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Successful GKS scholars share key insights, interview experiences with hopefuls in K-campus webinar

Published: 09 Feb. 2026, 18:10 Updated: 10 Feb. 2026, 17:00

YOON SEUNG-JIN
[email protected]

Vietnamese presenters Pham Thi Ha Phuong, center, and Do To Chau, right, speak during K-campus’s “GKS 101 with K-campus” webinar held on Feb. 9. [YOON SEUNG-JIN]

K-campus, a platform for international students run by the Korea JoongAng Daily, concluded its highly anticipated “GKS 101 with K-campus” webinar on Monday, offering informative guidance to international students just as the official application window for the 2026 Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) for graduate degrees opens on Thursday.

GKS is a scholarship program offered by the Korean government that provides full tuition, a monthly stipend, language study support, health insurance and round-trip airfare.

The live three-hour session focused on bridging the gap between official government guidelines and the practical realities of winning one of the world’s most competitive scholarships.

As a platform dedicated to the lives of expats and international students in Korea, K-campus curated a lineup of six successful GKS scholars who delivered regional- and track-specific advice to around 60 participants.

Speakers — Vittoria Catherine Vitucci from the United States, Milena Morais Abreu from Brazil, Ruksar and Sunanda Sharma from India and with Pham Thi Ha Phuong and Do To Chau from Vietnam — shared detailed insights into their Embassy and University Track experiences, visa and document preparation and other requirements such as Topik and postgraduation plans through presentations and Q&A sessions.

Lee Tae-hee, left, the host of K-campus's webinar, along with Indian speakers Ruksar, center, and Sunanda Sharma, right, wave as the second session of the webinar ends on Feb. 9. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The scholars also explained the strategic differences between the Embassy Track, which allows applicants to choose up to three universities, and the University Track, which offers a more direct path for specialized majors but limits applicants to a single institution.

Beyond the paperwork, the session provided a rare glimpse into the GKS interview process, with scholars recounting their own experiences to help applicants prepare for questions and cultural expectations.

The webinar also touched on transitioning to life in Korea, including Korean language training and making friends.

This year’s webinar came as the 2026 GKS guidelines feature a significantly increased quota of 2,000 scholars, up from 1,820 the previous year. The new guidelines also place greater emphasis on research and development programs and introduce a digital-first application process for many tracks. Official applications for the graduate program are scheduled to open on Thursday, with the deadline falling on Feb. 25 for the Embassy track.

Each university has different deadlines for the University track.

On top of GKS-related content, K-campus also provides updated resources and community reviews to support foreigners throughout their academic and professional journeys in Korea.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [[email protected]]