Step-by-step, how to apply for the Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP)

Beginning in 2025, 1,820 fully-funded scholarships will be available to overseas students via the Global Korea Scholarship, which was formerly known as the Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP). Tuition, living expenses, and travel costs are all covered by this esteemed program, which supports students pursuing master’s, PhD, or research degrees. Its stated goal is to encourage high academic achievement while simultaneously enhancing international ties and promoting cross-cultural understanding.

The educational system in Korea is second to none, and the country’s universities are among the best in the world. Opportunities to network on a worldwide scale, exposure to varied cultural experiences, and a rich academic curriculum are all available to students. Korea is a popular choice for foreign students because of its dynamic blend of modernity and heritage, which creates an ideal setting for academic and professional development.

This page will answer all of your concerns about the GKS-G, or Global Korea Scholarship for Graduate Degree, which is available in 2025. Included in this category are subjects like eligibility (nationality and degree requirements), grades, consular confirmation, language competency, the Korean language program, necessary paperwork, university and department choices, reference letters, and many more. To help you traverse the GKS-G application FAQs with ease, our thorough Global Korea Application Guide provides you with all the information you need in a step-by-step approach.

The Definitive Resource for All Things GKS in 2025

GKS Eligibility FAQs for 2025
1) Country of origin Is it necessary to provide copies of my parents’ passports?

To verify your parental tie, you are need to provide an official document, such a birth certificate or family registry. Please ensure that you include a copy of your passport or another government-issued document that contains your citizenship details if this document does not display them for both you and your parents. Remember that information on your birthplace, ethnicity, or residence that appears on official papers cannot be used as evidence of your citizenship.

If I am unable to provide my father’s citizenship documentation due to his passing, what am I to do?

You will need to provide further documentation to explain why you cannot present your parents’ citizenship evidence. The documentation may be in the form of a death certificate or an explanation for their absence (such as a divorce decree). A certificate of death, a certificate of divorce, or any other appropriate legal document would be examples of acceptable papers.

Am I still able to apply if my parents’ citizenships are different?

As long as neither you nor your parents are Korean nationals and you are a citizen of one of the nations that are eligible for the GKS degree program, then yes, you may apply.

Am I still able to apply if my nation isn’t on the 2025 GKS program list?

The R&D, Global Network, and International Organization tracks are the only ones that will consider your application. All candidates are welcome on these tracks, however only those from certain institutions may use the university track to submit their applications. Anyone not participating in one of Korea’s bilateral agreements is unable to apply for the general GKS program, since the quotas are dependent on these agreements.

2). Level  Will it be too late to apply if I anticipate graduating in March 2025?

If your planned graduation date is July 31, 2025, then yes, you are qualified to apply. A certificate of anticipated graduation is required to be sent with the application. Please ensure that you submit your official diploma or certificate together with your final academic transcript to the GKS Center, NIIED, no later than July 31, 2025, after being chosen. We will rescind your admission if you do not provide these papers before the deadline.

May I submit an application with a temporary diploma?

Temporary certifications will not be accepted. The only diplomas or certificates that count are the official, final ones. The official graduation date or, at the very least, the month of graduation must be explicitly indicated on the document. The GKS software does not recognize provisional credentials, regardless matter how official they are in your nation.

After earning a master’s degree in one area, is it possible to switch to a different one? Can you tell me which certificate is required?

It is quite acceptable to pursue a second master’s degree in a distinct discipline if you already have one. Your bachelor’s degree transcript and certificate must be in order and have the minimum GPA stated in the application criteria. You are not required to submit your master’s degree transcript or certificate.

I am wondering whether it is possible to apply to another master’s program in Korea while I am enrolled in one.

You are ineligible to apply if you hold a degree from a Korean university or high school or are presently a senior at a Korean institution. You may still apply if you aren’t quite ready to graduate, but you’ll have to transfer to the GKS program as a first-year student and leave your present program. We do not accept transfer credits from other programs. You may have to go back to your home country and apply for a new GKS visa even if you’re already living in Korea. Be advised that in such instances, the program will not cover the cost of reentry flight.

Thirdly, letter grades When a grading scale not specified in the standards appears on my transcript, what am I to do? Are online grade conversions usable?

You will need to convert your grades and get university confirmation of the conversion if they are not on one of the permitted GPA scales (4.0, 4.3, 4.5, 5.0, or 100-point scale). You need your university’s official approval to utilize an internet service like Scholaro to convert your CGPA. A letter of recommendation or formal document from your alma mater verifying the change is required. An apostille or consular confirmation is not necessary for this document; nevertheless, the original form of the university’s authentication is required. Based on the information you supplied, the program’s screening committee will assess your cumulative grade point average eligibility.

Sorry, but my cumulative grade point average is lower than 80%. Can I still submit an application?

If you are in the top 20% of your class and have a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) below 80%, you are still eligible to apply. A letter or certificate from your school confirming that you were in the top 20% of your class is required in addition to your official transcript.

I don’t see my semester-by-semester GPA on my transcript; what should I do?

You are not required to complete the portions of the application that ask for your GPA if your transcript does not include it for each semester or year. Your true grade point average and degree-level percentile should be submitted instead. To get your cumulative grade point average (CGPA) on a 100-point scale if your transcript doesn’t already have one, go to the GPA Conversion Table in the application instructions.

Does a doctorate applicant’s bachelor’s GPA need to be included in the application?

An applicant’s cumulative grade point average (CGPA) from their master’s degree should be included in the doctoral application. Both your bachelor’s and master’s degree transcripts, as well as your diploma, are needed documents. Your master’s degree cumulative grade point average will be used to determine your eligibility.

If my present university’s transcript does not include my marks from my former universities, what am I to do?

Your authentic transcript from your alma mater must be submitted. Be sure to submit your prior university’s academic records as an additional document if this transcript does not cover your whole degree program. The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) that is needed for the application is to be calculated using the transcript from the institution where your degree was earned.

Extra Qualifications: Are all the GKS partner colleges going to consider my application if I fulfill all the criteria?

Probably not. To be considered for the GKS program, you must meet the minimal requirements listed in the rules. Additional criteria, such as language competence levels or other certifications, may be set by individual institutions and departments. For a comprehensive list of requirements, including those specific to each school or department, see the “University Information” files that came with the application instructions. It is best to send extra resources, such a portfolio, directly to the universities who have asked for them.

Is it possible to apply to the GKS program while residing in Korea?

Whether you’re a Korean citizen or not, you may apply from anywhere in the world. Applicants have the option of applying via the Korean embassy in their home country or directly to a Korean institution, as part of the university track. Inquire about the submission and interview processes with the embassy if you are applying from a third nation via the embassy route. Applicants who are already living in Korea or who are traveling to Korea from another country will not be eligible for flight assistance. When applying from outside the country, it could be more difficult and time-consuming to get the required authentications, such as apostilles, consular confirmations, or certified translations.

2) Documents approved by the Consulate or Apostille. Can I select between getting my documents legalized with an apostille or with consular confirmation?

You are needed to get an apostille for the necessary certifications if your nation is a party to the Apostille Convention. You will need to get consular confirmation from the Korean embassy or consulate in your country if your nation is not a member of the Apostille Convention or if apostille services are not accessible. If none of those things works, you need to talk to the right people in charge to get some further instructions.

Is it possible to send in my official transcript and degree certificate without a consulate or apostille?

No, an apostille or consulate confirmation is necessary for all necessary certifications. We will not accept original papers that have not been authenticated, copies of documents that have been notarized by a notary public alone, or documents that have been certified by any other government agency. But genuine, unauthenticated certificates from Korean government agencies or organizations are acceptable.

Do I have to have my birth certificate apostille many times if I want to go the embassy route?

Not at all. Applicants who want to go via the embassy’s expedited application process only need to provide three sets of photocopies and one set of original papers, which may include certifications that have been apostille or consular certified. Because of this, you may skip the steps of repeatedly authenticating your certificates.

Could you accept a transcript that has already been apostilled?

No matter how good the photocopy looks, it will not be accepted if the original document has already been apostille. This document may only be recognized if it is confirmed as true by either the originating government agency or the Korean embassy.

What is the process for submitting translation-related documents?

If the document’s original language is not English or Korean, a certified translation is required. The original document or its certified translation must have an apostille or consular confirmation in order for the certifications to be valid. You won’t need to translate the document again if it’s bilingual (in English and the original language).

What happens if the original, apostille-proof copy of my diploma cannot be reproduced? Can I get my money back?

Under no circumstances will NIIED accept returned papers. An apostille or consular confirmation on a certified copy is acceptable in place of the original certificate in cases when it cannot be renewed. If you are a selected GKS scholar, you should get extra certified copies of your diploma in case you need them for anything formal in Korea, such as applying for a student visa or enrolling in college.

Is it OK to submit a diploma that was apostille-dated last year?

It is OK to submit a certificate that has already been apostille-ed as long as it is current and issued within two years of the application submission. A document’s validity is contingent upon the date mentioned if an expiry date is included.

Can you tell me how to send in credentials that were granted in a different nation?

An apostille is required for papers issued in countries that are parties to the Apostille Convention. In the absence of apostille facilities, one may seek consular confirmation by contacting the relevant embassy or consulate of the issuing nation. Get in touch with the Korean consulate or embassy for advice if none of those choices works.

Three) Submitting an Application. Would NIIED be the only place I need to send my application?

No, NIIED does not accept materials sent in by individual candidates. Send your application to the institution you’re interested in attending or to the GKS selection section at a Korean embassy. Only proposals submitted formally by embassies or institutions will be considered by NIIED. We will not review or return any papers that are accidentally transmitted to NIIED.

By what date must applications be submitted?

Embassy and university application dates differ. The best way to find out when to apply is to visit the website of the relevant embassy or institution. Due dates and submission requirements may vary across embassies and colleges since they are the ones doing the first round of selection. For questions about submission procedures and due dates, contact the relevant embassy or institution.

I was born in either the Czech Republic or China. I need to know where to send in my application.

Instead of submitting their applications to the Korean Embassy in China, Chinese individuals are required to do so via the China Scholarship Council (CSC), which is part of the Chinese Ministry of Education. Citizens of the Czech Republic are also need to apply via the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Education. This is in accordance with the terms of the agreements reached between Korea and these nations.

Is it possible for me to apply at the Korean Consulate in Los Angeles as a citizen of the United States? rather than the Korean embassy in the nation’s capital?

It is correct that American citizens may apply at any Korean embassy in the country. Together, the Korean Consulate in Los Angeles and the Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C. will carry out the first round of selection. Also, the Vietnamese embassy or consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, or Hanoi are good places to apply. For more specific information on the application procedure, it is advised to get in touch with the local Korean consulate or embassy.

4) Deciding on a School or Department. Could you tell me how many schools and departments I can apply to?

You are limited to choose a single institution and a single department while applying via the university track. No more than three schools will consider your application for the embassy track. But one of those schools has to be a Type B institution. The only restriction is that you can only pick one department per institution, even if you may choose the same one at all three.

Is there any advice on how to narrow my college choices down to three?

Candidates on the Embassy Track should be informed that making it to the second round of selection does not guarantee admission to the institutions of their choice. It is possible to get rejected by all three of your selected colleges in the third round if you limit yourself to extremely competitive programs.

Do your homework to find out which schools have the highest reputations in your intended major to increase your chances of acceptance. There is a general trend toward greater living expenses for institutions located in major cities compared to those in more rural places. Think about how much it will cost to live while making your decisions, as GKS scholars have to pay for their own housing out of their stipend.

5) Language Proficiency Certificate: Are English or Korean proficiency certifications required?

No, it is not required to present TOEFL, IELTS, or TOPIK certifications to demonstrate language competency. Having said that, a certain degree of language competency may be required by certain schools or departments. Your application will be strengthened and your talents will be shown by include these certifications. A certificate attesting that English was the medium of instruction is not valid in lieu of a certificate attesting to the holder’s English ability.

6) Letter of Recommendation. For a letter of recommendation, who can I contact?

You should ask a professor or department head from your former school to provide a letter of reference since they are in the best position to assess your academic achievements. Letters of reference from universities that are partners in the International Organization program are required of all candidates.

The application deadline and the date of the reference letter cannot be more than one year apart. The 2024 GKS recommendation letter form is available for use if you have already written your letter of reference. You are only asked to submit one reference letter with your application, but you are free to submit as many as you think would help your case.

Question 7: Other Requests for Document Submission. Is it necessary to include a comprehensive research proposal into my study plan?

You are absolutely required to lay out the broad strokes of your intended research in your Study Plan. Make sure to outline your academic objectives, plans for the Korean program, and post-graduation ambitions in detail.

Under the university track, is it possible to apply to more than one institution?

There is a restriction of one university and one department per candidate on the university track. You risk having your application rejected from all universities if you submit it to more than one. If a candidate does not make it through the first round of the embassy track, they have the option to reapply using the university track. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to apply to both tracks at the same time.

If my graduation certificate and my birth certificate have different names, what am I to do?

To apply, you need to use the name that appears on your passport. In the event that your name appears differently on other official papers, you will be required to provide an additional document issued by your government that clarifies the difference.

8) Program for the Study of Korean. After completing the Korean Language Program for one year, is it required to pass TOPIK at Level 3 or higher?

Yes, in order to continue with their degree program, GKS students are required to acquire TOPIK Level 3 within one year of the Korean language program. Students enrolled in specific English-taught programs, global network programs, or research programs are exempt. In order to start their degree program, scholars must also complete the particular criteria of their university or department, which may include a TOPIK Level 4 certificate or higher.

Is my degree-granting university going to be the only Korean language school I attend?

The GKS program has changed that. Beginning in 2023, GKS scholars will attend their degree-granting institution’s Korean language program. While most universities provide language programs, some, including KAIST, UNIST, GIST, KDI School of Public Policy and Management, and POSTECH, may send their students to another school. Students usually have to live in dorms, and they usually have to share a room with someone else. Please contact the school in advance if you need any special accommodations, such as a separate restroom or kitchen, due to religious or personal reasons.

Will I still need to take the Korean language course even if my degree is offered in English?

No matter what major you’re majoring in, you’re still required to take a Korean language course. You may skip the language program and start your degree program straight in September 2025 if you have previously achieved TOPIK Level 5 or 6. Just be sure to present a genuine certificate. You may skip the first half of the program and start your degree in the next semester (March 2026) if you get TOPIK Level 5 or 6 in the first half.

While enrolled in a Korean language or degree program, is it possible to change my mind about which institution to attend?
No matter what, you are not allowed to change your university or transfer to another institution. Your enrollment institution is the only place you can finish your degree.

9. Findings from the Selection Process. At what points in the selection process will I be able to see if I made it through?

Every embassy and institution will release the first round’s results. The GKS Notice Board, located at studyinkorea.go.kr, will announce the second round’s results and the final list of qualified applicants. Throughout the selection process, all candidates are required to often visit the website for announcements and changes.

Official website of the Korean Government Scholarship 

GKS Application Guidelines