Comparing GKS, MEXT, CSC and Taiwan MOE Scholarships for ASEAN Applicants
By Muntasir • Published May 27, 2026 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Study Abroad, Scholarships & Funding, Study in Southeast Asia
GKS (Korea), MEXT (Japan), CSC (China) and Taiwan MOE all fund full or near-full study in East Asia for ASEAN students, and none of them carry a return-service bond, but stipends, GPA rules and language prep differ a lot.
| Scholarship | Monthly stipend | Tuition | Bond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GKS (Korea) | KRW 900,000-1,000,000 | up to KRW 5,000,000/semester | None |
| MEXT (Japan) | JPY 117,000/month (undergrad); JPY 143,000-145,000/month (graduate) | Full waiver at national universities | None |
| CSC Type A (China) | CNY 2,500-3,500 | Full waiver | None |
| Taiwan MOE | TWD 15,000-20,000 | Up to TWD 40,000/semester | None |
Four government scholarships, one shared goal: attracting international talent
Korea's Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), Japan's MEXT scholarship, China's Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) and Taiwan's Ministry of Education (MOE) Taiwan Scholarship are the four main fully or near-fully funded government scholarships open to ASEAN students in East Asia. All four cover tuition and pay a monthly stipend, and none of them require you to work back a bonded service period in the donor country, unlike some ASEAN home-country scholarships such as MARA or JPA.
Coverage levels, eligibility rules, and required language preparation differ enough that the right choice depends on your field, your target degree level and how much you want to invest in learning a new language before you leave.
Coverage comparison
| Scholarship | Country | Tuition coverage | Monthly stipend | Language prep included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GKS | South Korea | Up to KRW 5,000,000 per semester, university covers any excess | KRW 900,000 (undergraduate), KRW 1,000,000 (graduate) | Korean language track before degree start |
| MEXT | Japan | Full tuition waiver at national universities (around JPY 535,800/year) | JPY 117,000/month for undergraduates, JPY 143,000-145,000/month for research/graduate students. No Tokyo vs. regional split | 6 to 12 months of Japanese preparation before undergraduate degree start |
| CSC Type A | China | Full tuition waiver | CNY 2,500 (undergraduate), CNY 3,000 (master's), CNY 3,500 (PhD) | Varies. Some placements require a preparatory Chinese-language year |
| CSC Type B | China | Tuition waiver, usually no CSC stipend | Not guaranteed. Some host universities add their own | Varies by host university |
| Taiwan MOE | Taiwan | Up to TWD 40,000 per semester toward tuition and fees | TWD 15,000 (bachelor's), TWD 20,000 (master's/PhD) | Not included. A separate Huayu Enrichment Scholarship exists for Mandarin study |
GKS figures reflect the Study in Korea program structure administered by NIIED. MEXT figures come from the standard undergraduate scholarship structure published through Japanese embassy MEXT guidance. CSC figures reflect the standard Type A and Type B structure published by the China Scholarship Council . Taiwan MOE figures come from the 2026 MOE Taiwan Scholarship Guidelines .
GKS: the most generous stipend, plus mandatory Korean prep
GKS applicants need a minimum cumulative GPA of roughly 2.64 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent on other grading scales) and must be under 40 years old at the time of application. Korean citizens, and children of Korean citizens, are not eligible. Most GKS undergraduate and graduate tracks include a period of Korean language study before your degree officially starts, which extends your total scholarship duration but also means you arrive at your actual coursework with working Korean already in hand.
This structure suits ASEAN students willing to commit a year to language learning as part of the scholarship, in exchange for one of the higher stipend amounts among the four programs.
MEXT: full tuition at national universities, lower stipend than GKS
MEXT applicants must come from a country with diplomatic relations with Japan, and undergraduate applicants face an age ceiling, generally under 25. The scholarship pays full tuition at national universities and includes a Japanese-language preparation period, typically 6 to 12 months, before your main degree coursework begins. The monthly stipend is lower than GKS in comparable purchasing terms, but Japan's full national-university tuition waiver keeps your largest cost fully covered.
MEXT suits students targeting Japan's national university system specifically, since the tuition waiver value is strongest there compared to private universities.
CSC: two very different routes under one name
The Chinese Government Scholarship runs through two tracks that ASEAN applicants should not confuse. Type A, the embassy-nominated route through your home country's Chinese embassy or consulate, is more competitive but includes the full package: tuition, monthly stipend, accommodation and medical insurance. Type B, the university-nominated route where you apply directly to a Chinese university, is less competitive to win but usually does not include a CSC stipend, only tuition and sometimes accommodation, unless the host university adds funding on top.
Before you apply through Type B, ask the specific university directly whether it tops up the CSC award with its own stipend, since assuming Type A-level coverage on a Type B award is a common and costly mistake.
Taiwan MOE: solid stipend, GPA-gated, no built-in language year
Taiwan's MOE Scholarship requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher and a graduate GPA of 3.5 or higher, both on a 4.5 scale, and is only open to applicants not already enrolled at a Taiwan university. The 2026 application window ran from February 1 to March 31, 2026, so check the current cycle's exact dates on the official guidelines each year rather than assuming the same window repeats. Unlike GKS and MEXT, the MOE Scholarship does not include a built-in Mandarin preparation year. Students who want funded Mandarin study before a degree should look separately at the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship, a related but distinct Taiwan government award.
Picking between them
Want the highest guaranteed monthly stipend with language prep folded in: GKS.
Targeting a Japanese national university and comfortable with a shorter stipend but full tuition coverage: MEXT.
Have a strong embassy-track application and want full coverage in China: CSC Type A, but confirm stipend details in writing if you apply Type B instead.
Already have solid academic grades (3.0+/4.5 or higher) and want predictable stipend and fee support without a mandatory language year: Taiwan MOE.
None of these four scholarships requires you to work in the host country afterward or repay the award through bonded service, which sets them apart from bonded ASEAN home-country awards. Confirm current-cycle GPA thresholds, stipend amounts and application windows on each program's official page before you apply, since all four update terms on an annual cycle.