About GKS
What is the Global Korea Scholarship?
GKS is the Korean government's flagship scholarship for international students, administered by NIIED under the Ministry of Education. It funds undergraduate, master's, doctoral and research study in Korea, including a year of Korean language training.
History of GKS
The programme began in 1967 as the Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP), inviting a small number of international students to Korean universities. It was rebranded as the Global Korea Scholarship in 2010 as Korea expanded its higher-education internationalisation policy. Since then it has grown into one of Asia's largest fully funded government scholarships, with alumni across more than 150 countries.
Why South Korea offers this scholarship
- Public diplomacy — building a global network of professionals who understand Korea
- Talent inflow into Korean research labs and graduate schools facing a demographic decline
- Strengthening bilateral education, science and technology cooperation
- Promoting the Korean language and Korean studies internationally
- Supporting development cooperation with partner countries, including India
The role of NIIED
The National Institute for International Education (NIIED) is the government body that publishes the annual guideline, sets quotas, coordinates the Embassy and University Tracks, runs the NIIED Selection Committee, assigns language institutes and disburses scholarship payments. Every rule that matters originates in the NIIED guideline for the relevant cycle.
Whenever this site and the NIIED guideline disagree, the guideline wins. We update pages after each new guideline release and keep the previous version archived for comparison.
Why India is an important partner
India is one of the largest quota countries in the Embassy Track and a consistent source of applicants in engineering, computer science, public policy, Korean studies and the natural sciences. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India and the Korean Education Centre in India manage the domestic side of the process — announcements, document submission and interviews.
Country quotas and the number of Indian scholars selected are published in the annual guideline's quota annex. We do not estimate these numbers — check the current guideline for the figure applicable to your cycle.
Scholarship objectives
- Provide international students with opportunities for advanced study in Korea
- Promote international exchange in education and mutual friendship
- Develop global human resources with an understanding of Korea
Scholarship structure
- Undergraduate: 1 year Korean language + 4 years bachelor's (2 years for associate degrees)
- Master's: 1 year Korean language + 2 years master's
- Doctoral: 1 year Korean language + 3 years doctoral
- Research Programme: short-term research stay for professors and researchers
- Language training may be waived for applicants who already hold a qualifying TOPIK level
Benefit breakdown
Round-trip airfare
Economy-class flight to Korea at the start and back home on completion, paid as an actual-cost reimbursement.
Note: Not paid if you are already residing in Korea in certain cases.
Tuition fees
Full tuition covered; the portion above the NIIED ceiling is waived by the host university.
Note: Admission fee also covered once.
Monthly allowance
Paid monthly for living costs; the amount differs by degree level (undergraduate, master's, doctoral, research).
Note: Confirm the exact figure in the current-year guideline.
Settlement allowance
One-time payment on arrival in Korea to help you set up.
Note: Paid once, with the first month's allowance.
Medical insurance
Monthly insurance support so you are covered while studying in Korea.
Note: Does not cover dental or pre-existing conditions in all cases.
Research support
Semester research/printing support for degree students, higher for humanities vs science tracks.
Note: Paid per semester.
Thesis printing costs
Reimbursement of dissertation printing expenses up to a fixed ceiling.
Note: Receipts required.
Completion / graduation grant
A one-time grant paid on successful completion of your degree.
Note: Only for scholars who complete the programme.
Korean language training
One year of full-time Korean language training at a designated institution before your degree begins.
Note: Exemption possible with a qualifying TOPIK level.
TOPIK reward
Additional monthly incentive for scholars holding TOPIK Level 5 or 6.
Note: Paid from the semester the score is submitted.
Monetary values (monthly allowance, settlement allowance, research support, graduation grant) are revised by NIIED per cycle. Read the exact figures from the current guideline; previous cycles remain available in the Resources archive for comparison.
Why Indian students choose GKS
Cost comparison: India vs Korea
Self-funded master's study in Korea typically costs ₹8–20 lakh in tuition plus living costs. GKS removes tuition entirely and pays a monthly allowance, making the net cost to an Indian family close to zero.
Career opportunities
Korea's D-10 job-seeking visa and E-7 work visa routes allow graduates to stay and work; Korean conglomerates and startups actively recruit bilingual international graduates.
Research opportunities
Korea invests one of the world's highest shares of GDP in R&D. GKS scholars join funded labs in semiconductors, batteries, AI, biotech and materials.
Global rankings
Several GKS universities sit inside the QS global top 100, with strong subject rankings in engineering and natural sciences.
Korean language benefits
A funded year of full-time language training gives you a professional-level second language that most Indian graduates do not have.
Life in Korea
Low crime rates, dense public transport, national health insurance, and an established Indian student community in Seoul, Daejeon and Busan.
- Official source:
- NIIED GKS guidelines (studyinkorea.go.kr); Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India
- Applicable cycle:
- GKS 2027 cycle
- Last updated:
- 2026-07-27
- Version:
- v1.0 — revision history maintained per guideline release