Starbucks Korea Offers First-of-Its Kind Graduate Degree Support
Eligible partners can apply to Hanyang Cyber University’s graduate-level programs and receive tuition reduction benefits.
Starbucks Korea has become the first Starbucks market globally to support partners (employees) pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, through an expanded partnership with Hanyang Cyber University. The initiative builds on the long-running Starbucks Korea College Achievement Plan, which has supported partners in earning undergraduate degrees since 2016.
Through the expanded program, eligible partners can apply to Hanyang Cyber University’s graduate-level programs and receive tuition reduction benefits.
For the Spring 2026 term, coffeehouse manager Su-Jin was accepted into the university’s Master’s degree program in Counseling Psychology, continuing her educational journey after completing her undergraduate degree through Starbucks Korea College Achievement Plan.
The collaboration between Starbucks Korea and Hanyang Cyber University began with an academic exchange agreement in 2016. Since then, more than 2,000 partners have enrolled in undergraduate programs, and over 590 of them have graduated as of Spring 2026. Partners can choose from 37 undergraduate majors and nine graduate programs including Counseling Psychology, English, Hotel & Foodservice Management, Japanese, Marketing, and Social Welfare—offering wide ranging opportunities for personal and professional growth.
A key feature of the program is that there is no post graduation employment obligation at Starbucks. For bachelor’s degree participants, tuition is fully covered in the first semester, and from the second semester onward, partners who maintain a B average or higher receive full tuition support through the Starbucks Korea College Achievement Program. All courses and examinations at Hanyang Cyber University are conducted online, offering partners flexibility.
