Korea’s housing subscription point system can determine who wins a private-housing allocation when many applicants have the same priority. The score has a maximum of 84 points and combines the applicant’s period without home ownership, number of dependents, and housing subscription account history.
How the 84-Point System Works
- Period without home ownership: up to 32 points
- Number of dependents: up to 35 points
- Housing subscription account period: up to 17 points
1. Period Without Home Ownership: Up to 32 Points
The period generally begins when the applicant turns 30. If the applicant married before age 30, it begins on the official marriage-registration date.
- Less than one year without home ownership begins at two points.
- Two points are added for each additional year, reaching 32 points at 15 years or more.
- A spouse’s history of home ownership may reduce the recognized period. A home disposed of before marriage may be treated differently, so check the specific housing announcement.
2. Number of Dependents: Up to 35 Points
The applicant is not counted as a dependent. The score begins at five points for zero dependents and rises by five points for each additional dependent, reaching 35 points for six or more.
Each dependent must meet detailed requirements:
- Spouse: Generally recognized even if registered in a separate household.
- Parents and grandparents: Generally must be in the applicant’s household and listed on the same resident registration record for at least three years. Special rules may apply in some cases involving elderly parents.
- Children and grandchildren: Generally must be unmarried and registered in the same household as the applicant.
Because dependents account for the largest share of the score, this category often has the greatest effect. For example, a spouse, two children, and two qualifying parents would represent five dependents and 30 points under the standard scale.
3. Housing Subscription Account Period: Up to 17 Points
The longer the applicant has maintained a housing subscription account, the higher the score.
- Less than six months: one point
- The score rises in stages as the account period increases
- At least 15 years: 17 points
Spouse Account History
Recent rules allow part of a spouse’s housing subscription account history to contribute to the applicant’s score, subject to the limits and calculation method in the applicable announcement. Couples should therefore keep both accounts active and confirm how the spouse’s period will be recognized before applying.
Other recent policy changes have included expanded opportunities for spouses to apply to the same development and a higher recognized monthly payment limit for subscription accounts. The monthly-payment change mainly affects public-housing selections based on accumulated deposits; it does not change the private-housing 84-point structure itself.
How to Check Your Score
The safest option is the official point calculator on ApplyHome, operated by the Korea Real Estate Board. Enter age, marriage information, dependents, and account history to calculate an estimated score. Treat calculators on private websites as references only and verify the final result on ApplyHome before submitting an application.
Do Not Overstate Your Score
If an applicant exaggerates the period without home ownership or the number of dependents and the award is later canceled, the applicant may face a long restriction on future housing subscriptions. Verify uncertain items—such as a parent’s household status or a spouse’s previous home ownership—before applying.
Practical Tips
- Younger applicants with low point totals may have better odds in units assigned by lottery rather than score.
- Couples should maintain both housing subscription accounts from an early date and review the spouse-history rules.
- Recognition of parents as dependents can depend on the timing of household registration changes, so plan and verify well in advance.
- Always use the rules in the specific housing recruitment announcement; program details can differ.
This article provides general information. Exact scoring and recognition rules depend on individual circumstances and the applicable housing announcement. Confirm your score through ApplyHome or the Korea Real Estate Board before applying.