Korea University

Korea University is one of Korea's oldest and highest-ranking universities, established in 1905. Its College of International Studies (CIS) and Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) are located in Seoul, at the heart of East Asia. The university nurtures future global leaders through interdisciplinary programs addressing critical global issues. About one-third of students in the Division of International Studies are international, creating a multicultural learning environment. Korea University maintains a vast global network of 744 partner universities in 78 countries and is ranked among the top-100 globally by QS World University Rankings.

Korea University offers various scholarships for international students at both undergraduate and graduate levels. These include merit-based awards covering partial to full tuition, living stipends, housing support, and airfare. Notable scholarships include the Pony Chung–KU GSIS Invitation Scholarship for Vietnamese students, NIIED (Korean Government) Scholarships, KOICA Scholarships for government officials from developing countries, and the Seongjae Scholarship for Global Korean Studies students. Many international students receive 50–100% tuition waivers based on academic performance.

Pony Chung – KU GSIS Invitation Scholarship

• Coverage: Admission & 100% of the tuition for four semesters, Housing & Living expense: KRW 900,000/month, Airline Fares: One round trip economy class ticket between Vietnam and Korea, Dissertation Printing Fee: within KRW 500,000 (Once)
• Eligibility: Master’s students from Vietnam only; Take 9 credits or above (foreign language and internship classes are not counted) and maintain GPA 4.0/4.5 or above
• How to apply: Pony Chung Foundation will select 2 students (from Hanoi or HCM City) from the final selection list of KU, and announce the result.

NIIED Scholarship (Korean Government Scholarship)

• Coverage: Full Scholarship and Monthly Stipend on a semester basis
• Eligibility: Foreign students; Academic grades from the last educational institute attended must be within the top 20%
• How to apply: NIIED selects recipients through Korean Consulate offices overseas.

KOICA Scholarship

• Coverage: Full Tuition fee, Monthly Stipend, Round trip Airfare, and Dormitory Fee
• Eligibility: Foreign students who are government officials in developing countries with a Bachelor’s Degree or higher; Must be nominated by his or her Government
• How to apply: KOICA(Korea International Agency) select recipients through KOICA offices overseas.

Seongjae Scholarship

• Coverage: Each semester, a fixed amount of 3,500,000 KRW and a scholarship certificate will be awarded to a maximum of two students in a lump sum.
• Eligibility: Foreign freshmen and enrolled foreign students in the DGKS; Individuals with a strong desire to learn about Korea's history, political economy, society, and culture; Advanced Korean language proficiency (TOPIK level 5 or higher is preferred at the time of application); Current students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have completed at least 12 credits (not applicable to freshmen)
• How to apply: Applications for the Spring semester will be announced in March/April, and for the Fall semester will be announced in September/October.

KU GSIS International Student Scholarship

• Coverage: 50 to 100 percent of tuition fee
• Eligibility: International students who are newly admitted to GSIS; For subsequent semesters, must complete at least 9 credits (excluding foreign language and internships) and receive GPA of 4.0 or higher; Must remain enrolled
• How to apply: As for the subsequent semester, selection will be made by the Committee of Graduate School of International Studies among those who, at least, satisfy the minimum qualification requirements each semester