Applications for 2026 Global Korea Scholarship opening soon for international students
Published: 04 Sep. 2025, 15:02
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- LEE TAE-HEE
- [email protected]
![Global Korea Scholarship scholars take a group photo during a career program hosted by the National Institute for International Education on July 3 and 4. [NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/09/04/f8c20e40-249a-402c-852f-7c5a878f704f.jpg)
Global Korea Scholarship scholars take a group photo during a career program hosted by the National Institute for International Education on July 3 and 4. [NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION]
The National Institute for International Education (Niied) announced on Thursday that it will soon open applications for the 2026 Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) for undergraduate students, with applications switching to online and more nationals eligible for the scholarship.
GKS undergraduate applications for 2026 will open between Sept. 15 and Oct. 31, with applications accepted online via the government's Study in Korea website for the first time.
Previously, students had to submit applications to a Korean embassy in their home country if they were applying via the Embassy Track or directly to universities they wished to study at if they were applying via the University Track. Further application details will be uploaded to the Study in Korea website.
For 2026, a quota of 280 has been reserved for the undergraduate GKS program. An additional quota of 1,580 will be allocated for the GKS program for graduate degrees, which usually opens applications around January or February.
GKS offers various benefits such as a full scholarship, round-trip airfare, monthly allowance and Korean language training fees. Students go through a year of language studies unless they have already obtained Topik level 5 or 6 when applying, with those who have such scores exempt from the one-year study period and receiving a grant of 300,000 won ($215).
To apply for the undergraduate GKS program, applicants must be a foreign national holding citizenship of countries designated by Niied. Students also need to have graduated or be expected to graduate from a high school or associate degree program, while being under 25 years of age as of March 1, 2026.
Niied also announced five new countries that will be added to the list of GKS partner countries, which are: South Africa, Madagascar, Syria, Czech Republic and Cuba.
"We hope outstanding talent abroad will be able to study in Korea and prepare for their futures through the GKS," said Choi Eun-ok, vice minister of education. "The Ministry of Education hopes the scholars will contribute to the development of their home countries, and we will also actively support them if they wish to work and settle down in Korea."
The Ministry of Education and Niied has been inviting international students through GKS since 1967, providing scholarships to 19,502 students from 161 countries.
Undergraduate GKS scholars for 2026 will be announced in January next year.
BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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