Enroll in Korea universities with a GKS scholarship

A prevalent misconception about studying abroad is that it is prohibitively expensive. However, some countries highly value the presence of international students and are willing to fund their education through scholarships. South Korea is one such country.

The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), also known as the Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP), is a funding initiative provided by the South Korean government. Each year, they allocate a specific quota for citizens of the United States and other countries to benefit from this scholarship program.

GKS Scholarship: grounds for awarding

Only citizens of other countries whose parents also do not have Korean citizenship can apply for free study in Korea. However, for each country participating in the program, one place is allocated for an ethnic Korean.

It is expected that the average score in the applicant’s certificate or diploma is at least 80%. An unspoken advantage is enjoyed by candidates who choose admission to Natural sciences and engineering.

Graduates of bachelor’s and master’s programs under the age of 40 are accepted for master’s and doctoral studies.

For Americans, the annual enrollment for master’s and doctoral programs is in March. Recruitment lasts about two to three weeks, then a long application selection procedure begins. The answer from the admissions committee arrives in June.

What is included in the scholarship?

The scholarship in South Korea fully covers the student’s living and study expenses, but tuition fees should not exceed 5 million won per semester. If a semester of study costs more, the host university pays the difference at its own expense.

Universities included in the program

More than 60 Korean universities participate in the scholarship program. A list of current participants and programs is published annually on the state portal Study in Korea.

Examples of universities participating in the program

Grants are issued for studying in any program lasting up to 4 full years. Some medical, dental and pharmaceutical programs have a duration of 5 years or more, so candidates usually cannot get here. Also, a government scholarship in Korea is not available to architects: programs last longer. 

In total, you can choose three universities: one program in each of them. Universities should be allocated in order of priority: put the most preferred program in the first place, and the least preferred program in the last place.

GKS Scholarship: list of documents

Applicants can apply for a Korean Government scholarship through the local embassy. You will need the following documents:

• Applicant Form 
• Personal Statement 
• Study Plan 
• Research Proposal ONLY applicable for Research Program applicants
• One letter of Recommendation 
• Letter of Invitation ONLY applicable for Research Program applicants 
• GKS Applicant Agreement 
• Personal Medical Assessment 
• Consent to Collect and Use Personal Information 
• Bachelor’s/Master’s Diploma or Certificate of Degree
• Bachelor’s/Master’s degree Transcript
• Applicant’s Proof of Citizenship
• Parents’ Proof of Citizenship

You can find out all the requirements for documents and get the necessary forms at the embassy. Correct registration is the most important selection parameter: if an applicant applies for a grant, but does not pay enough attention to the application procedure, the commission immediately dismisses his candidacy.

Consideration of applications is divided into three stages, so you need to submit four sets of documents: one original and three copies. All packages should be in separate envelopes.

Three tricky questions for our South Korea Advisor

Ekaterina received a bachelor’s degree from Sungkyunkwan University (won a scholarship from the government) in the specialty PR. She also studied at Solbridge International School of Business (MBA) — Finance. And all the students who enrolled with her in Korea this year received at least a 20% discount on tuition

1. The GKS scholarship is popular, but there are few places for it. Does it make sense to apply for GKS for a master’s degree if the chance is small?

If the number of applications is confusing, then I want to ask a counter question. Does it make sense to submit a resume to Google or move to Seoul? There are a lot of people who want to. At any stage of our life, we face competition. But whether you are ready to accept the challenge or not, you decide for yourself.

2. Does it happen that students do not take root and return from Korea to their native country?

Things happen. As a rule, these are people with high expectations. Koreans are workaholics, so no one will make allowances for a person just because of his status as a “foreigner”. I had guys at the faculty who confidently believed that Koreans should learn English to communicate with them, and not vice versa. I’m sure it’s also difficult to get used to in the USA, knowing only German or Spanish.

3. What if I don’t find a job in Korea after graduation?

Free part-time work is not available to foreigners: during the search, you need to apply to the university. He will assess whether the vacancy is suitable for combining part-time work with academic duties. During the semester, it is allowed to work only in the major but due to the specifics of the disciplines, this is not possible at all faculties. But on holidays, with the permission of the university, you can go anywhere. Students who still speak Korean poorly sometimes receive restrictions on working hours.