Studying in Korea from A to Z Korea continues to attract
international students who are inspired by the beauty and traditions
of Korea or want to deepen their knowledge about the country.
Some come to Korea for a short time, just out of curiosity or
to study Korean language; others enroll in a regular academic
program for an undergraduate, graduate, or a Ph.D. degree. Numerous
scholarship programs are available in Korea to help international
students finance their studies. The following is some useful
information on the scholarship programs available in Korea.
What Makes Studying in Korea So Attractive Compared
to English-speaking countries like the U.S., Canada, or Great
Britain, Korea is not only more affordable in terms of tuition
and living expenses, but also offers numerous scholarship programs
to help international students meet their financial needs. More
recently, in particular, the Korean government has offered financial
support to international students to cover their tuition and
board as well as employment assistance.
In Korea, there
are about 400 national and private universities whose faculty
members have doctorate degrees and have done research in Korea
or abroad. Also, in line with the nations advanced technology
in auto manufacturing, shipbuilding, chemical industry, engineering,
and IT, many universities offer state-of-the-art research facilities
in these areas of study. Tuitions may vary according to universities
or majors, but they average about $4,000 to $8,000 a year. National
universities are 30% to 50% less expensive than private institutions,
but there are more private than public universities. Apart from
the tuition, there isnt much difference between public and private
universities, and there are a number of distinguished, private
universities with a long history and tradition.
Admission Procedures Since academic programs and the
school year start in March in Korea, students must check the
academic starting date the previous year and make necessary
arrangements a year prior to the start of the academic year.
Information can be obtained through Korea Study Fair or from
the websites of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources
Development (www.studyinkorea.go.kr)
or individual universities. After deciding which university
to attend, students must submit their application package before
being admitted by the school. Then, after admission, they can
visit the Korean Embassy or a Korean consulate for a visa. For
more information on visa requirements, visit the website of
the Korea Immigration Bureau (www.immigration.go.kr).
* Visa for Regular Educational
Programs (D-2) This visa is issued to
those who apply for a regular or a special research
program in a junior college, college, university,
graduate school or research institute. Applicants
must submit to the Korean Embassy or to the General
Consulate a valid passport, a visa application form,
an admission letter from the school, the most recent
school graduation or enrollment certificate, verification
of account balance (Deposit of $10,000 USD or more),
and a family registry (for Chinese only, the whole
family registry must be submitted).
*
Visa for General Training (D-4) This
visa is issued to those who study Korean in a language
institute at a university, who study in a qualified
educational institute, or get technical or educational
training at a national or public research or training
institute. Applicants must submit to the Korean
Embassy or General Consulate a valid passport, a
visa application form, a verification of school
admission or enrollment, a verification of account
balance ($3,000 USD or more in transference or foreign
currency exchange), and verified identification.
International Students Health Insurance Coverage International
students must purchase health insurance at the National Health
Insurance Corporation in person in order to be eligible for
medical benefits in Korea. Insurance costs 45,000 won a
month, and begins on the date printed on his/her alien registration
certificate. The insurance premium is charged from the
first date on the certificate regardless of when a student signs
up for a health insurance program. However, health insurance
covers medical services at an affordable price, and all hospitals
in Korea accept health insurance provided by the National
Health Insurance Corporation. Some scholarship programs also
cover health insurance costs.
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University Scholarship Programs Since there is
no kind of official ranking level system for universities in
Korea, students must select a university and a major on their
own. First, many universities have a number of scholarship programs
for foreign students. While some do not distinguish between
citizens and international students in granting scholarships,
the majority of universities have a separate fund for international
students. Depending on a student's academic performance, a scholarship
may cover from 30% up to 100% of the tuition. For more information
on scholarships offered by individual universities, contact
the admissions staff at the university of your choice or the
Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (www.studyinkorea.go.kr).
* List of Major Universities for International
Students
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Korean Government Scholarship Programs Numerous
Korean government ministries offer this kind of Korean scholarship
program. Each year, the number of beneficiaries increases and
there are many opportunities. Currently, the Ministry of Education
and Human Resources Development, the Ministry of Information
and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism,
and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade offer scholarship
programs. Before applying, it is advisable to take the Test
of Proficiency in Korean or the Korean Language Proficiency
Test, to show that you have reached a certain level of proficiency.
Korean Government Scholarship
Program - Ministry of Education and Human Resources
Development The Ministry of Education
offers a scholarship program for international students
from countries that have concluded a bilateral cultural
agreement regardless of the field of study. Every
year, 100 applicants enrolled in masters or doctoral
programs, Korean language programs, or research
projects are selected to receive full tuition and
living expenses. The application period is open
for three months every year from the end of November
to mid February.
* Scholarship covers:
2 years for masters degree program, 3 years for
doctoral degree program, 6 months to 1 year for
research, 6 months to 1 year for Korean language
training. * Awarded: Tuition, monthly stipend
(800,000 won / 9,600,000 won a year), research support
(humanities 420,000 a month / natural sciences 480,000
won a month), health insurance * Application
Period: From the end of November to mid February
* Contact: The Ministry of Education and Human Resources
Development, National Institute for International
Education Development +82-2-3668-1359 / www.ied.go.kr
Korean Government Scholarship
Students for Undergraduate Courses from the Ministry
of Education and Human Resources Development
This scholarship is designed for students from the
CIS or Asia. Since it targets Asian students, the
chances of selection are relatively high. Regardless
of ones major, there are 30 scholarship recipients
that are selected which must complete a four-year
bachelors degree and a one-year Korean language
training course.
* Scholarship covers:
4 years for undergraduate degree program plus 1
year of Korean language training. * Awarded:
Tuition, monthly stipend (700,000 won / 8,400,000
won a year), health insurance * Application
Period: From the end of November to mid February
* Contact: The Ministry of Education and Human Resources
Development, National Institute for International
Education Development +82-2-3668-1368 / www.ied.go.kr
Research Fellowships for International
Graduate Student Program from the Ministry of Education
and Human Resources Development Students
from any country who wish to study in the fields
of science or technology are eligible to apply.
One hundred people will be selected for graduate
or doctoral-degree study in the fields of science
and technology. This program is open to anyone
who has finished a bachelors degree in a relevant
field and plans to study in Korea for a two-year
masters and a three-year doctoral degree.
* Scholarship covers 2 years for masters degree
program, or 3 years for doctoral degree program
in the field of science & technology * Awarded:
Masters 8,400,000 won (700,000 won a month), Doctorate
10,800,000 won (900,000 won a month) * Application
Period: June and December * Contact: Korea Research
Foundation +82-2-3460-5500 / WWW.KRF.OR.KR
Korean Government IT Scholarship
Program from the Ministry of Information and Technology
Students from any country studying in the field
of information technology are eligible to apply.
Applicants can apply for both IT and public policy. Only those planning to pursue a masters
and doctoral degree can apply, and 170 people are
selected twice a year.
* Scholarship covers:
2 years for masters degree program, 3 years for
doctoral degree program in the field of information
& technology * Awarded: Masters 10,000,000
won (700,000 won a month), Doctorate 14,000,000 won
* Application Period: December for spring semester
applicants and June for fall semester applicants
* Contact: The Institute for Information Technology
Advancement, Human Resources Development Division
+82-42-710-1320 / www.korea4u.org
Global IT Policy & Technology
Scholarship from the Ministry of Information and
Technology This scholarship is designed
for public officials and professionals working in
the field of information and telecommunications
in the Asia-Pacific region or the Middle East. Every
year, 45 candidates are selected to study for their
masters or doctoral degrees in the field of IT,
15 for public policy and 25 for technology. The
scholarship covers tuition, airfare, health insurance,
and living expenses. The public policy program and
the technology program are conducted both at Seoul
National University and the Information and Communications
University (www.icu.ac.kr).
* Scholarship covers: 2 years for masters degree
program, 3 years for doctoral degree program in
the field of international IT * Awarded: Tuition,
airfare, health insurance, and monthly stipend (1,500,000
won) * Application Period: December for spring
semester applicants and June for fall semester applicants
* Contact: Institute for Information Technology
Advancement, Human Resources Development Division
+82-42-710-1323 / www.iita.re.kr
Art Major Asian Scholarship
(AMA) from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Designed to develop outstanding art students in
Asia, the AMA scholarship selects students in the
fields of music, dance, fine arts, visual art, theater,
and the traditional arts for studies at the Korean
National University of Arts. Every June, 20 candidates
are selected for bachelor or masters degree programs.
* Scholarship covers: 4 years for undergraduate
degree program, 2~3 years for masters degree program
in the field of arts * Awarded: Undergraduate:
18,000,000 won a year, graduate: 18,000,000 won
a year * Application Period: June * Contact:
Korean National University of Arts +82-2-958-2553
/ www.knua.ac.kr
/ ama@knua.ac.kr
Graduate Studies Fellowship
for Foreign Students in Korea from the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Trade Students
from any country who are candidates for a masters
or a doctoral degree in a Korean-related field in
the humanities/social sciences are eligible to apply.
The scholarship covers the full amount of tuition.
Applicants must enroll in Korean studies, Korean
literature, Korean history, or other Korean-related
fields.
* Scholarship covers: Graduate degree
up to 2 years, doctoral degree up to 3 years
* Awarded: Tuition fees * Application Period:
Deadline by January 15 * Contact: Korea Foundation
(www.kf.or.kr)
Korean Language Training Fellowship
from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Students from any country wishing to learn Korean
for at least six months to a maximum of one year
are eligible to apply. The fellowship covers living
expenses. Every year, about 70 to 80 people are
selected to enroll in a Korean language program.
Those who are already learning Korean or are already
studying in a Korean-related field are given preference
on their application.
* Scholarship covers:
6 months ~ 1 year for Korean language training
* Awarded: Monthly stipend of 900,000~1,100,000
won, immigration support 300,000 won, tuition, and
travelers insurance * Application Period: End
of July * Contact: Korea Foundation (www.kf.or.kr)
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Scholarship Foundations In addition to the scholarships
offered by the Korean government, other scholarship programs
are offered to international students through foundations. Compared
to government scholarships, these fellowships have stricter
conditions, but students can apply even if they are already
studying in Korea. The fellowship is also offered to those
studying Korean or taking Korean-related classes in their home
country.
Korea Foundation Fellowship
for Korean Studies The foundation gives
out a number of fellowships, which includes the
following: for research scholars and graduate students
who want to study Korean language; for foreign scholars
and professional researchers who want to conduct
field research in Korea; for those who want to pursue
a masters or doctoral degree; for those who already
received their doctors degree and want to do more
research; and for associate professors that are
doing research and writing research papers. These
fellowships support both those who want to study
in Korea and those who want to study in their home
country. For more information, contact the Korean
Foundation (+82-2-3463-5784 / http://www.kf.or.kr/
language@kf.or.kr).
Fellowship
for Korean Language Training
* Eligibility: Applicants must have
a basic understanding and command of
Korean. The scholarship supports those
with a major or minor in a Korean-related
field at an undergraduate level; faculty,
lecturers, or researchers lecturing
about a Korean-related field, doing research
at a university or research institute,
or working in a Korean-related field
in a museum curators and librarians.
* Awarded: 900,000 won for bachelor
or masters degree level, 1,100,000 won
for doctoral degree level or higher,
immigration support 300,000 won (one
time), tuition, and travelers insurance
* Grant Period: 6 months (Grantees with
outstanding academic performances may
extend for another 3 to 6 months)
* Application Period: Announcements
are made in February and applications
should be received by the end of July
for the next academic year.
Fellowships
for Field Research * Eligibility:
Students who have completed their doctoral
degrees in Korean studies and are working
on their dissertation, or faculty, lecturers,
or researchers connected to a university
or research institution who are lecturing
or conducting research related to Korean
studies are eligible. * Awarded:
1,300,000 won a month for doctoral degree
program, 1,500,000 won a month for lecturers
and assistant professors, 2,000,000
won a month for professors and associate
professors, immigration support 300,000
won (one time), round-trip airfare,
and travelers insurance * Grant
Period: 3~12 months * Application
Period: the end of July for the next
academic year
Fellowships for Graduate
Studies Program * Eligibility:
MA or PhD level students majoring in
Korean studies at a university in North
America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.
Foreign graduate students enrolled in
a masters or doctoral degree program
in Korea are also eligible to apply.
* Awarded: Amount of tuition and monthly
stipend varies by the level of tuition
and the prices in the grantees region
and country. * Grant Period: 12
months (Possibility of extension for
outstanding students)
Post-Doctoral
Fellowships * Eligibility: Scholars
who have received their Ph.D. degree
in a subject related to Korea but are
not currently holding a full-time faculty
position may be eligible to apply. Applicants
must have received their Ph.D. degree
prior to the start of their fellowship
research. * Awarded: Amount of award
varies by region, country, institution,
and years of experience of fellowship.
* Grant Period: 12 months
Leading
Scholar Research Fellowship
* Eligibility: Researchers who have
received their Ph.D. degree in a subject
related to Korea and who are involved
in Korean-related lectures and research
activities. * Awarded: Research
grant and actual research expenses
* Grant Period: 6 to 12 months
International Scholar Exchange
Fellowship from the Korea Foundation for Advanced
Studies The Foundation provides scholarships
to university faculty members and institutional
researchers from Asian countries doing research
in the fields of humanities and social sciences,
energy related fields, and information science and
technology. Approximately 50 fellows per year are
supported for research per one-year period in Korea.
* Scholarship covers: 1 year of research in the
field of humanities and social sciences, energy,
and information and telecommunications * Awarded:
Research grant of 2,200,000 won a month, immigration
support, round-trip airfare and insurance. *
Application Period: Deadline by February 15
* Contact: Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies
(www.kfas.or.kr)
Scholarships for International
Students from the Korea Scholarship Foundation for
Future Leaders The Korea Scholarship
Foundation for Future Leaders offers tuition and
some stipends for international students who have
completed more than two semesters at a graduate
school in Korea. Students must have received a GPA
of 3.0/4.5 (2.8/4.3) or above in the previous semester.
This scholarship is open only to those international
students already studying in Korea.
* Eligibility:
International students who have already completed
two semesters at a graduate school in Korea.
* Requirements: Previous GPA must be at least 3.0/4.5
(2.8/4.3)
* Awarded: Tuition for up to 3 semesters and academic
support of 2,000,000 won a year * Application
Period: January~February * Contact: Korea Scholarship
Foundation for Future Leaders (www.kosffl.or.kr)
Employment While Attending School Based on the part-time
employment regulations for international students of the Ministry
of Justice, non-Korean students enrolled in a full-time degree
program in Korea may work at a part-time job up to 20 hours
per week during the semester and unlimited hours during summer
or winter vacations. Applicants must have a recommendation letter
from their faculty professor, have international-student status
with a D-2 visa, and have been enrolled for more than six months
(one semester) in a higher education institution, i.e. a two-year
college or above. It is illegal for students who do not meet
these criteria to work part-time in Korea. For more information,
contact the international student office at the school or the
Investigation & Enforcement Division at the Korea Immigration
Bureau (+82-2-2110-3454/ www.immigration.go.kr).
As to full-time employment, only those who have certain
skills or professional abilities as stipulated under Korean
immigration laws are allowed to work. Possible activities include
college lecturing (E-1), foreign language teaching (E-2), conducting
research (E-3), technological assistance (E-4), professional
skills (E-5), arts and entertainment (E-6), and specially designed
activities (E-7).
International students may also want
to make use of the Gold card system, which is based on the new
employment regulations for international students. The Gold
card system allows those who have graduated from a university
in Korea with a major in IT, e-business, BT, NT, new materials,
transportation equipment, digital electronics, environment and
energy to stay and work in Korea. The Gold card system is overseen
by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Energy. For more
information, visit their website at www.goldcard.or.kr.
Studying in Korea from A to Z
Korean Government Scholarship
Program - Ministry of Education and Human Resources
Development 
