Transferring school after a move works differently at each stage — documents and legal basis
Primary school takes one notice; middle and high school go through the education office. The documents and the governing article differ at each stage.
- Primary — hand the "school-age child transfer notice" from your move-in registration straight to the school (Enforcement Decree art. 21).
- Middle — certificate of enrolment plus resident registration to the district education office, which assigns the school (art. 73).
- High — you may transfer only if the move crosses a school district or province (art. 89).
"Where do I start?" is the most common question before a move. There is no single answer because the procedure and the governing article differ by school stage. Primary school is handled at the school; middle and high school go through the education office.
1. Primary — one notice is enough
When you register the move at the local community centre, ask for the school-age child transfer notice at the same time. Hand it to the receiving school and the transfer is processed on the spot. The basis is Enforcement Decree of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, article 21.
The notice is not always issued unless you ask, so mention at the counter that you have a primary-age child.
2. Middle — the education office assigns the school
Parents do not choose a middle school. The order is: obtain a certificate of enrolment for transfer from the current school, prepare a resident registration abstract, then submit both to the district education office, which assigns a school.
Under article 73 the transfer is limited to schools within the school group or middle school district that your new address belongs to. You cannot nominate a particular school.
3. High — the condition comes before the procedure
Article 89 allows a transfer where the residence has moved to a different school district or a different province. A move within the same district is, in principle, not grounds for transfer — however far you have actually moved.
The procedure is to submit the resident registration abstract to the education office for assignment. If the new district has no vacancy, a school in a neighbouring district may be assigned.
4. Mid-term transfers bring practical friction
- Textbooks — publishers differ by school, so there will be gaps in coverage.
- Performance assessment — how work already completed is counted varies; confirm with the receiving subject teacher.
- After-school and care places — these fill up. Ask as soon as the move is decided.
5. Registering an address without living there is not a transfer
Registering an address purely to obtain an assignment may amount to false registration under the Resident Registration Act, and some education offices verify actual residence. An assignment can be cancelled as a result.
The reverse case also matters: the process starts from the move-in registration, so it cannot proceed before that is filed. Align the move and the registration.
6. Timing
Mid-term transfers are possible but depend on vacancies, and high schools in particular may have none. Where you have any choice, the turn of the school year is smoother. If you have a middle-school child, check which school group the new address falls into first — the mechanics are set out in how middle schools are assigned.
Based on the Enforcement Decree of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the government legal information service as of August 2026. Detailed steps and required documents vary by education office and school; confirm with your district education office before proceeding.
This is an English translation of an article originally written in Korean. 한국어 원문 보기 ›