Are you looking for where to have quality education? Then consider South Korea this 2025 for this purpose. Hey, I understand what maybe going through your thoughts as you are reading this article. The cost for this quality education to study in South Korea shouldn’t be a problem, the good news here is that South Korea offers a wide range of fully funded scholarship especially for international students, this now bring us to the scholarship scheme (GKS) Global Korea Scholarship, and this scholarship is top of the list of scholarship. Keep reading to the end, if you’re interested to pursue an undergraduate, masters or doctoral degree.
Let’s explore how to study in South Korea on a scholarship in 2025 from GKS to other top opportunities, eligibility, benefits, and tips to win big.
Why you should consider South Korea
In Asia as a continent, South Korea has advanced in their education system as they have one of the lookout for qualities which can be equaled to that of schools in Europe, they have done better in these aspect and should be considered the best destination if you want to study in Asia
We will outline some of the lookout for qualities that will make you consider studying in South Korea:
- South Korea have world class Universities, Universities like:
- Seoul National University (SNU)
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
- Yonsei University
- English is a world accepted Language, many universities as of today offers degrees, especially postgraduate degrees in English and South Korea is not left out of the many Universities.
- When making or looking for a place to study there things to consider such as:
- Innovative & Safe Environment
- Advanced technology,
- reliable infrastructure,
- And low crime rates.
- Another thing to consider is the Cultural Richness of South Korea, they have a dynamic mix of tradition and modernity think of the following:
- think K-pop
- K-dramas
- Hanbok
- And historic palaces.
- Housing is one of the essential need of man but one shouldn’t be in debt because of it, South Korea have one of the affordable living cost and here are list of what they offer
- Cost-effective housing,
- student discounts,
- And cheap public transportation.
- South Korea offers a wide range of Scholarships opportunities such as:
Fully Funded Scholarship options like GKS, KAIST
- Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)
- And University-specific scholarships.
Let’s go further to break down what some of these scholarship programs means and what you as an international student stands gain.
Formerly known as the Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP), was changed to Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) to show their interest to accommodate international students and not just the indigenous Korean, this is initiated by the Korean Ministry of Education. It offers full financial support to talented international students to pursue higher education in Korea.
Let’s outline some of the benefits you tend to enjoy as an international student:
- The GKS program is a fully funded program which covers from your traveling to living expenses to your tuition fee, thereby making the international student not to worry much.
- This opportunity is for all levels, it’s open for undergraduates, Master’s and Doctoral degrees, and it’s not limited.
- It’s also available for over 150 countries of the world.
- It gives you the opportunity to be trained to speak and understand the Korean language for 1 year.
Let’s look at the Scholarship Stats (Previous Years):
- GKS Undergraduate 2024: in 2024 220 students were selected from 67 countries.
- GKS Graduate 2024: Over 1,300 students were selected globally.
- Over 150 universities participate each year.
GKS program is coming with special offers in 2025, we will be looking at the Benefits, What it covers etc. Let’s walk you through as you read on. Here’s what makes the GKS so attractive:
- Airfare Round-trip ticket (economy class)
- Monthly Stipend KRW 900,000 (UG) / KRW 1,000,000 (Grad)
- Tuition Fees 100% covered (no tuition charged)
- Language Training 1-year intensive Korean class at a designated institute
- Medical Insurance KRW 20,000 per month
- Research Support KRW 210,000–240,000 per semester (graduate only)
- Settlement Allowance KRW 200,000 one-time payment
- Completion Grant KRW 100,000 upon graduation and return
There are certain criteria that must be met before one enjoys these benefits. The GKS program have aligned the criteria needed for the 2025 scholarship scheme and here are they:
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENT
- As an aspiring undergraduate student, there are academic requirement that you must meet, you must have completed high school.
- For the master’s program, the applicant must have a Bachelor’s degree in any reputable university.
- The applicant aspiring to do his/her Doctoral degree must have a master’s degree and this requires a GPA of 80% or higher, or be in the top 20% of your class.
The next criteria for the GKS program is the Age Limits:
AGE LIMIT
- The applicant applying to be an Undergraduate must be below 25 years as of March 1, 2025. Anything above this age will risk the applicants chances of being admitted.
- For other programs as the Master’s and Doctoral degrees must be below 40 years as of March 1, 2025.
The organizers of the GKS program are interested in the Nationality of the applicant,
NATIONALITY
- Both applicant and parents must not be Korean citizens.
- Must be a citizen of a GKS-participating country.
Health is wealth, it is one of the criteria’s that are considered before the GKS organizers will admit the applicant, and here are the health conditions you must meet.
HEALTH
- Must be in good mental and physical health.
- Medical certificate required.
As an aspiring student who wishes to obtain the GKS scholarship there are certain document that is required that you must have. Firstly, all documents must be prepared in either the English or Korean language. Here are list of what you need to present while applying for the scholarship:
- Application Form
- Personal Statement
- Study Plan / Research Proposal
- 2 Letters of Recommendation
- Certificate of Graduation / Expected Graduation
- Academic Transcripts
- Proof of Citizenship (passport/ID)
- Medical Assessment Form
- Language Proficiency (TOPIK, IELTS, TOEFL – optional but preferred)
- Awards, certificates, extracurricular documents (optional but adds weight)
Let’s guild you on how to apply for GKS 2025, this is a Step-by-Step proceedings so that you don’t lose out of the opportunity.
You must know that, there are two application tracks which are:
- Embassy Track: As an applicant you must apply through the Korean Embassy in your country, this is if your country is among the 150+ plus countries enlisted for the program.
Also, you will need to submit 3 university of your choice that is in Korea that you will like to study in.
It is the Embassy that shortlists candidates and forwards to NIIED and universities.
- The second track is what is known as the University Track:
And this is how it works, the applicant should apply directly to Korean universities offering GKS.
The university nominates candidates to NIIED.
GKS 2025 Application Calendar:
Activity Timeframe
Application Release Feb (UG) / Sep (Grad) 2025
Submission Deadline 4–6 weeks after release
1st Round Results April / October
2nd Round (Interview) May / November
Final Results June / December
Arrival in Korea August / February
There’s a format on how to structure a Winning Personal Statement when applying for GKS, your personal statement gives you an edge to stand the chance to gain the scholarship, so we are here to guild you on how to structure your personal statement.
Structure:
- Your Introduction plays a vital role as it explains your person and why you chose to study in Korea. When writing you must in mind to answer the question of who are you and why you want to study in Korea.
- Do well to state your Academic Background properly, such as what you studied, and the achievements you have while in, the achievement maybe the grade you graduated with.
- You must have a driving force that must have prompted you to want to study in Korea and the choice of course, so you must state your motivation clearly.
- What are your plans after graduation, in order words after graduation what next? You must be able to state clearly what your future plans are in your personal statement.
- You must prove to the organizers of the GKS program that you have made a lot of research about the scheme.
To prove to the organizers of the scholarship that you are academically serious then you must know how to write a good study plan or research proposal. Here are what to include in your research proposal:
- Your chosen field and reason for choosing it.
- Proposed research topics (for graduate students).
- Methodology or coursework plans.
- Why Korean universities fit your goals.
In all, you must write in a way that your proposal will suit the university program you’re applying to.
Mistakes are inevitable but if properly guided these mistakes will be avoided, we will be outlining some of the common mistakes to be avoided to increase your chances of being selected for the scholarship
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Submitting incomplete documents.
- Not translating or notarizing documents properly.
- Writing a vague personal statement.
- Ignoring university-specific guidelines.
- Applying to both embassy and university track in the same year.
As an international student who will be living in Korea for the first time, here is a breakdown of how things will look like as a scholarship student.
Cost of Living:
Monthly Expenses: KRW 700,000 – 1,000,000
Dormitory: KRW 200,000 – 400,000/month
Meals: KRW 3,000 – 6,000 per meal
Housing:
Most GKS scholars live in on-campus dorms for the first year.
Afterward, some opt for shared housing or goshiwons.
Food:
Korean cuisine is cheap and accessible.
Western food is available in bigger cities like Seoul and Busan.
Connectivity:
Korea has the world’s fastest internet.
Free Wi-Fi in universities and public transport.
Cultural Integration:
Universities offer support centers for international students.
Korean language learning is encouraged even mandatory in Year 1.
Here is a list of top GKS approved Universities for 2025
For a better and clearer understanding we will put this in a table form, below is the list of GKS approved universities for 2025:
| University | Location | Top Programs |
| Seoul National University | Seoul | Humanities, Engineering, Sciences |
| KAIST | Daejeon | STEM, AI, Robotics |
| Yonsei University | Seoul | Business, Medicine, Law |
| Korea University | Seoul | Political Science, Law, Economics |
| POSTECH | Pohang | Technology, Nanotech |
| Hanyang University | Seoul | Architecture, Bioengineering |
We will also bring you lists of other scholarship programs in Korea and their benefits and requirements, below are other top Korean scholarships in 2025:
- KAIST International Student Scholarship
Benefits are;
- Full tuition, living stipend, medical insurance.
- Open to STEM students (UG & PG).
- Yonsei University UIC Scholarships
Benefits are;
- Need-based and merit scholarships.
- Covers partial to full tuition.
- Korea University Global KU Scholarship
Benefits are;
- GPA-based merit funding.
- Available to undergraduate students.
- POSTECH Scholarship
Benefits are;
- Full tuition and stipend for research students.
- Particularly strong in engineering and sciences.
- Seoul National University Scholarship
Benefits are;
- Graduate students can receive tuition and monthly stipend.
- Funded by the university itself.
Having been into the system of helping students who want to have an international education for long, there are frequently asked questions we come across, it’s normal for you to ask such questions because they stem from a place of curiosity. However, we will also try to respond to those questions in this article. Below are some of the frequently asked questions and there answers:
Q1: Can I apply for both tracks (embassy and university)?
No, applicants can apply through only one track per year.
Q2: Is Korean language proficiency required?
No, but it helps. All GKS students must take 1 year of Korean language classes before starting their degree.
Q3: Can I apply if I’m currently studying in Korea?
Generally, no, the scholarship is meant for new students.
Q4: Do I need IELTS or TOEFL?
It’s optional, but highly recommended if your program is in English. It boosts your application.
Q5: What happens if I fail the language program?
You may be disqualified from continuing to the degree course unless granted special permission.
Before submitting your applications, make sure to go through your documents for the second time to know if all required documents are complete and properly arranged
Conclusion
South Korea is well advanced in science and technology and as such will welcome talented and innovative students, international students will get to enjoy cultural richness and warmth such experience will be made possible by virtue of the 1 year training you will receive.
Applying for a scholarship in South Korea, especially the GKS 2025, is a transformative opportunity that could change your academic and professional life. The process may be competitive, but with early preparation, a strong application, and a clear vision, your chances are high.