This information is current in 2025, but may change overtime. I hope this gives you an idea of what you need to do in order to sign your child up for Korean daycare, however, make sure to check with the daycare and neccesary institutions with current requirements.
Summary:
Daycare (어린이집) Enrollment Process
- Look Into and Select a Daycare (어린이집)
- Apply Through the “아이사랑” (I-Sarang) Website and Get on the Wait List (입소 대기)
- Register in Person at Daycare
- Attend Daycare Orientation
- Apply for National Happiness Card (국민행복카드) and Childcare Fee Conversion (보육료 전환 신청)
- Submit Infant Health Check-up Report (유아 건강 검진서), Vaccination Record (예방접종 확인서), and Resident Registration Certificate (주민등록등본)
- Submit Any Other Neccesary Documents
- Prepare Neccesary Items (준비물) For Your Child
어린이집 입소 절차
- 어린이집 조사 및 선택하기
- 아이사랑 사이트에서 신청하고 입소 대기하기
- 어린이집에 직접 방문하여 등록하기
- 어린이집 오리엔테이션 참석하기
- 국민행복카드 신청 및 보육료 전환 신청하기
- 유아 건강 검진서, 예방접종 확인서, 주민등록등본 제출하기
- 기타 필요한 서류 제출하기
- 아이를 위한 준비물 준비하기
1. Look Into and Select a Daycare (어린이집)
Look around your area for a nearby daycare. There are daycares attached to apartments, or daycares that are in the neighborhood. You can look up “어린이집” on kakaomaps and find some nearby. https://map.kakao.com/
You can also use this website to search nearby daycares, find reviews, and see how many spots are open in the daycare:
You can also search this website to find a list of daycares:
2. Apply Through the I-Sarang (아이사랑) Website and Get on the Wait List (입소 대기)
Overview:
The directors of childcare centers show people on the admission waiting list on a real-time basis so that parents and guardians who wish to use childcare center service can apply to be on the waiting list online.
Target childcare centers
Parents and guardians can send in an application to be on the waiting list for admission to the target childcare centers (workplace and parent cooperative childcare centers excluded).
For childcare centers located in Seoul, the existing childcare web portal service of Seoul Metropolitan City(iseoul.seoul.go.kr) is used.
Operating plan
Time of waiting list registration: All year round
Number of childcare centers for application: Two for children currently attending childcare center, three for children not attending childcare center
Scope of children subject to application: Children aged between 0 and 5 (up to 12 for children with disabilities)
Scoring for Admission
For the first class, 100 points per item (200 points for children of whom both parents are employed)/ For the second class, 50 points per item
In case of a child to whom only the second class items are applicable, he or she cannot take precedence over a child of the first class even if the total score is the same or higher.
In case the scores for the first class items are the same, points are added only when the second class items are applicable.
In case of a competition within the same class, the order is decided according to the order of application.
Method of application to be on admission waiting list
(Online Application) A parent or a guardian applies for admission in i-Sarang, a pregnancy and childcare web portal (www.childcare.go.kr).
(Application through Visit to Childcare Center) A parent or a guardian visits a childcare center and hands in an application.
- STEP 1 Register child Register your child for admission to childcare center.
- STEP 2 Search a childcare center Search childcare centers and select one for application.
- STEP 3 Apply for waiting list Send an application to be on the admission waiting list.
- STEP 4 Admission targets confirmed Childcare centers check the order of applicants on the waiting list and confirm admission targets.
- STEP 5 Submit documents for admission The directors of childcare centers must collect and check admission-related documents from parents and guardians with an exception of data on qualification, which are automatically submitted.
- STEP 6 Admission processed The directors of childcare centers process admission of children according to the order on the waiting list.
Priority on Waiting List
There is are 3 different ranks of priority: Children of multicultural families are in the first class, so they are top priority when it comes to getting on the waitlist.
First Class
- Beneficiaries under the National Basic Living Security Act (statutory)
- Children of persons eligible for protection under Article 5 of the Single Parent Family Support Act
- Children of the second classes of need under Article 24 of the National basic Living Security Act (income by 120% or less of the minimum cost of living)
- Children of disabled persons of the grade of disability or higher prescribed by Ordinance of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs from among the disabled persons under Article 2 of the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act (parents with disabilities)
- Infants living in child welfare facilities
- Infants of whom both parents are employed
- Infants of multicultural families defined in Subparagraph 1, Article 2 of the Multicultural Families Support Act
- Infants from families with three or more children or with two infants
- Children of people working in companies located in industrial complexes or supporting organizations who use childcare centers located in the industrial complexes
- Children of people working in companies and organizations that have installed childcare centers and donated them to the state or local governments who use the respective childcare centers
- Children of people living in apartment housing as defined in the Housing Act who use childcare centers installed by the respective apartment housing as privet centers and then converted to national or public centers through donation to the state or local governments
Second Class
- Children of single-parent families/grandparent-headed families and adopted children
- Children of which siblings are attending childcare center
- Ex.) In case of admission in March, it is not applicable to children of whom the siblings attending childcare center enter elementary school in March.
- ※Siblings must be attending childcare center as of the date of the admission.
Third Class
- Infants other than those in the first and second classes
Information taken from: https://eng.childcare.go.kr/?menuno=84
3. Register in Person at Daycare
The child’s parent with a resident registration number (주민번호) must register in person at the daycare.
4. Attend Daycare Orientation
The head of the daycare center will have an orientation with parents. They will explain the goals of the daycare, the rules, the scehdule, and what to expect. They set expectations and answer your questions.
5. Apply for National Happiness Card (국민행복카드) and Childcare Fee Conversion (보육료 전환 신청)
Once you have applied for the daycare, you will need a way to pay for it. Korea provides financial support for childcare services including for daycare. If your child has a parent with a resident registration number, they should be able to have the daycare fee paid in full. If you don’t convert the childcare fee however, the government will only pay for part of the fee and you will need to cover the rest. You will pay with the government money by using a National Happiness Card.
National Happiness Card (국민행복카드)
What is the National Happiness Card?
- The National Happiness Card is an integrated card that facilitates the use of government vouchers such as ‘childcare services support,’ ‘preschool fees,’ ‘health insurance support for medical expenses related to pregnancy and childbirth,’ ‘support for medical expenses related to pregnancy and childbirth for teen mothers,’ and ‘social service e-vouchers.’
- The National Happiness Card can be used in all childcare centers and kindergartens.
How to Apply
Online
- Applying for Subsidies:
Apply for a government subsidy to cover the cost of childcare centers and obtain certification on kindergarten fees.
2. Subsidy Application Form:
Bokjiro website (www.bokjiro.go.kr)
3. Issuance of Cards:
Select one of the five credit card companies to have your card issued. There is no annual fee.
4. Where to Get Your Card Issued:
Bokjiro website (www.bokjiro.go.kr) i-Sarang, a pregnancy and childcare web portal (www.childcare.go.kr), websites of the five credit card companies (KB Card, Shinhan Card, Lotte Card, Samsung Card, BC Card)
※ For your convenience, each credit card company provides a special consultation service for the National Happiness Card.
Offline
- Applying for Subsidies:
Apply for a government subsidy to cover the cost of childcare centers and obtain certification on kindergarten fees.
2. Subsidy Application Form:
Eup/ Myeon/ Dong community service centers
3. Issuance of Cards:
Select one of the five credit card companies to have your card issued. There is no annual fee.
4. Where to Get Your Card Issued:
Eup/ Myeon/ Dong community service centers, branches of banks and key credit card companies located nationwide
Payment Methods
How to Receive Childcare Service Fees:
You can visit the childcare center and make a monthly payment in person. Other payment methods include automatic payment systems, Internet payment, ARS payment and mobile phone payment.
In-Person Payment:
Visit your childcare center monthly and pay the amount covered by the government subsidy and the parental copayment with a credit card.
ARS Payment:
Call 1566-0244 and make the payment by entering your National Happiness Card number and the last digits of your resident registration number as the cardholder. Before making the payment, you will need to confirm which child the payment applies to.
Internet Payment:
Visit the i-Sarang web postal (www.childcare.go.kr) and pay in the ‘Pay Childcare Service Fees’ menu. You need to register with an authentication certificate before using the i-Sarang web portal.
Smartphone Payment:
If you have an i-Sarang membership, you can pay through the i-Sarang application.
Information taken from: https://eng.childcare.go.kr/?menuno=22
Childcare Fee Conversion (보육료 전환 신청)
You will need to convert the childcare fee. Originally, if you registered your child in Korea, you will recieve some financial support from the government. There are different types of financial support you can recieve, but you can only recieve a total of 2 types. If you send your child to Korean daycare, you will qualify for a higher amount of financial support to help cover the costs of the daycare. So you will keep 1 type of finanaical support and upgrade the other.
Apply for childcare fee conversion at the Administrative Welfare Center.
6. Turn in Infant Health Check-up Report (유아 건강 검진서), Vaccination Record (예방접종 확인서), and Resident Registration Certificate (주민등록등본)
Infant Health Check-up Record (유아 건강 검진서)
You will need a infant health check-up done by a doctor to ensure your child is in good health. You can go to a pediatricion 소아과 to get this done. It is very easy. However, the clinic will not have any information on your child if it is your first time visiting the clinic. So you will need to fill out some forms about your child’s health history and current health. This includes birthday, birth weight, if your child was born premature, if your child had recieved hearing tests, information about your child’s current development, etc. In our case, the doctor checked height, weight, eye sight, breathing, heartbeat, ears, and that was about it besides the forms we filled out.
Vaccination Record (예방접종 확인서)
The daycare we applied for required the following:
기본 접종:
0~12주: B형 간염
0~4주: BCG
2개월: B형 간염, 경구용 소아마비, DPT
4개월: 경구용 소아마비, DPT
6개월: 경구용 소아마비, DPT, 홍역
12~15개월: MMR (홍역, 볼거리, 풍진)
추가 접종:
18개월: DPT
3세: 일본 뇌염
4~6세: 소아마비, DPT, MMR
Basic Vaccinations: (Required)
0–12 weeks: Hepatitis B
0–4 weeks: BCG (Tuberculosis)
2 months: Hepatitis B, Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus)
4 months: Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), DPT
6 months: Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), DPT, Measles
12–15 months: MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
Additional Vaccinations: (Not required)
18 months: DPT
3 years: Japanese Encephalitis
4–6 years: Polio, DPT, MMR
You can bring your vaccine records from the USA and get them put into the Korean system. Make sure you have an official record with a signiture by a doctor that you can bring to the 보관소. You can give them the record and they will upload it to the Korean system. If you don’t have an official record with a signature, contact your doctor and see if they can get you one.
Resident Registration Certificate (주민등록등본)
What is “주민등록등본” (Resident Registration Certificate)?
A 주민등록등본 (jumin-deungnok-deungbon) is an official document issued by the South Korean government that provides proof of a person’s residence and household registration. It contains details such as:
The person’s name
Resident registration number (similar to a Social Security Number)
Address
Household members (such as family relationships)
It is commonly used for various administrative processes like opening a bank account, applying for government services, registering for school, or verifying residency for legal or business purposes.
How to Get a 주민등록등본?
There are three main ways to obtain a Resident Registration Certificate in South Korea:
1. In Person at a Local District Office (행정복지센터 or formally known as 동사무소 or 주민센터)
Visit your nearest 행정복지센터 ((Haengjeong Bokji Center) = Administrative Welfare Center
Bring your Korean ID (주민등록증) or Alien Registration Card (for foreigners)
Request a 주민등록등본 at the service counter
Pay a small fee (usually ₩400 – ₩1,000)
2. Online via Government Websites
If you have a Korean online authentication certificate (공동인증서), you can access it online at:
정부24 (www.gov.kr) → Click on 주민등록등본 발급 (Resident Registration Certificate Issuance)
This method allows you to download a digital version or print a certified copy at home.
3. Self-Service Kiosks (무인발급기)
Located in subways, convenience stores, banks, and government buildings
Use your Korean ID or fingerprint verification to print the document
Fees range from ₩400 – ₩1,000
Can Foreigners Get a 주민등록등본?
Foreigners cannot obtain a 주민등록등본 unless they have Korean citizenship. However, foreigners with an Alien Registration Number (외국인등록번호) can request an 외국인등록사실증명서 (Certificate of Alien Registration) from the immigration office or HiKorea website.
7. Submit Any Other Neccesary Documents
Here are all the documents we ended up submitting. The ones not previously mentioned, we got the paperwork from the daycare.
- Admission Application Form
- Child’s Life Record Book (Preschool)
- Infant and Toddler Health Check-up Result Notification
- Conducting a Demand Survey for Establishing a Daycare Operation Plan
- Parental Consent and Survey Form
- Field Trip Participation Consent Form
- Notice on Liability Limits in Case of Infant Accidents
- Consent Form for Collection and Use of Infant Health Check-up Information (Height, Weight)
- Consent Form for Collection, Use, and Third-Party Provision of Personal Information
- Consent Form for Daycare Operation Policies
- Food Allergy Guidelines Notice and Survey Form
- Nature Observation “Junior Animal Ecology Experience” Class Notice
- Resident Registration Certificate (Copy)
- Immunization Certificate
- 입소신청서
- 생활기록 부 (유아)
- 영유아건강겁진 결과통보서
- 어린이집 운영계획 수립을 위한 수요조사 실시
- 부모동의 및 조사서
- 현장학습 참여 동의서
- 영아 사고 시 발생하는 책임한계 안내문
- 영아의 건강검진 정보(키, 몸무게) 수집. 이용 동의서
- 개인종보 수집.이용 및 제3자 제공 동의서
- 어린이집운영방침 동의서
- 식품 알레르기 지침 안내 및 조사서
- 자연관찰 주니멀생태 교감 수업 안내문
- 주민등록표 (등본)
- 예방접종증명서
The daycare we applied for required us to send in a picture of our child as well as a family photo. We had to have 2 physical photos on hand to paste to the documents. We used the ones we had previously got when making our child her Korean passport.
8. Prepare Neccesary Items (준비물) For Your Child
The daycare we applied for required the following items:
여벌 옷 (상.하의와 양말), 여벌 속옷 또는 기저귀 1팩, 낮잠 침구, 개인용 칫솔, (개인 도시락 및 수저 세트), 알림장 (*모든 준비물과 소지품에는 이름을 꼭!! 기입해 주세요. 위생적으로 구분하여 사용하며, 분실을 예방살 수 있습니다.)
*매일 챙겨오는 준비물: 알림장, 턱받이, 개인 도시락 및 수저 세트
-개인 도시락, 수저 세트 (사용 수 가정에서 세척 하여 매일 등원 시 보내주세요.)
-낮잠 이불(적당한 크기의 매트와 이불)은 이불 가방에 넣어 매주 월요일에 세탁 후 보내주세요.)
칫솔 (매주 금요일 가정으로 가정으로 보내드리니 마모 상태를 확인 후 월요일에 보내주세요.)
Items to Prepare for Daycare
Extra clothes (top, bottom, and socks)
Extra underwear or one pack of diapers
Nap bedding
Personal toothbrush
(Personal lunchbox and utensil set)
Communication notebook
*(Please make sure to label all belongings with your child’s name to maintain hygiene and prevent loss.)
Items to Bring Daily:
Communication notebook
Bib
Personal lunchbox and utensil set
Personal lunchbox and utensils: Please wash them at home and send them with your child every day.
Nap bedding: A properly sized mat and blanket should be packed in a bedding bag and sent every Monday after being washed.
Toothbrush: Sent home every Friday for parents to check for wear and tear. Please send it back on Monday.
They also suggested that we write our child’s name on everything or lable them with stickers with our child’s name on it.
I hope that this list of steps on how to send your child to Korean day care (어린이집) helped! If you want to learn more about Korean daycare make sure to check out my other blogs coming soon! Thank you!
