Support Limit Balance Inquiry, Validity Period, and How to Use the K-Digital / Vocational Training Tomorrow Learning Card

Comprehensive Guide to Basic Support Limit and Validity Period of the Tomorrow Learning Card

The Tomorrow Learning Card is a representative vocational training support system through which the government supports training expenses for job competency enhancement and preparation for employment or career changes. Before applying, you must accurately understand your basic support grant scale and usable validity period to establish a suitable training plan.

1. Basic Support Limit: 3 Million KRW ~ Up to 5 Million KRW

Basic Support Grant (3 Million KRW)
When receiving the card for the first time, a basic limit of 3 million KRW as of the account opening date is uniformly granted to all eligible individuals.
When taking training courses, training expenses are deducted within that limit according to the government subsidy support ratio (45%~85%).
Additional Support Grant (Additional Grant of 1 Million KRW ~ 2 Million KRW)
If the basic 3 million KRW has been fully exhausted or is right before exhaustion, an additional support grant of up to 2 million KRW can be received through individual screening only for vulnerable groups and subjects requiring policy support, allowing utilization with a total limit of 4 million to 5 million KRW.
Eligible for 2 Million KRW Additional Support (Total Limit of 5 Million KRW):
Specific classes such as youth and middle-aged individuals among participants of the National Employment Support Policy Type I
Basic Livelihood Security recipients and the near-poverty class
Eligible for 1 Million KRW Additional Support (Total Limit of 4 Million KRW):
Workers in employment crisis areas and special employment support industries
Dispatched (non-regular) workers, fixed-term, temporary, and part-time daily workers
Low-income workers among employees of preferential support enterprises (SMEs) not equivalent to large corporations

1. Account Validity Period: 5 Years from the Date of Issuance

Meaning of 5-Year Validity Period
It is valid for exactly 5 years from the date the card is issued (account opened).
Because it is not a method that expires on an annual basis, you can autonomously take training courses divided across necessary points in time during the 5-year period.
Handling Upon Expiration of Validity Period
When 5 years pass from the issuance date, any balance remaining in the card automatically expires.
However, if you still maintain eligibility (job seekers, incumbent workers, special employment types, etc.) even after the 5 years expire, you can apply for a new reissuance to receive a new limit of 3 million KRW again.
💡 Key Check at a Glance
The support limit cannot be withdrawn in cash and is deducted only in the form of government subsidies when paying for approved training courses registered on HRD-Net.
For certain new technology intensive training courses such as K-Digital Training, exception courses exist where you can participate entirely free of charge (excess support) once without deduction from the basic 3 million KRW limit.

Real-Time Inquiry Method for My Card Balance and Validity Period (HRD-Net)

After receiving the Tomorrow Learning Card and before applying for a training course, what you must verify is the currently remaining support limit balance and the card’s validity period. By using the Employment24 (formerly HRD-Net) vocational training portal, real-time inquiry is easily available on PC and smartphone mobile apps.

1. Real-Time Inquiry via PC Website (Employment24 / HRD-Net)
2. Portal Access and Login

Access the official Employment24 website (work24.go.kr or hrd.go.kr).
Log in via Joint/Financial Certificate or simple authentication (KakaoTalk, Naver, PASS, etc.).

1. Navigate to My Page

Click [My Page] from the top menu.

1. Check Training Management Menu

Select the detailed menu of [Vocational Competency Development] or [Training Management] from the left category, then navigate to [Tomorrow Learning Card] > [Card Usage History Inquiry].

1. Detailed Check of Balance and Validity Period

The total granted limit (3 million to 5 million KRW), amount already used, and current remaining limit (balance) are displayed at the top of the screen.
Check the indicated account validity period (start date and expiration date) to establish a course enrollment plan within the remaining period.

1. Simple Inquiry on Mobile App (Employment24 / HRD-Net)

STEP 1. Launch the ‘Employment24’ mobile app on your smartphone and log in with simple authentication.
STEP 2. Tap the overall menu (≡) on the top right, then select the [Vocational Competency Development] > [Tomorrow Learning Card] item.
STEP 3. Tapping [Inquiry My Card] or [Card Balance Inquiry] will immediately display the current card validity status, real-time support grant balance, and validity expiration date on the main screen.
💡 Precautions During Inquiry
Whether Out-of-Pocket Expense Is Reflected: The ‘balance’ displayed on the inquiry screen is the government support limit balance; when actually paying for a course, a separate out-of-pocket amount is withdrawn from the linked account (Shinhan/NongHyup, etc.) according to the copayment ratio (15% to 55%).
Check Penalty Deductions: If there is a history of dropping out or failing to meet attendance rates in previous training courses, it is advisable to check whether the deducted penalty amount matches the actual usable balance.

Correct Usage and Course Registration Steps for the Tomorrow Learning Card

Receiving the Tomorrow Learning Card does not mean that the subsidies are used automatically. You must directly search for approved training courses through Employment24 (HRD-Net), complete course registration, and finalize payment with the physical card under your own name to be officially enrolled.

1. 4-Step Course Registration Process

STEP 1. Search Training Courses and Check Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Search by setting the desired job function, certification, region, and class format (online/offline) in the main search bar or the [Search Training Courses] menu of Employment24.
Check the total training cost, government subsidy, and the out-of-pocket expense amount you must pay on the details page of each course.
Tip: Since the out-of-pocket expense ratio (0% to 55%) varies depending on the employment rate of the training field and your income/eligibility type (general job seeker, incumbent worker, National Employment Support Policy participant, etc.), use the simulation calculation button to check the exact amount.
STEP 2. Diagnosis and Consultation or Online Course Registration
Short-term courses under 140 hours: Apply online immediately by clicking the [Course Registration] button on the Employment24 website or mobile app without visiting an employment center.
Long-term courses of 140 hours or more: To review training necessity and suitability, course registration is approved only after going through online training diagnosis and consultation via Employment24 or completing the consultation process with a manager at the competent employment center.
STEP 3. Selection by Training Institution and Registration Confirmation
Once the application is submitted via Employment24, the relevant training institution (academy, vocational training school, etc.) individually contacts the applicant (by phone or text message) to conduct a brief interview or check prior learning status, and then proceeds with final selection processing.
STEP 4. Payment with the Physical Tomorrow Learning Card (Registration Completed)
When selected as a final enrolled trainee, pay the out-of-pocket expense with the physical Tomorrow Learning Card under your own name (Shinhan or NongHyup check/credit card) according to the training institution’s instructions.
Upon payment, the government subsidy is automatically deducted from the Tomorrow Learning Card account limit, and the out-of-pocket expense is immediately withdrawn from the balance of the payment account linked to the card.

1. Essential Precautions for Physical Card Payment and Use

Payment with cards under another person’s name is not allowed: Proxy payments using cards belonging to family members or others cannot be made; payment must be made with the Tomorrow Learning Card under your own name for government subsidy benefits to apply.
Check linked account balance: For courses where out-of-pocket expenses occur, approval is granted only if a balance exceeding at least the out-of-pocket expense amount is deposited in the account linked to the card on the day of payment. Payment will be rejected if the balance is insufficient.
Attendance management is essential: For offline courses, you must directly tag attendance with the physical card (or the Employment24 app beacon/QR code) when entering and leaving the classroom, and for online courses, you must pass the specified progress rate and exams within the set deadline to be recognized for normal completion.

Tips for Balance Depletion and Preventing Drop-Out Penalties

As the Tomorrow Learning Card offers substantial government subsidy benefits, regulations regarding attendance management and completion obligations are also strict. If you drop out mid-course or participate unfaithfully, you must be careful as it does not simply end with non-completion, but incurs a penalty where the actual account support limit is deducted.

1. Subsidy Deduction Penalty Criteria for Drop-Out and Expulsion

If you drop out of a training course without justifiable reasons (illness, pregnancy, employment, etc.) or are expelled due to failing to meet attendance rates, penalty amounts will be deducted from your support limit by occurrence.
1st drop-out: 200,000 KRW deducted from the support limit
2nd drop-out: 500,000 KRW deducted from the support limit
3 or more drop-outs: 1,000,000 KRW deducted from the support limit and card use suspended for a certain period
Reasons for penalty exemption recognition:
If early employment or business start-up occurs during the training period, or if unavoidable reasons such as personal illness or accident (medical certificate proof required) and natural disasters are recognized, penalties can be waived by submitting supporting documents to the training institution and the employment center.

1. Attendance Rate Management Criteria (80% Rule)

Completion criteria: You must attend at least 80% of the total scheduled training days to be processed for normal completion.
Tardiness, early leave, and outing management:
Tardiness, early leave, and outings are calculated as 1 day of absence when accumulated 3 times.
Participating in less than 50% of the daily training time will immediately result in that day being treated as an absence, so check-in and check-out tagging times must be thoroughly checked.

1. Practical Tips for Utilizing the 5-Year Validity Period Without Wasting the Limit
2. Test Your Aptitude First with Short-Term/Online Courses

If you blindly apply for a large-scale, long-term course lasting 3 to 6 months from the start and drop out mid-way, the loss from subsidy deduction and non-refundable out-of-pocket expenses is substantial.
It is safe to first take a 1 to 2-week short-term course or online course in your job field of interest to see if the curriculum difficulty matches your schedule, and then move on to advanced courses.

1. Prioritize National Key Strategic Industry Occupations and K-Digital Training

Core new technology fields such as IT development, big data, AI, and renewable energy often offer benefits of full government subsidy (0 KRW out-of-pocket expenses) once, along with separate training incentives.
Taking National Key Strategic Industry Occupation courses before general job courses allows you to complete large-scale long-term training while preserving your basic 3 million KRW limit.

1. Check Annual Course Enrollment Limits

The number of training courses an individual can take per year is limited to a maximum of 5 times (maximum of 3 times for the same occupation). Exhausting short-term courses without a plan may prevent you from applying for essential certification courses in the second half of the year, so you should establish an annual plan when enrolling.