Your guide to studying in Korea
GKS Application Guide
How the Korean-government scholarship works, and how to check whether your GPA clears the bar.
What is GKS
The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is a scholarship program run by NIIED under the Ministry of Education to support international students in Korea.
What it covers
GKS supports scholars with the following categories.
Categories vary by cycle and track. Amounts are not shown.
Embassy vs University Track
- Apply via Korean embassy of your citizenship
- Up to 3 universities
- 3 rounds of selection
- Apply directly to 1 university
- 2 rounds of selection
- Best for a specific program
2026 Timeline
- Feb 12–25Application
- Mid-March1st Round
- Early MayNIIED
- Early JuneFinal Round
- Late JuneFinal Scholars
- SeptemberLanguage Year
2026 example · deadlines vary by embassy / university
Who's eligible
- Nationality
- Applicant & parents non-Korean
- Age
- GKS-G: under 40
- Degree
- Bachelor's for Master's, Master's for PhD
- Language
- No TOPIK required to apply
- Health
- Meet health requirements
TOPIK 3 needed to start the degree. TOPIK 5–6 may skip the language year.
GPA Requirement (GKS-G)
Minimum CGPA to meet the 80% baseline
Top 20% rank can be used instead of the 80% CGPA baseline.
These are the published GKS-G baseline figures. Clearing the floor is necessary, not sufficient.
Documents & Apostille
- Forms 1–10 (GKS application forms)
- Apostille / consular confirmation
- Certified translation (as required)
- Round 1: online upload / Round 2: originals
- Start early and prepare carefully
Visa
- D-4 for language year
- D-2 for degree study
- Requirements vary by country
Strategy
- GPA is one gate, not the only factor
- Selection also considers study plan, interview, and fit
- Choose universities and programs carefully
- Plan early and stay organized
Independentnot affiliated with GKS/NIIED/the Korean governmentconfirm with the official guidelines