Complete Guide to the Korea GKS Scholarship

Published on May 14, 2026

Every year, Taiwanese parents ask me: “Teacher, do Korea’s SKY universities offer scholarships to Taiwanese students?”

My answer is always: “SKY (Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University) offers very few undergraduate scholarships for international students. But GKS (Global Korea Scholarship) is a fully funded scholarship from the Korean government, with a Taiwan quota of 5-10 places each year.”

Parents get excited: “How does this compare with MEXT?”

The answer: GKS is smaller than MEXT in scale, with fewer places for Taiwan, but Korea’s STEM and engineering education is rising quickly. This article draws on my 15 years of hands-on consulting experience to break down GKS for you.

1. What Is GKS?

GKS (Global Korea Scholarship) = a government scholarship hosted by Korea’s Ministry of Education (MOE), formerly known as KGSP before 2010.

1.1 Three Categories

Category	Target applicants	Duration
Undergraduate students	High school graduates aged 17-24	5 years (1 year Korean + 4 years undergraduate)
Graduate students (Master)	University graduates under age 40	3 years (1 year Korean + 2 years master’s)
Graduate students (PhD)	Master’s graduates	4 years (1 year Korean + 3 years PhD)

This article focuses on undergraduate students.

1.2 What Does GKS Undergraduate Funding Cover?

Item	Details
Tuition	100% free
Monthly stipend	KRW 1,000,000 (around NTD 24,000)
Admission fee + school fees	Fully waived
Flight to Korea	One-way airfare
Health insurance	KRW 240,000 / year
Korean language training support	KRW 800,000 / month (1-year Korean preparatory period)

Total value for 4 years of undergraduate study: tuition KRW 32,000,000 + monthly stipend KRW 48,000,000 = KRW 80,000,000 (NTD 2 million / USD $60K), all covered.

2. GKS vs. MEXT

Item	GKS (Korea)	MEXT (Japan)
Monthly stipend	KRW 1,000,000 (NTD 24K)	JPY 117,000 (NTD 26K)
Preparatory year	1 year Korean	1 year Japanese
Undergraduate period	4 years	4 years
Taiwan quota	5-10 places / year	35-40 places / year
Application difficulty

Conclusion: MEXT has about 4 times more places than GKS, which means GKS is more competitive for Taiwanese applicants.

3. Eligible Universities and Majors

3.1 Eligible Universities (Top 60 Korean Universities)

Tier	Schools
SKY (Korea’s Ivy)	Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University
Top private universities	Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, Chung-Ang University, Kyung Hee University, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
National universities	Pusan National University, Kyungpook National University, Chungnam National University
Science and technology universities	KAIST, POSTECH (strong in STEM)

3.2 Majors

Field	Options
Humanities	Korean language and literature, English language and literature, history, philosophy
Social sciences	Political science and diplomacy, business administration, economics, sociology
STEM	Mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, CS
Medicine	Medicine, pharmacy, nursing (some programs)
Arts	Fine arts, music (some schools)

4. Application Process

4.1 Main Timeline

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4.2 Two Application Tracks

Track	Details
Embassy Track	Handled by the Korean representative office in Taiwan
University Track	Apply directly to a specific university’s GKS quota

Embassy Track advantage: you can list 3 universities as choices
University Track advantage: direct contact with the university, and some universities have more available places

5. Eligibility Requirements

5.1 Academic Requirements

Requirement	Details
GPA	GPA 80/100 or above (90+ recommended)
High school graduation	Before the end of Grade 11 + currently enrolled in Grade 12
Age	17-24 (extensions possible in special cases)
Nationality	Taiwan passport

5.2 Language Requirements

Language	Requirement
TOPIK (Korean)	Not mandatory — can be obtained during the Korean preparatory year
TOEFL / IELTS	TOEFL 80+ / IELTS 5.5+ (some schools)

The truth: GKS does not require TOPIK, and that is a major advantage. MEXT strongly recommends JLPT N2+, while GKS is more flexible about Korean ability.

6. The Reality of GKS Competition in Taiwan

6.1 Application Numbers

Year	Taiwanese applicants	Taiwanese admits	Admit rate
2024	80-100	5-8	8-10%
2025	80-100	6-10	10%
2026	Estimated	5-10	8-10%

6.2 Competitor Profiles

Top 10% students from elite high schools
GPA 90+
Mainly TOEIC / TOEFL 100+
TOPIK Level 4-5 as a plus
K-pop / K-drama cultural interest is common (not much of a bonus, but can show fit)

7. Practical Preparation Path for Taiwanese High School Students

7.1 Start Preparing in Grade 11

Month	Task
Grade 11 summer	Start learning Korean (1 hr per day)
Grade 11 full year	TOPIK Level 3
Grade 11 summer	TOPIK Level 4
Grade 12 January-February	GSAT
Grade 12 March-April	GKS announcement + application
Grade 12 May-July	Document review + interview
Grade 12 September	Admission results announced

7.2 Running GKS and Taiwan University Applications in Parallel

GKS is announced in March-April, after Taiwan university applications have already been submitted and the GSAT has already been taken. So you can:

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The truth: you can apply to GKS + NTU + U.S. ED at the same time. The real choice comes in April and September.

8. How GKS Students Are Treated in Korea

8.1 Preparatory Education (1 Year of Korean)

Conducted by NIIED-designated universities (such as affiliated programs at Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University, etc.)
6-8 hr of Korean per day + some academic subjects
KRW 1,000,000 / month stipend + full tuition waiver
Must pass TOPIK Level 3 by the end of the year

8.2 Four Years of Undergraduate Study

Choose your university + choose your major
KRW 1,000,000 / month stipend
Full tuition waiver
Part-time work allowed during summer vacation (limited to 20 hr/week)

8.3 Long-Term Residency in Korea

Stage	Visa
Preparatory + undergraduate study	D-2 student visa
Graduation + job search	D-10 job-seeking visa
After finding a job	E-7 work visa
After 5 years	F-2 / F-5 (permanent residency)
After 5 years of PR	Citizenship (naturalization)

9. Employment After GKS

9.1 Employment in Korea

Path	Share
Korean conglomerates (Samsung, Hyundai, SK, LG)	40-50%
Foreign companies in Korea (Google Korea, Apple Korea)	15-20%
Academia	10-15%
Return to Taiwan	20-25%
Entrepreneurship	5%

9.2 Starting Salary Reference

Company	Starting salary / year (KRW)
Samsung Electronics	KRW 50,000,000-60,000,000 (NTD 1.3-1.5 million)
Hyundai Motor	KRW 45,000,000-55,000,000
Small and mid-sized Korean companies	KRW 35,000,000-45,000,000
Foreign companies in Korea	KRW 60,000,000-80,000,000

The truth: starting salaries at major Korean companies are 50-80% higher than in Taiwan, but working hours are long and overtime is serious.

10. The 5 Most Common GKS Pitfalls

10.1 Expecting “K-drama Campus Life”

→ Korean universities are extremely high-pressure. Studying + internships + civil service exam prep = most of your time, which is very different from K-drama scenes.

10.2 Expecting to Reach N2-Level Korean in 1 Year

→ In reality, reaching TOPIK Level 3 in 1 year is already reasonable. Level 4 usually takes 2 years.

10.3 Thinking Only SKY Has Value

→ Wrong. KAIST and POSTECH are global top-50-level schools in STEM. An average KAIST graduate may be more competitive in Korea’s job market than a humanities graduate from SKY.

10.4 Submitting a K-pop Fan Application

→ Korean admissions officers tend to react negatively to applicants who are applying “just because of K-pop.” You need a specific Korea-related cultural, language, or academic connection.

10.5 Applying Taiwanese High School Thinking to Korean Universities

→ Korean universities have an extremely competitive culture and are much more exhausting than Taiwanese universities.

11. GKS vs. MEXT vs. U.S. HYPMS

For Taiwanese high school students:

Item	GKS	MEXT	HYPMS Full-Need
Full funding	✓	✓	✓
Monthly stipend	NTD 24K	NTD 26K	Partial (hidden costs still exist)
Duration	5 years	5 years	4 years
Language difficulty

12. Conclusion: GKS Is an “East Asia Alternative”

Over the past 15 years, I have seen too many parents assume that “study abroad = the U.S.” But the ROI of fully funded scholarships in neighboring Asian countries can compete with HYPMS.

My final advice for Dr. G. students:

GKS is suitable for:1. Students interested in Korean culture / language2. Students aiming for KAIST / POSTECH (strong STEM schools)3. Students who want to work in Asia (not necessarily return to Taiwan)4. Families with limited budgets whose student is in the top 10% at an elite high school

Not suitable for:1. Students who only want K-pop scenery2. Students unwilling to learn Korean3. Students who want to graduate quickly in 4 years (GKS takes 5 years)

GKS has very few places, only 5-10 per year, so competition is extremely intense. But for students who win it, the ROI is very high.

Further reading: