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GKS Scholarship or Global Korea Scholarship is a highly competitive program aimed at encouraging international collaboration in pursuit of higher studies in South Korea. South Korea has emerged as an attractive destination for numerous foreign students due to the top-ranked best universities well placed globally, its aggressive concentration on STEM courses and its incredible cultural life. 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. 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.
GKS Scholarship 2025 is competitive since only 5 to 13% of applications are successful annually. Foreign students need to have a great academic record, and foreign applicants need to show language proficiency and meet relevant requirements based on the course of study. For India, the reserved quota in GKS Scholarship 2025 is 78 consisting of 50 University Track and 28 Embassy Track. International students who wish to study in South Korea at an affordable cost can read the entire article to know more about the GKS Scholarship 2025.
The South Korean government offers merit-based scholarships for overseas students, known as GKS Scholarships. Some international applicants have financial burdens while pursuing education in Korea. So, GKS scholarships assist in covering a few expenses in Korea based on the eligible candidates.
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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Also Read: Study Abroad Scholarships for Indian students
The GKS scholarship has mainly two types that include,
Embassy Track
University Track.
The applications are accepted through consulates or embassies in South Korea which accept overseas students including Indians, of official ties with South Korea.
You can apply through the South Korean embassy near their residence. The eligible candidates are selected and sent to the GKS program.
International applicants can send applications directly to South Korean universities approved by the desired university.
The nominated university will process your application to the GKS program if selected.
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
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 process for Global Korea Scholarship is mentioned below:
Read all the requirements and plan to apply to university or embassy track.
Prepare the documents mentioned above, according to your qualifications.
Fill out the application and submit it. Commonly the applications are chosen based on good academic records.
If selected you will receive mail and the results will be published on the NIIED website.
Be ready for the interview process (if required).
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
Many students goal to study abroad, but nowadays mainly applicants are urged to study in Korea because of its advantages. 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.
GPA Requirements: A score percentile of 80% or higher on a 100-point scale, or ranking in the top 20% of their class.
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
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 | Set by Embassy |
GKS Scholarship or Global Korea Scholarship for University Track | October 25 |
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
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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