Requirements for Korean Government Scholarships
The Korean Government Scholarship Program for Graduate Degrees aims at providing higher education in Korea for international students.
Eligibility for the Korean Government Scholarship
- Nationality:
- Applicants and their parents must hold foreign citizenship.
- Korean citizens, including those who hold dual citizenship, are NOT eligible to apply.
- Applicants and their parents who had previously held Korean citizenship must submit the document of the renunciation of their Korean nationality.
- Applicants must be under 40 years of age as of September 1, 2017 (born after September 1, 1977).
- He or she must be working as a professor at the time of applying
- Degree Requirements
- Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree as of August 31, 2017.
- A Master’s degree, or a diploma equivalent to a Master’s degree, is required for a Doctoral program applicant.
- The Research Program applicants must hold a degree, or a degree equal to or higher than a Master’s degree as of August 31, 2017.
- Postdoctoral Research Program: A Doctoral degree, or a degree equal to a Doctoral degree, is required.
- An Applicant who is expected to obtain the official diploma by August 31, 2017, must submit a certificate of expected degree at the time of applying. The official award must be presented as soon as it is issued.
- Applicants who have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral degree in Korea are NOT eligible to apply.
- This restriction does not apply for Overseas Korean Adoptee applicants.
- Candidates who have been enrolled at Korean universities as exchange students are eligible to apply.
- A former KGSP scholar who graduated or are expected to graduate as of August 31, 2017, is eligible to apply under the following conditions:
– He/ she is allowed to apply only via Embassy Track; and
– The re-application is allowed only once.
- Grades
Applicants must maintain a grade point average (GPA) higher than any ONE of the followings:
– 2.64 on a 4.0 scale;
– 2.80 on a 4.3 scale;
– 2.91 on a 4.5 scale;
– 3.23 on a 5.0 scale; or
– Score Percentile: 80%
Any applications with a GPA below the threshold above will be automatically disqualified and discarded.
- Health
Applicants must be in good health, both mentally and physically, to stay in Korea for an extended period.
Applicants must submit the Personal Medical Assessment, or Form 6, at the time of applying.
All candidates who pass the 2nd round of selection must present the results of the Comprehensive Medical Examination conducted by a licensed physician or a doctor.
All of the following persons will be disqualified, and their scholarships will be canceled:
– Applicants who are tested positive for drugs; and
– Applicants with serious health concerns to the extent that they are unable to pursue their studies for an extended period in Korea.
Applicants with a disability who meet the above criteria are eligible to apply.
- Restrictions
Those who had withdrawn from the scholarship after being selected as KGSP scholars in previous years do not qualify to apply.
- Preferred Qualities
Applicants with certified scores on their proficiency in Korean or English might receive preference. Some examples include the following:
– Proficiency in Korean: TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean)
– Proficiency in English: TOEFL, TOEIC, or IELTS Academic (TOEFL ITPs are not acceptable.)
Applicants in the field of natural science, technology, and engineering might receive preference.
Applicants for the majors under the Industrial Professionals Training Project of the government of Korea might receive preference.
The faculty members at a higher education institution from countries that receive Korea’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) might receive preference.
Descendants of the Korean War veterans receive additional 5% of the total marks during the selection reviews.
- Required documents
- Application form
- Letter of self-introduction
- Purpose statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal medical assessment
- KGSP applicants pledge form
- Personal medical assessment
- Original academic transcripts.
How to apply
Applicants must apply for the Korean Government Scholarship Program either through the Korean Embassy in their home country or one of the selected universities.The application submitted to more than ONE office above will be automatically disqualified and discarded.
Those who apply as overseas Korean adoptees must apply through the Korean Embassy in their home countries. Only those from the selected 12 countries are eligible to apply under this option.
KGSP alumni are eligible to apply through the Embassy Track only.
Applicants from China must submit their applications to the China Scholarship Council, by the agreement between the government of Korea and the government of China.
Applicants from the Czech Republic must submit their applications to the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic, as per the agreement between the government of Korea and the government of the Czech Republic.
Level of study: Master’s, Ph.D. and doctorate
Location of study: Korea