ContentsView article sectionsListen to the BlogCastThe Limits of the Information in This PostLet Us Know Your ExperiencesAbout Korean Daycare and Kindergarten SubsidiesAbout Daycare and Kindergarten DiscountsOnly Residents of Korea Receive Daycare and Kindergarten DiscountsUS Military and the FRC90-Day Waiting PeriodApplying for Korean Daycare and Kindergarten SubsidiesHappiness AccountUS Military Process for Applying for Residence Card1. Military Apply at You Regions Immigration Center2. Applying for an FRC on Osan Air Force BaseDo you have a kid(s) who are in need of daycare or kindergarten services? Did you know that Korea offers daycare and kindergarten discounts (Also known as subsidies) for Korean and foreign residents? We may have some information you may need in order to apply for subsidies for your kids. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. The Limits of the Information in This Post This post provides general information about daycare and kindergarten subsidies as well as more specific information for Pyeongtaek-si, Asan-si, and the US Military living in the area surrounding either Camp Humphreys or Osan Air Force Base. Keep in mind, every foreigner in South Korea lives here under a different social lens. Depending on what country you come from or what visa you have, you may experience additional hurdles or have additional support. Manage your expectations and understand that the process will likely have surprises. Daycare and kindergarten subsidies change based on the administrative district. Different districts may offer different amounts and management of the subsidies may occur in different ways. Language barriers and cultural differences may make it hard to figure out how to apply for the subsidies until you have started the process. Let Us Know Your Experiences Please let South of Seoul know about additional information needed in this blog Post. We always strive to update our information in order to become increasingly accurate over time. About Korean Daycare and Kindergarten Subsidies The Korean government(s) (federal or local) may provide a subsidy for daycare and kindergarten education to support families with young children. The subsidy exists as part of the national education system, and the Korean government designed it to make kindergarten education more affordable and accessible to all families. Such subsidies may include daycare and kindergarten discounts for foreign residents. Additionally, such subsidies and rules may change over time. The subsidy covers a significant portion of the tuition fees for kindergarten education, varying depending on the family’s income level. Families with lower incomes receive a higher subsidy, while those with higher incomes receive a lower subsidy. To qualify for the subsidy, guardians must meet specific eligibility criteria. This may include enrolling their child in a kindergarten program approved by the Korean government. Families must also provide proof of income and other relevant documentation. To receive the subsidy, guardians must have a Korean bank account. This is not an issue for residents of South Korea. However, US military-affiliated people living in Korea under the SOFA Agreement often do not have Korean bank accounts. Therefore, they will need to open one to receive their subsidy. Overall, the Korean government’s kindergarten subsidy program aims to provide young children with a strong education foundation and support families in raising healthy and happy children. About Daycare and Kindergarten Discounts As of March 1, 2023, foreign toddlers (3-5 years old) with a Foreign Registration Card living in Seoul (see an article about Seoul subsidies here), Gyeonggi-do, Cheonan-si, and Asan-si, will be subsidized for daycare (up to W100,000) and Kindergarten (up to W350,000). The subsidy can be applied 90 days after your child receives their FRC. While foreigners typically apply for an FRC upon entering Korea, U.S. Military tend to rely on their SOFA status and put off getting an FRC until they realize they don’t have access to many comforts in Korea. One comfort is this subsidy and one of the many reasons U.S. Military dependents may want to consider applying for an FRC as soon as possible. Only Residents of Korea Receive Daycare and Kindergarten Discounts Korea provides support for residents and citizens of Korea. This means that families who want to apply for daycare services must be legally registered as Residents of Korea. Most families living and working in South Korea register when they arrive in South Korea, so applying for government programs is pretty straightforward. US Military and the FRC On the other hand, the US military need to become residents of Korea and then apply for subsidies. That is because the SOFA visa allows US military-affiliated soldiers, families, employees, and contractors to live in South Korea without registering as Residents of Korea. This means they must apply for Korean residency before applying for childcare benefits. We will give a quick review of this procedure here. It can take between 1-3 months to complete the FRC process, so getting started as soon as possible makes a big difference. Learn how to get started here. 90-Day Waiting Period A guardian can apply for daycare and kindergarten discounts for foreign residents 90 days after receiving an FRC. However, US military-affiliated people who arrived on a SOFA visa can only count their days in South Korea after receiving their FRC. This is because living in Korea on the SOFA agreement does NOT count as living as a Korean resident. ***Important for US Military affiliated Persons: If you choose to live in South Korea on only the SOFA agreement, this specifically excludes you from many aspects of society, such as banking, legal protections, social subsidies, and more. Applying for Korean Daycare and Kindergarten Subsidies A guardian (parent or other legal guardians) can apply for daycare and kindergarten discounts for foreign residents through various means. These may include: Although most articles online will make this seem like a cut-and-dried … Continue reading Daycare and Kindergarten Discounts for Foreign Residents