2026 Global Korea Scholarship for Graduate Degrees(GKS-G) in the Midwest USA

The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is a prestigious, fully funded scholarship program offered by the Korean government to support outstanding international students who wish to pursue Master’s, Doctoral, or Research degrees in South Korea.

Its goal is to promote international education exchange and strengthen global friendships through academic collaboration.

1. What is GKS?

GKS provides international students with the opportunity to study at leading Korean universities with comprehensive financial support, including tuition, airfare, and living expenses. It is administered by Korea’s National Institute for International Education (NIIED).

   [Program Duration]

• Master’s Degree: 3 years (1 year Korean language + 2 years degree)

• Doctoral Degree: 4 years (1 year Korean language + 3 years degree)

• Research Program: 6 months – 1 year

   [Scholarship Benefits]

• Round-trip airfare

• Full tuition coverage

• Monthly living allowance

• Korean language training (1 year if needed)

• Medical insurance and settlement allowance

2. Eligibility

• Nationality: Applicants and both parents must be non-Korean citizens holding the nationality of the host country

• Age: Applicants must be under 40 years old (born on or after September 1, 1986)

• Academic Requirement: Bachelor’s degree holders for the Master’s program/ Master’s degree holders for the Doctoral program

• Applicants with strong academic records (generally top 20% or GPA equivalent)

     *For detailed requirements regarding academic background, GPA, language proficiency, health condition, and other criteria, please refer to the official application guidelines

3. Application Procedure

• Submit an online application via Study in Korea Website: www.studyinkorea.go.kr

• Create an account and complete all required sections, including document uploads

*Applicants must review all instructions and notes provided in the official application guidelines

       *Be sure to indicate that you are applying via the Embassy Track when filling out the application form

       *For U.S. applicants in the Midwest (if your highest educational institute is located one of these states: IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MI, NE, ND, SD, OH, WI), please select the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chicago as your embassy/consular processing office

4. Application Period: February 12 - February 25, 2026 (Wed), 18:00 (*Korea Standard Time)

5. Required Documents

• Mandatory Documents: Application form/ Personal statement/ Study plan/ One recommendation letter/ Consent forms/ Self-health statement/ Degree certificates and academic transcripts/ Proof of nationality (applicant and parents)/ Employment certificate (if applicable)

• Additional Documents (if applicable): Proof of Korean War Veteran’s Descendant, Original TOPIK certificate, Published books, awards, etc.

  
  

6. Important Notes

• For the first local screening, *Apostille certification is NOT required

• Recommendation letters must be filled out in a downloaded form from the system, completed and signed by the recommender, and uploaded by the applicant

• All documents must be uploaded as scanned copies by the applicant

• Applicants may choose up to three (3) universities when applying

• At least one of these chosen universities MUST be from Type B universities (regional or non-major schools) for the General Embassy Track

       *For complete details, applicants must refer to the official 2026 GKS Graduate Program Application Guidelines attached below.

*For University Information, please visit official GKS website: https://studyinkorea.go.kr/ko/plan/scholarship.do

7. Contact

• Korean Education Center in Chicago: kec.chicago@gmail.com, 847-777-8830/8831

• NIIED: gksniied@korea.kr