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If you are planning to study in South Korea, you must be aware of the expenses and how you can manage them effectively, scholarship programs being one of the best ways. What is GKS scholarship? GKS Scholarship or Global Korea Scholarship is a highly competitive program aimed at encouraging international collaboration in pursuit of higher studies in South Korea. International students from over 150 nations enjoy the privilege of the GKS scholarship program. Applicants studying in undergraduate or post-graduate or doctoral degree programs conducted by Korean universities are qualified for the Global Korea Scholarship. GKS Scholarship is competitive since only 5 to 13% of applications are successful annually. International students need to have a great academic record, and need to demonstrate language proficiency and meet relevant requirements based on the course of study. For India, the reserved quota in GKS Scholarship 2026 is 78 consisting of 50 University Track and 28 Embassy Track. The scholarship falls under two types of track: embassy and university. While the results of the first round of the GS scholarships embassy track 2025 is already announced, the application deadline and results for the university track is still pending. Read the article to know more about the GKS Scholarship 2025.
Read More: Cost of living in South Korea
Particulars | Details of GKS Scholarship |
GKS Scholarship official website | gksscholarship.com |
GKS Scholarship funded by | South Korea Government |
GKS Scholarship known as | KGSP or Global Korea Scholarship |
GKS Scholarship cost coverage |
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Types of GKS Scholarship |
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The important benefits of the GKS scholarship for Indian students in the 2025-26 academic year include,
Airfare: This covers actual flight expenses for entrance and final departure in South Korea for education.
Settlement Allowance: While arriving in South Korea, the GKS scholarship offers Rs 12,589 (KRW 200,000).
Monthly Allowance: This scholarship provides Rs 56,642 (KRW 900,000) per month for students.
Korean Proficiency Grants: The GKS scholarship offers Rs 6,293 (KRW 100,000) per month.
Degree completion Grants: In a final departure the scholarship offers Rs 6,293 (KRW 100,000).
Health Insurance: According to NIIED, the required amount will be provided every month by the GKS Scholarship.
Language Training Fee: Each quarterly, NIIED offers Rs 81,803 (KRW 1.3 million and the university provides over KRW 1.3 million.
Tuition fee Benefits: Up to Rs 3.47 lakhs (KRW 5 million) in tuition fees are covered by NIIED, with an additional payment made higher than KRW 5 million by GKS Scholarship.
Also Read: Cost of living in South Korea
The eligibility criteria for the GKS Scholarship for Indian students are given below:
Nationality: The applicant must be a citizen of India to apply for the GKS scholarship and other countries have close ties with South Korea.
Qualifications: Must have academic transcripts from 12th grade or equivalent education for an undergraduate degree, postgraduate applicants must have a bachelor's degree certificate and doctoral students hold a master's certificate from a recognised university.
Age: Applicants must be under 25 years of age.
Percentile: A score percentile of 80% or higher on a 100-point scale, or ranking in the top 20% of their class.
GPA Requirements: A cumulative GPA of at least 2.64/4.0, 2.80/4.3, 2.91/4.5, or 3.23/5.0.
Health: To study in Korea, international students must have good physical and mental health to get a GKS Scholarship.
Also Read: Korean Language Courses
These applicants are not eligible to apply for the GKS scholarship program:
The GKS Scholarship, in general, falls under two tracks: the embassy track and the university track. Embassy track refers to when candidates submit applications to the Korean embassy in their home country. University track refers to direct submission of applications to Korean universities authorized by the National Institute for International Education.
Criteria | Embassy Track | University Track |
Apply To | Korean Embassy/Consulate | Directly to a Korean university |
Nominated By | Embassy | University |
University Choices | Up to 3 universities | Only 1 university |
Competition Level | High (nationwide) | Moderate (university-specific) |
Application Time | Feb–Mar 2025 | Sep–Oct 2025 |
Results | June–July 2025 | May–June 2026 |
Best For | Those applying to multiple universities | Those targeting a specific university |
Type of Course Under GKS Scholarship | Duration |
Master’s Degree | 3 Years |
Doctoral Degree | 4 Years |
Bachelor Degree | 5 to 7 Years |
Associate Degree | 3 to 4 years |
Also Read: Study Abroad Scholarships for Indian students
The application process for Global Korea Scholarship is mentioned below:
Step 1: Read all the requirements and plan to apply to university or embassy track.
Step 2: Prepare the documents mentioned above, according to your qualifications.
Step 3: Fill out the application and submit it. Commonly the applications are chosen based on good academic records.
Step 4: If selected you will receive mail and the results will be published on the NIIED website.
Step 5: Be ready for the interview process (if required).
Step 6: Once you are approved for the GKS Scholarship, start the visa process to study in South Korea.
Also Read: Top Engineering Universities in South Korea
Qualified Indian students can apply for the scholarship through the ‘Embassy Track’ and must submit their application to the Korean Embassy in New Delhi.
Embassy of the Republic of Korea
9, Chandragupta Marg,
Chanakyapuri Extension,
New Delhi-110021
Phone: 011-4200-7000
To obtain the GKS Scholarship, international students must gather the necessary documents to satisfy their dream of studying in South Korea without financial stress. The following documents required for the Global Korea Scholarship for Indian students are given below:
Application form
Personal statement
Study plan
Research proposal (only for doctoral students)
Letter for invitation (issued by the doctoral university)
GKS applicant agreement
Personal medical insurance
Proof of citizenship and family relationship document
Copy of your passport
Employment certificate (if required)
English proficiency certificate or official TOPIK score
Proof of Korean citizenship renunciation document
Proof of Korean War veteran’s descendant
The application deadline for the GKS Scholarship for Indian students is the 2025 academic year given below:
Scholarship | Application Deadline |
GKS Scholarship or Global Korea Scholarship for Embassy Track | March 3 |
GKS Scholarship or Global Korea Scholarship for University Track | October 25 |
Round | What Happens | Track |
1st Round | Initial screening by Embassy/University | Both Tracks |
2nd Round | Evaluation by NIIED | Both Tracks |
3rd Round | University admission review | Embassy Track only |
Final Result | Announcement of selected scholars | Both Tracks |
The selection process for GKS scholarships includes:
A selection committee will carefully review all the submitted documents to evaluate and confirm your eligibility, including qualifications, grades, and nationality.
You need to attend an oral interview to consider your skills.
You will receive 10 points additionally if you have TOPIK level 3 or higher.
Five points will be awarded if you are a direct descendant of Korean War veterans.
You are especially evaluated if you are from a Korean background, have a high English language score, have a low financial background and more.
Also Read: Permanent Residency in South Korea
Yes, applicants will receive additional points based on language proficiency in Korean and English.
All the academic study fields that are established by the GKS participating universities, excluding the evening, short-term, online, and distant learning programs are not applicable for this scholarship program.
No. | Type | University Name |
1 | A | Ajou University |
2 | A | Andong National University |
3 | B | Busan University of Foreign Studies |
4 | B | Changwon National University |
5 | B | Cheongju University |
6 | B | Chonnam National University |
7 | B | Chosun University |
8 | A | Chung-Ang University |
9 | B | Chungbuk National University |
10 | B | Chungnam National University |
11 | B | Daegu University |
12 | B | Daegu Catholic University |
13 | B | Daejeon University |
14 | A | Dankook University |
15 | B | Dong-A University |
16 | A | Dongguk University |
17 | B | Dongseo University |
18 | A | Duksung Women's University |
19 | A | Ewha Womans University |
20 | B | Gangneung Wonju National University |
21 | A | Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology |
22 | B | Gyeongsang National University |
23 | A | Hankuk University of Foreign Studies |
24 | B | Hannam University |
25 | A | Hanyang University |
26 | A | Hanyang University ERICA |
28 | B | Hoseo University |
29 | A | Incheon National University |
30 | A | Inha University |
31 | B | Inje University |
32 | B | Jeju National University |
33 | B | Jeonbuk National University |
34 | A | KAIST |
35 | B | Kangwon National University (Chuncheon) |
36 | A | KDI School of Public Policy and Management |
37 | B | Keimyung University |
38 | B | Kongju National University |
39 | A | Konkuk University |
40 | B | Konyang University |
41 | A | Kookmin University |
42 | A | Korea University |
43 | B | KOREATECH |
44 | B | Kunsan National University |
45 | A | KyungHee University (Graduate School of Pan-Pacific International Studies) |
46 | B | Kyungsung University |
47 | B | Kyungpook National University |
48 | B | Mokwon University |
49 | B | National Korea Maritime & Ocean University |
50 | B | Pai Chai University |
51 | A | POSTECH |
52 | B | Pukyong National University |
53 | B | Pusan National University |
54 | B | SEMYUNG UNIVERSITY |
55 | A | Seokyeong University |
56 | A | Seoul National University |
57 | A | Seoul National University of Science and Technology |
58 | B | Silla University |
59 | A | Sogang University (Graduate School of International Studies) |
60 | A | Sookmyung Women's University |
61 | B | Soonchunhyang University |
To be eligible for the GKS scholarship applicant's GPA must be higher than 80%, be under 40 years old, hold one citizenship of NIIED countries, and have stable health and medical conditions.
Getting a GKS scholarship to study in Korea is competitive among international students because of its numerous benefits and high popularity. Approximately 5 - 13 per cent are only accepted out of 100 applicants every year. So overseas students must have above 80% or 2.64 out of 4.0 scale to enhance their chances of a GKS Scholarship.
Students can apply for GKS Scholarship 2025 in two types for submitting their application. You can apply to the Korean embassy from your home country under the embassy track. In the university track, you can directly apply to universities in Korea.
Getting free education in Korea after the 12th is challenging. However, applicants can apply to different scholarships such as GKS or more. Apart from this, many universities also offer scholarships to international students.
For the 2025 year, the GKS Scholarship has 78 reserved quotes for Indian students. Of those, 28 are embassy track, and 50 are university track. These scholarships offer monthly stipends, Travel flight expenses, Korean proficiency grants, Health insurance and other benefits.
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