Youth monthly rent support is a system that is not worth missing if you are a young person living alone.It has been operated as a temporary project, but from 2026, it has changed to a permanent project recruiting new people every year, lowering the application threshold even further.We have also summarized the changes.What is youth monthly rent support?Youth Rent Support is a housing welfare system where the government (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport) provides a certain amount of cash every month to relieve the rent burden of young people living on a monthly rent basis.The official name was ‘Temporary Special Support for Monthly Rent for Youth’, but from 2026, the operation method changed to a permanent application system.Biggest change in 2026: Temporary business → Continued businessThis system has been temporarily operated twice since it was first introduced in 2022 and has supported over 220,000 young people.However, since it is a limited-time project with a fixed budget, the application period is short, and in some cases, it closes early when the budget is exhausted.As the burden of housing costs for young people continued, this system was selected as a national task, and from 2026, it was converted into an ongoing project to recruit new beneficiaries every year.In 2026, we plan to select approximately 60,000 new beneficiaries across the country.Additionally, the requirement to subscribe to a subscription account, which was previously mandatory, has been abolished from 2026.Support eligibility and income criteriaYou must meet all of the following conditions to apply:Age: 19 to 34 years old (if there is military service completion period, some local governments extend the application to up to 39 years old)Housing type: Homeless youth living separately from their parents and actually residing in a house within the deposit/monthly rent standards.Youth household income: 60% or less of standard median incomeOriginal household (including parents) income: 100% or less of standard median incomeHowever, if certain conditions are met (over 30 years of age, married, unmarried father/mother, income exceeding a certain standard even under 30 years of age, etc.), there are cases where the parents’ income is not separately screened and the youth’s income is judged only.It is best to check in advance whether you meet these conditions through Welfare’s mock calculation service.Support amountUp to 200,000 won per month (however, support is provided within the range of actual monthly rent paid and 200,000 won is not unconditionally paid)Support period: Basic up to 12 months (depending on local government projects, support may be extended up to 24 months)The maximum amount received is approximately 2.4 million won per 12 months, or more if the local government’s own projects are added.Application period and methodThe first application for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2026 was held from 9 a.m. on March 30, 2026 to 4 p.m. on May 29, 2026.After conversion to a continuous project, the application period will be operated regularly every year in accordance with the budget and guidelines of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, so if you miss this period, you must wait for the next application notice.Online application: Bokjiro (bokjiro.go.kr)Offline application: Visit the administrative welfare center (community center) in your jurisdiction of residenceRequired documents: Application for monthly rent support, income/property report, rental agreement and documents proving monthly rent transfer for the past 3 months, copy of bankbook, family relationship certificate, etc.Some local governments (Seoul, Incheon, etc.) also operate their own youth monthly rent support projects separately from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport projects.You can also check your local youth portal or city/district office website to avoid missing opportunities for duplicate support.Frequently confused partWhat if the lease contract period has expired and I am still living there?You can apply if you are in an implied renewal with the lessor.It is a good idea to state in the special notes section of your application that the contract has been implicitly extended on the same terms.Residents of public rental housing, those who rent houses owned by immediate family members, and those who live in sublease with multiple people living in one room are often excluded from support, so check before applying.If you have previously received the maximum number of applications (24) through limited-time special support, reapplication may be restricted.finishing tipsBefore applying, first check whether you meet the income and property standards using Welfare’s mock calculation service.It is advantageous to provide proof of monthly rent transfer details by depositing them into an account.If you have been paying in cash, we recommend that you switch to bank transfer in the future.In addition to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s project, you can expand the scope of support by checking the local government’s own youth rent support project.This article has been written for general information purposes.The support conditions, amount, and application schedule may change depending on the budget situation, so please be sure to check the latest information through Bokjiro (bokjiro.go.kr), your local administrative welfare center, or the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport before applying.
