Chung-Ang University (CAU, President Park Sang-gue) received KRW 32.8 billion, the fifth largest amount given to private universities nationwide, based on direct financial support projects sponsored by the Ministry of Education.

According to the “Direct University Support Project Expenditures Scale” recently reported by the Korean Association of Private University Presidents, general support projects from the Ministry of Education amounted to KRW 2.7224 trillion, of which KRW 2.241 trillion was given as direct financial support to universities. This figure excludes the Ministry of Education's student financial aid and current operating expenses for national and public universities based on the 2021 fiscal year data. 

Among private universities, Korea University received the most support funds with KRW 61.59 billion, followed by Yonsei University with KRW 60.39 billion. Next was Sungkyunkwan University with KRW 57.36 billion, Hanyang University with KRW 41.3 billion, and then CAU with KRW 32.78 billion.

The government financial support projects are often focused on the science and engineering fields. CAU with its balanced offerings in terms of humanities, arts, physical education, science and engineering, and medicine and pharmacy courses, is somewhat at a disadvantage in potential financial support projects because its science and engineering departments are smaller than those of competing universities.

The fact that CAU has overcome these adverse conditions and became at par with leading universities in terms of financial support projects is considered to be a good indicator that CAU’s efforts to become a research-oriented university are producing the desired results.

Data related to the Ministry of Education's financial grant was analyzed by the Korean Association of Private University Presidents using the 2021 fiscal year data included in the Korea Advancing Schools Foundation's University Finance Information and the Korean Council for University Education's University Information. Data from a total of 196 schools were analyzed, including 157 private universities and 39 national and public universities excluding corporations and national universities in accordance with the special act.