Complete Guide to the Korea GKS Scholarship: 5 Years Fully Funded for Undergraduate Study + Monthly Stipend (Latest 2026)
Published on April 27, 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) |
| 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 |
| 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
Step 1: Every February-March: GKS announcement (MOE NIIED website)
Step 2: March-April: Apply through the Korean representative office / Korean embassy
Step 3: May: First-round document review
Step 4: June: Second-round interview (some schools)
Step 5: July-August: Third-round university review
Step 6: September: Final admission results announced
Step 7: September-October: Arrive in Korea + 1 year Korean preparatory program
Step 8: The following September: Begin undergraduate study
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 |
| 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:
January: GSAT
February: Submit Taiwan university applications (individual application)
March: GKS announcement
April-September: GKS application + Taiwan university waitlist process
September: Receive GKS result and decide whether to go or stay
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.
Further reading:
- Complete Guide to Japan’s MEXT Government Scholarship
- Complete Guide to Korea Visa / PR
- Scholarship Structures for International Students at Singapore SMU / NTU
- How to Prepare for Taiwan’s MOE Government-Funded Study Abroad Exam
- Complete Guide to Scholarships for International Students in Canada / the UK / Australia