GKS Undergraduate vs Graduate: Embassy Track, University Track and How They Differ

Two degree levels under one scholarship

The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), formerly known as KGSP, is run by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED) under Korea's Ministry of Education. It is offered at two degree levels that operate as separate programs with their own notices, forms and deadlines: GKS for undergraduate degrees (often written GKS-U) and GKS for graduate degrees (GKS-G, covering master's, doctoral and research study).

Both levels are fully funded in the same broad categories — tuition, a monthly living allowance, a Korean language training year, airfare and other allowances — but the exact amounts, quotas and dates change each cycle. Treat every number and deadline in this guide's category headings as something to confirm on the current official NIIED notice.

The most important practical difference is not the funding but the route: how you apply, who screens you first, and what documents your degree level requires.

The two application routes: embassy track vs university track

GKS is applied for through one of two tracks, and which are open to you depends on your country of citizenship and your degree level, as stated in each year's notice.

The embassy track means you apply through the Korean embassy in your country (for Indian applicants, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India). The embassy conducts the first-round screening and forwards successful candidates to NIIED. The university track means you apply directly to a Korean university that has been designated to recruit for GKS, and that university runs the first-round screening.

• Undergraduate (GKS-U): historically offered mainly through the embassy track, though the tracks available in a given year vary by country — check the current GKS-U notice.
• Graduate (GKS-G): commonly available through both the embassy track and the university track, depending on country and university.
• You generally cannot apply through both tracks in the same cycle — pick one route as the notice instructs.

Eligibility differences by degree level

Core GKS conditions apply to both levels: the applicant (and, for undergraduate, often the parents) must hold non-Korean citizenship, must meet the age and grade/GPA thresholds stated in the notice, and must be in good health.

The academic prerequisite is what differs. GKS-U applicants must have completed, or be due to complete, the full elementary-and-secondary schooling required for university entry (commonly described as twelve years of education). GKS-G master's applicants need a bachelor's degree, and doctoral applicants need a master's degree, by the program start.

Exact age limits, minimum grade cut-offs and any degree-completion dates are set in each cycle's notice. Do not rely on figures you see on unofficial sites — verify them on the official NIIED / Study in Korea notice.

Quota structure: country quota vs university quota

GKS selection is quota-based rather than open-ended. Under the embassy track, each participating country is allotted a number of recommendations, so you are effectively competing within your country's quota. Under the university track, designated universities recruit within their own allotted numbers.

Because quotas are fixed and applications typically exceed them, GKS is highly competitive and merit-based. The number of places for your country or a given university changes every year and is published in the notice — treat any quota figure as verify-on-official-source.

The mandatory one-year Korean language program

Most GKS scholars, at both degree levels, complete a mandatory one-year Korean language course at a designated university language institution before starting the degree program. The aim is to reach the Korean proficiency the notice requires (often expressed as a TOPIK level) before degree study begins.

Some applicants may be exempt from the language year if they already hold a qualifying TOPIK level, as defined in that year's notice; conditions and required levels vary. Confirm whether an exemption applies to you on the official notice rather than assuming.

Document sets and selection stages compared

The required documents overlap but differ by level: graduate applicants add items such as degree certificates, transcripts, a research/study plan and recommendation letters, while undergraduate applicants centre on secondary-school records and required forms. Language evidence (TOPIK, and sometimes TOEFL or IELTS where accepted) is listed per the notice.

Selection runs in stages. On the embassy track it is typically a first round at the embassy, a second round by NIIED, and confirmation of admission by a Korean university. On the university track it is a first round by the university followed by NIIED's final selection. Exact stages, timelines and evaluation criteria are published each cycle.

• Confirm the current document checklist for your exact degree level and track on the official notice.
• Prepare certified translations and apostille/authentication as the notice specifies — requirements differ by document.
• No agent or preparation service can guarantee GKS selection; anyone promising a guaranteed place for a fee should be treated as a scam.