KOICA Scholarship Program 2026

Overview

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) funds graduate study in South Korea for government and public-sector employees from partner developing countries. The programme covers a 17-month master’s degree or a 36-month doctoral degree at one of five Korean universities. Study areas focus on public administration, gender equality, smart-city management, tax policy, education leadership, and related governance fields.

Participating universities and their programmes:

• Ewha Womans University - Gender Equality and Development
• Hanyang University - Smart-City Management
• Korea National University of Education - Global Education Leadership
• Korea University - Tax and Fiscal Policy
• Seoul National University - Public Management and Administrative Reform

Benefits

KOICA covers all of the following:

• Full tuition fees
• Monthly stipend of KRW 1,200,000
• Round-trip economy class airfare between Korea and the home country
• University dormitory accommodation
• Settlement allowance of KRW 600,000 (master’s) or KRW 1,200,000 (doctoral)
• Completion bonus of KRW 300,000 (master’s) or KRW 600,000 (doctoral)
• National health insurance (approximately KRW 81,000 per month)
• Korean language classes and workshop support

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all of the following:

• Be a citizen of a KOICA-designated partner country (the eligible country list changes annually).
• Be employed by the government or a public-sector institution in the home country.
• Be officially nominated by the home government through the relevant ministry or agency.
• Hold a bachelor’s degree (master’s track) or a master’s degree (doctoral track).
• Be preferably under 40 years old.
• Be in good physical and mental health.

KOICA does not accept applications from individuals outside the public sector or from those who self-nominate without government endorsement.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted through the KOICA official portal at koica.go.kr. The process starts with your home government’s nomination, coordinated through the ministry responsible for international cooperation or higher education in your country.

The application deadline is 2 December 2026 at 16:00 GMT. Contact your country’s KOICA desk or the responsible government ministry early, as the internal nomination process can take several weeks before the portal submission deadline.