GKS Korea Government Scholarship 2027: Stipends, Deadlines, Tracks

The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS-G) is the Korean government's flagship fully funded award for international students: full tuition, a monthly allowance of KRW 900,000 for graduate students, return airfare and a compulsory one-year Korean language course, all managed by NIIED under the Ministry of Education. For the 2027 intake, the embassy-track window falls in February–March 2027 — applications through Korean embassies close in mid-February, with the university track following.

What GKS-G covers

The scholarship runs for the standard programme length plus the Korean language year — plan for a 2-year master's to mean 3 years in Korea. Scholars who reach TOPIK level 3+ before arrival can sometimes skip part of the language year and receive an exemption allowance instead.

Embassy track vs university track

You may apply through only one track — applying to both disqualifies you.

Who is eligible

• Age under 40, and for the graduate track a bachelor's degree (for master's) or master's (for PhD) — see our guide if you are weighing PhD study without a master's.
• GPAA above 80% on the GKS grade scale — the embassies convert your transcript; our grade conversion guide helps you estimate where you stand.
• Applicant and parents not Korean citizens (with narrow exceptions for overseas Koreans).
• English evidence depends on the track and university — many accept prior English-taught degrees; some ask for IELTS/TOEFL. Our IELTS alternatives guide covers the common substitutes.

How the selection works

1. Embassy shortlist (round 1): document screening — the personal statement and study plan decide most of it.
2. NIIED screening (round 2): quota allocation across countries.
3. University placement (round 3): your three choices are matched with available slots; strong applicants usually get their first or second choice.

The personal statement should explain why Korea, why this field and what you will do with it at home — GKS is a soft-power programme and returns to your country are part of the deal. Structure it like our personal statement examples, but with Korea-specific specificity.

GKS monthly allowance in context

KRW 900,000 is roughly €590–620/month depending on the exchange rate — modest, but Korean universities provide subsidized dormitories (often KRW 300,000–600,000/semester) and campus meals are cheap. GKS scholars in regional cities report comfortable living; Seoul is tighter. Compare with other government scholarships:

Questions applicants often ask

Can I choose my university? Embassy track: three ranked choices from the designated list; placement is confirmed after selection.

Do I need TOPIK (Korean)? No for admission — that is what the language year is for — but TOPIK 3+ before arrival unlocks benefits.

What about a PhD under GKS? Fully covered like the master's; pair it with our supervisor-contact guide if your department expects a supervisor match.

Documents checklist (embassy track)

Embassies differ on whether they want originals, copies or scans in round 1 — read your embassy's notice. One mismatched checklist item is the most common reason files are returned unreviewed.

Five mistakes that sink GKS applications

1. Generic statements — "Korea has advanced technology" appears in half of all applications; naming your target department's specific professors and labs signals seriousness.
2. Applying through both tracks — automatic disqualification.
3. Missing parents' citizenship proof — required even when it feels irrelevant.
4. Choosing only Seoul universities — competition concentrates there; regional universities admit far more scholars per applicant.
5. Transcript conversions without scale — include your university's grading scale so the 80% threshold can be verified; see our grade conversion guide.

For the writing itself, our personal statement structure transfers directly — swap UK references for Korean university specifics.