Complete Guide to the Korea GKS Scholarship: 5 Years Fully Funded for Undergraduate Study + Monthly Stipend (Latest 2026)
Published on April 27, 2026
GKS is a fully funded foreign government scholarship for Taiwanese students applying to undergraduate or master’s programs in Korea, covering tuition plus a monthly stipend. This guide explains the application process, TOPIK requirements, and Taiwan’s annual quota of 5-10 places.
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
Complete Guide to the Korea GKS Scholarship: 5 Years Fully Funded for Undergraduate Study + Monthly Stipend (Latest 2026) | Study Abroad Blog | Dr.G. Academy
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)
Return flight
Provided upon graduation
Thesis support
Additional support for master’s and PhD students
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
Moderate
Moderate
Career paths
Korea / international
Japan / international
Language
TOPIK
JLPT
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
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
Grade 12 October
Arrive in Korea + Korean preparatory program
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:
unknown node
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
Korean (moderate for beginners)
Japanese (moderate for beginners)
English (high)
School prestige
KAIST / SKY ≈ Global Top 50
University of Tokyo / Kyoto University ≈ Global Top 30
HYPMS ≈ Global Top 5
Application difficulty
8-10%
8-10%
4-9%
Taiwan quota
5-10 places
35-40 places
No quota limit
Career paths
Korea / global
Japan / global
U.S. / global
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.
