Global Korea Scholarship: A Guide for Vietnamese Graduate Applicants

What GKS Covers

The Global Korea Scholarship is South Korea's flagship scholarship for international graduate students, run by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED) under the Ministry of Education. It funds full tuition at your host university, a monthly living stipend, one round-trip flight between Vietnam and Korea, settlement support when you arrive, and medical insurance. Exact stipend and allowance amounts change from one intake year to the next, so confirm the current figures on the official GKS notice before you build a budget around them.

The Two Application Tracks

You apply through one of 2 routes, not both in the same cycle.

• Embassy track: Apply through the Korean Embassy in Hanoi. The embassy screens applications first, then NIIED and partner universities make the final selection. This route suits you if you're not yet fixed on a single target university.

• University track: Apply directly to a GKS-participating Korean university. The university screens your file and nominates you to NIIED. This route suits you if you already know the school and programme you want.

Both tracks compete for the same overall GKS quota. Korea's push to grow international enrollment under the Study Korea 300K Project expanded GKS quotas in recent years, with the largest increases going to STEM and non-science graduate programmes, according to ICEF Monitor .

Eligibility for Graduate Applicants

• Vietnamese citizenship. Dual citizens who also hold Korean citizenship are not eligible.

• Under 40 years old at the time of application, for both master's and PhD tracks.

• A completed bachelor's degree for the master's track, or a completed master's degree for the PhD track, by the time your programme starts.

• A strong academic record from your prior degree.

• Good health, able to complete a full-time programme.

• Not currently enrolled or working in Korea at the time of application. Confirm the exact wording of this rule on the current notice, since it shifts slightly year to year.

Timeline

GKS runs on an annual cycle tied to Korea's September intake. Embassy-track applications in Vietnam typically open in the first few months of the year, with university-track deadlines usually falling somewhat later. Dates shift from year to year, so check the Korean Embassy in Hanoi's notice board and NIIED's official GKS notice as soon as the prior cycle closes, rather than assuming this year's dates match last year's.

The Mandatory Korean-Language Year

Most GKS recipients spend their first year in a Korean-language programme before starting their degree. If you already hold a high TOPIK score, commonly level 5 or above, you often qualify to skip that year and start your degree straight away. NIIED sets the exact exemption rule year by year, so confirm it against the notice for your specific intake before you plan around it.

How to Strengthen Your Application

• Build real Korean ability ahead of time, even if you plan to use the language year. A TOPIK score, even at level 2 or 3, signals commitment to reviewers.

• Line up 2 strong academic references early. Embassy and university reviewers weigh these heavily in a competitive pool.

• Write a research plan for a PhD, or a study plan for a master's, tied to a specific professor or department at your target university, not a generic personal statement.

• If you use the university track, apply to more than one GKS-participating school, since each runs its own shortlist before NIIED's final review.

• Keep every document consistent: your stated GPA, your transcript, and your recommendation letters should tell the same academic story.

Common Reasons Applications Get Rejected

A study or research plan that reads as generic, without a named professor, lab, or department at the target university, is one of the most common weak points reviewers flag. A GPA or transcript that doesn't match the story told in your recommendation letters raises questions too, since reviewers cross-check these documents against each other rather than reading each one alone. Missing or late supporting documents, especially notarized transcripts and diplomas, knock out otherwise strong applicants every cycle simply because the paperwork wasn't ready before the deadline.

Apply well before the stated deadline rather than at the last moment. Document notarization and translation both take time in Vietnam, and a late file gets rejected on a technicality regardless of how strong your academic background looks.

After You're Selected

Once NIIED confirms your award, your host university handles your certificate of admission and your D-2 visa application follows the standard process for degree students, backed by your scholarship letter as proof of funding. Keep copies of every GKS confirmation document, since your university and immigration office both ask for them at different points during your first term.