What documents are required for GKS?

There is no single GKS document list. Each application needs a set of GKS forms plus authenticated certificates, but which forms and which certificates depend on the program (GKS-U or GKS-G), the track (Embassy or University), and the stage. The 2027 GKS-U guideline uses Forms 1–7 and the 2026 GKS-G guideline uses Forms 1–10, and both require proof of citizenship and family relationship, graduation certificates and academic transcripts.

Are GKS-U and GKS-G application documents the same?

No. The 2027 GKS-U guideline lists seven forms and eighteen numbered documents; the 2026 GKS-G guideline lists ten forms and twenty-two. Form 4 is not even the same document: it is the Recommendation Letter for GKS-U and the Research Proposal for GKS-G. Use the guideline for the program you are applying to and do not reuse the other one's list.

Are the documents different for the Embassy Track and the University Track?

The list of documents is largely shared within a program, but the submission route is not, and a few rows are track-specific. In the 2026 GKS-G cycle the Embassy Track first round went through the Study in Korea System, while University Track first-round requirements were set by each university — and the research-program rows (Research Proposal, Letter of Invitation) appear only in the University Track table. In the 2026 GKS-U cycle the first round was set by each embassy or university for both tracks, and the number of copies for the later NIIED round differed by track.

Do GKS documents need an apostille or consular confirmation?

The required certificates do, at the NIIED stage — not the forms. Both 2026 guidelines say that if your country is a member of the Apostille Convention you submit the required certificates with an apostille, and otherwise with consular confirmation. The completed GKS forms are submitted as signed originals and explicitly do not need to be apostilled or consular confirmed.

Do translated documents need to be notarized?

Usually the guidelines ask for a certified translation rather than notarization, but there are real exceptions and they are easy to miss. The general rule is that a document written in a language other than English or Korean must be submitted together with a certified translation, and the apostille or consular confirmation goes on either the original document or that translation. However, the 2026 GKS-G guideline requires Chinese-language documents to be translated and notarized and submitted with an apostille, and the 2026 GKS-U guideline asks for a notarized certificate of expected graduation where that certificate itself cannot be authenticated. Both guidelines separately state that a notarized copy of an already-apostilled document is not accepted.

Do I submit originals or copies in the first round?

That is the one thing you cannot answer from the guideline alone. For the 2026 GKS-U cycle the first-round submission requirements — including whether photocopies, electronic files or untranslated documents are accepted — were set by each embassy or university. The 2026 GKS-G Embassy Track uploaded scans to the Study in Korea System, and its University Track requirements were again set by each university. Originals and authenticated certificates are what the later NIIED round requires.

What does an applicant who has not graduated yet submit?

A certificate of expected graduation at application time, followed by the real one later. In the 2027 GKS-U cycle an applicant expected to graduate as of 31 December 2026 who passes the first round must submit the graduation certificate and transcript by that date, and the guideline states that failing to do so cancels the acceptance. In the 2026 GKS-G cycle an applicant expected to graduate by 31 July 2026 submitted a transcript covering all semesters so far, then the final apostilled or consular-confirmed transcript by that date.

Is a recommendation letter required, and at which stage?

Yes, in both programs, and the handling differs. The 2026 GKS-U guideline required Form 4 (Recommender's Information) and said the recommendation letter must be the original, sealed in an envelope, for the first round. The 2026 GKS-G guideline required one letter on Form 5, dated within one year of the application deadline; Embassy Track applicants uploaded a scan of the signed letter for the first round and submitted the original to NIIED in the second.

Where do I find the current GKS application forms?

On the official Study in Korea GKS notice for your program. Each application-guideline notice carries the guideline itself plus an application-forms file as separate attachments, so the forms always come from the same notice as the rules that describe them. Do not reuse a form file from a previous cycle or from a third-party site.

Are the GKS 2027 document requirements available yet?

For undergraduates, yes. NIIED published the 2027 GKS-U application guidelines on 9 September 2026, and the GKS-U rows on this page follow them — including (Form 7) Consent to Collect and Use Personal Information, which the 2027 form set adds and which is required on both tracks. The 2027 GKS-G guidelines are not published, so the graduate rows still describe the 2026 cycle. The 2027 embassy track takes applications from 15 to 30 September 2026.

GKS guide

GKS Required Documents & Apostille Checklist

GKS document requirements are not one list. They differ by program (GKS-U or GKS-G), by track (Embassy or University), and by stage — your first-round embassy or university, then NIIED. Start from the current NIIED guideline for your program, then read the notice from the institution running your first round. This checklist separates broadly required, conditional, and locally verified items.

Unofficial guide · independent, not affiliated with GKS/NIIED
Verified cycle: 2027 · last verified 2026-09-09
2027 GKS-U guidelines: published 9 September 2026

Before you use this checklist

Everything below was read out of the two guidelines NIIED published for the 2027 cycle. It is a preparation aid, not an application instruction: the guideline for the cycle you apply in, and the notice from the embassy or university running your first round, are the documents that decide what you submit. Where the guidelines hand a decision to that institution, this page says so instead of guessing.

Requirements differ by program, track, first-round institution, and stage. A rule verified for one of those does not transfer to the others.
The GKS-U requirements below are from the 2027 guidelines NIIED published on 9 September 2026. The GKS-G requirements are from the 2026 guidelines — the 2027 graduate guidelines are not out, and in recent cycles they have followed around February.
Form numbers, copy counts, and authentication rules are cycle-specific. Re-check them against the guideline attached to your own cycle’s notice.

Required: The guideline’s own table marks it required for that program.
Conditional: It applies only to certain applicants, programs, or degree levels — the row says which.
Verify locally: The guideline leaves the detail to your embassy or university. Read their notice.
Unknown: Not established from an official source, so no instruction is given. Nothing on this page currently carries this status.

The guidelines themselves

Everything on this page was read out of two PDFs, each attached to NIIED's own notice post. Those attachments are the edition of record — not a summary, and not the copy an embassy re-hosts.

2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (English).pdf · Posted 2026-09-09 · Open the notice
2026 GKS-G Application Guidelines (English)_0220.pdf · Posted 2026-02-02 · Open the notice

What the 2027 GKS-U guideline sets

The embassy track is one central window, to the minute: 15 September 2026 at 11:00 to 30 September 2026 at 18:00, Korea Standard Time. The university track runs September to November and each university sets its own date, so that is the deadline you have to look up. The 2026 cycle's two dates — 17 and 31 October — no longer apply.

Make sure you have the revision

The graduate file is published under a name ending in a four-digit revision marker. Embassy mirrors often carry an earlier copy under a name that looks identical. Where two versions disagree, the attachment on NIIED's own post is the one that counts.

The 2027 GKS-U guideline is published, and the GKS-U rows follow it. The 2027 GKS-G guideline is not — when it posts it appears on the same notice board and replaces the graduate document above, so until then read the graduate rows as the most recently published cycle rather than as your own.

Choose your program, track, and stage

Three things decide your document set. Fix all three before you build a checklist, because a rule that is true for one combination is routinely false for another.

Program: GKS-U for undergraduate degrees, GKS-G for graduate degrees. They have separate guidelines, separate notices, and different form sets. Compare GKS-U and GKS-G
Track: The Embassy Track applies through the Korean embassy of your citizenship; the University Track applies directly to one university. The track decides who runs your first round — and therefore whose submission rules you follow first. Explore GKS universities and tracks
Stage: The first round is run by the embassy or university and its submission rules are largely theirs. The later round is run by NIIED and is where signed originals and apostilled or consular-confirmed certificates are required.

Application forms

How many GKS application forms are there? There is no single answer, and this is the most common thing to get wrong. The 2027 GKS-U guideline lists seven forms (Form 1–7) and the 2026 GKS-G guideline lists ten (Form 1–10). Form 4 is not even the same document in the two programs. Download the form file from the same notice as your guideline — never from a previous cycle or a third-party copy.

GKS-U forms · Form 1–7

The undergraduate set. There is no Form 8–10 in this program.

Form 1 · Application FormRequired
The main application form. For the later NIIED round every form must be filled in English or Korean and carry the applicant's original handwritten signature.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Form 2 · Personal StatementRequired
Written on the guideline's own form, in English or Korean.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Form 3 · Study PlanRequired
Written on the guideline's own form, in English or Korean.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Form 4 · Recommendation LetterRequired
The 2027 guideline splits this by track. Embassy track: your recommender completes the letter and you upload a scanned copy to the online system. University track: the letter goes into a sealed envelope with the recommender's signature across the back flap, and you hand it to your chosen university still sealed. On both tracks the original letter is what the first round of selection needs.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Form 5 · GKS Applicant AgreementRequired
Signed by the applicant.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Form 6 · Personal Medical AssessmentRequired
Completed on the guideline's own form.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Form 7 · Consent to Collect and Use Personal InformationRequired
Completed on the system and printed for signature with the other forms. Required on both tracks — the 2027 guideline lists seven forms for GKS-U, and a missing required form or signature can exclude an application from evaluation.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)

Source: 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (English).pdf · 2027 cycle · last verified 2026-09-09

GKS-G forms · Form 1–10

The graduate set. Several entries apply only to research-program or professor applicants.

Form 1 · Application FormRequired
Embassy-track applicants fill it out on the Study in Korea System, then print and sign it if they pass the first round.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Form 2 · Personal StatementRequired
Required for master's, doctoral and research applicants alike.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Form 3 · Study PlanConditional
Required for master's and doctoral applicants. The university-track table marks it N/A for research-program applicants, who submit the Research Proposal instead.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Form 4 · Research ProposalConditional
Applies to: University Track only
Only applicable for research-program applicants, and the research program runs under the University Track — the Embassy Track table marks this row N/A. This is where GKS-G and GKS-U diverge: GKS-U's Form 4 is the Recommender's Information.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Form 5 · One Letter of RecommendationRequired
ONE letter, which the guideline asks to be dated within one year of the application deadline. Embassy-track applicants download Form 5, have the recommender complete and sign it, and upload the scan for the first round; the original goes to NIIED in the second round.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Form 6 · Letter of InvitationConditional
Applies to: University Track only
Issued by the research-program university. Research-program applicants only, so University Track only — N/A in the Embassy Track table.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Form 7 · Korean Language Program Exemption ApplicationConditional
Listed as optional and only applicable for current academic professor applicants. The University Track table marks it N/A for research-program applicants.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Form 8 · GKS Applicant AgreementRequired
Signed by the applicant.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Form 9 · Personal Medical AssessmentRequired
Completed on the guideline's form.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Form 10 · Consent to Collect and Use Personal InformationRequired
Signed by the applicant. GKS-G's form set runs Form 1–10.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)

Source: 2026 GKS-G Application Guidelines (English)_0220.pdf · 2026 cycle · last verified 2026-09-09

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The 2027 GKS-U guideline sets the language per form: the Application Form must be written in English, while the Personal Statement and Study Plan may be English or Korean. For the NIIED round the printed forms are signed by hand. Both guidelines state that the completed forms do not need an apostille or consular confirmation — that requirement belongs to the certificates.

Writing Form 2 and Form 3: study plan & personal statement

Academic documents

Both programs ask for the graduation certificate and the academic transcript of the degree that qualifies you, and both accept a certificate of expected graduation at application time with a hard deadline for the real one afterwards. These are certificates, so they are the documents that carry the apostille or consular confirmation at the NIIED stage.

GKS-U academic documents

High school graduation certificateRequired
A certificate of expected graduation is accepted at application time. In the 2027 GKS-U cycle an applicant expected to graduate as of 31 December 2026 who passes the first round must then submit the graduation certificate and transcript by that date, or the acceptance is cancelled. Where that certificate cannot itself be apostilled or consular confirmed, the guideline asks for a notarized certificate of expected graduation alongside an authenticated certificate of enrolment.
§IV requirements for each document (p.16–17)
Academic transcript of the high school curriculumRequired
Officially issued by the school of the previous degree program.
§IV requirements for each document (p.16–17)
Associate degree graduation certificate and transcriptConditional
Required if it applies to you — it applies to applicants coming from an associate degree program. A certificate of expected graduation is accepted on the same terms as the high school certificate.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Converted transcript (GPA scale)Conditional
Only if the CGPA is not shown on one of the acknowledged scales (4.0, 4.3, 4.5, 5.0 or 100-point). The guideline accepts a converted transcript only when the relevant school or university officially confirms it — a figure printed from a conversion website is not enough on its own.
§IV requirements for each document (p.16–17)

Source: 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (English).pdf · 2027 cycle · last verified 2026-09-09

GKS-G academic documents

Bachelor's graduation certificate (or diploma)Required
Required for master's, doctoral and research applicants.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Bachelor's degree transcriptRequired
Officially issued by the graduating university. In the 2026 GKS-G cycle an applicant expected to graduate by 31 July 2026 submitted a transcript covering all semesters up to application, then sent the final apostilled or consular-confirmed transcript to the GKS Center by that date.
§5 Requirements for each document (p.21–23)
Master's graduation certificate (or diploma) and transcriptConditional
Required for doctoral and research applicants; N/A for master's applicants.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Doctoral graduation certificate (or diploma) and transcriptConditional
Applies to: University Track only
Only applicable for postdoctoral research program applicants, so University Track only — the Embassy Track table marks it N/A.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
Converted transcript (GPA scale)Conditional
Only if the CGPA is not shown on one of the acknowledged scales (4.0, 4.3, 4.5, 5.0 or 100-point). It is valid only when the relevant university officially confirms it; it does not need an apostille, but it must be an original carrying the university's authentication.
§5 Requirements for each document (p.21–23)
Academic record of a previous university (transfer students)Conditional
Only when a transferred student's transcript omits earlier semesters. This supplementary record does need an apostille or consular confirmation.
§5 Requirements for each document (p.21–23)

Source: 2026 GKS-G Application Guidelines (English)_0220.pdf · 2026 cycle · last verified 2026-09-09

If your transcript uses another scale: the GPA conversion table

Citizenship and family documents

GKS checks the citizenship of the applicant and of both parents, plus the family relationship between them, so one document usually has to prove several facts at once. This is the set most often rejected for the wrong reason: the 2027 GKS-G guideline states that ethnic group, birthplace, and current residency are not accepted as citizenship information.

GKS-U citizenship documents

Proof of citizenship (applicant and parents) and of family relationshipRequired
An official government certificate covering both the applicant's and the parents' citizenship and the family relationship between them.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Passport copyConditional
Listed under other documents as optional.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)

Source: 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (English).pdf · 2027 cycle · last verified 2026-09-09

GKS-G citizenship documents

Proof of citizenship (applicant and parents) and of family relationshipRequired
A birth certificate or family register issued by a government. If a parent is absent — divorced or deceased — the guideline asks for a document explaining why (e.g. a divorce or death certificate). Ethnic group, birthplace and current residency are not accepted as citizenship information. Chinese applicants must submit a household register or a certificate of kinship.
§5 Requirements for each document (p.21–23)
Passport copyConditional
A supplementary document, submitted when the citizenship information is missing from the certificates above. It does not need an apostille or consular confirmation.
§5 Requirements for each document (p.21–23)

Source: 2026 GKS-G Application Guidelines (English)_0220.pdf · 2026 cycle · last verified 2026-09-09

Recommendation and conditional documents

The recommendation letter is required in both programs but handled differently. In GKS-U it is Form 4 itself, and Embassy Track applicants upload the recommender's scan in the first round; the sealed original belongs to the University Track and to the NIIED round. GKS-G puts the letter on Form 5. The remaining rows apply only if your situation matches them — a row the guideline marks required-if-applicable is not a row everybody sends.

GKS-U conditional documents

Proof of Overseas Korean or adoptee statusConditional
Required if it applies to you — for applicants claiming Overseas Korean or Korean adoptee status.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Proof of Korean citizenship renunciationConditional
Required if it applies to you — for applicants (or parents) who renounced Korean citizenship.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Proof of Korean War veteran's descendantConditional
Required if it applies to you — for applicants claiming this status.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
TOPIK or English proficiency score reportConditional
No language test is compulsory — the guideline scores an absent certificate at 50% of the language points. But a report you do submit is not an optional extra: it must be valid, TOPIK as the original and an English test as a copy, and it is scored.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Copies of awards and other certificatesConditional
Listed as optional — copies of awards and certificates that support what the personal statement and study plan claim.
§IV Application Documents (p.12–13)
Any extra document your embassy or university asks forVerify locally
Applies to: first round
The guideline says each embassy or university may simplify the submission of documents based on its own selection procedure, and that a university requiring extra materials (for example a portfolio) is sent them directly. Check with your first-round institution before you submit.
§IV document preparation (p.14–15)

Source: 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (English).pdf · 2027 cycle · last verified 2026-09-09

GKS-G conditional documents

Proof of Overseas Korean or Korean adoptee statusConditional
Supporting documents such as a family register or birth certificate proving the relationship between the applicant and the lineal ascendant.
§5 Requirements for each document (p.21–23)
Proof of Korean citizenship renunciationConditional
A document issued by the Korean government showing the definite loss of Korean citizenship and its date. An application or receipt for renunciation is not accepted.
§5 Requirements for each document (p.21–23)
Proof of Korean War veteran's descendantConditional
A government-issued certificate that the applicant's lineal ascendant served in the Korean War as foreign military, plus documents proving the family relationship.
§5 Requirements for each document (p.21–23)
Certificate of employment or experienceConditional
For a professional applying under the research program, and — listed as optional — for faculty members of an International Organization partner university.
§5 List of Documents to Submit (p.16–17)
TOPIK / TOPIK IBT or English proficiency score reportConditional
Optional, and the guideline is not self-consistent about the format. Its table marks TOPIK an original and the English report a copy for the NIIED round, while the per-document requirements ask for an original printout of both — TOPIK from topik.go.kr, the English report from the test's own site. Confirm with your first-round institution rather than assuming a copy is enough.
§5 Requirements for each document (p.21–23)
Awards and other supporting materialsConditional
Optional. Photocopies that evidence the activities described in the personal statement and study plan. They do not need an apostille or consular confirmation.
§5 Requirements for each document (p.21–23)
Any extra document your embassy or university asks forVerify locally
Applies to: first round
The guideline says each embassy or university may add or simplify documentation requirements at its own discretion, and that a university requiring extra materials (for example a portfolio) is sent them directly.
§5 Documentation Requirements (p.18–20)

Source: 2026 GKS-G Application Guidelines (English)_0220.pdf · 2026 cycle · last verified 2026-09-09

Apostille, consular confirmation, translation, and notarization

These are four different procedures and they are not interchangeable. Which one you need depends on your country and on the language of the document, not on preference. Both 2027 guidelines apply the requirement to the required certificates — not to the completed GKS forms.

Apostille: If your country is a member of the Apostille Convention, the required certificates are submitted with an apostille. The 2027 GKS-U guideline adds that a certificate issued online must be apostilled too — being issued electronically does not exempt it. The 2027 GKS-G guideline carries one documented exception, for applicants recommended by UNHCR: where an apostille or consular confirmation cannot be obtained for the graduation certificate and transcript, a letter of recommendation issued by UNHCR is submitted instead, and a UNHCR refugee card or certificate stands in for the proof of citizenship.
Consular confirmation: Used where the apostille does not apply. The 2027 GKS-U guideline adds that the high school graduation certificate and the academic transcript may be submitted with consular confirmation, and that an applicant who graduated in a third country may use consular confirmation issued by that country’s embassy.
Certified translation: A document written in a language other than English or Korean must be submitted together with a certified translation. The apostille or consular confirmation goes on either the original document or the certified translation. Some cases go further than a certified translation: the 2027 GKS-G guideline requires Chinese-language documents to be translated and notarized and apostilled.
Notarization: Not a general substitute for either of the above — but not never required either. Both 2027 guidelines say simple photocopies and notarized copies of an apostilled or consular-confirmed document are not accepted, though a certified true copy issued by a Korean embassy or by the government agency that issued the original apostille is. Both also say that where a document cannot be re-issued you keep the original and obtain the apostille or consular confirmation on a notarized copy. And two specific cases require notarization outright: the Chinese-document rule above, and GKS-U’s notarized certificate of expected graduation where that certificate cannot itself be authenticated.
Validity: Where the authentication carries an expiry date, that date governs. Where it does not, both 2027 guidelines accept the document if it is submitted within two years of the date of authentication.

Source: 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (English).pdf §5 (p.12–14) · 2026 GKS-G Application Guidelines (English)_0220.pdf §5 (p.18–24) · last verified 2026-09-09

Originals, copies, and the submission channel

Do you upload scans or hand over originals? It depends on the program, the track and the round, and this is where a single generalised rule is most likely to be wrong. In 2027 the GKS-U Embassy Track became one central online application; the other combinations are still set by the receiving institution or need physical originals.

2027 cycle · submission requirements as stated in each guideline
Program & track	First round	Later NIIED round
GKS-U · Embassy Track	One central online application on the Study in Korea website — forms completed in the system, certificates and the recommendation letter uploaded as scans. The embassy does not set this and there is no paper in the first round.	Printed from the online system and signed by hand in every signature field. The 2027 guideline asks for ONE original of each form and ONE apostilled or consular-confirmed copy of each certificate — not the multiple photocopies earlier cycles required.
GKS-U · University Track	Set by each university, on the same terms.	Forms: one signed original. Certificates: one apostilled or consular-confirmed document.
GKS-G · Embassy Track	Uploaded to the Study in Korea System: forms filled out on the system, certificates and the signed recommendation letter uploaded as scans. Each embassy still decides whether to accept what was submitted.	One set of original documents, with a handwritten signature in every designated field and the original recommendation letter, plus one set of apostilled or consular-confirmed certificates.
GKS-G · University Track	Set by each university, including whether photocopies, electronic files, or untranslated documents are accepted, and how many copies.	One set of original documents plus one set of apostilled or consular-confirmed certificates.

Both guidelines add the same warning in different words: whatever your first-round institution accepts, the documents forwarded to NIIED must still meet the NIIED round’s requirements. Materials submitted to NIIED are not returned.

Source: 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (English).pdf §5 (p.12) · 2026 GKS-G Application Guidelines (English)_0220.pdf §5 (p.18–19) · last verified 2026-09-09

What to verify with your embassy or university

The 2026 GKS-G guideline says the first-round institution may add or simplify documentation requirements at its own discretion. The 2027 GKS-U guideline says it for the University Track only: additional university-specific documents follow that university's instructions, and application procedures and required documents vary by university. Either way that is not a formality: their notice governs your first round even where the NIIED guideline sounds general. Read it before you pay for a single apostille or translation.

The submission channel — online system, email, post, or in person — and the local deadline.
Whether photocopies, scans, or documents without a certified translation are accepted in the first round.
How many copies of each document to bring or send.
Any extra document, such as a portfolio, that a university requires directly.
Whether any country-specific certificate applies to you, and in what form it must be authenticated.
Which of your certificates need an apostille and which can take consular confirmation, given where each was issued.

Preparation traps worth checking early rather than late: a form file from a previous cycle, a rule copied from the other program or the other track, a name or date of birth that differs between two documents, and translation, notarization, or apostille appointments booked too close to the deadline. These are preparation risks, not a list of official rejection reasons.

Frequently asked questions

What documents are required for GKS?: There is no single GKS document list. Each application needs a set of GKS forms plus authenticated certificates, but which forms and which certificates depend on the program (GKS-U or GKS-G), the track (Embassy or University), and the stage. The 2027 GKS-U guideline uses Forms 1–7 and the 2026 GKS-G guideline uses Forms 1–10, and both require proof of citizenship and family relationship, graduation certificates and academic transcripts.
Are GKS-U and GKS-G application documents the same?: No. The 2027 GKS-U guideline lists seven forms and eighteen numbered documents; the 2026 GKS-G guideline lists ten forms and twenty-two. Form 4 is not even the same document: it is the Recommendation Letter for GKS-U and the Research Proposal for GKS-G. Use the guideline for the program you are applying to and do not reuse the other one's list.
Are the documents different for the Embassy Track and the University Track?: The list of documents is largely shared within a program, but the submission route is not, and a few rows are track-specific. In the 2026 GKS-G cycle the Embassy Track first round went through the Study in Korea System, while University Track first-round requirements were set by each university — and the research-program rows (Research Proposal, Letter of Invitation) appear only in the University Track table. In the 2026 GKS-U cycle the first round was set by each embassy or university for both tracks, and the number of copies for the later NIIED round differed by track.
Do GKS documents need an apostille or consular confirmation?: The required certificates do, at the NIIED stage — not the forms. Both 2026 guidelines say that if your country is a member of the Apostille Convention you submit the required certificates with an apostille, and otherwise with consular confirmation. The completed GKS forms are submitted as signed originals and explicitly do not need to be apostilled or consular confirmed.
Do translated documents need to be notarized?: Usually the guidelines ask for a certified translation rather than notarization, but there are real exceptions and they are easy to miss. The general rule is that a document written in a language other than English or Korean must be submitted together with a certified translation, and the apostille or consular confirmation goes on either the original document or that translation. However, the 2026 GKS-G guideline requires Chinese-language documents to be translated and notarized and submitted with an apostille, and the 2026 GKS-U guideline asks for a notarized certificate of expected graduation where that certificate itself cannot be authenticated. Both guidelines separately state that a notarized copy of an already-apostilled document is not accepted.
Do I submit originals or copies in the first round?: That is the one thing you cannot answer from the guideline alone. For the 2026 GKS-U cycle the first-round submission requirements — including whether photocopies, electronic files or untranslated documents are accepted — were set by each embassy or university. The 2026 GKS-G Embassy Track uploaded scans to the Study in Korea System, and its University Track requirements were again set by each university. Originals and authenticated certificates are what the later NIIED round requires.
What does an applicant who has not graduated yet submit?: A certificate of expected graduation at application time, followed by the real one later. In the 2027 GKS-U cycle an applicant expected to graduate as of 31 December 2026 who passes the first round must submit the graduation certificate and transcript by that date, and the guideline states that failing to do so cancels the acceptance. In the 2026 GKS-G cycle an applicant expected to graduate by 31 July 2026 submitted a transcript covering all semesters so far, then the final apostilled or consular-confirmed transcript by that date.
Is a recommendation letter required, and at which stage?: Yes, in both programs, and the handling differs. The 2026 GKS-U guideline required Form 4 (Recommender's Information) and said the recommendation letter must be the original, sealed in an envelope, for the first round. The 2026 GKS-G guideline required one letter on Form 5, dated within one year of the application deadline; Embassy Track applicants uploaded a scan of the signed letter for the first round and submitted the original to NIIED in the second.
Where do I find the current GKS application forms?: On the official Study in Korea GKS notice for your program. Each application-guideline notice carries the guideline itself plus an application-forms file as separate attachments, so the forms always come from the same notice as the rules that describe them. Do not reuse a form file from a previous cycle or from a third-party site.
Are the GKS 2027 document requirements available yet?: For undergraduates, yes. NIIED published the 2027 GKS-U application guidelines on 9 September 2026, and the GKS-U rows on this page follow them — including (Form 7) Consent to Collect and Use Personal Information, which the 2027 form set adds and which is required on both tracks. The 2027 GKS-G guidelines are not published, so the graduate rows still describe the 2026 cycle. The 2027 embassy track takes applications from 15 to 30 September 2026.
Which requirements must I confirm with my embassy or university?: The first-round submission channel, the accepted file or copy format, the number of copies, any local deadline, and any extra document such as a portfolio. The 2026 GKS-G guideline says the first-round institution may add or simplify documentation requirements at its own discretion; the 2026 GKS-U guideline says it may simplify the submission of documents based on its own selection procedure. Either way that institution's notice governs your first round, so read it before you pay for an apostille or a translation.

Answers drawn from 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (English).pdf and 2026 GKS-G Application Guidelines (English)_0220.pdf, plus the Study in Korea scholarship notice board for the 2027 status · 2027 cycle · last verified 2026-09-09

Sources and next steps

Every requirement on this page was read out of the documents below on 2026-09-09. Where a guideline and a local notice disagree about your first round, the notice from the institution running that round is the one to follow.

Source	Scope	Cycle · published
2027 Global Korea Scholarship for Undergraduate Degrees / 2027년 정부초청 외국인 학부 장학생 모집 요강	Undergraduate program. Attachment of record: 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (English).pdf	2027 · 2026-09-09
2026 Application Guidelines of Global Korea Scholarship for Graduate Degrees (GKS-G)	Graduate program. Attachment of record: 2026 GKS-G Application Guidelines (English)_0220.pdf	2026 · 2026-02-02
Study in Korea · GKS scholarship notices	Where new guidelines, corrections, and the next cycle are announced. Check it for anything published after our last verification date.	Ongoing
Your first-round embassy notice	Submission channel, copy counts, local deadlines, and country-specific rules for Embassy Track applicants. Published by the Korean embassy of your citizenship.	Per cycle · verify locally
Your first-round university notice	Submission format and any additional documents for University Track applicants. Published by the university you apply to.	Per cycle · verify locally

Next steps

Check the GKS application timeline Explore GKS universities and tracks Write your study plan and personal statement Check your GKS GPA baseline

Unofficial guide · independent, not affiliated with GKS, NIIED, or the South Korean government.Cycle 2027 · last verified 2026-09-09Confirm every requirement against the published guidelines and your first-round notice.