The Korean Government Scholarship Program (GKS) for Undergraduates is the South Korean government's own scholarship for international students who want a full bachelor's degree in Korea. It is run by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED), which sits under Korea's Ministry of Education, and it is fully funded. That means tuition, a monthly allowance, flights, insurance and a year of Korean language training are all part of the package.
It suits a specific kind of student: someone finishing or just finished high school, with strong marks, who is genuinely willing to spend a year learning Korean before the degree even starts. If you only want an English-taught degree and see the language year as a hurdle, think carefully before applying. You can read the full scholarship details on our scholarship page, and this guide walks through what the program expects and where applicants usually slip.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded |
| Level | Undergraduate |
| Country | South Korea |
| Provider | National Institute for International Education (NIIED) |
| Fields | Natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities |
| Deadline | Varies each cycle, confirm on the official site |
| Official site | Study in Korea GKS portal |
A full degree, with a language year attached
GKS is meant to bring talented students into Korean universities and build long-term ties between Korea and the students' home countries. In practice, that shapes how you are judged. Selectors look at your academic record, your language ability and your potential to contribute to your home country and to its relationship with Korea. A strong study plan that connects your chosen field to something real back home tends to read better than a generic statement about loving Korean culture.
The program covers a broad spread of subjects: natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities. Competition is stiff and the selection process has several stages, so treat it like a serious application, not a lottery ticket.
Every scholar must complete Korean language training before the degree program starts. The program describes this as a one-year course. You do not always need Korean to apply, but you will need to commit to learning it, and your degree studies come after that year.
What the funding package includes
The coverage listed for this scholarship is broad:
- Full tuition fees
- A monthly living allowance
- A settlement allowance when you arrive
- Round-trip airfare
- Medical insurance
- Korean language training fees
- A research support allowance
Exact allowance amounts are not something you should assume from older blog posts or friends who applied in a previous year. The official announcement for each cycle sets the figures, so read the current one on the official GKS page before you plan a budget. Also remember that your visa costs, document attestation and the expenses of getting your papers ready in Pakistan come out of your own pocket before any scholarship money arrives.
The age limit and the 80 percent grade bar
Two eligibility rules knock out more applicants than any others. First, you must be under 25 years of age at the date of entrance, not at the date you apply. Count forward to the start of the program, not just to the application deadline. Second, you need a cumulative grade point average above 80 percent. If your marks sit right around that line, check how your grades convert before investing weeks in the application.
The full list of requirements is:
- You must be a citizen of a country invited by NIIED
- You must be under 25 at the date of entrance
- You must hold a high school diploma, or be expected to graduate by the date of entrance
- Your CGPA must be above 80 percent
- You must be in good mental and physical health
- You must not be a Korean citizen
On nationality, the rule is that your country has to be on NIIED's invited list for that year. Pakistani students should check the current announcement to confirm Pakistan is included, and also look at whether the country quota sits with the Embassy Track, the University Track or both. Country-specific requirements can vary, so do not rely on another country's instructions.
Embassy Track or University Track: pick one
There are two ways in. The Embassy Track means applying through the Korean Embassy in your home country. The University Track means applying directly to a partner university in South Korea. You must choose only one. Applying to both risks disqualification, and this is not a technicality the program overlooks.
Which one is better depends on your situation. If you already know exactly which Korean university you want, the University Track puts your application straight in front of that institution. If you would rather be assessed first at home, the Embassy Track routes everything through the embassy. Either way, verify the list of designated universities before applying, because you can only end up at an institution that is part of the program.
The nine documents in your file
The standard document list is:
- Application form
- Personal statement
- Study plan
- Letter of recommendation
- GKS applicant agreement
- Personal medical assessment
- High school graduation certificate
- High school academic transcript
- Proof of citizenship
Most of these are forms you fill in yourself. The ones that take real time are the recommendation letter, the transcript and certificate (which in Pakistan often need attestation) and the personal statement and study plan. For a general checklist of how to prepare academic papers, see our documents checklist for international scholarships, and for the attestation side, the IBCC and MOFA attestation guide. Confirm the exact attestation format GKS wants in the current announcement, since requirements can vary by country.
How the selection runs from start to finish
- Read the official GKS announcement on the Study in Korea website.
- Choose either the Embassy Track or the University Track.
- Submit your documents to the relevant embassy or university.
- Wait for the document screening and interview results.
- Receive the final notification from NIIED.
- Apply for your student visa and prepare to travel to South Korea.
The interview stage is where many good paper applications fall apart. Expect questions about your study goals, why Korea, why your chosen field and what you plan to do afterwards. Practise answering them out loud, and make sure what you say matches your written study plan.
Timing: no fixed date you can count on
The opening date and deadline for this scholarship vary by cycle and are not fixed here, so confirm both on the official portal every year. Because the two tracks are handled by different bodies (the embassy or the university), their internal deadlines may not line up either. Work backwards from whichever date applies to your track, and leave several weeks for attestation, medical forms and recommendation letters.
Where Pakistani applicants usually go wrong
A few mistakes come up again and again:
- Calculating age at the application date instead of the date of entrance.
- Assuming Pakistan is on the invited list without checking the current year's announcement.
- Submitting to both tracks to improve the odds, which can lead to disqualification.
- Writing a study plan that is vague about the field and says little about home-country goals.
- Asking for a recommendation from a teacher who barely knows them. A letter from someone who has actually taught you carries more weight.
- Leaving document preparation until the last two weeks.
One more honest point. The language year is mandatory. If you are not prepared to study Korean seriously for a year, GKS will feel like a long detour. If you are, it is a strong route to a funded degree with real language skills attached.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply through both the Embassy and University tracks?
No. You must choose one track only. Applying through both can get you disqualified.
Do I need to know Korean before applying?
Korean is not always required at the application stage, but every scholar must complete the one-year Korean language training program before starting the degree. Language proficiency is also one of the things selectors consider.
What is the age limit?
Applicants must generally be under 25 years of age at the time of entrance. Check the exact rule for your cycle in the official announcement.
Can I apply before I finish high school?
Yes, if you are expected to graduate by the date of entrance. You will still need to meet the CGPA requirement of above 80 percent.
Are Pakistani students eligible?
Eligibility depends on whether your country is invited by NIIED in that year's cycle. Check the current announcement on the official site to confirm Pakistan's status and which track it applies to.
Which subjects can I study?
The program supports natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities. You also need to pick a university from the designated list.
For more options, browse all South Korea scholarships. Before you apply, read the current announcement on the official Study in Korea website and keep the full scholarship page handy for the summary.