GKS Scholarship Alternatives
GKS is not the only option. There are university-specific Korean scholarships, corporate scholarships from POSCO, Samsung and Hyundai, and of course scholarships in other countries. A multi-scholarship strategy improves your odds.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
1 min read
Updated Oct 5, 2026
Other Korean scholarships
SNU, KAIST, Yonsei, Korea University, and others offer their own international student scholarships. Often less competitive than GKS, but usually smaller — many cover tuition only. Check each university’s rules.
Funded by the POSCO TJ Park Foundation. Covers tuition + living expenses. More targeted (STEM focus). Less well known = less competition.
For students at Samsung-affiliated universities. Very selective but generous. Includes potential internship connections.
Scholarship for students from developing countries. Covers tuition and partial living costs.
Scholarships in other countries
Applying to only one scholarship is risky. Apply to several simultaneously. Here are similar fully funded options in other countries:
Similar concept: government scholarship, language year, full funding. ¥143K/month.
Chinese Government Scholarship. Hundreds of host universities; acceptance rates are not published. CNY 3,000–3,500/month.
German Academic Exchange Service. EUR 992–1,400/month. No language year (English programmes available).
UK government scholarship. Master's only. GBP 1,516/month in London. Very competitive (2–3%).
US government exchange. 160+ countries. 8,000+ grants/year. Highly prestigious.
Study in 2–4 EU countries. 200+ programmes. Full funding for non-EU students.
Turkish government scholarship. Similar structure to GKS with 1-year Turkish language.
Hungarian government scholarship. Full tuition + about EUR 110/month. 900+ programmes.
Multi-scholarship strategy
Apply to GKS AND 3–5 other scholarships simultaneously. Different deadlines mean you can reuse much of your material. Tailor essays for each country, but your academic background and recommendations work everywhere. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.