South Korea is a technologically advanced country, a cultural powerhouse, and home to some of Asia’s best colleges. Because of this, more and more international students want to study there. South Korea is a fascinating destination to go to school because of K-Pop, K-Drama, cutting-edge technology and engineering, and a lively, changing society. But the high costs of living and going to school overseas might be a big problem. This is where scholarships can help you live the “Korean Dream.”
This in-depth guide will help you find your way through the many different types of scholarships available to international students in South Korea. It will also show you the most important funding bodies, application strategies, and things to keep in mind to help you secure your academic future in this fascinating East Asian country in 2025 and beyond.
Why should you study in South Korea?
South Korea has many good reasons for overseas students to go there, in addition to the exciting cultural wave:
World-Class Education: Korean universities are always among the best in the world, especially in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). They provide a great education with a lot of focus on research and new ideas.
South Korea is a leader in technology. Studying here gives you access to cutting-edge research, state-of-the-art facilities, and chances to work with top companies like Samsung, LG, and Hyundai.
Growing English-Taught Programs: It is helpful to learn Korean, but more and more programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels are taught wholly in English, making them available to students all over the world.
Vibrant Culture and Lifestyle: Get lost in a one-of-a-kind mix of old and new styles. Enjoy a wide range of foods, a lively metropolis, peaceful temples, and stunning natural scenery.
Career Opportunities Around the World: A degree from a South Korean university, especially if you know Korean, can help you get jobs in Korea, Asia, and around the world, especially in technology, business, and cultural fields.
Safe and Easy to Get Around: South Korea is known for being quite safe, having good public transport, and having easy-to-use infrastructure, which makes it a great destination for international students to live and study.
Getting to Know the Korean Scholarship Scene
As South Korea becomes more of a global education hub, more and more international students are coming to the country. This means that there is more competition for scholarships. Scholarships are also important for paying for school and living expenses, which may be very high, especially in big cities like Seoul.
Most Korean scholarships can be put into these groups:
Fully funded scholarships are the most complete. They usually pay for tuition, living expenses, health insurance, flights, and sometimes Korean language classes. They are quite competitive.
Partial scholarships pay for some of the tuition or give students a certain amount of money to cover living costs. Students must then make up the difference with their own money.
Students with outstanding academic records and potential are given merit-based scholarships.
Research-Based Scholarships/Assistantships: These are common at the graduate level, where students get money in exchange for helping professors with research projects.
Need-Based Scholarships: These are not very prevalent for overseas students in general, although some university-specific funds might look at how much money a student needs.
Country-Specific Scholarships: These are for students from certain countries and are often part of bilateral agreements or development programs.
How to apply for major scholarships
To get a scholarship to study in South Korea, you need to do a lot of research, plan well, and be strategic. Here are the main scholarship providers and how to apply for them:
1. Scholarships from the government
These are the most complete and well-known scholarships that the Korean government gives out.
The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) ;
Overview: The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), which used to be called the Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP), is the most popular scholarship for students from other countries. The National Institute for overseas Education (NIIED) pays for it, and its main objective is to help overseas students get a higher education in Korea while also encouraging international exchange and camaraderie. You can use GKS for Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, and Research programs.
Benefits (usually fully paid for):
Airfare for a round journey.
Living allowance every month (for example, ₩900,000 for undergraduates and ₩1,500,000 for graduates).
Tuition costs (NIIED and/or the host university pay for all of them).
One year of required Korean language training, unless you already have TOPIK Level 5 or 6.
Insurance for health care.
A settlement payment when you arrive.
Costs for printing theses and research funding for graduate students.
Grant for completion.
Extra points for being able to speak Korean (TOPIK level 3 or higher).
Eligibility (for the 2025/2026 intake, with some minor changes):
Applicants and their parents must be citizens of a GKS-invited country and not hold Korean citizenship.
Undergraduate: Must be less than 25 years old (born after March 1, 2000 for 2025). You must have finished high school or be on track to do so by the commencement of the program.
Graduate (Master’s/Doctoral): You must be under 40 years old (born after September 1, 1985 for 2025). You need to have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (or something similar).
To be academically excellent, you need to have a GPA of at least 80% (or the same on other scales, such 2.64/4.0, 2.80/4.3, 2.91/4.5, or 3.23/5.0) from your last degree.
Being in good mental and physical health.
There are two ways to apply:
1. Embassy Track (more competitive, more choices of universities):
You apply through the Korean Embassy in the country where you live.
You can pick up to three different colleges, but at least one of them must be on a “Type B” list (less competitive colleges).
Timeline: For the next academic year, applications for undergraduate programs usually open in September or October, and applications for graduate programs usually open in February or March. Different embassies have different deadlines. For example, the deadline for the 2025 GKS-U in Ethiopia is September 24.
Process: Give the embassy the papers. The embassy does the first stage of selection (checking documents and holding interviews) and sends the names of the best candidates to NIIED. NIIED looks over applications and sends them to the universities that have been chosen. Then, NIIED makes the final choice.
2. University Track (Faster, exclusive for one university):
You send your application directly to a Korean university that is part of the GKS program.
You can only apply to one department and one university.
Timeline: Each university sets its own deadlines, which are usually in March for the autumn intake (for example, March 31, 2025, for some GKS-U university track applications). Graduate school applications may also have deadlines for spring and fall admissions that are identical.
Process: Send papers straight to the university. The university does the initial round of selection and suggests applicants to NIIED. The final choice is made by NIIED.
Application Form, Personal Statement, Study Plan, Two Letters of Recommendation, GKS Applicant Pledge, Personal Medical Assessment, Certificates of Citizenship (applicant and parents), Academic Certificates (high school diploma, Bachelor’s/Master’s degree), Academic Transcripts, and optional TOPIK and English language proficiency scores are all required documents (common for both tracks, forms available on the Study in Korea website).
Always visit the official “Study in Korea” website (www.studyinkorea.go.kr) for the most up-to-date rules and forms for the school year you are in.
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) offers a scholarship.
This scholarship is only for government workers, civil servants, and professionals from developing nations who are KOICA partner countries. It wants to improve human resource development in these countries by giving them fully supported Master’s and PhD programs in areas that are important to national development, such as public policy, international development, agriculture, and engineering.
Benefits: full funding (tuition, monthly stipend, round-trip airfare, settlement allowance, accommodation, health insurance, and support for academic and cultural activities).
You must be a citizen of an eligible KOICA partner country, officially nominated by your government, usually under 40 years old, and have a good command of English.
The application process has two parts: the KOICA Round, which is run by Korean embassies or KOICA offices abroad and usually includes interviews on location, and the University Round, which is run by the university. The KOICA round usually has deadlines in February or March, and the last deadline is around July 31, 2025. For further information, see the official KOICA CIAT website.
Scholarships for Specific Universities
To get the best overseas students, many well-known Korean universities and specialised institutes provide their own scholarships. These can be fully or partially funded.
How to Find Them:
This is the most direct and trustworthy source: university international admissions websites. Go to the “Admissions,” “International Students,” or “Scholarships” pages of the universities you want to apply to, such as Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University, KAIST, POSTECH, Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, or Ewha Womans University.
Departmental Websites: Scholarships are often available at the departmental level, notably for graduate study, and are linked to certain research projects or instructors.
Direct Contact: To find out about financial options, email the international admissions office or instructors in the department you want to study in.
Common Types of College Scholarships:
Merit-Based Scholarships: Given to students who do well in school (GPA, research potential). The SNU Global Scholarship (Seoul National University), the Yonsei University International Student Scholarship, the Korea University’s SK Global Scholarship, and the KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) and POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) scholarships are all examples.
Research Assistantships (RA) and Teaching Assistantships (TA) are mostly for graduate students. They get free tuition or a stipend in exchange for helping professors with research or teaching. These are usually very competitive and depend on getting a faculty advisor.
Distinguished overseas Student Scholarships: These scholarships are meant to recruit the best overseas students and frequently pay for their tuition and living expenses.
Presidential and Dean’s Scholarships are given to the best students at the university.
Some well-known university scholarship programs are:
The Seoul National University (SNU) Global Scholarship is for graduate students. It covers tuition, living expenses, and flights. Very competitive.
The Korea University SK Global Scholarship is a fully financed Master’s degree scholarship for students from certain countries. It pays for flights, entrance fees, tuition, a living stipend, and medical insurance. The deadline is March 31, 2025, for the Autumn 2025 intake.
Yonsei University has a number of scholarships for international students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. These scholarships are based on merit and need.
KAIST Scholarships: KAIST is well-known for its large scholarships for international students in STEM subjects. These scholarships often cover tuition, living costs, and health insurance. These are usually part of the process of getting in.
Like KAIST, POSTECH gives its international graduate students a lot of money, frequently in the form of research jobs.
Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) Scholarships: This school gives overseas students a lot of different scholarships, some of which are based on merit and some on research.
Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST): These two universities do a lot of research and also give graduate students in science and engineering great chances to get financing.
How to Apply:
You usually have to get into the university before you can apply for a scholarship. The application for the scholarship may be included with the application for admission, or it may be a separate step after being accepted.
A solid personal statement, study plan, research proposal (for graduate courses), and letters of recommendation are all things that are prevalent.
3. Outside Groups and Foundations
In addition to government and university programs, a number of commercial companies and foundations also give out scholarships.
Company-Sponsored Scholarships: Big Korean companies like Samsung, LG, and Hyundai sometimes give scholarships to students who want to work in subjects that are related to their businesses, such engineering, IT, and business. These are generally linked to certain universities or research programs. You can find information on a company’s CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) on its website or at a university’s career centre.
Other Private Foundations: There are many smaller foundations, each with a specific concentration, like the arts, certain research areas, or students from certain places. These need more thorough research.
Online Scholarship Databases: Use foreign scholarship search engines like Scholarships.com and Studyportals.com, as well as the scholarship finder on the “Study in Korea” page, to identify these unique opportunities.
Important Tips for Applying for Scholarships
There are a lot of people that want to get scholarships in South Korea. To improve your chances of success, think about these important tips:
Start early and do your research well: The deadlines for scholarships at Korean colleges might be as early as 6 to 12 months before the program starts. Start your research early. Make a calendar or spreadsheet to keep track of each application’s status, deadlines, and prerequisites.
You can not negotiate for academic excellence: Most scholarships, especially the fully financed and well-known ones, put academic merit first. Keep your GPA high, do well in classes that are related to your major, and be ready to send in certified academic transcripts.
Write a strong personal statement or study plan:
Authenticity: Make it clear how much you care about your field and why you want to study in South Korea.
Academic and Career Goals: Describe how your time in Korea will help you reach your long-term academic and career goals. Be clear.
Why Korea? Show that you know about and are interested in Korean culture, language, or recent academic breakthroughs in the country.
Impact: For graduate students, please explain how your research or study will benefit your field, your home country, or the world as a whole.
Structure and Clarity: Make sure your work is clear, organised, and free of mistakes in grammar. Stick to the word restrictions.
Get Strong Letters of Recommendation:
Pick academics or professional supervisors who know you well and can honestly talk about your character, work ethic, academic skills, and research potential.
Give them your CV, personal statement/study plan, program specifics, and the scholarship requirements well ahead of time.
Korean Language Proficiency (TOPIK): Even if you are applying to a program taught in English, showing that you know some Korean (such your TOPIK scores) is a big plus. It demonstrates that you are serious about getting to know Korean culture, and it can even help you get extra points for GKS. To be accepted into Korean-taught programs, you must have a good TOPIK score.
Show off your extracurricular activities and related work experience: List any extracurricular activities, volunteer work, internships, or jobs that show you can lead, work well with others, take the initiative, or are passionate about your industry.
Meet the Requirements for English Language: If you want to study in English, you will need to send in official scores from standardised tests like the IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT. To make your application more competitive, try to get scores that are higher than the minimum.
Make a Strong Research Proposal (for Graduate Studies): A clear and interesting research proposal is very important for Master’s by Research or PhD programs. It should make it obvious what your research issue is, what methods you will use, what results you expect, and how it fits with the faculty’s area of expertise.
Get Your Documents in Order: Make sure that all of the appropriate documents are translated (if needed), apostilled/notarized, and put in the right order according to the scholarship’s rules. If your application is missing information or is not organised, it could be turned down right away.
Networking: If you can, get in touch with existing foreign students or alumni from the schools you want to go to. They can give you great advice about the application process and living in Korea.
Things to think about before your trip to Korea
Cost of Living (2025 Estimates): The cost of living in South Korea, especially in Seoul, can be high, but it is usually cheaper than in big cities in the West.
Where to stay:
Most affordable: ₩200,000 to ₩600,000 per month for a dormitory.
One-room (studio) apartments cost between ₩400,000 and ₩1,500,000 a month, with the upper end being in Seoul.
Shared living or Goshiwon can be cheaper.
Food: ₩300,000 to ₩500,000 a month (cooking at home is cheaper than going out a lot).
Transportation costs between 50,000 and 100,000 a month, thanks to an excellent underground and bus infrastructure.
Internet and utilities cost between ₩150,000 and ₩250,000 a month.
Personal and other: ₩100,000 to ₩300,000 each month.
A reasonable monthly budget can be between ₩800,000 and ₩1,500,000 outside of Seoul and between ₩1,200,000 and ₩2,000,000+ in Seoul.
Financial Requirements for Korean Student Visa (D-2/D-4) in 2025:
You must show that you have enough money to get a student visa (D-2 for degree programs, D-4 for language programs).
For a D-2 visa, you usually need to show that you have at least $13,000 to $15,000 (or about ₩20,000,000 to ₩25,000,000) in finances for one year to pay for school and living expenses. You usually have to keep this cash in a bank account for at least a month before you apply.
You normally just need $10,000 to $12,000 (or ₩10,000,000 to ₩15,000,000) for a D-4 visa (language program).
Proof of Funds: You can show this by giving your personal bank statements, a letter from your sponsor (with their bank statements), an official scholarship certificate (which is best because it usually covers the whole amount), or a letter saying that your school loan has been approved.
Job Opportunities: Most of the time, international students on a D-2 visa can work part-time after six months of education. They can work up to 20 hours a week during the semester and as many hours as they want during breaks. You need a work visa from the immigration office, which your university normally supports. This can assist you pay for your living expenses.
Cultural Adaptability: South Korea is quite kind, but be ready for cultural differences. You will have a much better time if you respect local customs and try to learn some basic Korean language.
Final Thoughts
Going to school in South Korea is a life-changing experience that combines academic rigour, technology innovation, and deep cultural immersion. Even if the expenses can be a concern, the many scholarships available, especially the highly sought-after Global Korea Scholarship and the generous university-specific programs, make it possible for ambitious international students to study in Korea. You can greatly increase your chances of getting the money you need to make your dream of studying in Korea a reality by doing thorough research early on, carefully writing a strong application that shows off your academic skills and genuine interest in Korea, and making sure you meet all the requirements. be ready today, and be ready to open up a world of possibilities in South Korea!
