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What Is the Global Korea Scholarship, and Can Pakistani Students Apply?
The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is the South Korean government’s fully funded scholarship, and Pakistani students are eligible at undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral level. It covers tuition, a monthly stipend, return airfare, one year of Korean language training, and medical insurance. The main route for Pakistan is the Embassy Track in Islamabad. MTZ helps you apply. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship.
GKS Scholarship Pakistan at a Glance
Here are the verified essentials of the Global Korea Scholarship for a Pakistani applicant, before the detail below.
Scholarship
Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), formerly the Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP), renamed GKS in 2019
Funded by
Government of the Republic of Korea
Managed by
National Institute for International Education (NIIED), under the Korean Ministry of Education
Levels open to you
Undergraduate (Associate and Bachelor’s) and Graduate (Master’s, Doctoral, Research)
Funding type
Fully funded: tuition, monthly stipend, return economy airfare, one year of Korean language training, and medical insurance
Pakistan route
Embassy Track through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Islamabad, or University Track direct to a participating Korean university. You may use only one track
Language rule
No IELTS required. A funded one-year Korean course is built in, and a TOPIK certificate earns evaluation points. TOPIK Level 3 is the minimum to move into the degree
Age guide
Undergraduate applicants under 25, graduate applicants under 40. Confirm the exact current-cycle birth-date cutoff at the official GKS guidelines
Cost to apply
No NIIED application fee through either track. You still pay your own document costs, such as apostille or consular confirmation
Application window
Opens early each year, around February for the graduate track. MTZ confirms the live dates for the current cycle
Official source
studyinkorea.go.kr
The Global Korea Scholarship: One Scheme, Two Levels
GKS-U: Undergraduate (Associate and Bachelor’s)
GKS-U funds a full undergraduate degree at a participating Korean university, with one year of Korean language training before the degree begins. A Bachelor’s route runs four years after the language year, an Associate route runs two to three years. You apply as a school-leaver or as someone who has not yet earned a Bachelor’s degree. The fields open to you are those listed in the official GKS University Information file for the year.
Official GKS programme and university lists, Study in Korea (NIIED):
The Global Korea Scholarship is a single government scheme that funds two levels of study, so a Pakistani applicant enters it as either an undergraduate or a graduate candidate, never both in the same year. It is funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea and run by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED). Each level publishes its own annual guideline and its own list of participating universities.
GKS-G: Graduate (Master’s, Doctoral, Research)
GKS-G funds a Master’s or Doctoral degree, again with a Korean language year first. A Master’s runs two years after the language year, a Doctoral runs three. A research route exists for visiting research. You apply with your prior degree already completed, or due to complete before the scholarship start date. NIIED makes the final selection across all candidates.
Official GKS programme and university lists, Study in Korea (NIIED):
The seven MEXT categories
MEXT funds seven categories of student. This page leads on the two that draw the most Pakistani applicants: Undergraduate Students and Research Students (Master’s and PhD). The other five are Teacher Training Students, Japanese Studies Students, College of Technology Students, Specialized Training College Students, and the Young Leaders’ Program for serving professionals. The Embassy of Japan in Pakistan advertises the Undergraduate, Research, and Teacher Training categories each year. If you fit one of the smaller categories, MTZ will tell you which guideline applies.
Fields you can study, including Medicine and Dentistry
Undergraduate applicants choose a field under either Social Sciences and Humanities or Natural Sciences. Natural Sciences includes Medicine and Dentistry as a field choice, and a grantee selecting medicine or dentistry holds the scholarship for seven years rather than five. Music and the fine arts are not eligible at undergraduate level. Research applicants apply in the field they majored in or a related field. This is a Japanese-Government academic scholarship, not an MBBS placement, so the medical field here means studying medicine inside Japan under MEXT funding.
Who Can Apply for the GKS Scholarship from Pakistan
To qualify for the Global Korea Scholarship, you must hold Pakistani or other non-Korean citizenship, meet the academic record for your level, and be inside the age guide that NIIED publishes each year. The checks below decide who can apply; what you submit is covered in the Documents block, and how you apply is covered in the Embassy or University Track block.
You and both of your parents must hold non-Korean citizenship. Korean citizens and dual nationals holding Korean nationality cannot apply. Pakistan is a GKS-eligible country, so a Pakistani passport holder qualifies on nationality.
For GKS-U, you have completed or are expected to complete high school, and you do not already hold a Bachelor’s degree. For GKS-G, you hold the degree below the one you are applying for: a Bachelor’s for a Master’s, a Master’s for a Doctoral, finished before the scholarship start date.
For graduate applicants, the official NIIED guideline sets a cumulative GPA at or above 2.64 on a 4.0 scale, 2.80 on 4.3, 2.91 on 4.5, or 3.23 on 5.0, or a class rank inside the top 20 percent. For undergraduate applicants, a strong secondary-school record carries the academic weight. Your transcript must show the GPA or the ranking.
If you cannot reach TOPIK Level 3 during the one-year Korean language training, you cannot move into your degree, so language is the gate that decides whether the rest of the scholarship happens. The good news for Pakistani applicants is that GKS asks for no IELTS, funds the Korean year in full, and gives evaluation points for any TOPIK certificate you already hold. Applicants who already hold TOPIK Level 5 or 6 skip the language year and start the degree directly. Several programmes are also taught in English.
The official NIIED guideline sets the age guide at under 25 for undergraduate applicants and under 40 for graduate applicants, each tied to a born-on-or-after date that changes every cycle. Confirm the exact current-cycle cutoff at the official GKS guidelines before you rely on it. MTZ checks your date of birth against the live guideline at assessment.
You must be medically fit to complete the programme in Korea, and a health or medical assessment forms part of the document set.
Embassy Track or University Track: The One Choice That Decides Your Application
The single most important decision a Pakistani GKS applicant makes is which of the two tracks to enter, because applying through both in the same year disqualifies you automatically. Most Pakistani applicants use the Embassy Track through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Islamabad. The University Track sends your application straight to one Korean university instead.
Embassy Track
You apply through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Islamabad (Block 13, Street 29, Diplomatic Enclave 2, G-5/4, Islamabad). From the 2026 cycle the application is created and uploaded online on the Study in Korea system, then the embassy screens documents, shortlists and interviews candidates, and nominates Pakistan’s quota of names to NIIED. NIIED makes the final selection. The embassy route lets you list more than one university on a single application.
University Track
You apply directly to one participating Korean university, which reviews your file and nominates you to NIIED. You choose a single institution, so this track suits an applicant set on one specific university and programme. For graduate applicants the university track has run by direct submission to the university rather than through the embassy.
| Point | Embassy Track | University Track |
|---|---|---|
| Where you apply | Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Islamabad | One Korean university, directly |
| Who nominates you to NIIED | The Korean embassy | The university |
| Universities you can list | More than one on a single application | One only |
| Best suited to | An applicant open to several universities | An applicant set on one university and programme |
| Final decision | NIIED | NIIED |
You may enter only one track in a cycle. Applying through both the Embassy Track and the University Track in the same year disqualifies your application. Choose one before you start.
The Documents You Submit for a GKS Application
A GKS application stands or falls on a complete document set, so this block lists what you hand in, while the Eligibility block above covers who may apply and the How to Apply block below covers the process. Gather these early, because the certified and translated items take weeks to prepare in Pakistan.
Core application documents
1
The GKS application form set, which includes the personal-data form, your study plan, and your self-introduction.
2
Two letters of recommendation from people who have taught or supervised you.
3
A signed personal medical assessment form at application stage. A fuller medical examination follows only if you are selected.
4
A copy of your passport, or your national identity document where the form allows it.
Academic and citizenship proof
1
Degree certificates and full academic transcripts for each level you have finished, apostilled or consular-confirmed.
2
Proof that you and both parents hold non-Korean citizenship, such as birth certificate and passport copies, and a family-relation document where asked.
3
A TOPIK certificate if you already hold one. It is not required, and it earns evaluation points.
4
For an applicant still studying, a certificate of expected graduation, with the final certificate and transcript submitted to NIIED by the deadline stated in the guideline.
What the GKS Scholarship Pays For, and What It Does Not
The Global Korea Scholarship is fully funded: it pays your tuition, gives you a monthly living allowance, flies you to Korea and home again, and funds a year of Korean language training, with figures set by NIIED in Korean won. A short list of costs sits outside the award, so read both columns before you plan your budget.
Covered by GKS (figures in KRW, set by NIIED)
⚫ Tuition in full. NIIED pays up to 5,000,000 KRW per semester, and your host university covers any amount above that. Admission fees are waived.
⚫ A monthly living allowance: 900,000 KRW for undergraduate scholars, 1,000,000 KRW for Master’s and Doctoral scholars, and 1,500,000 KRW for research-programme scholars.
⚫ A round-trip economy air ticket, paid at actual cost, for your arrival and your final departure after you complete the degree.
⚫ One year of Korean language training, paid in full.
⚫ A one-time settlement allowance of 200,000 KRW on arrival.
⚫ Medical insurance of about 60,000 KRW per month.
⚫ A Korean Proficiency Grant of 100,000 KRW per month for scholars who hold TOPIK Level 5 or 6.
⚫ A one-time degree completion grant of 100,000 KRW for scholars who return home after finishing.
⚫ Research and thesis-printing support for graduate scholars.
Not covered (the official honesty caveat)
⚫ International travel insurance.
⚫ Domestic travel inside Pakistan and inside Korea.
⚫ Your arrival airfare if you already live in Korea, and your return airfare if you withdraw before completing the degree.
Note: GKS figures are official in Korean won. As a rough guide at mid-2026 rates, 1,000,000 KRW sits in the region of PKR 180,000, but the won-to-rupee rate moves through the year. Treat any rupee figure as indicative only, budget on the conservative side, and confirm the live rate before you rely on a number.
How to Apply From Pakistan
Applying is a five-step process that runs through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Islamabad for most Pakistani candidates, with NIIED making the final decision in Korea. The dates below follow the annual pattern, because the live window changes each cycle and MTZ confirms it for you.
step-1 →
Choose your track. Decide between the Embassy Track in Islamabad and the University Track to one Korean university. You may enter only one, so settle this first.
step-2 →
Create your account and complete the application online. Register on the Study in Korea system at studyinkorea.go.kr, fill in your personal and academic details, and upload your prepared documents. From the 2026 cycle the Embassy Track application is submitted online rather than on paper.
step-3 →
Submit before the embassy deadline and attend the interview if called. Send your application by the date the embassy sets, then watch for an interview invitation. The Korean Embassy in Islamabad screens documents, shortlists candidates, and may interview you in person or online.
step-4 →
Embassy nomination and NIIED selection. The embassy nominates Pakistan’s shortlisted candidates to NIIED. NIIED runs the second round, confirms your university placement, and posts the final result on the Study in Korea system.
step-5
Results, visa, and departure. Final results come out around late June for the graduate track. Selected scholars then prepare a student visa and travel to Korea for the language year, which begins in late August or September.
Annual pattern, dates to confirm at the live cycle: The graduate track opens early in the year, around February. The undergraduate track opens earlier, around September to October of the previous year. MTZ confirms the live dates for the current cycle before you start.
How MTZ Helps You Apply for the GKS Scholarship
MTZ does not decide GKS selection and does not award the scholarship, so what we offer is honest preparation: an assessment of your real chances, a matched university list, and a clean application built to the NIIED guideline. NIIED makes the decision, and you apply through the official process either yourself or with our help.
We read your academic record, your level, and your age against the live GKS guideline, then tell you plainly whether you are a competitive candidate this cycle or a stronger one next year. You hear the honest answer before you spend money on apostille and translation.
We match your subject and grades to programmes in the official GKS University Information file, and we flag which choices suit the Embassy Track, where you may list more than one university, against the single-university University Track.
We help you assemble the form set, the study plan, and the self-introduction, and we check that your transcripts and citizenship proof carry the right apostille or consular confirmation before you upload anything.
We walk you through the Study in Korea online submission, keep you to the embassy deadline, and prepare you for the interview if the Korean Embassy in Islamabad calls you.
Once NIIED confirms your place, we help you prepare the student visa file and plan your travel for the start of the Korean language year.
The Honest Limits of the GKS Scholarship
GKS is one of the harder government scholarships to win, and being honest about that protects your time and money. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship. Selection is decided by NIIED, the application is free to submit, and no consultant can change who NIIED chooses.
Read these limits before you apply.
It is competitive. Each country has a small national quota and far more applicants than places, so a strong record is the entry point, not a guarantee.
MTZ cannot influence selection. We prepare your application; NIIED alone decides. Anyone who promises you a GKS seat is not telling the truth.
One track only. Applying through both the Embassy Track and the University Track in the same year disqualifies you.
Korean is a hard gate. If you do not reach TOPIK Level 3 during the funded language year, you cannot move into your degree.
Funding can be withdrawn. Academic probation, leaving Korea without NIIED approval, or breaking the scholarship conditions can suspend your allowance or require a refund.
It is not an MBBS route. GKS funds the fields in the official University Information file. For funded medical study, ask MTZ about the MBBS in China route instead.
GKS by Level: Undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral Side by Side
The Global Korea Scholarship works differently depending on the level you enter, so this table sets the three degree routes next to each other on the points that decide your choice. All three include the funded Korean language year and the full GKS funding package.
| Point | GKS-U Undergraduate | GKS-G Master’s | GKS-G Doctoral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree you earn | Bachelor’s (or Associate) | Master’s | Doctoral |
| Age guide (confirm at the live guideline) | Under 25 | Under 40 | Under 40 |
| Language year then degree | 1 year Korean, then 4 years | 1 year Korean, then 2 years | 1 year Korean, then 3 years |
| Main academic test | Strong secondary-school record | Bachelor’s GPA at the NIIED threshold | Master’s GPA at the NIIED threshold |
| Monthly living allowance | 900,000 KRW | 1,000,000 KRW | 1,000,000 KRW |
| Typical application window | Around September to October | Around February | Around February |
| Main Pakistan route | Embassy Track, Islamabad | Embassy Track, Islamabad | Embassy Track, Islamabad |
Research (non-degree) students sit just below the Master’s level and receive 143,000 yen per month. A regional allowance of 2,000 to 3,000 yen is added to any level in designated areas.
GKS Scholarship Pakistan: Your Questions Answered
These are the questions Pakistani applicants and their families ask most about the Global Korea Scholarship, answered straight. Each answer leads with the direct reply, then adds the detail.
Yes. Pakistani students are eligible for the GKS scholarship at undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral level. Most apply through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Islamabad on the Embassy Track, while a few apply directly to one Korean university on the University Track.
Yes. GKS is a fully funded Korean Government scholarship. It pays your tuition, a monthly living allowance, return economy airfare, one year of Korean language training, and medical insurance, with a one-time settlement allowance on arrival.
The GKS monthly living allowance is 900,000 KRW for undergraduate scholars and 1,000,000 KRW for Master’s and Doctoral scholars, with 1,500,000 KRW for research-programme scholars. NIIED sets these figures in Korean won and can revise them each cycle, so MTZ confirms the live amount before you budget.
No. GKS does not require IELTS. A funded one-year Korean language course is built into the scholarship, any TOPIK certificate you already hold earns you evaluation points, and several programmes are taught in English.
The Embassy Track means you apply through the Korean Embassy in Islamabad, which nominates Pakistan’s candidates to NIIED and lets you list more than one university. The University Track means you apply directly to one Korean university. You may use only one track in a cycle, and applying through both disqualifies you.
Pakistani students on the GKS embassy track apply through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Islamabad, at Block 13, Street 29, Diplomatic Enclave 2, G-5/4. From the 2026 cycle the application itself is created and uploaded online on the Study in Korea system at studyinkorea.go.kr.
The official NIIED guideline sets the age guide at under 25 for undergraduate applicants and under 40 for graduate applicants, each tied to a born-on-or-after date that changes every cycle. Confirm the exact current-cycle cutoff at the official GKS guidelines, and MTZ checks your date of birth against the live guideline at assessment.
For the GKS graduate scholarship you need a cumulative GPA at or above 2.64 on a 4.0 scale, 2.80 on 4.3, 2.91 on 4.5, or 3.23 on 5.0, or a class rank inside the top 20 percent. Your transcript must show the GPA or the ranking.
No. GKS is not a route to a funded MBBS. It funds the fields listed in the official GKS University Information file each year, which do not include clinical medicine for international scholars. For funded medical study, ask MTZ about the MBBS in China route instead.
The graduate track opens early in the year, around February, and the undergraduate track opens earlier, around September to October of the previous year. These are annual-pattern dates, and MTZ confirms the live window for the current cycle before you start.
You take a funded one-year Korean language course first, and you must reach TOPIK Level 3 during that year to move into your degree. Applicants who already hold TOPIK Level 5 or 6 skip the language year and start the degree directly.
On the Embassy Track you may list more than one university on a single application, which is why most Pakistani applicants use it. On the University Track you apply to one university only.
No. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship, and no consultant can. Selection is decided by NIIED. MTZ assesses your profile honestly and helps you build a strong application, and you apply through the official process.
No. NIIED charges no application fee through either the Embassy Track or the University Track. You still pay your own document costs, such as apostille, consular confirmation, and certified translation.
Start Your GKS Application with MTZ
Send MTZ your academic details and we will tell you honestly whether the Global Korea Scholarship fits you this cycle, then help you build the application. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship.
Author: Mubbashir Qureshi, CEO, MTZ Global Visa Consultants Pvt Ltd. 25+ years personal experience guiding Pakistani students into study abroad and international education.
Last verified: 12 June 2026. Spotted an error on this page? WhatsApp +92 315 155 5507. MTZ corrects verified errors within 24 hours.
