What costs does the GKS Graduate scholarship cover if I do a master's in South Korea?
12 Oct 2026 · Answered by Prakhar Pragy Dixit · 2 min read
Quick Answer
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The GKS Graduate scholarship is South Korea's premier government scholarship. It covers a full tuition waiver, an economy return flight, a typical monthly living stipend of KRW 1,000,000, health insurance and a KRW 200,000 settlement allowance. The master's route runs three years, including one year of Korean language training.
The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS Graduate) is the South Korean government's premier fully funded scholarship for master's and PhD degrees. It covers tuition and living costs.
GKS Graduate (Master's) Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Financial benefits | Full tuition waiver, economy return flight, health insurance |
| Monthly living stipend | typically KRW 1,000,000 (approx INR 72,300) |
| Settlement allowance | typically KRW 200,000 (approx INR 14,460) |
| Total course period | 3 years: 1 year of Korean language training plus 2 years of master's |
| Age limit | Under 40 as of September 1 of the selection year |
| Minimum academic cutoff | 80% marks or top 20% rank, or CGPA of 2.64 out of 4.0 using official NIIED conversion |
| Application tracks | Embassy Track through the Korean Embassy in New Delhi (up to 3 universities) or University Track directly to 1 designated university |
Timeline and Checklist
- Guidelines are probably released in early February 2027 on the Study in Korea portal.
- Embassy Track deadline is probably mid-February to early March 2027; University Track deadline is probably March to April 2027.
- Degree certificates and transcripts must be apostilled by the MEA before final rounds.
- A valid TOPIK Level 5 or 6 lets you skip the 1-year language programme.
- If you already hold a master's from a Korean university, you cannot apply for another master's under GKS.
My Advice
Check your age and academic cutoff first, then decide on the Embassy or University Track. Start apostille work early, since it takes time, and confirm all dates and amounts on the official portal.
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