Global Korea Scholarship for Undergraduate Degrees 2027

The Global Korea Scholarship for undergraduate degrees, usually shortened to GKS-U, pays for a full bachelor’s degree at a Korean university. It is run by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED) under Korea’s Ministry of Education. Scholars normally spend a year on a Korean language programme first and then four to six years on the degree. The 2027 round offers 286 places in all, 156 of them through Korean embassies.

The round for 2027 entry is part-way through. The Embassy Track closed at 18:00 Korean time on 30 September 2026. The University Track runs from September to November 2026, with each university setting its own closing date (checked 9 October 2026 on the Study in Korea GKS notice). Embassy Track applicants who fail the first round are allowed to try the University Track, and NIIED moved that track’s dates to make this possible.

Two tracks and four programmes

Embassy Track (156 places). You apply online through the Study in Korea website and the Korean embassy in your country runs the first round. Only citizens of 74 invited countries can use it. There are three programmes, and you may apply to only one:

• General: 88 places. Choose up to three universities from Type A and Type B, and at least one must be Type B.
• R-GKS (regional): 61 places. Choose up to two Type B universities only.
• Overseas Koreans and Adoptees: 7 places, for applicants of Korean descent in seven countries.

Type A is a list of 28 universities, mostly in and around Seoul, including Seoul National, Yonsei, Korea University, Ewha Womans University and, outside the capital, POSTECH and UNIST. Type B is 42 regional universities, among them Pusan National, Kyungpook National, Chonnam National and Jeju National.

University Track (130 places). You apply to one university and one department, using that university’s own process. It covers two programmes. The UIC programme (University Industry Cooperation) has 100 places in science and engineering at 13 institutions, including Ajou, Kookmin, KOREATECH and Yeungnam, and it is open to applicants from every country. The other 30 places are for associate degrees at nine colleges.

What the scholarship pays

Item	2027 GKS-U (checked 9 October 2026)
Monthly allowance	13,560,000 won a year during the language programme; 14,400,000 won a year during the degree
Tuition	NIIED pays up to 5 million won a year and the university covers anything above that, plus the admission fee
Korean language programme	Paid in full for the language year
Airfare	An economy ticket to Korea at the start
Length	Five to seven years: one year of Korean, then four to six years of degree study

The monthly allowance is meant to cover everything else: living costs, accommodation, health insurance, the TOPIK test fee, a settlement allowance and a grant on completing the degree. Scholars who already hold TOPIK level 5 or 6 skip the language year and receive a Korean proficiency grant. NIIED does not cover domestic travel at home or travel insurance. It pays no airfare to anyone already living in Korea when results come out, or to anyone entering from a country other than their own.

Who can apply

You need citizenship of one of the 74 invited countries for the Embassy Track, or of any country for the UIC programme. Neither you nor your parents may hold Korean citizenship, and anyone who held it in the past needs official proof that it was given up. You must be under 25 (born after 1 March 2002 for this round).

On the academic side, you need a high school diploma by 31 December 2026, or an associate degree if you are moving up to a bachelor’s. Anyone who already holds a bachelor’s degree is out. Your high school grades must meet one of three tests: 80 or more out of 100, a place in the top 20 per cent of your class, or a CGPA of at least 2.64 on a 4.0 scale (2.80 on 4.3, 2.91 on 4.5 or 3.23 on 5.0).

Some groups cannot apply. These include graduates of a Korean high school, including international schools in Korea, and anyone who has already held a Korean government degree scholarship. Anyone who withdrew from a GKS degree award in the last three years is also excluded. Applying to more than one track, programme or university gets you disqualified.

How selection works

Embassy Track applicants go through three rounds. University Track applicants go through two.

1. 15 to 30 Sep 2026Embassy Track applications open online on Study in Korea. University Track applications run from September to November at each university.
2. By 16 OctEmbassies announce who passed the first round, after document screening and an interview. University Track first-round results follow in November.
3. By 30 OctSuccessful candidates' original documents reach NIIED, with apostille or consular confirmation.
4. NovemberNIIED announces its second round for the Embassy Track. University Track results follow in December.
5. By 23 DecThe universities Embassy Track candidates chose run the third round. Candidates then confirm their final university by 29 December.
6. 7 Jan 2027Expected date for the final list of 2027 scholars on Study in Korea.

At every stage the committee first checks eligibility, then judges ability from your documents and an interview. NIIED lists academic performance, language ability, activities, contributions to society and international exchange, potential and the authenticity of documents. Language scores are converted to points. TOPIK level 5 earns full marks for Korean, and on the English side an IELTS of 6.0 or a TOEFL iBT of 114 under the old scoring earns 90 per cent. Applicants with no score get 50 per cent. There are bonus points for TOPIK level 3 or above, for science and engineering applicants, and for descendants of Korean War veterans from foreign forces.

The study plan and personal statement carry real weight. This pair is illustrative, with an invented applicant.

Making the application

For the Embassy Track you complete the application form, personal statement and study plan online, and upload scans of your recommendation letter, the GKS applicant agreement and the medical self-assessment. You also upload scans of your proof of citizenship and family relationship, your high school certificate and your transcript. The form must be in English; the statement and study plan may be in English or Korean. Only candidates who pass the first round send originals, and their certificates must be apostilled or consular-confirmed. Some embassies ask for an extra form by email: Kenya’s, for example, wanted one within 48 hours of submitting.

For the UIC places, check the university’s own notice for its deadline and documents, since each one runs its own process. Applicants can pick only one university and one department.

If the Embassy Track has closed for you, the eligibility checker compares other undergraduate awards, and the study cost calculator shows what a self-funded year would cost. The video interview guide is worth reading before an embassy interview. Confirm every date on the official GKS notice and your embassy’s page, since NIIED says its schedule can change and the Korean version of the guidelines takes precedence.