South Korea's flagship government scholarship, run by NIIED for the Ministry of Education. It pays the full cost of a master's or PhD at a Korean university — including a year of Korean language training first — for students from most countries in the world, with no Korean language required at application.
Why it is notable: one of Asia's largest fully-funded programs with two separate entry tracks (embassy vs university) that you must choose between — applying to both at once disqualifies you; the 2027 graduate call is not yet open, so now is preparation time.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Full tuition (up to KRW 5,000,000/semester; the university covers any excess)
Monthly living stipend: KRW 1,000,000/month (graduate) / KRW 900,000/month (undergraduate)
One-year intensive Korean language training (tuition-free)
Round-trip economy airfare
Settlement allowance: KRW 200,000 (one-time, on arrival)
This scholarship is offered for Associate, Bachelor's, Master's and PhD programs. (2027 GKS-U: Associate and Bachelor's; 2027 GKS-G: Master's and PhD.)
Who can apply
citizens of countries invited by NIIED for the cycle — historically 140+ countries; the applicant AND both parents must hold non-Korean citizenship. Korean citizens and most dual-nationality cases are excluded (see the guideline's nationality rules).
Experience
No experience required.
Language Certificate
none required to apply — 1 year of Korean language training is built in; TOPIK 5–6 holders may skip the language year and earn a KRW 100,000/month bonus. After the language year, TOPIK Level 3 is required to enter the degree (some departments require Level 4).
Other Certificates
degree certificates + full transcripts (apostilled or embassy-authenticated); the exact list is per the official guideline.
Age Limit
Under 25 for undergraduate (born on or after 1 March 2002 for GKS-U 2027); Under 40 for graduate programs. (2026 GKS-G rule — reconfirm in the 2027 guideline.)
Tools that may help
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Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
eligible = citizens of countries in NIIED's 2027 invitation list (historically 140+). Excluded = Korean citizens; applicants (or parents) holding Korean…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Nationality
non-Korean citizenship for applicant and both parents; country must be on NIIED's invitation list for the cycle.
02
Age
under 25 (undergraduate) / under 40 (graduate) at the time of application (2026 rules — reconfirm).
03
Qualification
hold or expect to hold the required degree before the program starts; minimum GPA equivalent of 80% / top 20% / 2.64/4.0 (per the guideline).
04
Language
no certificate required at application; TOPIK 5–6 earns exemption from the language year + monthly bonus.
05
Documents
apostilled/authenticated certificates and transcripts; the guideline's exact document list and page-stacking order must be followed.
06
One track only
Embassy OR University track; dual applications disqualify.
Document checklist
01per the official guideline — application form, personal statement, study plan, 2+ recommendation letters, degree certificates, transcripts, citizenship/family documents, language certificates (optiona
Application fee
No fee — completely free.
Visa, kept concise: Visa type: D-2-3 (Master's) / D-2-4 (Doctoral) student visa, applied at the Korean embassy/consulate in your country after receiving the Certificate of Admission + NIIED award documents.
Application Procedure
6 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Wait for the 2027 GKS-G official guideline
on the Study in Korea notice board (expected ~February 2027) — do NOT use unconfirmed dates as your deadline.
→
02
Choose your track
Embassy Track (via the Korean embassy/mission in your country) OR University Track (directly to one participating university). You may not apply to both at once.
→
03
Prepare documents: application form
personal statement, study plan, recommendation letters, degree certificates + transcripts (apostilled/authenticated), proof of citizenship, medical/parental documents per the guideline.
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06
Final results ~June 2027 (per the 2026 pattern)
language training begins ~September 2027; degree begins ~September 2028.
When does the 2027 graduate (GKS-G) application open? A: Not announced yet. In 2026 the guideline was published 12 February with applications in Feb–Mar. Watch the Study in Korea notice board — do notCan I apply for both the Embassy and University tracks? A: No — you must choose one; applying to both at once disqualifies you. (If you fail the embassy first round, you may then try the university trDo I need to speak Korean? A: No. One year of intensive Korean training is included, and most scholars reach functional fluency. TOPIK 5–6 holders can skip it and earn a monthly bonus.Is the undergraduate 2027 cycle still open? A: No — the GKS-U 2027 Embassy Track closed 30 September 2026 (286 scholars planned); the University Track ran Sep–Nov 2026 per university.How many scholarships are there? A: NIIED's annual total across tracks is roughly 2,370 in recent cycles; per-country quotas vary by cycle.What if I don't reach TOPIK 3 after the language year? A: You cannot enter the degree program and may lose the scholarship — an estimated 10–20% of scholars struggle with this; take the language year Can I work part-time on GKS? A: Korea's student visa rules apply; check current D-2 work-permission rules with your university — the scholarship itself does not prohibit it.Does GKS cover my family? A: No — the published package covers the scholar only.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
South Korea · ~60+ participating universities