What the GKS covers
The Global Korea Scholarship (formerly KGSP) is South Korea's flagship government-funded scholarship for international undergraduate and graduate students. It covers full tuition, a monthly stipend of roughly 900,000–1,000,000 KRW, round-trip airfare, a settlement allowance, Korean language training, and national health insurance.
Graduate track recipients also receive a research support allowance and, for high-performing students, a dissertation printing allowance in the final year.
Embassy track vs. university track
Under the embassy track, you apply through the Korean Embassy in your home country, which nominates a limited number of candidates who are then matched to a university. Under the university track, you apply directly to one of the participating Korean universities, which conduct their own selection before forwarding nominees to NIIED (the National Institute for International Education).
The two tracks cannot be applied to in the same cycle, so choose based on where you have a stronger network — embassy track suits students without a specific university preference, while university track suits students targeting a particular school or professor.
Eligibility requirements
Applicants must be citizens of a country with diplomatic relations with Korea, in good health, and under 25 (undergraduate) or 40 (graduate) at the time of application, with some flexibility by cycle.
A minimum cumulative GPA of around 80% (or equivalent) from prior academic study is generally required, along with no prior degree already completed in Korea under a different scholarship.
Required documents
Standard requirements include the GKS application form, a personal statement, a study plan, at least two letters of recommendation, official transcripts, degree certificates, a passport copy, and a medical health status form.
Graduate applicants typically also submit a research proposal, and language certificates (TOPIK or IELTS/TOEFL) can strengthen an application even when not strictly mandatory.
Deadlines and timeline
Embassy track applications typically open in February–March each year with a submission deadline in late March or early April, while the university track deadline usually falls in September–October for the following academic year.
Selection results are announced in stages — first round (document screening), second round (interview, for embassy track), and final NIIED confirmation — spanning roughly 6–8 months from application to final placement.