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Korea Kent Foreign School

South Korea, Seoul

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees ₩21,500,000 - 25,900,000
Ages 5 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 290
Type Co-educational
Opened 1994
Bus Service Yes
Academic offering
Curriculum Advanced Placement (AP)
Taught languages English, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish
Typical class size 17
Strengths Performing Arts, Visual and Creative Arts, STEM
Clubs Lifestyle and Wellbeing
Stages Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, High School
Introduction

Korea Kent Foreign School (KKFS) is a private international school in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, founded in 1994 as Milburn Christian School to provide education conducted in English. The school serves students from K5 through Grade 12, with divisions for Elementary (K5–5), Middle (6–8) and High School (9–12). KKFS follows the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) across its programs and the High School includes Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Students can study Mandarin, Spanish and Korean in World Language.

13, JAYANG-RO 35-GIL, GWANGJIN-GU, SEOUL, KOREA 04933

The Essentials

Korea Kent Foreign School has 290 pupils, typical class sizes of 17, instruction in English.

Location
Korea Kent Foreign School is located at 13 Jayang-ro 35-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Korea 04933. The school sits in the eastern part of Seoul, within the Gwangjin district near Jayang-dong. It is served by KKFS's comprehensive school bus network with routes across many areas of the city and is accessible by Seoul's public transport network.

Stages
KKFS serves Kindergarten (K5) through High School (12). The Elementary division covers K5 to 5th grade, Middle School covers 6th to 8th grade, and High School covers 9th to 12th grade.

Type
KKFS is a private international school in Seoul. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and recognized by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE).

Additional learning support
KKFS provides a dedicated Student Support program, including a Social-Emotional Needs (SENCO) team offering individual counseling, group sessions, and crisis intervention, with collaboration among teachers, families, and mental health professionals. The Language Support team uses WIDA Standards for English learners and offers pull-out and push-in ELL instruction to help students access the curriculum.

Country affiliation
KKFS is not affiliated with a specific country; it operates as a private international school serving foreign students residing in Korea.

Religious affiliation
KKFS does not advertise a formal religious affiliation; its mission emphasizes mindfulness, character education, and global diversity.

School day structure
The standard schedule runs from 8:20 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on a normal day; a half-day option runs from 8:20 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., with buses departing at 11:25 a.m.

Bus service
KKFS provides a school bus service with routes covering most areas in Seoul. Routes include Daechi–Jamsil, Misa–Godeok–Kangdong–Poongnap, Seocho–Banpo–Apgujeong, Hannam–Yongsan–Itaewon, Noksapyeong–Dongbinggo–Oksu, Namsan–Chunggu–Sungsu, Yangjae–Daechi–Gaepo–Ilwon, Yeongdeungpo–Yongsan, Dapsipli–Jangan, Seoul Station–Yongsan–Ichon, Jungja–Yatap, Garak–Songpa–Jamsil, and Yeoksam–Samsung–Jayang. Route changes may occur year to year, and safety is ensured with designated stops and bus monitors.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Uniforms are required for elementary and middle school, with a simple daily dress code. Students wear school-branded short-sleeve and long-sleeve polo shirts, a school-branded zip-up hoodie, and a School-branded House Shirt, paired with ordinary pants or knee-length shorts or skirts. High School has no mandatory uniform and allows students to choose attire within limits.

Food Options
Lunch and snacks are provided on site. The meals are prepared by JJ Catering, a dedicated catering company offering healthy, nutritious options; the school maintains a cafeteria with daily meal service and updates via the cafeteria news pages.

Governance and Ownership
KKFS is governed by an Advisory Board, which includes the Chairman of the Board and founding members. The Board hires and oversees the School Leadership Team, engages in strategic planning, provides fiscal oversight, and ensures the school's ongoing viability. The school is described as a private institution in its history, indicating private ownership and operation rather than a public or chain model.
Fees

Annual tuition at Korea Kent Foreign School ranges from KRW 21,500,000 to KRW 25,900,000 for 2026/27.

Application and Enrollment Fees
- Admission processing fee (non-refundable): KRW 200,000.
- Registration fee (non-refundable): KRW 400,000.
- Entrance fee (non-refundable): KRW 1,000,000.
- Textbook deposit (payable at enrollment): KRW 200,000.

Tuition fees by year group (annual amounts)
- Kindergarten (K5): KRW 21,500,000. A 15% discount applies for additional family members (tuition only).
- Elementary (Grades 1–5): KRW 22,400,000.
- Middle School (Grades 6–8): KRW 24,100,000.
- High School (Grades 9–12): KRW 25,900,000.

Per-term amounts and term billing
- The school publishes tuition as annual amounts by division; a per-term breakdown is not published in the published fee information. Parents should budget on the basis of the annual tuition amounts above.

Other mandatory and optional fees
- English Language Learners (ELL) instruction (when required): KRW 5,000,000.
- Bus transportation (annual): KRW 2,800,000. Long-distance surcharge: additional KRW 200,000.
- Graduation fee: Middle School KRW 200,000; High School KRW 300,000. (Graduation fee covers costs of the graduation process.)
- Lunch: a separate lunch program exists; a separate lunch fee and refund policy apply but the published fee information does not list a single consolidated lunch fee amount.
- Uniforms and other incidental costs: no uniform fee is specified in the published fee list; uniform and incidental costs (school supplies, optional activities, field trips, examination fees, etc.) should be expected in addition to published tuition and fees.

Withdrawal, refund and late-enrolment terms (billing schedule implications)
- Withdrawal refund schedule (percent of annual tuition):
- APR 25 – Aug 10: 90% refund.
- Aug 11 – Oct 17: 75% refund.
- Oct 18 – Dec 19: 50% refund (late-enrolment discount 25% of annual tuition).
- Dec 20 – Mar 20: 25% refund (late-enrolment discount 50% of annual tuition).
- Mar 21 – Jun 12: no refund (late-enrolment discount 75% of annual tuition).
- Ten-day notice: the withdrawal policy above applies when the student gives at least 10 days' notice to the Administration Office. Separate refund rules apply to bus and lunch fees.
- Emergency exceptions: in unexpected emergencies (civil strikes, mass withdrawals, war, natural disasters, etc.), the school may refuse to refund tuition fees.

Boarding
- No boarding program or boarding fees are listed in the published fee information; boarding is not applicable as a billed item.

Payment methods and terms
- The published payment instructions provide bank-transfer details (domestic banks and SWIFT codes). Bank account details given are:
- HANA BANK (SWIFT: KOEXKRSE) — Account name: Korea Kent Foreign School — Account number: 246-890009-08104.
- Woori Bank (SWIFT: HVBKKRSEXXX) — Account name: Korea Kent Foreign School — Account number: 1005-501-764269.
- Payment name instruction: tuition payments must be made in the name of the student(s); if a different name is used for payment, the administration office must be contacted.
- Other payment methods (credit card, online payment portals, etc.) are not listed in the published payment instructions. Parents should plan on bank transfer as the primary payment mechanism.

Contacts for fee inquiries and payment processing
- Published departmental contacts for fee and admission questions are included in the school's admission and accounting contacts; specific department phone numbers appear with the published fee information.

Notes on missing or variable items
- The published fee information lists annual tuition, enrollment fees, textbook deposit, bus, ELL and graduation fees, and a withdrawal/refund schedule. It does not publish a term-by-term fee table, specific uniform charges, or a consolidated lunch-price schedule. Parents should allow for additional incidental and program costs beyond the amounts listed above.
Academics

Korea Kent Foreign School teaches Advanced Placement (AP) for students aged 5 to 18.

Curriculum
The KKFS curriculum is CCSS-based across all divisions, with Elementary building a foundation through CCSS, eight Character Traits, Schoolwide Learning Outcomes (SLOs), and the Explore, Reflect, Apply framework. Middle School continues CCSS with increased independence, maintaining the eight Character Traits and SLOs focused on critical thinking, creativity, technology, mindfulness, and cultural empathy. High School sustains CCSS and is enhanced by a wide Advanced Placement (AP) program, supported by personalized college counseling and university readiness guidance, while keeping the Character Traits and SLOs central. Graduation requires a minimum of 21 credits for the high school diploma (23 for college-bound students), with a passing mark of at least 60% per semester; the credit breakdown is Language Arts 4, Social Studies 4, Mathematics 3, Science 3, Computer 1, Language 1, and Electives 5 (total 21; 23 for college-bound). The curriculum offers Electives in Music, Art & Design, PE, Computer Science, and World Language, including AP Studio Art, and language options such as AP Chinese, Spanish, Mandarin, and Korea. Grade placement is guided by a Grade/Age Eligibility Chart that maps birth dates to grades.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
KKFS supports social-emotional learning through Mindfulness Education, including Merlin Mindful Minutes, a daily schoolwide mindfulness routine recorded by students, teachers, administrators, and parents in multiple languages, and through a Social-emotional Counseling (SENCO) team that provides individual counseling, group sessions, and workshops, plus crisis intervention and collaboration with families and mental health professionals.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
SEN provision at KKFS is documented as Social-emotional Counseling (SENCO) across elementary to high school and Language Support (ELL); the school does not publicly disclose information about a dedicated specialist SEN facility beyond these services.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The Language Support program follows the WIDA Standards and Assessments, with pull-out ELL and push-in ELL options; ELL teachers work with classroom teachers to align language instruction with the curriculum and support English learners in accessing grade-level content.

Mental Wellbeing
Mindfulness Education is a core component of mental wellbeing at KKFS, featuring Merlin Mindful Minutes and mindfulness practices across the community, with a dedicated channel of guided practices to support emotional regulation, focus, and resilience.

Safeguarding
KKFS maintains a Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy with regular faculty training and a culture of support and trust to protect the safety, well-being, and health of students.
Parent Experience

History
KKFS was founded in 1993 to provide English-language education for foreign students residing in Korea. It is a private school accredited by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The school began as Milburn Christian School in June 1994 at 22 Hangang-ro 2ga, Yongsan-gu, and was renamed Korea Kent Foreign School on July 29, 1996. It moved to its current location in 2002 and received SMOE authorization in 1999 and WASC accreditation in 2003, with membership in the East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS) starting in 2005–06. Leadership changes included Headmaster Judith E. Antippas in 2010, principal Edward W. Zrudlo in 2012, and in 2024–2025 acting principal Hye Jin Kim followed by principal Justin Barg.

Community
KKFS has a globally diverse student body, represented by 33 nationalities in the 2024-2025 school year, with the largest group accounting for about 23% of students. KKFS prioritizes diversity and multiculturalism and aims to create a space where students, parents, and teachers from all cultures feel valued. The KKFS Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) coordinates community events, including Community Day Fair, Winter Snack Drive, International Day, Career Day, Schoolwide Park Picnics, and dances for Elementary, Middle, and High School, with Kakao groups to connect divisions. The school provides after-school activities such as intramural programs and official KAIAC sports and clubs.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
KKFS has a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) that meets once a month to discuss upcoming events and opportunities for collaboration between the school and the wider community. The PTO helps organize events such as Community Day Fair, Winter Snack Drive, International Day, Career Day, Schoolwide Park Picnics, and dances for Elementary, Middle, and High School; it also runs Kakao groups for each division to facilitate parent communication. All parents and guardians are welcome at the monthly meetings, held on the last Tuesday of every month in room 204. The PTO maintains contact channels, including pto@kkfs.org, and invites expressions of interest from those who want to get involved.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
KKFS operates on a Seoul campus with facilities that support a K-12 English-language program. The campus includes a library with an online catalog and a book-request service for students and families. A cafeteria provides daily lunch options with a monthly menu. On-site facilities support elective classes and labs in music, art & design, PE, computer science, and world languages. The facilities are designed to support academic study, creative work, and student life through these core spaces.

Academic Facilities
KKFS provides on-campus academic facilities that support its K-12 program. The library supports research and independent study with a diverse collection and an online catalog. Classrooms accommodate elementary through high school instruction. Electives and labs include music, art & design, computer science, world language, and PE, with dedicated spaces aligned to the curriculum. The campus supports inquiry-based and project-based learning through these academic resources.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Athletics are offered as part of KKFS extracurriculars. Elementary students have weekly intramural sports and periodic jamborees with other international schools. Middle School has official KAIAC teams in volleyball, table tennis, basketball, and soccer, with weekly practices and jamborees on Saturdays. High School has official KAIAC teams in volleyball, cross-country, basketball, and soccer, with weekly practices and games.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
KKFS offers after-school activities and clubs beyond the regular school day. The range of offerings varies from year to year. These include academic clubs and coding, language clubs, student council, and community service, supporting creativity, leadership, and personal growth.

Arts & Creative
KKFS provides arts and creative opportunities through electives in Music and Art & Design. The Electives section lists World Language and other arts-related options. The after-school program also includes music and art activities as part of its creative offerings; the arts-related offerings vary year to year.

Cultural & Language
KKFS offers a World Language elective as part of the core electives. The after-school program includes language clubs, expanding opportunities to practice languages and engage with peers in language-related activities. Cultural learning is supported through language offerings and intercultural activities included in the student life.

Social & Hobbies
This category includes recreational clubs and hobby-based groups beyond the classroom. The after-school activities/clubs provide opportunities to connect with peers and pursue interests such as music, coding, language clubs, and community service. The offerings vary by year.

Community & Service
Community service is one of the after-school club offerings at KKFS. Students can participate in service and community-oriented activities through clubs and groups. The program emphasizes social responsibility and service opportunities.

Leadership & Professional
Student government and student council are part of KKFS's leadership opportunities within after-school activities. The program emphasizes leadership development and collaboration across clubs. The specifics of entrepreneurship clubs, career development, mentoring, or professional skill-building are not specified on the Extracurriculars page; the school aims to provide leadership experiences through clubs and service opportunities.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
KKFS supports lifestyle and wellbeing through athletics and mindfulness. Elementary to high school students participate in official KAIAC league sports with weekly practices and competitions. The Mindfulness Education program includes Merlin Mindful Minutes each morning to promote calm, focus, and emotional readiness, and a mindfulness channel with guided content for ongoing practice.
Languages

Language Provision
KKFS offers Mandarin (I–III) including an AP Chinese Language and Culture course, Spanish (I–III), and Korean I. Mandarin I–III cover beginner to advanced levels, with the AP course available to qualified students; Korean I and Spanish I–III are offered as language tracks. English is the language of instruction, and non-native English speakers have access to English Language Learner (ELL) support, including an ELL Intensive program and in-class support as needed.
Reputation

Awards
Not applicable in this answer

Accreditations
Not applicable in this answer
Admissions

Admissions
Step 1: Application Form and Required Documents. Begin by completing the Application Form and gathering the required documents. You must provide two color photos (3x4 cm), copies of the student's passport and both parents' passports, and the Family Registry & Birth Certificate. You also need to show proof of eligibility in one of the categories: three years overseas, foreign parents with the appropriate residence documents and statements, transfer from another accredited international school with an enrollment certificate, or six semesters of official report cards from schools abroad. In addition, submit confidential recommendation letters (Elementary: one letter from the current homeroom teacher; Middle: one letter from the current English teacher; Middle/High: two letters from English and Math teachers), official transcripts for the current year and the last three years translated into English with notarization, a self essay (K–G12), any available standardized test results, and a completed medical record form including immunization. Please note that submitted documents will not be returned. This step group is described in KKFS's admissions instructions.

Scholarships
KKFS does not publish traditional scholarships on its financial information pages. The available financial aid details include a 15% discount for additional family members (sibling discount) applied to tuition. No need-based or merit-based scholarship programs are described on KKFS's Tuition & Fees page.

Waitlist
Waitlist/pool details are not published in KKFS's public admissions materials. The admissions process is described in a five-step framework (document submission, fee payment, testing, decision, and registration) with no explicit waitlist or pool policy listed on the official pages. As such, there is no publicly documented waitlist procedure to reference.
School Events
The school has not added events
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