South Korea is gradually emerging as an attractive destination for studying as the number of international students coming to the Asian country is steadily increasing every year. South Korea was ranked 11th largest economy globally based on GDP in 2015. Though English is not spoken widely here, most university students and young people tend to speak English quite fluently.
The international students who wish to enroll here can benefit from the various scholarships that are offered by the government as well as universities. In most cases, such scholarships are granted according to an applicant's GPA level.
The following scholarships are offered by the Ministry of Education.
Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) for degree programmes.
This scholarship is not restricted to any particular field and can be offered to students studying in all degree programmes. Students from countries having diplomatic relations with Korea can benefit from this scholarship. The scholarship will cover airfare benefits, tuition, monthly allowance, medical insurance, settlement allowance, degree completion grants among others. The application process for this programme begins in September for the undergraduate degree and February for the postgraduate degree.
GKS Non-degree Programme for Foreign Exchange Students
Foreign students with excellent grades can avail this offer. The programme is open to students from all fields. The benefits covered under this programme include airfare, living expenses including medical insurance, settlement allowance.
The following scholarship programme is offered by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Art Major Asian plus (AMA+) Scholarship
Applicants who hold citizenship of OECD DAC are eligible for this scholarship. The scholarship is applicable for students pursuing Arts field such as music, drama, film, dance, fine arts, traditional arts among others. The scholarship covers benefits such as Airfare, Monthly allowance, Korean language Training, Tuitions, Settlement Allowance, Graduation Thesis Allowance, Korean Proficiency Grants and medical insurance. The application process starts in February for this scholarship.
Scholarships from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
KF Fellowship for Postdoctoral Research
Scholars who have recently obtained a PhD in the Humanities, Social Science, Arts and Cultural Studies or any other relevant field with a Korea related research topic are eligible to apply. The amount of the stipend to be given will be determined based on the screening committee's review of applicant's proposals and on the circumstances of the region where the affiliated institution is located.
KF Scholarship for Graduate Studies
MA students or PhD candidates in the humanities, social sciences, arts and cultural studies or any other relevant field with a Korean related research topic who fulfil the criteria are eligible to apply. The scholarship amount varies depending on the region. The application and notification schedule varies by region.