The GKS Scholarship 2027, officially called the Global Korea Scholarship 2027, is a fully funded Korean government scholarship administered by the National Institute for International Education, or NIIED. The undergraduate program gives international students an opportunity to complete an associate or bachelor’s degree in South Korea, normally after one year of Korean language training.

For 2027, the GKS Undergraduate program plans to select 286 scholars. Applicants must choose either the Embassy Track or the University Track. The correct route depends on nationality, degree level, available universities, preferred major and the number of university choices an applicant wants.

This guide explains how to apply for the Global Korea Scholarship 2027 from beginning to end, using the official 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines. Applicants should also check the separate University Information file and the latest notice issued by their Korean embassy or chosen university, because local deadlines and additional requirements may apply.

What Does the GKS Scholarship 2027 Cover

The Global Korea Scholarship 2027 provides major educational and living support throughout the scholarship period. The benefit amounts in the guidelines may be changed by NIIED.

• Tuition: NIIED covers up to KRW 5 million, and the university covers the amount above KRW 5 million as well as the admission fee.
• Korean language program fee: KRW 5.2 million per year for scholars assigned to Korean language training.
• Airfare: an economy-class flight ticket based on actual expense, subject to the exclusions in the guidelines.
• Monthly allowance: KRW 13,560,000 per year during the Korean language program and KRW 14,400,000 per year during the degree program.
• The monthly allowance is an all-inclusive subsidy covering living costs, accommodation, health insurance, Korean proficiency grants, the TOPIK application fee, settlement allowance and degree completion grants.

Important: GKS Scholarship 2027 selected scholars who are residing in Korea at the time of the final announcement do not receive entry airfare. Entry airfare and visa application support are also not provided when a scholar enters Korea from a country other than the scholar’s country of citizenship.

Step 1 Check Your Eligibility for the GKS Scholarship 2027

Before collecting documents, confirm that you meet every basic condition. An excellent application cannot pass if a mandatory eligibility condition is missing.

Nationality Requirements

• You must hold citizenship of a country designated by NIIED for the relevant GKS program. The UIC Program is open to applicants from all countries worldwide.
• Your parents or legal guardians must hold citizenship of a country other than Korea.
• You are not eligible if you or a parent holds Korean dual citizenship.
• If you or your parents previously held Korean citizenship, you must provide Korean government documents proving the definite loss or renunciation of Korean citizenship and the relevant date.
• A nationality change during the selection process leads to exclusion, except where the UIC rules state otherwise.

Age Requirement

Applicants must be under 25 years old. For the GKS Scholarship 2027 undergraduate program, eligible applicants must have been born after March 1, 2002.

Education Requirement

• For a bachelor’s degree, you must have graduated, or expect to graduate, from high school or an associate degree program.
• For an associate degree, you must have graduated, or expect to graduate, from high school.
• Applicants who already hold a bachelor’s degree cannot apply.
• An applicant with an associate degree may apply only for a bachelor’s degree program.
• Expected graduates must graduate by December 31, 2026. They initially submit an expected graduation certificate, then, if they pass the first round, submit the final graduation certificate and transcript by December 31, 2026.

Academic Grade Requirement

Your cumulative academic record from the previous degree program must meet at least one of these conditions:

• 80 percent or higher on a 100-point scale
• Ranked within the top 20 percent of the class
• A CGPA of at least 2.64 out of 4.0, 2.80 out of 4.3, 2.91 out of 4.5, or 3.23 out of 5.0

If your transcript does not show an accepted CGPA scale and cannot be directly converted, obtain an official explanation or converted transcript authenticated by your school. A conversion printed from a third-party website is valid only when the school officially confirms it.

Health and Other Eligibility Conditions

• You must be mentally and physically healthy enough to study in Korea for the full program.
• You must have no legal ground, such as a relevant criminal history, that disqualifies you from overseas travel.
• Graduates or expected graduates of Korean high schools, including international schools in Korea, and Korean associate degree programs are generally ineligible.
• Previous recipients of a Korean government degree scholarship, including former GKS degree scholars, are generally ineligible under the restrictions in the guidelines.
• Applicants who withdrew or were disqualified after being selected as GKS scholars within the recent three years cannot apply.

Step 2 Choose the Correct Application Track

You cannot apply through both tracks at the same time. Compare the two routes carefully before starting your GKS Scholarship 2027 application.

An Embassy Track applicant who fails the first round may later apply once through the University Track, provided the university deadline is still open. An applicant who passes the Embassy Track first round, including as a backup candidate, cannot apply through the University Track.

Step 3 Research Universities and Departments

Download the official University Information file attached to the 2027 GKS notice on Study in Korea. You may apply only to universities and departments listed there. Use the exact official university and department names in your application.

Embassy Track University Choices

• General and Overseas Koreans and Adoptees applicants may choose up to three different universities. At least one choice must be a Type B university.
• R-GKS applicants may choose up to two universities, and both must be Type B universities.
• You may select the same or related major at different universities, but you cannot select several departments within the same university.

University Track Choice

University Track applicants may select only one university and one department. Applying to multiple universities, programs or tracks can cause disqualification, even if the duplication is discovered after selection.

A Smarter University Selection Strategy

Do not choose universities only by fame or ranking. Embassy Track candidates still need university admission in the third round. Selecting three extremely competitive universities can result in rejection from all choices even after passing the NIIED review. Compare academic fit, department strengths, language requirements, location, living costs and your realistic admission profile. Remember that accommodation is paid from the monthly allowance, and living costs are usually higher in metropolitan areas.

Step 4 Build Your GKS Scholarship 2027 Document Checklist

The official application package separates documents you complete from certificates issued by schools or governments. Prepare the documents early, especially those needing apostille, consular confirmation or certified translation.

Required Application Forms

1. Application Form
2. Personal Statement
3. Study Plan
4. Recommendation Letter
5. GKS Applicant Agreement
6. Personal Medical Assessment
7. Consent to Collect and Use Personal Information

Required Certificates and Supporting Documents

• Proof of the applicant’s and parents’ citizenship, plus proof of family relationship
• High school graduation certificate or expected graduation certificate
• Complete high school academic transcript
• For relevant bachelor’s applicants, associate degree graduation or expected graduation certificate and academic transcript
• Proof of Overseas Korean or adoptee status, if applicable
• Proof of Korean citizenship renunciation, if applicable
• Proof of status as a descendant of a Korean War veteran, if applicable
• Valid TOPIK or English test score report, if submitted
• Up to five awards or certificates related to activities and achievements from high school onward
• Passport copy, especially when citizenship is not clearly shown in the main citizenship documents

Step 5 Legalize and Translate the Required Certificates

For the second-round submission to NIIED, required certificates must carry an apostille or consular confirmation. Documents written in a language other than Korean or English must also include a certified translation.

• If the issuing country is a member of the Apostille Convention, use an apostille. The guidelines state that high school graduation certificates and transcripts may also be submitted with consular confirmation.
• For countries outside the Apostille Convention, obtain consular confirmation from the relevant Korean embassy or consulate.
• For a non-Korean or non-English document, authentication is needed on either the original document or the certified translation, not necessarily both.
• A simple photocopy or an ordinary notarized copy of an already apostilled document is not accepted. Use a certified true copy issued by the original apostille authority or certified by a Korean embassy.
• If the authentication has no stated expiry date, it is accepted only when submitted within two years of the authentication date.
• Documents submitted to NIIED are not returned. Do not surrender an irreplaceable original when an acceptable authenticated certified copy can be prepared.

Applicants who pass the first round should prepare more than one authenticated copy of their final graduation certificate. It may later be needed by the degree university, the Korean embassy for the visa and Korean immigration.

Step 6 Write a Strong Personal Statement

The personal statement should make the selection committee understand who you are, what you have done and why those experiences make you a strong candidate for the GKS Scholarship 2027. Avoid copying a generic scholarship essay.

• Open with a specific experience or problem that shaped your academic direction.
• Connect your academic record, activities, leadership, volunteering, awards or challenges to your intended field.
• Explain why Korea is academically relevant to your goal. Focus on the field, institutions, research, industry or social context, not only Korean entertainment or tourism.
• Show evidence of contribution to your community, international exchange or cross-cultural understanding.
• Explain obstacles honestly, but emphasize the action you took and the progress you made.
• Use examples, results and reflection. Replace broad claims such as ‘I am hardworking’ with proof.

Step 7 Prepare a Realistic Study Plan

A convincing study plan connects language preparation, university study and long-term goals. It should match the exact department and program you selected.

• Language plan: explain how you will develop Korean before arrival and reach the TOPIK level needed for your degree.
• Academic plan: identify the subjects, skills and academic questions you want to pursue.
• Campus plan: mention relevant academic activities, laboratories, projects or clubs only after confirming they actually exist.
• Career plan: explain how the degree will help you contribute to your home country, Korea or cooperation between both countries.
• Consistency: your personal statement, study plan, selected major and future goal should tell one coherent story.

The Application Form must be written in English. The Personal Statement and Study Plan may be written in either English or Korean.

Step 8 Obtain the Recommendation Letter

The recommender should be someone who can evaluate your academic ability in detail, such as a high school teacher, principal or department chair. The letter must be issued within one year before the application deadline. One letter is required, although applicants may submit letters from up to two referees.

• Give the recommender your academic goals, achievements, intended major and a copy of your application narrative.
• Ask early and allow enough time for a detailed letter.
• Embassy Track applicants upload a scanned copy through the online system.
• University Track applicants generally submit the original letter in a sealed envelope, signed by the recommender across the back flap, according to the university’s instructions.

Step 9 Submit the GKS Scholarship 2027 Application

How to Apply Through the Embassy Track

8. Create or access your account on the Study in Korea website at www.studyinkorea.go.kr.
9. Open the 2027 GKS Undergraduate Embassy Track application during the official application period.
10. Complete the required online sections and enter your information exactly as shown on your passport.
11. Select the correct program, universities and departments. General and O&A applicants must include at least one Type B university.
12. Upload scanned copies of the required certificates, supporting documents and recommendation letter.
13. Review every field, attachment and university choice, then submit before September 30, 2026 at 18:00 KST.
14. If you pass the embassy’s first round, print the online forms, add original handwritten signatures and submit one original set plus authenticated required certificates by the embassy’s stated deadline.

How to Apply Through the University Track

15. Choose one participating UIC or associate degree university and one department.
16. Visit the university’s official website and find its 2027 GKS-U University Track notice.
17. Confirm its deadline, delivery method, address, university forms and any additional requirements.
18. Complete the NIIED application forms and prepare the original, authenticated and translated documents as instructed.
19. Place the recommendation letter in the required sealed and signed envelope.
20. Submit the package directly to the university by its deadline. The University Track is not submitted through the Study in Korea online application system.

Step 10 Format and Check the Physical Document Set

• Arrange documents in the order shown on the official Application Checklist, and use that checklist as the front cover.
• Number and label every document at the top right corner.
• Use A4 or Letter-size pages. Attach smaller documents to a blank A4 or Letter-size sheet, and fold larger pages to size.
• Check every signature field. Missing documents or signatures may cause exclusion.
• Use the exact official department name and make sure your English name matches your passport, including family, given and middle names.
• Keep clear digital scans and a full copy of the final application for your records.

Step 11 Prepare for the Interview and Evaluation

Selection committees first verify eligibility and document completeness. Candidates who pass that review are assessed on competency through documents and an oral interview. Evaluation considers academic performance, language ability, academic activities, contribution to society and international exchange, future potential, and the completeness and authenticity of the application.

• Know every statement in your application and be ready to explain it with examples.
• Prepare a clear answer for why Korea, why this major, why these universities and what you will do after graduation.
• Study the selected department’s curriculum and explain how it supports your goals.
• Practice concise answers in English or Korean, depending on the embassy or university’s interview method.
• Never exaggerate or invent achievements. Authenticity is part of the evaluation.

Language Scores and Additional Points

TOPIK, TOEFL and IELTS scores are optional at the central GKS application level, but individual universities or departments may require a particular level. Valid language scores can strengthen the application.

• TOPIK level 3 adds 3 percent of the total score, level 4 adds 4 percent, and level 5 or higher adds 5 percent.
• Applicants to science and engineering departments receive an additional 5 percent of the total allocated score.
• Direct descendants of eligible Korean War veterans receive an additional 10 percent.
• Only the highest score is recognized when multiple reports for the same language are submitted.

Step 12 Track the Selection Results

Check the GKS Notice board and My Page on Study in Korea regularly. NIIED does not individually notify every applicant at every stage. The published schedule may change during the application process.

What Happens After Final Selection

Most scholars complete one year of Korean language training before beginning the degree. Scholars who already hold a valid TOPIK level 5 or 6 may be exempt. Scholars who obtain TOPIK level 5 or 6 during the first six months of language training may move to the degree program in the following semester.

All scholars assigned to the one-year Korean language program must achieve at least TOPIK level 3 to proceed to the degree. Some universities or departments require TOPIK level 4 or higher, so check the University Information file before selecting a department.

Common GKS Scholarship 2027 Application Mistakes

• Applying through both tracks at the same time or applying to more than one University Track university
• Choosing the wrong university type or failing to include a Type B university under the Embassy General route
• Writing a department name that does not exactly match the University Information file
• Submitting a transcript without an accepted CGPA, official conversion or class-rank proof
• Using ordinary notarization when apostille or consular confirmation is required
• Uploading unclear scans or forgetting signatures
• Using a different spelling or order of the name from the passport
• Submitting a generic personal statement that does not connect experience, major and future goals
• Selecting only highly competitive universities without a balanced admission strategy
• Waiting until the deadline to arrange translations, authentication or international delivery

Final GKS Scholarship 2027 Checklist

• ? I meet the nationality, age, education, grade and health requirements.
• ? I selected only one application track and one permitted program.
• ? My universities and departments appear in the official 2027 University Information file.
• ? My university choices follow the Type A and Type B rules.
• ? My English name matches my passport exactly.
• ? All required forms are complete and all signature fields are signed.
• ? My citizenship, family, graduation and transcript documents contain the necessary information.
• ? Required certificates have valid apostille or consular confirmation.
• ? Every non-English and non-Korean document has a certified translation.
• ? My recommendation letter is current and submitted in the correct format.
• ? My personal statement and study plan are specific, consistent and evidence based.
• ? My application is ordered, labeled, scanned clearly and submitted before the relevant deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions About the GKS Scholarship 2027

Can I apply without IELTS or TOPIK

Yes. IELTS, TOEFL and TOPIK are optional under the central GKS requirements. However, a university or department may set its own language requirement, and a valid score can improve the evaluation.

Can I apply to both the Embassy Track and University Track

Not at the same time. If you fail the first round of the Embassy Track, you may apply later to one University Track university if its deadline remains open. Applicants who pass the Embassy Track first round, including backup candidates, cannot apply through the University Track.

How many universities can I choose

Embassy General and Overseas Koreans and Adoptees applicants may choose up to three universities, including at least one Type B university. Embassy R-GKS applicants may choose up to two Type B universities. University Track applicants may choose only one university and one department.

Can I submit documents directly to NIIED

No. Embassy Track applications go through Study in Korea and the responsible Korean embassy. University Track applications go directly to the selected university. NIIED accepts recommendations from embassies and universities, not direct applications from individuals.

When is the GKS Scholarship 2027 deadline

The Embassy Track online application closes on September 30, 2026 at 18:00 KST. The University Track deadline varies by university between September and November 2026.

Conclusion

A successful GKS Scholarship 2027 application begins with eligibility and document accuracy, then builds a clear academic story around the right university and department. Start authentication and translation early, follow the track-specific submission method, and make sure the personal statement, study plan, recommendation and supporting evidence reinforce one another.

Because embassy and university instructions may add local requirements, always compare this guide with the official 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines, the University Information file and the latest notice from the institution handling your first-round selection.

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