Korean Government Scholarship Program 2026 (500+ Scholarships)
The Korean Government Scholarship Program 2026 (KGSP or GKS) is a fully funded scholarship for international students from around the world to study in South Korea. It covers Bachelors, Masters, PhD and research programs at top universities like Seoul National University KAIST, Yonsei University Korea University and many others. You get full tuition monthly stipend round-trip airfare health insurance Korean language training and settlement help. Over 1900 scholarships are available for graduate levels and more than 500 for the whole program. Applications open in February 2026 and close in March 2026 depending on your country or university track.
Korean Government Scholarship Program Summary
| Host Country | South Korea |
| Study Levels | Bachelors, Masters, PhD, Research |
| Scholarship Coverage | Fully Funded |
| Number of Awards | 1,900+ awards for graduate programs 500+ total awards overall |
| Application Deadline | February – March 2026 |
About the Korean Government Scholarship Program
The Korean Government runs this scholarship to bring smart students to South Korea. It started many years ago and now helps thousands from different countries. You study in English or Korean programs at over 80 universities. Before your degree you take Korean language classes for free. You live in dorms or get housing help and join clubs events and trips. It helps you make friends learn culture and get good jobs after. Many winners work in Korea or go home to help their countries.
See Also: Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) Nonresident Fellowship 2026–2027
KGSP Benefits
You get full support.
- Full tuition fees paid.
- Monthly stipend for living costs (around 900,000 KRW for Master’s PhD).
- Round-trip airfare from your country.
- Health insurance.
- Settlement money when you arrive.
- Free Korean language training (1 year if needed).
- Housing allowance or dorm place.
- Research support for PhD.
Eligibility Criteria
- You must not be Korean citizen (or parent not Korean).
- You need good grades (at least 80% or equivalent).
- You must be healthy.
- For Master’s you need Bachelor’s degree.
- For PhD you need Master’s degree.
- Age limit is usually under 40 for graduate.
- You can apply through embassy track or university track.
- It is open to all countries.
Required Documents
You need these papers.
- Application form.
- Study plan or personal statement.
- Letters of recommendation.
- Transcripts and degree certificates.
- Passport copy.
- Health check report.
- Language proof if asked (TOPIK or English test).
Some tracks need extra like research proposal.
KGSP Dates / Deadline
Applications open February 2026.
Deadline is March 2026 (different for each country).
Results announced June 2026.
Study starts September 2026.
Check exact dates on official site.
How to Apply for Korean Government Scholarship Program
There are two ways.
Embassy track: Apply at Korean embassy in your country.
University track: Apply direct to Korean university.
- Check your country’s quota on studyinkorea.go.kr.
- Choose program and university.
- Fill online form.
- Upload papers.
- Submit by deadline.
- They review and may interview.
- Winners get results in June 2026.
Apply: https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/in/plan/scholarship.do
