For all of you who are looking for a fully-funded scholarship to study abroad in South Korea, this scholarship scheme might be your answer! The Global Korea Scholarship, or GKS for short, is the ultimate dream for South Korean admirers. Not only it covers tuition fee, it also gives you monthly allowance, pays for your plane tickets, medical insurance, and Korean language training too!
Whether you aspire to pursue a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, the GKS program opens doors to world-class education and invaluable cultural experiences in South Korea. Today, we will be giving you the complete guide for Undergraduate / Bachelor's Degree GKS program. Read down below for everything you need to know about the GKS, including eligibility criteria and application procedures.
Program Objectives
Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is a fully-funded government scholarship scheme provided by the NIIED (National Institute of International Education) for international students to pursue their higher education in Korea. The scholarship provides opportunities for academic degrees, which will enhance international education exchange and deepen mutual friendship between Korea and participating countries.
GKS (Global Korea Scholarship) Eligible / Participating Countries
Afghanistan, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Rwanda, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela (Guyana or Suriname included), Vietnam, Yemen.
Application Tracks
There are 2 tracks that you can choose to apply for the GKS (Global Korea Scholarship) program.
Embassy Track: You apply through the Korean Embassy at your country.
University Track: You apply through the specific university you want to apply for.
Embassy Track Application and Selection Procedure
The Embassy Track of the Global Korea Scholarship program allows applicants to select up to three universities to apply to, which may increase their chances of being accepted.
The 1st Round of Selection is based on nationality and the number of applications received in each country. In countries where there are only a few applicants, the chances of being selected are higher. So in other words, if there is a high demand for the scholarship at your country, it may be more difficult to be selected through the Embassy Track.
The 2nd Round of Selection: After being selected by the embassy, the application is forwarded to NIIED for a further evaluation. The number of applicants recommended by the embassy depends on the number of scholarships allocated to that country. NIIED evaluates the quality of the applicant's scholarship and may reject some applicants at this stage.
In the 3rd Round of Selection, the application is sent to the three universities that the applicant has selected. Here, the universities will screen the documents and also re-evaluate the quality of the applicant. Some universities may conduct interviews. The applicant has to be accepted by at least one of these universities.
It's important to understand that the selection process may be different for each country. Therefore, applicants should check with their local Korean embassy and the universities for the most up-to-date on the scholarship program.
University Track Application and Selection Procedure
To apply for the Global Korea Scholarship through the University Track, applicants must apply directly to the university they are interested in. It is important to regularly check the university's website for specific requirements and deadlines, as they may vary from university to university. Some universities may require more documents than the embassy application, and some may have an early deadline. It is essential to submit the application directly to South Korea.
In the 1st Round of Selection, applicants compete against worldwide students applying to the same university. Therefore, if the applicants is applying to a favorite or popular university, it might be highly competitive. The selection process is rigorous, and most universities conduct interviews, so applicants should be well-prepared. If an applicant fails to pass the university's evaluation, they are eliminated from the selection process quickly.
In the 2nd Round of Selection, NIIED selects the successful scholars based on the quotas allocated to each country. For example, if two French students apply and are accepted to their chosen university, but the French quota is one, only one of them can receive the scholarship. NIIED will review their applications and selects one of them as the successful scholar.
Which is Better: Embassy Track vs University Track?
It's not possible to say which track is better. It totally depends on you, your country, your degree, and your preferences. But still, if you're unsure about which application track to use, there are a few things to consider:
Choose Embassy Track if: your grades are not the best; you have more soft skills compared to academic achievements in your study field; and you want a higher chance of getting accepted.
Choose University Track if: you're set on a specific university; GKS scholarship is very popular in your country; you're confident in your academic achievements in the field of your study.
Embassy Track Quota
University Track Quota
Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) Eligibility and Requirements
Nationality
A holder of citizenship of NIIED designated countries (GKS eligible / participating countries).
Applicant's parents or legal guardians must hold citizenship from countries other than Korea (dual citizenship with Korean is also not eligible).
Applicant's citizenship cannot be changed during the selection process.
Level of Education
Bachelor's degree program is for applicants who have graduated (or are expected to graduate) from a high school or from an associate degree program.
Applicants who are expected to graduate must be able to submit their Certificate of Expected Graduation (or a Degree Certificate) at the time of application. A provisional graduation certificate will be considered as applicants who are expected to graduate.
Grades
Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of the curriculum from their High School or Associate Degree Program (whichever is latest) must meet one of the two conditions below;
Score percentile should be 80% or above on a 100-point scale, or be ranked within the top 20% within one's class
CGPA must be equal or higher than 2.64 out of 4.0, 2.80 out of 4.3, 2.91 out of 4.50, or 3.23 out of 5.0.
Age
Must be under 25 years of age, as per March 1st of the application year.
Overseas Travel Restrictions
All applicants must have no grounds for disqualification (e.g., criminal history) for overseas travel
Health
All applicants must be in good health, both mentally and physically, to study in Korea for the full duration of the program. Applicants who pass the second round of selection must submit an Official Medical Examination issued by a medical doctor or a licensed hospital.
If an applicant is tested positive on drug tests / has serious illness that prevents him or her to study abroad for a long period of time / is found to have a serious illness at the final medical examination arranged by NIIED after arriving in Korea, such applicant will be disqualified.
Hope all of this information helps in giving you more insight about the Global Korea Scholarship for Undergraduate program. If you need a 1:1 GKS Mentoring with one of our mentors, let us know! Find us on Contact page on our website.
We'll guide you as best as we can, so you can prepare for your application with confidence 💪🏻😎
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Source: GKS Application Guidelines, gksscholarship.com
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