How to Apply for KGSP Scholarship 2023

Would you like to study in Korea? Then the KGSP scholarship is for you! Learn how to apply for KGSP scholarship in 2023.

Korea is rapidly rising to the top of the list of preferred study abroad locations for international students. Given that Korea’s educational system is superb, the fees are more than affordable, and universities and the government offer a variety of scholarships and awards to help international students, this is not particularly surprising. 

Korean schools are growing more widespread as the country is thought to be quite safe and affordable. Due to low costs, good education, a wide variety of cultural activities, and, of course, the delectable Korean cuisine and culture, student fulfilment is also very great.

The Korean government is actively promoting education and seeking to strengthen its international contacts. This is one of the reasons South Korea has so many scholarships. About 2,000 international students are funded annually by the Korean government, which has awarded scholarships to 6,556 students from 148 different nations since 1967. In this post, we’ll discuss the prestigious KGSP scholarship offered by the Korean government to international students.

KGSP is short for Korean Government Scholarship Program. Scholarships are available through this fully financed program at the best Korean public and private universities. Undergraduate, Master’s, and PhD degrees are the levels for the KGSP.

The purpose of the KGSP scholarship is to encourage worldwide educational exchanges and friendly relations between countries by giving international students the chance to pursue higher education in undergraduate and graduate programs at higher educational institutions in South Korea. International students can pursue higher education through this scholarship program, which also provides them with other advantages and fully paid scholarships.

You don’t need to be concerned about expenses because the KGSP is a fully funded scholarship that handles all of them. This scholarship is solely available to international students who desire to study in Korea for an undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degree. 

Since most Korean universities are considered among the top institutions in the world and have one of the most outstanding education systems, there is no question as to the trustworthiness of studying higher education in South Korea. Other scholarships are offered by the Korean government and by individual universities, but many people agree that this is the best scholarship in Korea. 

This Korean government scholarship is usually available to 220 undergraduates and more than 1,000 graduate students, depending on funding. This government scholarship fully pays for tuition as well as other costs, including health care, language learning, academic support, and other things. Remember that students are also given a monthly stipend, funding for their research, a completion grant, and sometimes even travel expenses.

Eligibility Criteria for KGSP Scholarship

It is better to make sure you check and meet all requirements before applying for the Korean government’s scholarship program. Below are the requirements:

• You are not a Korean citizen. Only international students are allowed to apply. Also, students who have either one parent or both parents who are Korean citizens are not eligible to apply.
• Each applicant must be in stable physical and mental health.
• Each applicant must have received only excellent grades at all of their previous schools.
• The applicant’s cumulative grade point average must be 80% or higher.
• Students who have already attended school in Korea are ineligible.
• Reapplications for the scholarship program are only accepted by students attending the universities of their preference.
• Applicants must enrol in regular courses (language courses are not considered regular courses)
• Must enrol in at least one class with two credits in Korean language or culture.
• Candidates for undergraduate admission cannot be older than 25.
• Graduate degree candidates should not be older than 40 years old.
• Candidates must have their high school diploma and have graduated from high school.
• Before coming to Korea, applicants for the graduate program must finish their undergraduate or graduate degree (as applicable).

Application Process for KGSP Scholarship

Below is the application process for the KGSP scholarship program.

• Applicants can submit an application through their preferred school or the local Korean embassy.
• Candidates must deliver their application forms either directly to the university they are applying to or to the Korean embassy in their home country. The university must be a KGSP partner university.
• Applicants must submit their application form in accordance with the instructions provided by the university of their choice on their website if they plan to apply through that institution.
• The Korean Embassy in the designated country or a local university are invited by National Institute for International Education (NIIED) to suggest possible candidates.
• All supporting documentation for scholarship applications should be sent to the relevant domestic university or the Korean Embassy in the applicant’s country of residence.
• The appropriate candidates are sent to NIIED by the local university or the Korean embassy with the necessary paperwork.
• The Korean Embassy is notified of the eventual recipients of the KGSP grant once potential candidates have been evaluated by NIIED.
• You will be notified via the university site or the Korean embassy whether you have been chosen for the scholarship.
• You will not be notified by the KGSP scholarship committee if you are accepted or not.
• You can immediately contact the Korean institution or the Korean consulate if you have any questions about the selection procedure.

Note: Undergraduates can only apply through the Korean embassy in their home country.

This image below shows a visual representation of application procedure for postgraduate applicants.

Required Documents for KGSP Scholarship

You will not be considered for the KGSP unless you have submitted all the required documents. Failure to submit all the necessary paperwork could not only delay but also possibly end your application process.

The complete list of documents needed for the KGSP 2023 is provided below:

• Soft copy of the highest degree earned
• Transcript copies
• Letters of recommendation from employers or professors.
• Personal essay or statement of purpose (mandatory for masters and PhD applicants)
• Study plan (required of applicants for master’s degrees)
• research proposal (only for the PhD program applicants).
• Letter of intent or a letter of motivation (mandatory for undergraduate program applicants).
• Scholarship resume

Further Information

Below are some important things to note before applying for the KGSP scholarship.

• Application forms should only be filled out in English or Korean by applicants.
• You must send all application requirements in their original format.
• You would need to present the verified copies of the documents.
• You will not receive your provided documents back from the NIIED.
• You can only present photocopies for awards and certificates.
• Two different people must each write a recommendation letter.
• You must provide the Korean embassy with three sets of all photocopied application documents, in addition to one set of original application materials. This only applies to applicants who are submitting their applications via the Korean Embassy. However, if a student applies directly to the university of their choice, they are only required to provide one set of original application materials.

Application Deadline

The KGSP is only held annually. There is no established start or end date. You must therefore be careful to observe all deadlines.

Each university has its own deadline. Each degree program also has a different deadline. It is recommended to get in touch with the university directly in order to find out the opening date and deadline.

If you are directly applying through the Korean embassy in your country, you can go there and inquire about the deadline.

Remember, this scholarship is open twice a year. So if you don’t meet the deadline or get it this year, you can always try again next year.

Click here to access the scholarship guidebook.

Visit the official KGSP scholarship website for more information.

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