AI disruption has led several prominent entrepreneurs to question the value of traditional college graduate programs. But top South Korean tech companies continue to ascribe value to degrees.
In fact, they are helping craft university courses that fast-track entry into the AI sector, with some offering guaranteed jobs to graduates.
Jung Chae-rin is a second-year student at Sogang University's Department of System Semiconductor Engineering, a four-year degree established in partnership with memory-chip maker SK Hynix.
Her course comes with a guarantee of employment in SK Hynix upon graduation.
At Sungkyunkwan University, or SKKU, third-year student Kim Tae-rin is at the Department of Intelligent Software, a five-year integrated bachelor's and master's program in AI software, created in partnership with Samsung Electronics.
Her route also increases the chances of employment, but she must first clear a separate Samsung hiring process.
The corporate programs belong to a category within South Korea's university system known as "contract departments." Companies help universities develop courses, provide financial support and create pathways through which qualifying students can join them.
SK Hynix has partnerships with several South Korean universities including Korea University and Hanyang University.
Rival Samsung Electronics collaborates with institutes such as Yonsei University, the Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, as well as the Ulsan Institute of Science and Technology.
Kim and Jung told CNBC that these programs offered them financial support and greater certainty of securing a job. For the companies, the programs create a pipeline of skilled workers.
Data from Seoul-based Jongro Academy showed that the number of applicants to contract departments with tie-ups to large companies increased by more than 38% from a year earlier, which also include courses linked to companies such as automaker Hyundai Motor and mobile network operator LG Uplus.
Rising competition
For those looking to ride the AI boom, these programs are particularly lucrative, as Samsung and SK Hynix offer its workers massive pay packets.
The competition to secure a place is intense. SKKU's Kim said that "Juniors from my alma mater keep enrolling in our department every year, and I really feel it when I see that the students coming in tend to have higher and higher grades," adding, "I don't think I would have been able to get in with my grades if I were applying now."
Jongro Academy data revealed that applications to Samsung Electronics contract departments increased by 6.5% in the 2026 academic year, while for SK Hynix-linked contract departments, they increased by 12.7%.
Overall, for all Samsung Electronics contract courses, there were 13.44 applicants for every spot, and for SK Hynix contract department courses, 9.14 applicants were competing for each available seat.
Sogang University's Jung said that the competition rate and admission cutoffs were higher for the 2026 academic year than for 2025.
Scholarships and obligations
At the Sogang program, every admitted student automatically gets a SK Hynix scholarship. The scholars who meet the required academic conditions are also guaranteed employment. The department has scholarships for masters and PhD courses.
Jung told CNBC she receives a study incentive allowance of around 300,000 every month, and her tuition is also covered by the scholarship. On top of that, Jung added, there are more scholarships based on strong grades and project awards.
That said, students need to maintain a consistent GPA of 2.3 to retain their scholarship and 2.7 for employment with SK Hynix, according to Jung. The benefits come with obligations, though. Jung said students who drop out of the course must repay the support they received.
SK Hynix said graduates must work for the company for a period equal to the duration of their financial support. They enter at the same rank and receive the same base salary and benefits as other entry-level university recruits, the company said.
The path is slightly different for Samsung Electronics, however.
At the SKKU program, the tuition is covered for the first three years, subject to certain requirements such as meeting minimum grade requirements. Beginning in the second half of their third year, students can enter a separate Samsung hiring process, Kim said.
Kim described the hiring process as a "minimum procedure," but said students must pass it before their employment is confirmed. Only those who pass continue receiving full tuition support during the remainder of the five-year program.
The SKKU course started only in 2024 and the first cohort of students is yet to graduate. The university did not elaborate on other queries sent, including what happens if a student does not clear the Samsung employment process.
Sogang University did not respond to CNBC's request for comment.
Company and classroom
Samsung provides "various experiential opportunities" for the SKKU scholars, including participating in Samsung Electronics internship programs, visiting overseas research centers, and attending international academic conferences.
Kim said students have visited a Samsung overseas branch and its Suwon site, while meetings with company representatives are held regularly.
Last year, Jung toured the SK Hynix headquarters and sat in on a future forum held on site.
"What stands out most to me is a class I took in my first year," she said. "Every week, SK Hynix employees or executives, or professors from SK Hynix University, would come and lecture on the technology or business area they are responsible for.
She was able to propose solutions to real industry issues directly to the SK Hynix executives themselves and receive live feedback from them.
The companies are also shaping what gets taught. SK Hynix told CNBC that while there are no formal internships or hands-on field experiences offered currently, there are considerations to implement those in the future.
Samsung Electronics told CNBC it provides universities with input on relevant courses and curricula, but did not give details of the extent of staff involvement in the course. SK Hynix said it also partially participates in curriculum design and review.
Jung told CNBC that SK Hynix employees come to the campus for seminars and special lectures. The company staff, however, does not formally teach courses.
For South Korea's chip giants, recruitment no longer begins after university, but in their bid to attract top talent and create a strong pipeline, the search begins in these contract departments.
