Looking for a better opportunity to study abroad? Love Korean culture and want to explore more? Well, Global Korea Scholarship is the right answer to all your queries. We assure you by the time you finish reading this piece, you will have a better understanding and awareness of your future and dreams.

Why South Korea is the Perfect Choice for Students?

South Korea is not only one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Asia but also an excellent higher education provider to students coming from all over the world. In fact, it’s gaining more and more popularity in the education field. Wondering why so many international students are flocking to this geographically small yet compelling country? It’s the quality of education, internationally recognized courses, affordable tuition fees, world-class universities, career opportunities, and welcoming attitude towards international students that makes South Korea the perfect higher education destination for students.

What is the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)?

The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is an initiative provided by the government of the Republic of Korea for higher educational pursuits. It is administered by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED) on behalf of the Ministry of Education in Korea. Earlier known as Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP), since its conception in 1967, it has helped thousands of students whether “non-Koreans” or “overseas Koreans (who fulfill certain criteria)” with the funding and opportunity to conduct either undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate level studies in universities of South Korea.

The GKS program is a fully funded opportunity for students from around the world to pursue their higher education in South Korea’s best and most prestigious universities, making it the most popular and sought-after Korean scholarship program globally. Each year, the Korean government organizes this competitive program to offer students opportunities and to promote Korean culture and language, therefore, eventually raising their brand value.

How to Apply for GKS?

Applicants can apply by one of the two methods given below:

2. The Embassy Track: Under this method, the application is submitted via the Embassy of The Republic of Korea in New Delhi. Candidates will submit their respective documents here.
3. The University Track: Apart from the Embassy Track, students may also use the University track to apply for this scholarship. Under this method, candidates will submit their complete application directly to the Korean University of their choice.

NOTE: There are no hard and fast rules regarding the method used for application. This depends on the student’s choice and ease.

**Important**

• Those who choose the Embassy Track can apply to THREE different universities. However, the applicants choosing the University Track can only apply to ONE university.
• Similarly, students CAN’T apply using both tracks at the same time. In case they do, their applications will face rejection.

Seats For Indian Students Under GKS:

1. For Undergraduate Programs:

There is a total number of 8 seats available for Indian students in 2022-23. Out of which, 3 are through the embassy track, 3 through the university track, and 2 are available for the associate degree.

2. For Postgraduate Programs:
3. Embassy Track: 22 seats are available for Indians in the general applicants’ category and 1 for Korean Language Teacher.

• The research program has one seat reserved for Indian applicants. Also, there are 5 other seats open for application to Indians along with 144 other participating countries.

1. University Track: 30 seats are available for Indian applicants under this, out of which 19 seats are Reserved for General Majors and 11 for Science & Engineering majors of the Regional Universities.

• The university track also has 5 quotas for research programs. Indian nationals and citizens of 76 NIIED- listed countries are eligible.

Therefore, to sum up, 54 GKS graduate seats are available for Indians to apply for in 2022-2023. There are additional 10 quotas under both university and embassy tracks for research programs.

Eligibility for Indian Students

To apply for the GKS scholarship, students should fulfill the following criteria:

1. All candidates must be Indian Citizens. For citizenship proof of applicants and parents, Aadhar cards are not accepted. A Voter ID card (apostille) or a passport copy in case you can’t provide government certificates like a Birth certificate.
2. Candidates must be under the age of 25, as of March 1st, 2021.
3. All participants MUST be high school graduates. However, those awaiting their results may also apply. In that case, students should submit a certificate stating their expected graduation time.
4. For Undergraduate applicants, one should score 80% or above or need to rank within the top 20 % of their class.
5. 16 and 18 years of formal education are required by the applicants to apply for PG and Ph.D. courses.
6. The age limit is 40 for Master’s and Ph.D. programs.

Visa Type

• Applicant Students will require a student visa (D-2). It can be obtained from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India, New Delhi, or from the Consulate offices in Chennai or Mumbai.
• Since the Korean government is providing this scholarship so getting a visa would also be completely free of cost.

Dates to Apply

• For Undergraduate Programs: For the academic term 2022-23, the process will start in

September/October 2022. As for last year, the last date for application submission was 8th October 2021.

• For Postgraduate programs: Applications can be submitted between February to March.
• No applications will be accepted once the deadline is over.

Scholarship Benefits:

Below is a detailed breakdown of the scholarship value:

• The actual cost of airfare for economy class is provided.
• A one-time allowance of KRW 200,000 is provided for resettlement.
• A monthly living allowance of KRW 900,00 is provided to Undergraduate students.
• A monthly living allowance of KRW 100,000 is provided to postgraduate students (Masters and Doctoral) and KRW 1,500,000 to Research programs.
• National Health Insurance worth KRW 200,000 is provided to all the candidates twice a year i.e., at the start of every semester.
• The total cost of Korean language courses is covered (maximum 1,000,000 KRW per quarter).
• Tuition cost is also covered (no more than 5 million KRW).
• A monthly amount of KRW 100,000 is rewarded to the students who hold a valid TOPIK level 5 or 6. At the time of final departure after degree completion, the student receives KRW 100,000.

Document Checklist:

• TRANSCRIPT: a transcript is basically a proof of education or simply your grades explained for all the subjects. It is required every time you’ve to study outside the country. It is high time to apply for a transcript in January. It is one of the most important parts of your application.
• LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION (LOR): currently for GKS, 2 LORs are required. For instance, one can be from some employer of an internship you did in the past and another one can be from your language schoolteacher or university professors.
• STATEMENT OF PURPOSE (SOP) AND PERSONAL STATEMENT: A SOP is an essay stating the purpose of applying for a particular course in a university. It also states the candidate’s life, the motivations behind the chosen career path, and his/her goals. It is usually 2 pages. A Personal statement is a 1-page application that gives the candidate a chance to articulate why you’d like to study a particular course /subject and what skills and experience you possess that reflect your passion for the chosen field of study. This essay should demonstrate your readiness for the chosen field of study.
• In these documents, explain the reason for your choice and, if possible, learn about the history of the University you’re applying to. For example, instead of writing that ‘I’m applying to SNU because it is the best university ‘you can write that you read an article by one of the professors of SNU and that inspired you to come and join.
• AWARDS AND CERTIFICATES: provide all the certificates that you’ve got. They’ll play an important role in your selection process.
• NOTARY AND APOSTILLE: apostille takes up both time and money, so in this case notary is a much better and cheaper option. In India, we usually get only 1 original copy of every document, so arrange copies of those original ones and get them notarised by simply going to your lawyer and getting your documents signed.

**Important**

 You need to submit these documents with Apostille:

• Educational Documents: Apostilled Degree and Transcript or Consolidated Mark sheet
• Age: Apostilled Birth certificate / Passport duly apostilled
• Parents’ Citizenship document: Family Register / Passport Apostille / Voter Card / Aadhar Card each parent’s duly apostilled

1 set of apostilled documents with 3 sets of Photocopies of all the apostilled documents.

 One website you must follow for all current info regarding GKS is the Study in Korea website – https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/null/main.do

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

1. Which track to apply?

If you’re confident and determined about your university choice, then go for the university track. But if you’re not able to decide a university particularly then go for the Embassy track.

2. Is this scholarship enough to survive in Korea?

Yes, it is enough.

3. Are part-time jobs allowed during this scholarship?

During semesters NO, but during vacations, yes, they’re allowed.

4. Is learning Korean/giving TOPIK/TOEFL required?

Not compulsorily but obviously it will benefit us to provide those.

5. Where to apply?

Visit the MHRD (Govt. of India) website if applying through the embassy track as nothing is sent directly to the Embassy. Also, another website is mentioned there on MHRD that we’ve to fill within a deadline they give.

Therefore, without any further delay, start working on your application and submit it timely to avoid missing out on this great opportunity. This is an amazing chance for Indian students to take their academics and future to the next level. All the best! 화이팅!

For further queries and help you can leave a comment below or can reach out to us at [email protected].