The Act on Customized Integrated Support for Students (학생맞춤통합지원법) has been in force since 1 March 2026. It is a system in which schools, offices of education, and local communities together look after and support students who have several difficulties at once, such as finding it hard to keep up with their studies, family financial hardship, emotional distress, or experiencing school violence or child abuse.

The Ministry of Education said that until now, support for basic academic skills, psychological counseling, career guidance, and so on was provided separately by each program, which was not enough to solve students’ complex difficulties. Now, several staff members within the school discuss together and provide the support one student needs as a package.

What support is available

Under Article 11 of the Act on Customized Integrated Support for Students, the following support can be provided according to the student’s needs.

  • Educational welfare support, such as education costs needed to continue studying
  • Counseling support to ease psychological and emotional difficulties
  • Learning support for students who are struggling with their studies
  • Support linked to educational support for migrant-background students
  • Support linked to support for students eligible for special education and to emergency welfare support
  • Career counseling, and health and safety management support
  • Links to welfare services and medical support

If the school alone cannot solve the problem, students can be connected to local institutions such as Mental Health Welfare Centers, Youth Counseling and Welfare Centers (청소년상담복지센터), Child Protection Agencies (아동보호전문기관), and hospitals through the Student Customized Integrated Support Centers (학생맞춤통합지원센터) at offices of education and local offices of education.

Students from foreign and refugee families

The law does not separately restrict who can receive support based on the student’s nationality or status of stay. So children of asylum seekers, recognized refugees, and humanitarian stay holders can also receive support if they attend school and need help. Educational support for migrant-background students is also included among the linked support items.

How to ask for help

Under Article 10 of the Act on Customized Integrated Support for Students, students, guardians, and school staff can ask the school principal to select a student who needs help for support.

  1. Tell the homeroom teacher, counseling teacher, school welfare staff member, or school principal about the student’s situation.
  2. Ask for customized integrated student support counseling.
  3. The school principal decides whether the student will receive support according to the selection criteria and procedures. If the school thinks it is necessary, it can ask the office of education to select and support the student.

Support requires the consent of the student and the guardian.

Emergencies

In urgent cases, such as when violence or abuse is happening right now, do not wait for the school procedure; call 112.

Things to keep in mind

  • This is not a system in which every student automatically receives the same services. After the student’s situation is checked and the student is selected for support, the support is decided according to the plans of the school and the office of education.
  • It is also not a system that automatically pays new cash or scholarships.
  • Not every school has Korean language classes or special classes, so you need to check with the school and the office of education.