually apply to and the procedures they need to follow.

Studying in Korea is an important decision involving a student’s time, money, and future career.

Rather than being chosen simply because our service fee is 0,
we want to be an education agency that students can feel comfortable asking questions to and rely on throughout their study-abroad preparation.

That is the kind of education consulting service we aim to provide.

Why Is INBAEM’s Study Abroad Service Fee-Free? | Korean University & Visa Support