The GKS Scholarship 2026 Undergraduate Application Form was released for international students who wanted to pursue an associate degree or bachelor’s degree in South Korea with financial support from the Korean Government.
GKS stands for Global Korea Scholarship. The programme is administered by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED) under the Korean Government and is designed to support international students studying at participating Korean universities.
For students searching for the GKS Scholarship 2026 Undergraduate Application Form, there is an important date update to understand. The 2026 GKS-U application process started in September 2025, with the Embassy Track closing on September 30, 2025 and the University Track closing on October 31, 2025. Therefore, the 2026 application window has already closed.
GKS Scholarship 2026 – Quick Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Scholarship Name | Global Korea Scholarship (GKS-U) |
| Conducting Organisation | National Institute for International Education (NIIED) |
| Country | South Korea |
| Programme | Undergraduate |
| Degree Options | Bachelor’s Degree & Associate Degree |
| Scholarship Duration | 1 year Korean language + degree programme |
| Bachelor’s Duration | 4–6 years after language training |
| 2026 Total Quota | 280 students |
| Embassy Track | 150 students |
| University Track | 130 students |
| Application Portal | Study in Korea |
| 2026 Embassy Deadline | September 30, 2025 |
| 2026 University Deadline | October 31, 2025 |
The 2026 GKS-U programme had 280 places in total. The Embassy Track included 150 places, while the University Track included 130 places, consisting of UIC and Associate Degree programmes.
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What Is GKS Scholarship 2026 Undergraduate Programme?
The Global Korea Scholarship is a Korean Government scholarship programme for international students who want to study in South Korea.
For the 2026 undergraduate intake, applicants could apply for either a Bachelor’s Degree or an Associate Degree, depending on the programme and university selected.
The standard Bachelor’s pathway included one year of Korean language training followed by a 4–6 year degree programme. Associate Degree applicants followed one year of Korean language training followed by a 2–3 year degree programme.
Students could apply through the Embassy Track or University Track, depending on the programme for which they were eligible.
GKS Scholarship 2026 Undergraduate Eligibility
Before filling out the application form, applicants needed to satisfy the basic eligibility requirements given in the official 2026 GKS-U guidelines.
Nationality
The applicant and both parents had to hold non-Korean citizenship. Applicants who held Korean citizenship or whose parents held Korean citizenship were not eligible under the general nationality requirement.
Country-specific rules and programme categories also applied, so applicants had to check the official GKS-U guideline carefully before submitting an application.
Age Limit
For the 2026 application, applicants generally had to be under 25 years of age. The applicable age calculation was based on the date specified in the 2026 GKS-U guidelines.
Educational Qualification
For a Bachelor’s Degree programme, applicants needed to have completed or be expected to complete high school or an associate degree, according to the programme requirements.
Associate Degree applicants needed to have completed or be expected to complete high school.
Academic Performance
Academic performance was an important part of GKS eligibility.
Applicants generally needed to meet one of the specified academic standards, such as:
- A score percentile of 80% or higher on a 100-point scale; or
- Ranking within the top 20% of the class; or
- Meeting the specified CGPA conversion requirements.
The 2026 guidelines also provided accepted CGPA equivalents for different grading scales.
If a transcript did not clearly show the required percentage or CGPA conversion, additional official documentation explaining the institution’s grading system could be required.
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GKS Scholarship 2026 Benefits
One of the main reasons students look for the GKS Undergraduate Application Form is the financial support included with the scholarship.
The 2026 GKS-U scholarship package included support for:
- Korean language training
- Tuition
- Airfare
- Living and related study expenses
- Health insurance and other allowances included under the scholarship’s monthly support structure
- Certain Korean language and academic-related support
For the 2026 programme, the guideline listed Korean language training fees of up to KRW 5.2 million and tuition support of up to KRW 5 million per year, with the scholarship benefit structure also including airfare and annual allowances.
The exact payment conditions and limits were subject to the official GKS-U scholarship guidelines.
GKS Scholarship 2026 Application Tracks
There were two main application routes for the 2026 undergraduate programme.
1. Embassy Track
Under the Embassy Track, students applied through the Korean diplomatic mission responsible for their country.
For the 2026 GKS-U programme, the Embassy Track had 150 places:
- General: 82
- Overseas Koreans: 7
- R-GKS: 61
India had 4 Embassy Track places in total, consisting of 2 General and 2 R-GKS places.
For General and Overseas Korean applicants under the Embassy Track, up to three universities could be selected, subject to the official university-choice rules. R-GKS applicants could select up to two eligible Type B universities.
2. University Track
Under the University Track, applicants applied through an eligible Korean university participating in the relevant GKS programme.
The 2026 University Track had:
- 100 UIC places
- 30 Associate Degree places
University Track applicants had to follow the requirements and deadlines announced by their selected university.
GKS Scholarship 2026 Application Last Date
The application schedule was different for the two tracks.
For the 2026 GKS-U Embassy Track, online applications were accepted from September 15, 2025, to September 30, 2025, at 6:00 PM Korean Standard Time.
For the University Track, applications were accepted from September 15, 2025, to October 31, 2025, at 6:00 PM KST.
Starting with the 2026 GKS-U programme, applicants were required to create an account on the Study in Korea website and submit the application online.
Important: Since these deadlines belonged to the 2026 intake, they have already passed. Students planning a future GKS application should always check the latest GKS notice rather than relying on the previous year’s dates.
Documents Required
Students applying for the GKS Undergraduate programme had to prepare several documents before submitting the online application. The exact document requirements could vary depending on the application track and applicant’s circumstances, so applicants were required to follow the official 2026 GKS-U guideline and application forms.
Commonly required documents included:
- GKS Undergraduate application form
- Personal statement
- Study plan
- Recommendation letter
- High school graduation certificate or expected graduation certificate
- Academic transcripts
- Proof of citizenship
- Documents proving the citizenship of both parents
- Family relationship document, where applicable
- Awards or certificates, if applicable
- Language certificates, if available or required
- Other supporting documents specified in the official guideline
Applicants should not assume that every certificate is mandatory for every student. The official application guideline should always be checked for the applicant’s particular track and situation.
The Korean Embassy in India published the official 2026 GKS-U Application Forms, the English application guideline and the eligible university information files together with its announcement.
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How to Fill GKS Scholarship 2026 Undergraduate Application Form
For the 2026 intake, GKS introduced an important application process change.
Applicants were required to create an account on the Study in Korea website and submit their applications online. The Korean Embassy’s official announcement specifically stated that applicants had to create a membership account and submit the application through the Study in Korea website.
The basic process was:
Step 1: Create an Account
Visit the official Study in Korea website and create a personal account using the required information.
Make sure the name and personal details entered in the account match the applicant’s official documents.
Step 2: Select GKS Undergraduate Programme
After logging in, select the applicable GKS Undergraduate application option.
Applicants needed to carefully check whether they were applying through the Embassy Track or University Track.
Step 3: Complete Personal Information
Enter details such as:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Contact information
- Educational background
- Family information
All information should be entered exactly as shown on official documents.
Step 4: Enter Academic Information
Applicants needed to provide their educational history and academic results.
This section should be completed carefully because academic records are an important part of the GKS selection process.
Step 5: Choose Universities
Applicants had to follow the university-selection rules applicable to their chosen track.
The Korean Embassy published separate university information files for the 2026 programme so applicants could check participating universities and departments.
Step 6: Upload Required Documents
Required documents had to be prepared in the format and manner specified in the official guidelines.
Applicants should check every uploaded file before submitting the application. A missing, incorrect or unreadable document can create problems during document screening.
Step 7: Review the Application
Before final submission, carefully check:
- Name spelling
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Academic marks
- University choices
- Uploaded documents
- Personal statement
- Study plan
- Contact details
Step 8: Submit Online
After checking all information, submit the application through the official online system.
For the 2026 GKS-U programme, online submission through Study in Korea was mandatory. The Embassy’s announcement specifically stated that applicants were required to create an account and submit their applications online.
GKS Scholarship 2026 Selection Process
The selection process depended on the application track.
For the Embassy Track, applications went through screening by the relevant Korean diplomatic mission or designated institution before being forwarded to the next stage.
For Indian applicants, the Korean Education Centre in New Delhi conducted an online interview for shortlisted Embassy Track applicants in October 2025.
The Korean Education Centre later announced the first-round results in March 2026, confirming that successful candidates were recommended to NIIED for the next stage of evaluation.
This means students should understand that submitting the GKS application does not automatically mean receiving the scholarship. Applicants have to pass the required selection stages.
GKS Scholarship 2026 Interview
An interview may be part of the selection process depending on the applicable track and country.
For India’s 2026 Embassy Track, shortlisted applicants were called for an online interview conducted by the Korean Education Centre in New Delhi on October 23, 2025.
Applicants should be prepared to explain:
- Why they want to study in South Korea
- Why they selected their chosen field
- Their academic interests
- Their future career plans
- Their study plan
- Why they are applying for GKS
The answers should be honest and consistent with the information provided in the application.
GKS Scholarship 2026 University List
The list of participating universities and departments was provided as part of the official 2026 GKS-U information.
The Korean Embassy in India published separate university information files along with the GKS-U announcement. Applicants were advised to check these files before making their university choices.
Students should also check the individual university’s department requirements because admission requirements can differ between universities and programmes.
GKS Scholarship 2026 for Indian Students
Indian students were eligible to participate in the 2026 GKS Undergraduate programme subject to the official eligibility conditions.
For the 2026 Embassy Track, India was allocated places under the programme’s applicable categories. The selection process for Indian applicants was handled through the Korean Education Centre/Embassy process before candidates moved to later stages.
The 2026 Indian Embassy Track selection also shows why applicants should carefully follow country-specific instructions rather than relying only on general GKS information found online. The Korean Education Centre published separate interview and result announcements for Indian applicants.
Is GKS Scholarship 2026 Undergraduate Application Form Still Available?
No. The 2026 GKS Undergraduate application period has already ended.
For the 2026 programme, the Embassy Track application period ran from September 15 to September 30, 2025, while the University Track followed its own deadline. The official Korean Embassy announcement published the guidelines and application forms for that cycle.
Therefore, students searching for the GKS Scholarship 2026 Undergraduate Application Form today should understand that the form relates to the 2026 intake, not a currently open application window.
For a future intake, students should wait for the new official GKS Undergraduate announcement and use the latest application form rather than submitting an old-year form.
Important Points Before Applying for GKS
Before applying for a future GKS Undergraduate intake, keep these points in mind:
- Always use the latest official GKS application form.
- Check the eligibility rules before preparing documents.
- Do not rely only on old application deadlines.
- Check the participating university and department list.
- Keep academic certificates and transcripts ready.
- Make sure names and dates are consistent across documents.
- Follow the document certification requirements in the official guideline.
- Read the application instructions before uploading documents.
- Check country-specific instructions if applying through an embassy.
- Save a copy of the completed application and important documents.
GKS Scholarship 2026 FAQs
What is the GKS Undergraduate Scholarship?
GKS Undergraduate is a Korean Government scholarship programme for eligible international students who want to pursue undergraduate-level study in South Korea.
Can Indian students apply for GKS Undergraduate?
Yes. Indian students can apply when India is included in the relevant GKS-U intake and they satisfy the official eligibility requirements.
Is the GKS 2026 Undergraduate application still open?
No. The 2026 application cycle has already closed. The official 2026 application period began in September 2025.
Where was the GKS 2026 application submitted?
For the 2026 intake, applicants were required to create an account and submit their application online through the Study in Korea website.
Can I use the 2026 GKS form for a future year?
It is better not to. Applicants should use the application form released for the specific intake year because requirements, forms, deadlines and participating universities can change.
How are GKS applicants selected?
Applicants go through the selection stages applicable to their track. Embassy Track applicants may also have an interview as part of the country-level screening process. For India, shortlisted 2026 Embassy Track applicants participated in an online interview in October 2025.
Final Words
The GKS Scholarship is an important opportunity for international students interested in undergraduate study in South Korea. However, applicants should be careful with dates because GKS information changes with every intake.
For the 2026 Undergraduate programme, applications were submitted online through Study in Korea, and the Korean Embassy in India published the official guidelines, application forms and university information.
The 2026 cycle is now closed, so students planning to apply in a future year should wait for the new official announcement and follow the latest requirements.
For Aykarmitra readers, the safest approach is simple: check the latest official GKS notice, read the complete guideline, verify the university list and submit only through the officially specified application route.
