Scholarships to Study in South Korea: GKS 2027 Guide

The best-known scholarships to study in South Korea are the Korean government's Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) awards. They pay tuition, a monthly allowance, a year of Korean language training and your return flight. For Indian students there are two main routes: GKS for undergraduate degrees (GKS-U), for Class 12 graduates, and GKS for graduate degrees (GKS-G), for master's and PhD applicants. Universities also offer their own tuition scholarships.

Timing matters this year. The GKS 2027 embassy-track window for undergraduates closed on 30 September 2026, but the university track is still open at some universities. This guide covers the dates, eligibility, the India quota and what the stipend is worth in rupees. To see whether a Korea plan fits your family budget, try MetaApply budget calculator.

What Is the GKS Scholarship?

GKS is run by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED), part of Korea's Ministry of Education. Applications go through the official Study in Korea portal. It's a fully funded award: you don't pay tuition, and you get a monthly allowance and an economy-class flight.

Every GKS scholar who doesn't already have TOPIK level 5 or 6 spends the first year learning Korean before the degree starts. An undergraduate award therefore runs five years for a four-year bachelor's degree, and a master's award runs three years. Students who reach TOPIK 5 or 6 in the first six months of the language year can move into their degree early.

Embassy track vs university track

GKS has two routes, and choosing between them is the first decision you make:

• Embassy track: You apply through the Korean Embassy in your country, which shortlists candidates for NIIED. You can name up to three universities.
• University track: You apply directly to one participating university and one department. The university runs its own first round, then sends successful candidates to NIIED.

Applicants who fail the first round of the embassy track can still apply through the university track in the same cycle.

GKS 2027: Dates, Eligibility and How to Apply

NIIED released the GKS 2027 undergraduate guidelines on 9 September 2026, according to Korea JoongAng Daily. The programme has 286 places worldwide: 156 on the embassy track and 130 on the university track.

GKS 2027 undergraduate timeline

Dates are in Korean time and come from the 2027 GKS-U application guidelines. NIIED can change the schedule, so check the Study in Korea notice board before you apply.

Eligibility for Indian students

To apply for GKS-U 2027, you must:

• Hold Indian citizenship. Neither you nor your parents can hold Korean citizenship.
• Be under 25, which means born after 1 March 2002.
• Have finished Class 12, or finish it by 31 December 2026.
• Have an average of at least 80%, or rank in the top 20% of your class.
• Not already hold a bachelor's degree.

GKS-G follows the same citizenship rule. Applicants must be under 40 and hold a bachelor's degree for a master's, or a master's for a PhD.

The India quota

The 2027 guidelines give India four undergraduate places on the embassy track: two general places and two regional (R-GKS) places at universities outside the Seoul area. That's a small number for a country of India's size, which is why the university track matters. Its University Industry Cooperation (UIC) programme offers 100 places in science and engineering. It's open to applicants from every country except Korea, with no national quota.

When GKS 2027 graduate applications open

GKS-G runs a different calendar. For the 2026 cycle, the Embassy of Korea in India posted the graduate notice on 3 February 2026, with an online deadline of 25 February 2026. If the 2027 cycle follows the same pattern, expect the graduate guidelines in early 2027 and a September 2027 start.

What GKS Covers, in INR

The 2027 undergraduate guidelines changed how the allowance works. It's now an all-inclusive monthly payment that also covers housing, health insurance, TOPIK fees and the settlement and completion grants that used to be paid separately. Dormitory or rent costs come out of this amount.

INR figures use about ₹0.0707 per won (November 2026) and are estimates. For GKS-G, the 2026 guidelines set the degree-years allowance at ₩15,720,000 a year, about ₹11.1 lakh.

A common concern we hear from parents is whether the allowance actually covers living costs in Seoul. Usually it covers a dormitory, food and transport for a careful student, but there's little left for travel or emergencies. Keep a family buffer for the first month, before the first payment arrives, and for the visa, the medical check and initial set-up costs.

Other Scholarships to Study in South Korea

GKS isn't the only funding route. If you're self-funding a degree, look at these:

• University tuition scholarships: Many Korean universities reduce tuition for international students in the first semester based on admission grades, and later awards usually depend on your GPA. The rules differ widely, so read each university's international admissions page.
• TOPIK-linked awards: Many universities give larger reductions to students with higher TOPIK levels. Starting Korean in India before you apply can pay for itself.
• Graduate research funding: At master's and PhD level, especially in science and engineering, professors often fund students from lab research grants. This is arranged with your supervisor, not through a central application.

Most English-taught degree programmes in Korea ask for an IELTS or TOEFL score. If you're aiming for one, MetaApply's IELTS preparation can help you plan your test dates around application deadlines. For a wider view of awards in other countries, see our list of fully funded scholarships for Indian students.

How to Apply for Scholarships to Study in South Korea

1. Pick your route and track: GKS-U after Class 12, GKS-G after graduation; embassy track or university track.
2. Check the current guidelines on Study in Korea, including the India quota and the list of participating universities.
3. Prepare documents early: marksheets, certificates, a personal statement, a study plan, recommendation letters, and an apostille or embassy attestation where required.
4. Shortlist universities and departments that match your marks and subject, mixing Seoul and regional universities.
5. Submit online before the deadline and keep a copy of everything you upload.
6. Prepare for the interview if you're shortlisted, and be ready to talk about your study plan in detail.

For costs beyond the scholarship and a full country overview, our guide to studying in South Korea covers universities and living costs in South Korea for 2027. If you're self-funding, our guide to an education loan to study abroad explains how families fund the gap.

Ready to Study in South Korea?

MetaApply's counsellors help Indian students choose the right GKS track, shortlist universities, prepare study plans and plan for the visa, all under one roof. Start early, because scholarships to study in South Korea reward the students who have their documents ready when the window opens.

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