Today, the number of young people studying abroad is growing. According to the data, as of October 10, 2024, 150.5 thousand of our compatriots are studying in various countries of the world. With this number, Uzbek youth ranked 3rd in the world in terms of education abroad in 2024. The number of our students studying in South Korea is also increasing. In particular, according to statistics for 2023, Uzbekistanis ranked 3rd in the number of foreign students studying in South Korea. Accordingly, the number of young applicants wishing to become students in South Korea is increasing. Below, we will try to provide complete information about the 6 most popular free grant programs for studying in South Korea and their requirements.

Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)

GKS is a grant program that fully covers the expenses of students wishing to study in Korea and finances:

• travel expenses;
• training costs;
• medical insurance;
• dwelling;
• scholarship.

   To apply for the GKS, an applicant must have an international certificate of English (IELTS) or Korean (TOPIK). In addition, through this program, it is possible to apply not only for bachelor's degrees, but also for master's and doctoral studies.

There are two submission methods:

Delivery through the embassy. That is, applicants can submit documents to up to 3 universities through the South Korean Embassy in their country. After the selection stage, the embassy sends the candidates' documents to universities.

Obtaining a grant through the university. In this case, applicants will be able to receive a grant by sending documents directly to the university's email address.

   The admission period for each university can be different. Therefore, when submitting, it is necessary to pay attention to the deadlines and types of routes. In 2018, 665,000 students from 138 countries applied to the GCS for master's and doctoral studies. Bachelor's is considered the most candidate-submitting stage in this program.

The list of required documents is as follows:

• application form;
• personal statement;
• curriculum:
• Recommendations;
• copies of diplomas and grades;
• language certificates (IELTS, TOEFL or TOPIK);
• medical certificate;
• Copy of passport.

Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP)

   It is similar to GCS and provides the same capabilities. The document preparation process is also practically the same. Many universities in Korea cooperate with this program.

Korean Foundation Scholarship. This program is intended for those who want to conduct research on Korea and Korean culture, and the costs of training will be covered.

   The Research Grands program is also intended for researchers. It is popular in IT, engineering, biology, and social sciences.

Korean Language Training Program. The program is suitable for Korean language learners, through which it is possible to study the Korean language on a funded basis. This program also provides students with the opportunity to learn Korean well before the start of the academic year in programs such as GKS.

University Scholarship. These are grants allocated to students by Korean universities, based on the level of certification and student activity in the educational process. It is mainly represented by Seoul National University, KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Yonsei University, Ewha Women's University).

   For detailed information about grants and scholarships for studying in South Korea, you can use the following official and reliable websites.

Study in Korea (studyinkorea.go.kr) All information about GKS: application process, list of universities and requirements.

Korean Embassy in Uzbekistan. Official website of the Embassy of Korea in Uzbekistan. Local announcements about GKS and information on submission through the embassy.

NIIED (National Institute for International Education) is the managing organization of the GKS program. New announcements and scholarship statistics.

Korean University Scholarships

Seoul National University (SNU): http://en.snu.ac.kr - scholarships and the GKS program provided by the university.

KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology): https://www.kaist.ac.kr - grants in the field of IT and technology.

Yonsei University: https://www.yonsei.ac.kr - Financial support and scholarships for foreign students.

Ewha Womans University: https://www.ewha.ac.kr - special grant and scholarship opportunities for women.

   On these websites, you can get complete information about grants, requirements, admission dates, required documents, directions, and application deadlines.