Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) — Graduate

About the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) — Graduate

The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) — Graduate is offered by NIIED (Korean Government). The Korean government's flagship award: full tuition, a monthly stipend, airfare and a year of Korean language training for Master's and PhD study in Korea, via embassy or university track. Scholarships like this are competitive and rule-bound: meeting every published eligibility criterion is what gets your application read, and missing even one usually means an automatic rejection regardless of how strong the rest of your profile is.

Use the eligibility checker on this page for a quick, personalised read of whether you qualify before you invest hours in the application — then confirm the fine print on the official source, since awarding bodies revise criteria and amounts between cycles.

What the scholarship covers

This award typically covers: Full tuition and entrance fees; Monthly stipend (~KRW 1,000,000 for graduate awardees); Round-trip airfare, settlement and research allowances; One year of Korean language training. Read the value carefully — "full" funding can still leave gaps (visa fees, travel, or a partner/family), while a partial award may need topping up from savings or part-time work to satisfy a visa's proof-of-funds rule.

Who is eligible

The main requirements are strict gates rather than guidelines: A completed first degree (Bachelor's or equivalent) is required; GKS graduate applicants must generally be under 40; You must meet the language requirement of the specific programme. Check each against your own situation honestly before applying — the checker on this page does exactly this and flags where you may fall short.

Deadlines and how to apply well

Key dates: 2027 graduate intake — deadlines vary by embassy/university (typically Feb–Mar) — 2027-03-31. Always confirm the exact deadline on the official source, as cycles shift year to year and some awards close early once funds are committed.

Strong applications are specific and evidenced: tie your goals to what the scholarship is actually for, supply every requested document in the right format, and give referees plenty of notice. A late or incomplete submission is the most avoidable reason good candidates miss out.