Applying for childcare fee support
If your child attends daycare or kindergarten, you can receive childcare fee support. You must apply to receive it.
Who this covers
- Children attending daycare or kindergarten
- Children with Korean nationality, or eligible through their parents' status
- Coverage depends on status, age and type of facility — check with 129 or your community centre
Steps
- Check eligibility. 129 (health and welfare counselling) or your community centre.
- Apply.
- Online: Bokjiro www.bokjiro.go.kr
- In person: your local community service centre
- Get a Kookmin Haengbok (National Happiness) card. It is used to pay childcare fees.
- Enrol at the daycare or kindergarten.
- Check each month that the support is applied.
What you need
- ID for the child and parents (Alien Registration Card, passport)
- Family relationship documents
- The National Happiness card (must be issued)
- A bank account
Where to go
- 129 health and welfare counselling
- Bokjiro www.bokjiro.go.kr
- Childcare portal www.childcare.go.kr
- Your local community service centre
- 1577-1366 Danuri Helpline (interpretation)
Questions people ask
Are foreign-national children eligible? It depends on the child's and parents' status. Some local governments run their own support. Always check with the community centre.
How much is it? It depends on age and facility type and changes yearly. Check with 129 or Bokjiro — this guide does not print figures.
What if my child does not attend daycare? There is separate support for home care (parental benefit, childcare allowance). See the parental-benefit guide.
I can't apply because of the language. Ask the community centre for interpretation support, or get help from 1577-1366.
Take care
Support often applies from the month you apply. Delay means losing that much. Apply as soon as your child is born or a place is confirmed.
Related
daycare-enrollment · kindergarten · child-allowance · parental-benefit
Source
Ministry of Health and Welfare, Bokjiro www.bokjiro.go.kr / As of 2026-08