Quick Read
- GKS scholarship covers full tuition, stipend, airfare, and insurance.
- Monthly stipend equals roughly Rs 60,300 to Rs 67,000.
- Two application tracks exist: Embassy Track and University Track.
- Indian undergraduate applicants apply through the Embassy in New Delhi.
- TOPIK Level 3 is required after the language year.
- Indian applicants must apostille documents through India’s MEA.
What Is the GKS Scholarship
GKS stands for Global Korea Scholarship, a fully funded scholarship run by South Korea’s National Institute for International Education (NIIED) under the Ministry of Education. It was called the Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) until South Korea rebranded it in 2010. The scholarship funds bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and short-term research studies at Korean universities for students from partner countries, India included.
Counselor insight: Students searching for “KGSP” and “GKS” often think these are two different scholarships. They are not. If an older blog or your senior’s admission letter says KGSP, it is the same program under its previous name.
GKS Scholarship Eligibility for Indian Students
Eligibility depends on which degree level you are applying for. The baseline rules apply to everyone: you and both your parents must hold non-Korean citizenship, and you must be in good physical and mental health to study in Korea.
| Criteria | Undergraduate (GKS-U) | Master’s / Doctoral (GKS-G) | Research Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age limit | Under 25 | Under 40 | Under 40 |
| Prior qualification | Completed or expecting Class 12 | Bachelor’s degree (Master’s) / Master’s degree (Doctoral) | Relevant prior degree |
| Academic threshold | 80%+ in Class 12, or top 20% of class | 80%+ or CGPA 2.64/4.0 (or equivalent), or top 20% of class | Same as Master’s/Doctoral |
| Program length | 5 to 7 years (1 year Korean + 4 to 6 years degree) | Master’s: 3 years total. Doctoral: 4 years total (each includes 1 year Korean language) | 6 months to 1 year, no language year |
| Prior GKS/Korean degree | Not eligible if you already hold a degree from a Korean institution | Same restriction applies | Same restriction applies |
Counselor insight: A borderline GPA is not an automatic rejection. NIIED reviews academic performance against your class rank as well as the raw percentage, so a strong class rank can offset a slightly lower average. Obtain a rank certificate from your college registrar if your GPA sits close to the cutoff.
Embassy Track vs University Track for the GKS Scholarship
Every applicant chooses exactly one track. You cannot apply to both in the same cycle.
| Embassy Track | University Track | |
|---|---|---|
| How you apply | Through the Korean Embassy in New Delhi | Directly to the Korean university |
| University choices | Up to 3 (at least 1 must be a Type B university) | Only 1 university, 1 department |
| Best suited for | Students still deciding on a university, or wanting backup options | Students with a specific university and professor already in mind |
| Selection stages | Embassy screening, then NIIED review, then university review | University screening, then NIIED review |
| India-specific note | Submitted to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, New Delhi | Submitted directly to the university’s international office |
Counselor insight: Most first-time Indian applicants are better off on the Embassy Track. It gives you three shots at placement instead of one, and the Embassy round is more forgiving of a slightly generic Statement of Purpose than a University Track reviewer who already has a specific lab or department in mind.
GKS Scholarship Benefits and Stipend in Rupees
| Benefit | Amount in KRW | Amount in INR |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly stipend, Undergraduate (GKS-U) | 900,000/month, paid throughout the program, including the language year | Rs 60,300/month |
| Monthly stipend, Graduate (GKS-G, Master’s/Doctoral) | 1,000,000/month, paid throughout the program, including the language year | Rs 67,000/month |
| Settlement allowance (one-time, on arrival) | 200,000 | Rs 13,400 |
| Tuition | Full coverage, university-dependent cap | University-dependent, typically Rs 2 to 3.3 lakh/semester |
| Airfare | Round-trip economy class | Actual ticket cost |
| Medical insurance | Covered for scholarship duration | Covered for scholarship duration |
| Research/thesis support (Master’s/Doctoral) | 210,000 to 240,000 KRW per semester | Rs 14,000 to Rs 16,000 per semester (roughly Rs 28,000 to Rs 32,000/year across two semesters) |
| Korean language training | One year, fully covered | One year, fully covered |
What GKS does not cover: your visa application fee, initial travel insurance before arrival, and personal spending money before the first stipend payment lands, which typically takes 2 to 4 weeks after arrival. Budget roughly Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 in personal funds to cover this gap.
For a fuller sense of what daily life costs beyond the stipend, see LeapScholar’s guides to the cost of studying in South Korea and cost of living in South Korea.
Counselor insight: Students consistently underestimate the stipend gap in the first month. Keep at least one month of living expenses in a card that works internationally before you fly out, since the first GKS disbursement does not arrive on day one.
GKS Scholarship Exam, Syllabus and the IRTS Korean Language Program
There is no single written “GKS scholarship exam” with a fixed syllabus. Selection runs on documents, an academic record, a Statement of Purpose, a Study Plan, and an interview, not a standardized test. Students searching for a “GKS syllabus” are usually looking for one of these three things instead:
- TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean): the official Korean-language proficiency test, run by NIIED itself, at TOPIK Applying is optional, but you must have TOPIK Level 3 or higher by the end of your language year to continue into your degree program.
- English proficiency tests: if you are targeting an English-taught program and want to skip or shorten the Korean language year, some universities accept IELTS or TOEFL scores instead of TOPIK.
- IRTS (Invitation for Reciprocal Trust Scholarship): a specific GKS sub-track for students who already hold TOPIK Level 3 or higher at the time of application. IRTS scholars can skip the one-year Korean language program entirely and move straight into their degree.
Counselor insight: If you already have decent Korean from self-study or a language institute, checking your IRTS eligibility before applying can save you a full year of program time. Your monthly stipend rate stays the same either way (it doesn’t step up once your degree phase starts), so the real gain from IRTS is finishing your degree and entering the job market or your next academic step a year sooner, not a higher stipend.
Documents Required for the GKS Scholarship Application
| Document | India-Specific Detail |
|---|---|
| Academic transcripts and provisional/degree certificates | Apostilled through India’s Ministry of External Affairs, not just notarised |
| Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets | CBSE/ICSE/state board originals plus apostille |
| Bachelor’s/Master’s degree certificates | An apostille takes 4 to 6 weeks in India; start early |
| Statement of Purpose and Study Plan | Written in English; some universities also accept Korean |
| Two letters of recommendation | From professors or employers who can speak to your academic or research ability |
| Proof of nationality (self and both parents) | Passport copy plus birth certificate |
| Medical assessment form | Format specified by NIIED, completed by a registered doctor |
| TOPIK or English proficiency certificate | Optional at application, often required to confirm placement |
Counselor insight: The apostille step is where most Indian applicants lose weeks they didn’t budget for. India’s apostille process for educational documents runs through the MEA and can take 4 to 6 weeks depending on the state, so start this before you finalize your Study Plan, not after.
GKS Scholarship 2027 Timeline for Indian Students
| Month (Indian academic calendar) | GKS-U (Undergraduate) | GKS-G (Master’s/Doctoral) |
|---|---|---|
| August to September 2026 | Embassy Track applications open in New Delhi | Prepare documents, apostille begins |
| September to October 2026 | Embassy Track and University Track deadlines | Not applicable |
| November 2026 | Embassy first-round results | Not applicable |
| December 2026 | University Track second-round results; final documents due | Continue document preparation |
| January 2027 | Final GKS-U selection announced | Embassy Track applications expected to open |
| February to March 2027 | Language program begins; scholars arrive in Korea | GKS-G Embassy and University Track deadlines |
| April to May 2027 | Not applicable | NIIED and university-level review |
| June 2027 | Not applicable | Final GKS-G results announced |
| August to September 2027 | Not applicable | Language program begins; scholars arrive in Korea |
This is a planning map based on recent GKS cycles, not the final 2027 schedule. Always cross-check exact dates once they are published.
Counselor insight: Indian students applying straight after their board exams in March consistently run out of time for apostille before the September GKS-U deadline. If you’re targeting the undergraduate track, it’s best to start the apostille process as soon as your Class 12 results are declared, rather than waiting for the GKS notice to be published.
If You Miss a GKS Scholarship Deadline or TOPIK Requirement
| Situation | What Actually Happens | What You Can Do |
|---|---|---|
| You miss the Embassy Track deadline | Your application is not accepted; there is no late-submission window | Apply the following cycle, or check if your target university’s University Track deadline is still open |
| You don’t clear TOPIK Level 3 after the language year | You cannot proceed into the degree program on the standard timeline | Most universities allow one additional semester of language study; confirm with your specific university’s international office |
| Your documents are rejected at screening | You are excluded from that round | Reapply next cycle with corrected, properly apostilled documents; do not resubmit the same file |
| You’re selected but can’t arrive on schedule (visa delay, medical issue) | Contact NIIED and your university immediately; deferrals are handled case by case | Do not assume a deferral is automatic. Written communication with your GKS Center contact is essential |
Counselor insight: A missed deadline genuinely means waiting a full year, since GKS runs one cycle per degree level each year. There is no fallback “late round.” If your documents aren’t apostilled in time, it is better to apply next cycle fully prepared than to submit an incomplete file this cycle.
How Many Indian Students Get the GKS Scholarship Each Year
India’s exact GKS quota changes year to year and is set separately for Embassy Track and University Track. Reported figures for recent cycles vary across sources, from roughly 20 to over 50 combined seats depending on the year and track split.
Where you personally stand depends on your profile more than the quota:
- If you are a final-year BTech student graduating in May 2027 aiming for a Master’s in engineering, your window is the February to April 2027 GKS-G Embassy Track cycle. Start your apostille process the moment your final semester results are provisional, and target a Study Plan that names specific Korean labs working in your field.
- If you are a working professional with 2 to 3 years of experience considering a PhD, GKS-G’s University Track may suit you better than Embassy Track if you have already identified a professor whose research matches yours, since a direct application signals a stronger fit than a general Embassy submission.
- If you are a Class 12 student graduating in 2027 targeting an undergraduate degree, the Embassy Track deadline falls in September to October 2026, before your board results are even out. Apply with a certificate of expected graduation, and be ready to submit your final marksheet the moment results are declared.
Counselor insight: The strongest Indian applications name specific Korean universities, departments, and, where relevant, specific professors or labs in the Study Plan, rather than describing an interest in “studying in Korea” broadly. Generic Study Plans are the most common reason strong-GPA applicants don’t make the cut.
3 Takeaways on GKS Scholarship
- Pick one track early and commit to it. The Embassy Track is ideal for most first-time Indian applicants because it offers three university choices, while the University Track is better suited for those who already have a specific professor or lab in mind.
- Budget in rupees at a locked exchange rate, not in KRW. The stipend covers daily living in most Korean cities, but keep Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 in personal funds for the gap before your first payment.
- Start your apostille process the day your GKS-relevant results are declared, not when the official notice drops. India’s 4 to 6 week apostille timeline is the single most common reason strong applicants miss the September or February deadlines.
Verified by: LeapScholar’s South Korea counseling team, with hands-on experience guiding Indian students through the GKS Embassy and University Track application process.
Have questions about the GKS scholarship? Book a free session with a LeapScholar counselor.
Frequently Asked Questions About GKS Scholarship
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Is the GKS scholarship really fully funded, or are there hidden costs?
GKS covers tuition, a monthly stipend, round-trip airfare, medical insurance, and one year of Korean language training. It does not cover your visa fee, pre-departure travel insurance, or the 2 to 4 week gap before your first stipend payment. Budgeting an additional Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 for that initial period is a realistic buffer.
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Can I apply for both Embassy Track and University Track in the same year?
NIIED allows only one track per applicant per cycle, so you have to choose before you apply. Applying to both, or to more than one university under University Track, results in disqualification if discovered at any stage, even after an initial round of selection has already passed.
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Do I need IELTS or TOEFL for the GKS scholarship?
Not for the scholarship application itself. TOPIK is the language benchmark NIIED tracks. However, if you’re targeting an English-taught program, some universities will ask for IELTS or TOEFL as proof of English proficiency in place of, or alongside, TOPIK requirements.
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What is the IRTS track under GKS, and can Indian students apply for it?
IRTS lets applicants who already hold TOPIK Level 3 or higher skip the mandatory one-year Korean language program and start their degree immediately. Indian students are eligible if they meet the TOPIK requirement and the standard GKS academic criteria; check the current year’s notice for which universities participate.
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What happens if my Class 12 results aren’t out by the GKS-U deadline?
You can apply with a certificate of expected graduation. Most cycles require you to submit your final marksheet and graduation certificate by a set later date, often around December, so check the specific deadline in that year’s official notice rather than assuming it matches your board result date.
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How long does the GKS scholarship selection process take?
For undergraduate applicants, Embassy Track results typically span from November through January, roughly 3 to 4 months after the application deadline. For graduate applicants, the Embassy Track cycle running February to April usually concludes with final results by June, with a Korean language program start soon after in most cases.
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Is the GKS scholarship stipend enough to live on in Korea?
The monthly stipend of Rs 60,300 to Rs 67,000 covers hostel-level accommodation and modest daily expenses in most Korean cities, though Seoul runs noticeably higher than smaller university towns.
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Can GKS scholars work part-time in Korea?
Not automatically. GKS scholars on a D-2 student visa must apply separately for a part-time work permit (S-3) through Korea’s official immigration portal, HiKorea, and this permission is typically not available during the first six months after arrival. Check current rules directly on HiKorea before assuming you can supplement your stipend with part-time income in your first semester.
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How is the GKS scholarship different from the MEXT scholarship in Japan?
Both are fully funded government scholarships with similar coverage, but GKS mandates a one-year Korean language program for most tracks (unless you qualify for IRTS), while MEXT’s language-year requirement varies more by university and program. If you’re deciding between Korea and Japan, compare the two on language commitment and field-specific university strength rather than stipend amount alone, since both are broadly comparable in rupee terms.
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