GKS Undergraduate Scholarship South Korea 2027 – Apply Now

If you want to study for a bachelor’s degree in South Korea with government scholarship support, the GKS Undergraduate Scholarship 2027 is an opportunity worth understanding.

The Korean government runs GKS to support talented international students who want to pursue higher education in Korea. For undergraduate applicants, the program includes different application routes. This article focuses specifically on the University Track, particularly the University Industry Cooperation (UIC) bachelor’s route.

The important thing to understand is that University Track is different from Embassy Track.

For University Track, you apply directly to a GKS-designated university. The official GKS website currently lists the University Track UIC program for bachelor’s and associate-degree applicants, with the UIC route focused on science and engineering departments connected with industry-university cooperation.

The official 2027 GKS-U announcement was published by the Korean government’s GKS Team on 9 September 2026. The official announcement provides the 2027 Application Guidelines and University Information files.

In this guide, you will learn:

• What GKS-U 2027 is
• What University Track means
• Who can apply
• What the scholarship covers
• Which universities are listed for the UIC bachelor’s route
• What documents you need to prepare
• How the application process works

Category	Details
Scholarship	Global Korea Scholarship for Undergraduate Degrees (GKS-U)
Year	2027
Country	South Korea
University Track	University Industry Cooperation (UIC)
Degree	Bachelor’s
Field Focus	Natural science and engineering
Scholarship Provider	Korean Government / NIIED
Application Method	Apply directly to a GKS-designated university
University Track Application Period	September–November
Final Results	December, according to the official GKS schedule
Age Requirement	Under 25
Nationality Requirement	Applicant and both parents must hold non-Korean citizenship
Academic Requirement	At least the required academic standard, including the official 80% / top-20% / equivalent CGPA routes
Official Website	Study in Korea / GKS
Application Portal	Direct submission to the selected GKS university

The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is a Korean government scholarship program for international students.

The program supports international students who want to study in Korea and is administered through the National Institute for International Education (NIIED).

For undergraduate students, the GKS program can include Korean-language training followed by a degree program. The official GKS information currently lists bachelor’s programs as lasting 4–6 years, including the applicable Korean-language training period where required.

The University Track has a special undergraduate route called University Industry Cooperation (UIC).

UIC is designed around science and engineering departments that provide customized curricula and field experience through cooperation between universities and industry. It is available for associate and bachelor’s degree programs.

One of the main reasons students look at GKS is the financial support.

According to the official Korean government GKS information, the scholarship provides:

2. Airfare

5. Other Benefits

Eligibility Criteria – GKS Undergraduate Scholarship

Before preparing your documents, first check whether you meet the basic eligibility requirements.

1. Nationality

The applicant and both parents must hold non-Korean citizenship.

2. Age

Applicants must be under 25 years of age under the applicable GKS eligibility rules.

3. Educational Qualification

For the bachelor’s route, applicants must have:

• Completed high school, or
• Completed an associate degree, or
• Be expected to complete the required qualification under the applicable rules.

4. Academic Performance

• A cumulative score of 80% or higher
• Ranking within the top 20% of the class
• Meeting the required equivalent CGPA standard

5. Eligible University and Department

This requirement is especially important for University Track applicants.

You cannot simply choose any Korean university.

You must select a university and department listed in the official 2027 University Information — University Track file. The Korean government specifically instructs applicants to use this file to identify eligible universities and departments.

List of University Track Universities

The current official GKS page lists 13 universities under the UIC University Track, with bachelor’s and associate-degree programs divided among them.

For the UIC bachelor’s program, the official page currently lists:

• Konyang University
• Keimyung University
• Kookmin University
• Daegu University
• Dong-A University
• Sungshin Women’s University
• Ajou University
• Yeungnam University
• Inje University
• Korea National University of Education

The official page labels the broader UIC category as 13 universities because it also includes universities offering the associate-degree route.

Required Documents – GKS Undergraduate Scholarship

Document	Purpose
GKS Application Form	Provides your personal and academic information
Academic Transcript	Shows your academic performance
Graduation Certificate / Expected Graduation Certificate	Confirms your educational qualification
Citizenship Documents	Used to verify nationality
Family Relationship Documents	May be required to verify parental nationality
Personal Statement	Explains your background and motivation where required
Study Plan	Explains your academic plans where required
Recommendation Letter	Required if specified by the applicable application guidelines
Language Certificate	Required or useful where applicable under the relevant university/program requirements
Identity/Passport Document	Used for identification where required
Additional University Documents	May be required by the selected university

Language Requirements – GKS Undergraduate Scholarship

Language requirements are an area where applicants should be careful.

Do not assume that:

• IELTS is compulsory for every GKS-U applicant, or
• IELTS is unnecessary for every GKS-U applicant, or
• TOPIK is compulsory for every University Track applicant.

The applicable language requirements should be checked in the 2027 GKS-U Application Guidelines and the requirements of the university and department you choose.

The official Study in Korea website also provides information about Korean language proficiency and TOPIK for students planning to study in Korea.

If you already have IELTS, TOEFL, TOPIK or another language certificate, keep the certificate and its validity information ready and check whether the selected university accepts it.

Application Timeline – GKS Undergraduate Scholarship

The official GKS schedule provides the following general timeline for undergraduate applications:

Stage	Timeline
GKS Announcement	September
University Track Application	September–November
Screening and Selection	October–December
Final Results	December

What about the deadline?

This is one of the most important things to understand.

There is not one single deadline for every University Track applicant.

The official GKS website says that University Track applicants apply directly to a GKS university.

Therefore, your actual deadline depends on the university you choose.

The official 2027 announcement also tells applicants to consult the Application Guidelines for detailed deadlines and procedures and the University Information file for eligible universities and departments.

So, don’t wait for a “GKS deadline”

Once you identify your university and department:

1. Open the university’s 2027 GKS instructions.
2. Check its exact deadline.
3. Check its submission method.
4. Check whether physical documents are required.
5. Check certification and translation requirements.
6. Submit before the university’s deadline.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1 – Read the Official 2027 Guidelines

Start with the official GKS-U 2027 Application Guidelines.

The Korean government published the 2027 guidelines on the official Study in Korea website.

Why this matters: GKS rules, documents and schedules can change from one year to another.

Step 2 — Check Your Eligibility for GKS Undergraduate Scholarship

Before spending time preparing documents, check:

• Your nationality
• Your parents’ nationality
• Your age
• Your educational qualification
• Your academic performance

Step 3 — Find an Eligible University and Department

Use the official 2027 University Information — University Track file.

Check:

• University
• Department
• Field
• Degree
• Additional requirements
• Language requirements
• Application method
• Deadline

Step 4 — Choose Your University Carefully

For the UIC University Track route, applicants select one university.

The official GKS user guide explains that UIC University Track applicants select one university from the UIC universities.

This is different from the Embassy Track.

So don’t prepare an application assuming that you can submit the same University Track application to several universities.

Step 5 — Read the University Instructions

Once you have selected your university, find its official GKS application instructions.

Check:

• Where to apply
• Deadline
• Required documents
• Document format
• Certification requirements
• Translation requirements
• Mailing instructions
• Language requirements
• Interview information, if applicable
• Application fee, if applicable

This step can prevent avoidable mistakes.

Step 6 — Prepare Your Documents for GKS Undergraduate Scholarship

Prepare your academic and supporting documents early.

Pay particular attention to:

• Names and spellings
• Dates
• Academic records
• Graduation status
• Nationality documents
• Family relationship documents
• Required certifications
• Translations
• Signatures
• Document file formats

Step 7 — Complete the Application

Follow the submission method provided by your selected university.

For University Track, the official GKS website says applicants should apply directly to a GKS university.

Step 8 — Submit Before the University Deadline

Remember:

University Track = direct application to the selected GKS university.

The official GKS schedule gives September–November as the general University Track application period, but your university’s specific deadline is what you need to follow.

Step 9 — Follow the Selection Process

After submission, the application goes through the applicable screening and selection process.

The official GKS schedule places screening and selection during approximately October–December, followed by final results in December.

Follow official messages from the university and NIIED and avoid relying on unofficial social media updates for important decisions.

Selection Process – GKS Undergraduate Scholarship

The official GKS process broadly follows these stages:

1. Announcement

NIIED publishes the GKS announcement and application guidelines.

2. Application Submission – GKS Undergraduate Scholarship

For University Track, applicants submit directly to a designated university.

3. Screening and Selection

The application goes through the applicable university/NIIED selection stages.

4. Final Results

NIIED announces the final results according to the official schedule.

For 2027, the official GKS page lists the general sequence as announcement in September, University Track applications from September to November, screening and selection from October to December, and final results in December.

Apply Here – GKS Undergraduate Scholarship