The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is a fully funded scholarship program offered by the Government of the Republic of Korea through the National Institute for International Education (NIIED), under the Ministry of Education.
For the 2027 intake, GKS continues to fund Master’s and PhD study for international students at leading universities across South Korea, covering tuition, a monthly living stipend, airfare, one year of Korean language training, and more.
Open to eligible applicants of nearly all nationalities, GKS remains one of the most prestigious and comprehensive government scholarships in Asia, awarding hundreds of graduate scholarships annually across 90+ partner universities via two application routes: the Embassy Track and the University Track.
GKS graduate scholars are placed at leading Korean institutions, including Seoul National University, KAIST, Yonsei University, Korea University, POSTECH, Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, and dozens of other NIIED-designated partner universities across the country.
Degree Level
- Master’s Degree and Doctoral (PhD) Degree programs at NIIED-designated Korean universities.
Note: GKS also runs separate, dedicated tracks for prospective undergraduate students (GKS-U) and for exchange/visiting students (GKS Exchange) – each is its own program with its own timeline.
Available Subjects.
Open to nearly all academic fields, including
- Engineering,
- Natural Sciences,
- Social Sciences,
- Humanities,
- Business & Economics,
- Medicine & Health Sciences,
- Korean Studies, and the Arts.
Available subjects vary by partner university, so check your target university’s department list before applying.
Benefits
- Full tuition fee waiver at your host Korean university
- Monthly living stipend of approximately KRW 1,000,000 (roughly USD 700) for Master’s/PhD scholars
- One round-trip economy airfare to and from South Korea
- Settlement allowance of KRW 200,000 paid on arrival
- Up to one year of free Korean language training (with TOPIK preparation) before your degree begins
- Medical insurance coverage for the full scholarship period
- Research support allowance in some fields
- Dissertation/thesis printing allowance in your final semester
Eligible Nationalities
- Open to citizens of nearly all countries with which South Korea maintains diplomatic and educational ties, including most countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
- You must apply through one of two routes, and availability can vary by country; confirm with your local Korean Embassy or Korean Cultural Center before you start: the Embassy Track (via your home country’s Korean Embassy) or the University Track (direct to your chosen Korean university).
Eligibility Criteria
- Both an applicant and his/her parents must be citizens of their country of origin.
- Applicants should not hold Korean citizenship.
- Applicants should have adequate mental and physical health to stay in a foreign country for a long time.
- Should be under 25 years of age on the date of entrance. (Undergraduate)
- Should be under 40 years of age on the date of entrance. (Graduate)
- Have finished or be scheduled to finish formal education of all elementary, middle, and high school courses by the date of arrival. (Undergraduate)
- Possess a grade point average (G.P.A.) above 80% from the last educational institution attended.
- Hold a Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree by the date of arrival. (Graduate)
Applicants who have previously achieved in any undergraduate program, master’s program, or doctoral program in Korea cannot apply for this program.
However, a former or current KGSP scholar who holds the overall grade of 90% or above can reapply to this program once, either through the embassy or university track.
Application Procedure
Two application windows for the 2027 cycle:
- Embassy Track – apply directly to the Korean Embassy or Consulate in your home country.
- Expected window: September-October 2026 (each embassy sets its own exact deadline, usually announced 4-6 weeks in advance).
- University Track – apply directly to your chosen NIIED-designated partner university.
- Expected window: February-March 2027 (universities set their own internal deadline within this period – apply early and allow 1-2 weeks for international document mail).
NIIED has not yet officially confirmed the exact 2027 dates as of this update (September 2026). Confirm the current date with your local Korean Embassy, Korean Cultural Center, or your target university before submitting.
Process:
- NIIED invites the Korean Embassy in the invited country or a domestic university to recommend potential candidates.
- Applicants submit all required documents – application form, personal statement and study plan, two academic recommendation letters, official transcripts and degree certificates, passport copy, and health status form – to the Korean Embassy in their country of residence or to the domestic university concerned.
- The Korean Embassy or the domestic university sends proper candidates to NIIED with the required documents.
- NIIED evaluates potential candidates, and shortlisted applicants are typically interviewed, before NIIED notifies the Korean Embassy of the final selected GKS grantees around June-July 2027.
- Selected scholars arrive in South Korea and begin the mandatory Korean language program in September 2027, before starting their degree the following year.
