CYCLE STATUS — checked 9 September 2026, against the 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (NIIED, September 2026). GKS-U for the 2027 intake is OPEN and the window is short: the Embassy Track applies online at studyinkorea.go.kr from 11:00 on 15 September 2026 to 18:00 on 30 September 2026 (KST). This part is NEW — the embassy round is now ONE central online window shared by all 74 countries, not a closing date each embassy sets for itself, so the old advice to ask your embassy for its own deadline no longer applies. The University Track runs September–November 2026 on each university's own schedule. GKS-G for the 2026 intake is closed (12–25 February 2026); expect the next GKS-G round around February 2027.
You may hold an application in only ONE track at a time — Embassy or University. Applying to both at once, or to more universities than allowed, disqualifies the whole application. Only if you fail the embassy 1st round may you then try the University Track.
The applicant and BOTH parents must be non-Korean citizens. Dual citizenship that includes Korean nationality makes you ineligible.
Former GKS degree or research scholars cannot apply again.
Level
Bachelor · Master · PhD · Research
Tuition
Up to 5,000,000 ₩/semester by NIIED; the rest by the university
Economy airfare · 1 year of Korean · settlement allowance
Age
GKS-U: under 25 · GKS-G: under 40
GPA
Top 20% of class, or CGPA 2.64/4.0 and above
Language
TOPIK not required to apply; bonus 3/4/5% by level (GKS-U) or 10% for TOPIK 3+ (GKS-G)
Apply via
Korean embassy (Embassy Track) OR a university (University Track)
When it usually opens
Usual months
Graduate around February · Undergraduate in the second half of September
How long it stays open
About two weeks of online application. Original documents follow about a month later.
BOTH Embassy Tracks now use ONE online window shared by every country, in Korean time — GKS-U 2027: 15 September 11:00 to 30 September 18:00; GKS-G 2026: 12–25 February. Only University Track deadlines are still set locally, by each university. Applications go through studyinkorea.go.kr, not to the embassy directly.
A pattern from past cycles, not a date to apply by. Always check the official page before you plan around it.
Application windows
GKS-G · Embassy Track
Opens in mid-February for about two weeks. 2026 cycle: online form 12–25 February (KST) · embassy results 17 March · files reach NIIED by 1 April · NIIED results early May · university round by 5 June · final university choice by 12 June · final list late June.
GKS-U · Embassy Track
2027 intake · Embassy Track: ONE online window for every country, on studyinkorea.go.kr — 15 September 2026, 11:00 to 30 September 2026, 18:00 (KST). Then: embassy 1st-round results by 16 October · documents reach NIIED by 30 October · NIIED 2nd-round results within November · university 3rd round by 18:00 on 23 December · you confirm your final university by 18:00 on 29 December · final list 7 January 2027. University Track: apply September–November 2026 on each university's own schedule — 1st round in November · documents to NIIED by 30 November · results by mid-December · no 3rd round.
Overview
GKS (formerly KGSP) is South Korea's flagship government scholarship, funded by the Ministry of Education and run by NIIED together with Korean embassies and partner universities. It covers undergraduate (GKS-U), graduate (GKS-G: Master's, Doctoral, Research) and several specialised tracks. You apply through exactly one of two channels: the Embassy Track, via the Korean embassy in your country, or the University Track, directly to a Korean university.
Who can apply
Applicant and both parents hold non-Korean citizenship.
Age: GKS-U under 25; GKS-G under 40 (under 45 for professors from ODA-recipient countries).
Academic record: top 20% of your class / 80th percentile, or CGPA 2.64/4.0 · 2.80/4.3 · 2.91/4.5 · 3.23/5.0.
Graduates (or final-year students) of a Korean high school or Korean university cannot apply to either track. GKS-U is for high-school graduates only — you must NOT already hold a Bachelor's degree.
GKS-G: Master's needs a Bachelor's; Doctoral needs a Master's; Research needs a Doctorate (post-doc) or a Master's (current professor, or a professional in education, science, culture or international cooperation). Expected graduates may apply if the degree is completed by 31 July of the entry year.
TOPIK is not required to apply, but scholars must reach TOPIK Level 3 to enter the degree programme (some departments require Level 4). TOPIK 5–6 exempts you from the 1-year language course.
Good physical and mental health for the whole programme.
What it covers
Tuition: NIIED pays up to 5,000,000 ₩ per semester; the university covers the admission fee and anything above that.
Monthly allowance (GKS-G 2026): ≈1,200,000 ₩ during the language year, ≈1,380,000 ₩ on the degree programme, ≈1,740,000 ₩ on the research programme.
Living allowance (GKS-U 2027): NIIED now publishes this as a yearly figure — 13,560,000 ₩ a year during the language year (about 1,130,000 ₩ a month) and 14,400,000 ₩ a year on the Bachelor's programme (about 1,200,000 ₩ a month). It is all-inclusive: living costs, accommodation, health insurance, Korean proficiency grants, the TOPIK fee, the settlement allowance and the degree completion grant are all inside it, so do not add them on top.
Korean language training: one year, with a 5,200,000 ₩ training fee paid directly to the institute (GKS-G · GKS-U).
One economy-class flight, reimbursed at actual cost. Not provided if you already live in Korea at the time of the final announcement, or if you enter from a third country.
A TOPIK level adds bonus points during selection: 2027 GKS-U gives 3% (Level 3), 4% (Level 4) or 5% (Level 5+) of the total score; 2026 GKS-G gave 10% for Level 3 or higher.
Financial support
Tuition
Up to 5,000,000 ₩ / semester (NIIED) + the rest by the university
Stipend · language year
GKS-G ≈1,200,000 ₩ · GKS-U ≈1,130,000 ₩ per month
Stipend · degree
GKS-G ≈1,380,000 ₩ · GKS-U ≈1,200,000 ₩ per month
Stipend · research
≈1,740,000 ₩ per month (GKS-G research track)
Language training fee
5,200,000 ₩ for four quarters, paid to the institute (GKS-G · GKS-U)
Airfare
One economy flight, actual expense
Settlement · insurance
Provided, but the 2026 guidelines publish no separate ₩ figure — GKS-U bundles them into the monthly allowance
How to apply — step by step
Choose ONE track Embassy Track — apply through the Korean embassy in your country. University Track — apply directly to a Korean university. Applying through both disqualifies you.
Register and fill in the online form Create an account on studyinkorea.go.kr and complete the application inside the announced window. University Track applicants follow each university's own deadline and submission method.
Submit documents BOTH Embassy Tracks (2027 GKS-U, 2026 GKS-G): everything goes through Study in Korea — the forms are filled in directly in the system and the certificates and recommendation letter are uploaded as scans. Nothing is carried to the embassy on paper at this stage; the 2026 GKS-U rule of paper documents by the embassy's own date is gone. University Track: submit by each university's own method, in person or by post. Whoever passes the 1st round then hands in ONE original set by the deadline the embassy or university sets — the forms printed out and signed by hand, and the required certificates apostilled or consular-confirmed.
1st round — embassy or university screening Documents are reviewed and interviews may be held. Results are announced by the embassy or the university.
2nd round — NIIED review Your embassy or university forwards the originals to NIIED (GKS-G 2026: by 1 April for Embassy Track, 1 May for University Track; GKS-U 2027: by 30 October for Embassy Track, 30 November for University Track). Never post anything to NIIED yourself — files sent by applicants are discarded. NIIED reviews documents only; there is no interview.
3rd round — university selection (Embassy Track, GKS-G) NIIED forwards qualified files to the up-to-3 universities you chose; you then confirm your final university.
Final announcement, visa and arrival Selected scholars complete D-2/D-4 visa procedures and arrive in Korea to start the Korean language programme (unless exempt).
Required documents
Application form The standard NIIED GKS form with your personal and academic details.
Personal statement Your background and motivation. This is one of the few places where the committee hears you rather than reads your transcript.
Study plan What you intend to study in Korea and why that programme.
Letter of recommendation ONE letter (a second is allowed), dated within a year of the deadline, from someone who can judge your academic work — GKS-G: a professor or department head on NIIED's Form 5, uploaded as a scan on the Embassy Track or handed in sealed on the University Track; GKS-U: written on NIIED's Form 4 (the recommendation letter itself) by someone who can judge your academic ability, such as a school principal or teacher — a scanned copy is uploaded in the 1st round and the original is handed in only by candidates who pass the 1st round.
Proof of citizenship and family relationship Government-issued birth certificate or family register for you AND both parents, apostilled — this is what proves the "no Korean citizenship" rule. Add passport copies if it does not show citizenship; a death or divorce certificate explains a missing parent.
Diploma and transcripts GKS-U: high-school (or associate-degree) certificate and transcript. GKS-G Master's: Bachelor's diploma and transcript; Doctoral: both Bachelor's and Master's. The CGPA must be on a 4.0/4.3/4.5/5.0/100 scale, or come with a school-confirmed conversion. Everything must be apostilled — plain or notarised copies are rejected and nothing is returned, so authenticate a certified copy if the original cannot be reissued. Expected graduates hand in the final documents by 31 July (GKS-G) or 31 December of the application year (GKS-U).
GKS applicant agreement · medical assessment · privacy consent Standard signed forms included in the guideline pack.
TOPIK or English test score(optional) Not mandatory, but a TOPIK level is worth real points: 2027 GKS-U adds 3% of the total score at level 3, 4% at level 4 and 5% at level 5 or above, and the language score itself is graded (level 5+ scores 100% of the language block, level 4 90%, level 3 80%, no certificate 50%). Science and engineering applicants get a further 5%. Only recent sittings count — 2027 GKS-U accepts TOPIK PBT 96th–109th and TOPIK IBT 4th–16th; 2026 GKS-G accepted TOPIK 93rd–105th and IBT 1st–12th. Print the report from the official site.
Research proposal · letter of invitation(optional) GKS-G research applicants only: an outline of the intended research and an invitation from the hosting Korean professor.
2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines (English) (2027) The 45-page NIIED guideline every figure on this page was read from. Hosted by MOON so the link cannot go stale under you.
Study in Korea — GKS notice board Where the next cycle will be announced first. Check here rather than trusting any date you find elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is TOPIK mandatory to apply?
No. TOPIK is optional at the application stage, but it earns bonus points: 2027 GKS-U adds 3% (Level 3), 4% (Level 4) or 5% (Level 5+) of the total score; 2026 GKS-G added 10% for Level 3 or above. Level 5+ earns the full language points (TOEFL 114 or IELTS 8.0 earn 90%); science and engineering applicants get another 5%, descendants of foreign Korean War veterans 10% on both tracks. But you must reach TOPIK Level 3 to move from the language year into your degree programme.
Can I apply with no Korean at all?
Yes. Most scholars first take a one-year Korean course at their own university (dormitory living, TOPIK 3 needed to move on). TOPIK 5–6 holders skip it, as do GKS-G research and Global Network scholars; reach TOPIK 5 within the first six months and you start your degree the following semester.
How many universities can I choose?
Embassy Track GKS-G: up to 3, at least one of them a "Type B" university. Embassy Track GKS-U general: up to 3 (min. 1 Type B); R-GKS: up to 2, both Type B. University Track: one university, one department.
How long does the scholarship last?
GKS-U Bachelor's: 5–7 years in total (1 language year + 4–6 degree years). GKS-G Master's: 3 years (1+2); Doctoral: 4 years (1+3); Research: 6 months or 1 year.
Is there an interview?
Embassy Track applicants are usually interviewed at the embassy in the 1st round. NIIED's 2nd-round review is document-based — the 2026 GKS-G guideline states no additional interview there.
What happens if I withdraw?
Two different cases. Renouncing the scholarship after the final announcement but before enrolment: GKS-G bars you from reapplying for 3 years; GKS-U bars you for good. Withdrawing within the first three months after enrolment at your university (both GKS-G and GKS-U count from enrolment): you repay everything received — airfare, settlement allowance, monthly allowance and tuition (2026 guidelines).
Which GKS-U programmes exist, and which are open to every country?
Embassy Track: General, Overseas Koreans and R-GKS (regional Type B universities only, up to two choices). University Track: an Associate-degree programme at nine colleges (30 places) and the UIC programme — industry-university cooperation in science and engineering at 13 institutions (100 places). UIC is open to every country, even those without a quota, and you apply straight to the university.
How many GKS places does Uzbekistan get?
GKS-G 2026: 13 on the Embassy Track (plus 6 for overseas Koreans and adoptees) and 12 on the University Track (6 general + 6 R-GKS at regional universities) — 31 of 2,000 worldwide. GKS-U 2027: 3 on the Embassy Track (1 general, 1 R-GKS, 1 overseas Korean) of 156 places shared by 74 countries; counting the University Track the intake is 286. R&D, Global Network and GKS-U UIC places are open to every country and chosen by the universities themselves.
How should I pick my three universities?
Passing NIIED does not guarantee a place: every year some candidates are turned down by all three of the universities they chose. Mix at least one realistic option with your dream schools, look at which university is strong in your field, and remember NIIED favours science and engineering at regional (Type B) universities. Living costs in Seoul are higher, and housing comes out of your stipend.
When does the 2027 cycle open?
The 2027 GKS-U (undergraduate) cycle is already open: NIIED published the notice on studyinkorea.go.kr on 9 September 2026 (University Track notice on 23 September), and the Embassy Track online window runs 15–30 September 2026. Only the 2027 GKS-G (graduate) notice is still unannounced — expect it around February 2027. Unofficial aggregator sites publishing "GKS-G 2027" dates are not from NIIED and should not be planned around.