Preparing documents is one of the most important parts of the GKS Scholarship 2027 application. A strong personal statement will not help if a required certificate is missing, the applicant’s name does not match the passport, or a document lacks the correct apostille or consular confirmation.

The official Global Korea Scholarship 2027 undergraduate guidelines divide the application package into three groups: application forms, required certificates, and other supporting documents. Submission rules also differ between the Embassy Track and University Track. This guide explains every document in clear language so applicants can prepare a complete and correctly authenticated application.

For more application guides, scholarship updates and GKS resources, visit www.gksscholarship.com.

Quick GKS Scholarship 2027 Document Checklist

Category	Documents
Seven application forms	Application Form, Personal Statement, Study Plan, Recommendation Letter, GKS Applicant Agreement, Personal Medical Assessment, Consent to Collect and Use Personal Information
Core required certificates	Citizenship and family relationship proof, graduation certificate or expected graduation certificate, academic transcript
Conditional certificates	Associate degree documents, Overseas Korean or adoptee proof, Korean citizenship renunciation proof, Korean War veteran descendant proof
Language and supporting evidence	TOPIK, TOEFL or IELTS report, up to five awards or activity certificates, passport copy

GKS Scholarship 2027 Documents Checklist

No.	Document	Required?
1	Application Form	Yes
2	Personal Statement	Yes
3	Study Plan	Yes
4	Recommendation Letter	Yes
5	GKS Applicant Agreement	Yes
6	Personal Medical Assessment	Yes
7	Consent to Collect & Use Personal Information	Yes
8	Applicant Citizenship Proof	Yes
9	Parent/Guardian Citizenship Proof	Yes
10	Family Relationship Proof	Yes
11	High School Graduation Certificate	Yes
12	High School Transcript	Yes
13	Associate Degree Certificate & Transcript	If applicable
14	Korean Citizenship Renunciation Proof	If applicable
15	Overseas Korean/Adoptee Proof	If applicable
16	TOPIK Certificate	Optional
17	TOEFL/IELTS Certificate	Optional
18	Awards and Certificates	Optional, max. 5
19	Passport Copy	If applicable

The GKS Scholarship 2027 Application Forms

All applicants must complete the official NIIED forms. Embassy Track applicants complete several forms directly in the Study in Korea system during the first round. University Track applicants complete the official forms according to their chosen university’s instructions.

Form 1 Application Form

The Application Form contains the applicant’s personal details, education, selected program, university choices, department choices, language scores and other basic information. The Application Form must be written in English.

• Write your English name exactly as it appears in your passport, including family, given and middle names.
• Use only the official university and department names listed in the 2027 University Information file.
• Embassy Track applicants who pass the first round must print the online application and add original handwritten signatures wherever required.

Form 2 Personal Statement

The Personal Statement explains your background, academic interests, meaningful experiences, strengths, activities, achievements and motivation for applying. It may be written in English or Korean.

• Support important claims with evidence, such as awards, activities or certificates.
• Explain why your intended field and Korea are relevant to your goals.
• Keep the story consistent with your selected major and Study Plan.

Form 3 Study Plan

The Study Plan explains how you will develop your Korean language ability, what you plan to study, and how the GKS Scholarship 2027 will support your future career. It may be written in English or Korean.

• Include a realistic Korean language learning plan.
• Describe your academic goals and intended area of study.
• Explain how you will use your education after graduation.

Form 4 Recommendation Letter

The recommendation should come from a credible person who can evaluate your academic ability, such as a high school teacher, school principal or department chair. The letter must have been issued within one year before the application deadline.

• One recommendation letter is required.
• Applicants may submit recommendation letters from up to two referees if they wish.
• Embassy Track applicants upload a scanned copy prepared by the recommender.
• University Track applicants normally submit the original letter in a sealed envelope signed by the recommender across the back flap, following the university’s instructions.

Form 5 GKS Applicant Agreement

The Applicant Agreement confirms that you understand and accept the scholarship rules. Read every statement before signing. A missing signature can make the application incomplete.

Form 6 Personal Medical Assessment

This is a self-reported assessment of your physical and mental health. Answer all questions truthfully. All applicants must be healthy enough to study in Korea for the full scholarship period.

Form 7 Consent to Collect and Use Personal Information

This form authorizes the institutions involved in the selection process to collect and use the personal information needed to review and administer your application. Complete and sign every required section.

Required Certificates for GKS Scholarship 2027

Required certificates normally need an apostille or consular confirmation for submission to NIIED in the second round. Applicants should begin collecting these documents early because authentication and certified translation can take time.

Proof of Citizenship and Family Relationship

You must prove both your family relationship with your parents or legal guardians and the citizenship of the applicant and parents. A birth certificate, family register or similar government-issued record may be used when it contains the required information.

• The document must show the relationship between the applicant and parents.
• It must also clearly show citizenship. Ethnicity, birthplace or residence is not accepted as proof of citizenship.
• If citizenship is not shown, include valid passport copies or another government-issued ID that clearly states citizenship.
• If a parent’s documents cannot be provided because of death, divorce or another valid reason, submit supporting evidence such as a death or divorce certificate.

High School Graduation Certificate

Applicants must submit a high school graduation certificate, diploma or expected graduation certificate. The document should clearly state the date or month of graduation.

• Expected graduates must graduate by December 31, 2026.
• An expected graduation certificate must show the expected graduation date or month.
• Applicants who pass the first round must submit their final graduation certificate and final transcript by December 31, 2026.
• A provisional certificate without a final graduation date is treated as an expected graduation certificate.

If an expected graduation certificate cannot be authenticated because of government policy, the guidelines allow an authenticated enrollment certificate together with a notarized expected graduation certificate. A simple enrollment certificate without an expected graduation date is not enough.

High School Academic Transcript

Submit an official transcript covering the full high school curriculum. The transcript must allow the selection committee to verify that you meet the GKS Scholarship 2027 grade requirement.

• The accepted scales are 4.0, 4.3, 4.5, 5.0 or a 100-point scale.
• If the transcript does not use an accepted scale, submit an officially converted transcript or an official explanation of the school’s grading system.
• A conversion from a website such as Scholaro or WES is accepted only if your school officially authenticates it.
• If the transcript shows a cumulative GPA for the full academic period, individual semester GPAs are not essential.
• Transferred students should provide earlier school records if pre-transfer grades do not appear on the final transcript.

Associate Degree Certificate and Transcript

An applicant using an associate degree as the previous qualification for a bachelor’s program must submit the associate degree graduation or expected graduation certificate and the complete associate degree transcript. These replace the high school program as the primary previous degree record for grade evaluation, although applicants should follow the exact checklist and institutional instructions.

Conditional Documents Required Only for Some Applicants

These are all the conditional documents required only for some applicants.

Proof of Overseas Korean or Korean Adoptee Status

Applicants using the Overseas Koreans and Adoptees program must submit official evidence of that status. This may include a family register, birth certificate or other document proving the required relationship to a lineal ascendant.

Proof of Korean Citizenship Renunciation

If the applicant or a parent previously held Korean citizenship, submit a Korean government document that confirms the definite loss or renunciation of Korean citizenship and its date. An application receipt or proof that renunciation was merely requested is not accepted.

Proof of Korean War Veteran Descendant Status

Applicants claiming the additional points available to descendants of Korean War veterans must submit a government-issued certificate proving that the lineal ascendant served in a foreign military and participated in the Korean War. They must also submit documents proving the family relationship between the veteran and applicant.

Language Certificates and Optional Supporting Documents

TOPIK Score Report

TOPIK is optional under the central GKS requirements, but it can strengthen the application and may provide additional points. Submit a printed score report from the official TOPIK website. The 2027 guidelines recognize TOPIK PBT examinations 96 through 109 and TOPIK IBT examinations 4 through 16.

TOEFL or IELTS Score Report

English proficiency scores are also optional unless a university or department requires them. Submit a printed valid score report from the official test website or a copy of the original certificate. Confirm the score validity date before applying.

Awards and Other Certificates

Applicants may submit up to five documents showing activities or achievements from high school onward. Choose evidence directly connected to the Personal Statement, Study Plan or intended major.

• Good examples include academic awards, competition results, leadership certificates, volunteering records and relevant training certificates.
• These optional documents do not need apostille or consular confirmation.
• Quality matters more than quantity. Do not fill all five slots with weak or unrelated material.

Passport Copy

A passport copy is optional as a supplementary document, but it becomes important when the main citizenship records do not clearly state citizenship. It also helps ensure that the English name in the application matches the passport exactly.

Apostille and Consular Confirmation Rules

Document authentication is one of the most confusing parts of the GKS Scholarship 2027 application. The seven forms you complete do not need apostille or consular confirmation. Required certificates, including citizenship, family, graduation and transcript records, must normally be authenticated for the NIIED second-round submission.

Situation	What to do
Document issued in an Apostille Convention country	Obtain an apostille. The guidelines also permit consular confirmation for high school graduation certificates and transcripts.
Document issued in a non-Apostille country	Obtain consular confirmation from the Korean embassy or consulate.
Document not in English or Korean	Attach a certified translation. Authenticate either the original document or the certified translation.
Old authenticated document	Use it within the stated validity period. If no expiry is shown, submit it within two years from authentication.
Digital certificate	It still requires apostille or consular confirmation.
Irreplaceable original	Keep the original and authenticate an acceptable notarized or certified copy.

Simple Copies and Notarized Copies Are Not Enough

A photocopy of an apostilled or consular-confirmed document is treated as a simple copy and is not accepted. An ordinary notary’s certified copy of an already authenticated document is also not enough. An acceptable certified true copy may be issued by the government authority that issued the apostille or by a Korean embassy after checking the authenticated document.

Translation Requirements

Every document written in a language other than Korean or English must be accompanied by a certified translation. For a required certificate, an apostille or consular confirmation is needed on either the original-language document or the certified translation. Applicants do not need to authenticate both versions when one is properly authenticated.

Embassy Track Document Submission

Embassy Track applicants apply online through the Study in Korea system. During the first round, they complete the online forms and upload scanned copies of the required certificates, recommendation letter and supporting evidence.

1. Complete the Application Form, Personal Statement, Study Plan, agreements and medical assessment in the online system.
2. Upload clear scans of required certificates and conditional documents.
3. Upload the recommendation letter prepared by the recommender.
4. Upload language scores, awards and passport copy when applicable.
5. If selected in the first round, print the online forms, add original handwritten signatures and submit one original set by the embassy’s deadline.
6. Submit original or properly authenticated required certificates for the second-round review.

University Track Document Submission

University Track applicants do not submit their applications through the Study in Korea online system. They apply directly to one participating university and one department according to the university’s notice.

7. Check the university’s deadline, address and accepted delivery method.
8. Complete the official NIIED forms and any additional university forms.
9. Prepare required certificates with authentication and certified translations where necessary.
10. Submit the recommendation letter in the format required by the university, usually sealed and signed across the flap.
11. Include any university-specific documents and submit the package before the university deadline.

University procedures vary, so the university’s own 2027 GKS notice must be checked even when the general NIIED checklist is complete.

Required Documents (Embassy Track)

Required Documents (University Track)

How to Arrange the GKS Scholarship 2027 Documents

• Use the official Application Checklist as the front cover of the document set.
• Arrange every item in the exact order shown on the checklist.
• Number and label each document in the upper-right corner.
• Use A4 or Letter-size pages.
• Mount smaller documents on a blank A4 or Letter-size sheet.
• Fold documents larger than A4 to the required size.
• Check that all signatures are present before submission.
• Keep a complete scanned copy of everything you submit because documents sent to NIIED are not returned.

Common Document Mistakes That Can Cause Rejection

• Missing a required signature on an application form
• Using a name that does not exactly match the passport
• Submitting citizenship documents that show birthplace or ethnicity but not legal citizenship
• Submitting an expected graduation certificate without an expected graduation date
• Submitting grades without an accepted CGPA scale, official conversion or class-rank evidence
• Using an ordinary notarized copy when apostille or consular confirmation is required
• Submitting a simple photocopy of an authenticated document
• Forgetting the certified translation for a document not written in Korean or English
• Writing a department name differently from the official University Information file
• Submitting more than five optional awards or irrelevant supporting material
• Ignoring additional documents requested by the Korean embassy or chosen university

Final Document Checklist for GKS Scholarship 2027

• All seven required application forms are complete.
• The Application Form is written in English.
• The Personal Statement and Study Plan are written in English or Korean.
• Every required signature has been added.
• My English name matches my passport exactly.
• The official university and department names are correct.
• Citizenship and family relationship are both clearly proven.
• My graduation certificate shows the graduation or expected graduation date.
• My transcript shows an accepted CGPA scale or includes an official conversion.
• Every required certificate has the correct apostille or consular confirmation.
• Every non-English and non-Korean document has a certified translation.
• My recommendation letter is dated within one year of the deadline.
• I included only relevant optional evidence, with no more than five award or activity documents.
• The documents are ordered, numbered, labeled and formatted on A4 or Letter-size pages.
• I checked my embassy or university notice for additional requirements.
• I saved a complete copy of the final application package.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all GKS Scholarship 2027 documents need an apostille

No. The application forms you complete do not need an apostille. Required certificates, such as citizenship, family relationship, graduation and transcript documents, normally require apostille or consular confirmation for the second-round submission to NIIED. Optional awards do not require authentication.

Can I apply with scanned copies

Embassy Track applicants upload scans for the first-round online application. If they pass the first round, they must submit printed signed forms and original or authenticated required documents by the embassy’s deadline. University Track applicants follow the selected university’s submission rules.

Can I submit documents in my local language

Yes, but every document not written in Korean or English must include a certified translation. Required certificates must also have apostille or consular confirmation on either the original or the certified translation.

Are IELTS and TOPIK mandatory

They are optional under the central GKS Scholarship 2027 guidelines. However, a university or department may require a language score, and submitting a valid score can strengthen the application.

Will NIIED return my original documents

No. Documents submitted to NIIED are not returned. Prepare an acceptable authenticated certified copy when an original cannot be replaced, and keep copies of the complete package.

Conclusion

The safest way to prepare the documents required for the GKS Scholarship 2027 is to start with the official checklist, collect civil and academic certificates early, complete authentication and translation carefully, and compare the final package with the instructions of the embassy or university handling the first round.

For more detailed guidance about the Global Korea Scholarship 2027, application deadlines, eligibility, universities and scholarship benefits, visit www.gksscholarship.com and check regularly for new GKS updates.

Most importantly, do not simply copy information from previous GKS years. The GKS Scholarship 2027 includes updated quotas, financial benefits, application dates, university choices, evaluation criteria and application procedures, so applicants should prepare their documents using the official 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines.

You can download the important documents by clicking the following links: