South Korea, a country with high technological innovation and one of the most literate nations in the world. It has a literacy rate of around 98.8% according to World Population Review. With a strong focus on education, the country has evolved as a global educational hub, offering specialized courses in AI and software, biotechnology, and various national science courses. Korea stands as one of the top 10 countries in the world that invests heavily in research, be it for science or AI innovations. Thus, it has become an attractive option for various international students to get a chance to study in the country and hone their research skills. There are various scholarship opportunities offered by many universities to complete their study in Korea, but the most prestigious among them has been the Global Korean Scholarship program, offered by the Korean government to all International students.

GKS is a life-changing scholarship which is offered by the South Korean government to all countries that are listed in the application and that are in agreement with the Korean government. Thus, the international students from all these countries receive this scholarship to complete their bachelor's, associate's degree, master's, or Ph.D. studies in the country. This scholarship was officially announced in 2010 for the first time and received a high response from various countries, admitting several international students to many Korean universities.

Abinaswi~!This scholarship aims to foster collaboration among the countries that are a part of the agreement by inviting talented students from their countries, and also to foster global education exchange through cultural and technological exchanges. The scholarship also aims to invite at least 3 lakh students from the next 15 years to the country. The Ministry of Education has established the National Institute for International Education, which looks after all the GKS-related queries and manages the International students through this program.

The benefits that the scholarship includes are a round-trip airfare through which the scholar can travel to South Korea from his/her country of origin. Also, they will be provided with a monthly allowance, which varies for each degree program, with the lowest in the bachelor's and the highest for the PhD and research students. Along with that, the medical insurance is also covered under the scholarship for all the students coming through this program. Thus, they will be supported with all the required things they need to sustain themselves in the country and study absolutely free.

The admission process for the scholarship starts in two phases. For the undergraduate, it starts in the fall session in September. And for the masters or graduates, it starts in the spring session in February. However, this also depends upon the embassies of each of the countries when they are going to declare the dates. As it has two tracks in total, consisting of the Embassy & university track. Through the embassy, the candidate can apply to up to 3 universities in Korea, including SKY, and under the university track, the candidate will have to send the documents directly to the chosen university.

The exhausting part for this scholarship is that it has a very long process, which almost takes 5 to 6 months of time when you are finally admitted to the university, as it has different stages of selection by NIIED, the Embassy, or the university directly, depending upon the track you are applying for. Upon selection, the candidates will be provided all the details for Visa issuance, free of cost & a direct flight to Korea. However, for all International students, it is mandatory to do the language course for 1 year in the selected university only before starting your intended major. The scholar can be exempted from the language course if he/ she has Topik level 5 or 6, a Korean language test. This is important as the majority of the subjects are completely in Korean, which is a problem for non-Korean speaking candidates. Moreover, the major mode of communication is in Korean itself; thus, it has become necessary to learn Korean if you are supposed to stay there for a long time.

This scholarship is definitely life-changing, as you will be getting admitted to world-class research institutes in the country for free. Popular universities such as Seoul National University (SNU), Yonsei, and Korea University are among the participating universities in the program. However, getting into them or the scholarship itself is really competitive, as it has recently seen a rise in the number of applicants applying from many Western and African nations. Some of the demanding courses provided under the program are for AI & Software, Biotechnology, and Engineering. The curricula of the majors are highly research-oriented, thus giving an upper edge to the candidates who already have such a quality in them. Research papers, theses, or articles are highly regarded for this program.

Moreover, you will not only be receiving quality education, but the international exposure will also boost your confidence & improve your speaking skills. You will have a clear exposure to Korean culture and tradition as well as a global experience. No matter how many benefits you get but recipients still suffer and take a lot of time to get adjusted to the Korean etiquette. Adjusting to Korean food is a major issue that many scholars face, more of Indian, and it becomes very difficult for a Non-vegetarian to survive in the country with very limited options. The constant educational requirement of around an 80% GPA to maintain the scholarship is exhausting as well. Korean students are still the sufferers of the old-age education system, which is pressurizing & puts a lot of academic weightage on the candidate.

The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is a highly competitive, fully-funded scholarship scheme provided by the Korean government to students from foreign countries, including tuition fees, living expenses, air travel, and language training. It provides access to quality education, exposure to culture, and worldwide networking. Although the advantages are enormous, students can experience initial difficulties like language communication, cultural settings, dietary changes, and academic stress. But with resilience and encouragement, most of the scholars cope easily and excel. GKS not only trains the students academically and professionally but also provides them with genuine international connections, which makes it a life-altering experience for higher education students in South Korea.

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