The Global Korea Scholarship or GKS is designed to provide international students with opportunities to study at higher educational institutions in South Korea for graduate-level degrees, which will enhance international education exchange and deepen mutual friendship between Korea and participating countries.
Course level: Master’s and Doctoral
Fields of study:
For more detailed information on majors (fields of study) offered by the universities listed below, refer to the “University Information” file attached under the GKS Notice post in the Study In Korea website (www.studyinkorea.go.kr). Applicants must choose their majors (fields of study) that are only listed in the “University Information” file.
Institution and country:
There are two types of higher education institutions eligible for the GKS program:
- Type A – General. Academy of Korean Studies, Ajou University, Chung-Ang University, Dankook University, Ewha Woman’s University, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Hanyang University, Incheon National University, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Inha University, Konkuk University, Kookmin University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Korea Development Institute (KDI School), Korea Polytechnic University, Korea University, Kyung Hee University, Myongji University, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Sangmyung University, Seoul National University, Seoul National University of Science and Technology (Seoul Tech), Sogang University, Sookmyung Women‟s University, Soongsil University, Sungkyunkwan University, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), University of Seoul, Yonsei University
- Type B – General + Regional. Busan University of Foreign Studies, Chonnam National University, Chungbuk National University, Chungnam National University, Daegu University, Daejeon University, Dong-a University, Dongseo University, Gyeongsang National University, Handong Global University, Hannam University, Hanseo University, Hoseo University, Inje University, Jeju National University, Jeonju University, Jeonbuk National University, Kangwon National University, Keimyung University, Kongju National University, Konyang University, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Kyungpook National University, Namseoul University, Pai Chai University, Pukyong National University, Pusan National University, Semyung University, Silla University, Soonchunhyang University, Sunchon National University, Sun Moon University, University of Ulsan, Woosuk University, Yeungnam University
Sponsor: South Korean government
Number of awards: 1,266 awards for 2020
Scholarship inclusions:
- Full tuition fees
- Return economy tickets to/from South Korea
- Settlement allowance: 200,000 KRW
- Monthly allowance: 1,000,000 KRW per month
- Research Allowance: Liberal Arts and Social Science majors – 210,000 KRW per semester; Natural Science and Engineering majors – 240,000 KRW per semester
- One year Korean language training fees
- Thesis printing fee reimbursement
- Medical insurance: 20,000 KRW per month
- Korean language proficiency grants: 100,000 KRW per month
- Degree completion grant: 100,000 KRW (offered once)
Eligibility criteria for the Global Korea Scholarship:
- Nationality. All applicants and their parents must not hold Korean citizenship or applicant must not hold dual citizenship, one of which is Korean.
- Age. Must be under 40 years of age as of September 1, 2020.
- Degree requirements. Applicants must hold or must be expected to hold a Bachelor’s, Master’s or a Doctoral degree by August 31st, 2020.
- Grades. All applicants must have maintained the overall grade point average (CGPA) equivalent to or higher than any ONE of the following from their respective universities:
- 2.64 on a 4.0 scale;
- 2.80 on a 4.3 scale;
- 2.91 on a 4.5 scale;
- 3.23 on a 5.0 scale; or
- Score percentile: 80% or above on a 100 point scale or be ranked within the top 20% within one’s class
- Health. All applicants must be in good health, both mentally and physically, to study in Korea for the full duration of degree or research programs.
- Restrictions. Prospective applicants who have attained a Bachelor‟s, Master‟s, or a doctoral degree in Korea are NOT eligible to apply.
- Preference: Applicants who received outstanding scores for their proficiency in Korean or English may be given preference. Some examples include the following:
- Proficiency in Korean: TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean)
- Proficiency in English: TOEFL, TOEIC, or IELTS Academic (TOEFL ITPs are NOT acceptable)
Application deadline:
The deadline will be decided by each institution or office that accepts the application documents, i.e. the Korean Embassy, Korean Education Center, or Korean university.
Application deadlines may differ from one country to another or by each university; it is expected to be around mid or late March. It is highly advised to make sure to check the calls for the 2020 GKS application separately announced by relevant institutions or offices.
How to apply for the Global Korea Scholarship:
Applicants must apply either to a Korean Embassy where they hold citizenship or directly to one of the designated universities.
Institutions accepting applications:
- 116 Embassies of the Republic of Korea: In countries where Korean Education Center or Korean Cultural Center is located, these institutions may accept and review GKS applications in lieu of Korean embassies. They highly recommend applicants to contact the Korean embassy in their countries to check which party is accepting the application.
- 64 Korean Universities designated by NIIED
If an applicant submits applications to more than ONE institution mentioned above, his or her application will be discarded.
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