Korean Dictionary
How to say "Academic Year" in Korean
“Academic Year” in Korean is 학년도 (pronounced "Hangnyeondo").
학년도
Hangnyeondo
Usage & Context
The Korean academic year (학년도) runs from March to February, divided into the first semester (1학기: March-June) and second semester (2학기: September-December). This schedule differs from many Western countries and aligns with Japan's academic calendar. New school and university years beginning in March signal new beginnings and fresh starts for Korean students.
Example Sentence
새 학년도가 3월에 시작돼요.
The new academic year starts in March.
How to use 학년도 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Academic Year” is 학년도, romanized as Hangnyeondo.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 학년도.
Pronunciation Guide
For 학년도 (Hangnyeondo), 'Hang' sounds like 'hang' in 'hanger'. 'nyeon' is like 'nyun' in 'canyon' but with a slightly more open 'o' sound. 'do' sounds like 'doe' in 'doughnut'. The stress is fairly even, with a slight emphasis on 'nyeon'.
More Example Sentences
An announcement about educational policy changes.
다음 학년도부터는 새로운 교육 과정이 적용될 예정입니다.
A new curriculum will be applied starting from the next academic year.
Describing a school tradition.
우리 학교는 매 학년도 초에 신입생 환영회를 열어요.
Our school holds a freshman welcoming party at the beginning of each academic year.
Explaining the Korean academic calendar.
2023 학년도는 2023년 3월에 시작해서 2024년 2월에 끝나요.
The 2023 academic year starts in March 2023 and ends in February 2024.
Cultural Context
The Korean academic year's start in March is a significant cultural event, coinciding with spring and symbolizing new beginnings. This timing differs from many Western countries where the academic year typically begins in autumn. For students, March brings the excitement and sometimes anxiety of new uniforms, new classmates, and new challenges, a common theme depicted in K-dramas and webtoons.
Editorial note
We review entries like 학년도 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
새 학년도
New academic year
다음 학년도
Next academic year
학년도 시작
Academic year start
Related Expressions
학기
Hakgi
Semester
신학기
Sinhakgi
New semester (often implies the start of a new academic year)
학년
Hangnyeon
School year (e.g., 1학년 = first year student)
교육 과정
Gyoyuk Gwajeong
Curriculum
More Education Words
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