Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)

Covers tuition and living costs for a full degree in Korea. NIIED's yearly guidelines set out the full package and current amounts.

• You must hold citizenship of a GKS-invited country; neither you nor your parents may hold Korean citizenship (the R&D, Global Network and International Organization programmes are open to all countries).
• Master's applicants need a bachelor's degree and doctoral applicants a master's, or must graduate by the date in the guidelines (31 July 2026 for the 2026 round).
• Your grade average in your previous degree must be at least 80%, or in your class's top 20%, or at least 2.64/4.0 (or 2.80/4.3, 2.91/4.5, 3.23/5.0).
• You must be under 40 (born after 1 September 1986 for the 2026 round).
• You can't apply if you've graduated from, or are in the final year at, a Korean high school or university, or have already studied for a degree on a Korean government scholarship.
• You must be in good physical and mental health.

For international students who aren't Korean citizens, applying for undergraduate or graduate degrees in Korea. Exact rules, such as age, grades and which application route is open to your country, are in NIIED's yearly guidelines on the Study in Korea website.

1. 1

   Step 1: Choose one track

   On the embassy track you apply online through Study in Korea and list up to three universities, at least one of them Type B. On the university track you apply to one university and one department, in person or by post.

2. 2

   Step 2: Check universities and departments

   You can only choose departments listed in the 'University Information' file published with the GKS notice, and some set extra requirements such as TOPIK level 4.

3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare forms and certificates

   Fill in the GKS forms. Get your degree certificates, transcripts and proof of citizenship apostilled, or confirmed by a consulate.

4. 4

   Step 4: Submit your application

   Submit online by the embassy-track deadline, or to your chosen university by its own deadline. If you fail the embassy track's first round, you can still apply on the university track.

5. 5

   Step 5: Go through the selection rounds

   The embassy or university selects candidates first, then NIIED reviews them. Embassy-track candidates are then reviewed by their three universities, and NIIED announces the final list in late June.

6. 6

   Step 6: Learn Korean, then start

   Most scholars first take a one-year Korean language programme and must reach TOPIK level 3 before starting their degree.

• Application form, personal statement and study plan (GKS Forms 1–3)
• One letter of recommendation (Form 5)
• GKS applicant agreement, personal medical assessment and data consent (Forms 8–10)
• Proof of citizenship and family relationship for you and your parents (apostilled)
• Degree certificates (apostilled)
• Transcripts with grade average or ranking (apostilled)
• TOPIK or English test score (optional)
• Passport copy (optional)

Deadline

For 2026 graduate entry, the embassy-track online application ran from 11:00 on 12 February to 18:00 on 25 February 2026 (Korean time); each university set its own university-track deadline between February and April 2026.