A master's or PhD in Korea, mapped from the start.

Graduate study in Korea can be world-class, taught in English, and fully funded, but the path is different from undergrad: the advisor matters more than the ranking, the research plan carries the application, and the money can come with or without a scholarship. Start with the overview guide, or pick your path below.

Choose your degree

A master's degreeCoursework and research, spring or fall intakeMany programs are taught in English, an advisor matters but is rarely required before you apply, and the research plan carries the application. Fundable through GKS-G, university scholarships, and assistantships.Read the guide A PhDAdvisor-first, research-heavy, usually fundedThe advisor comes before the school: a professor who wants to supervise you is the strongest part of the application. Almost always funded through a lab, a scholarship, or an assistantship.Read the guide

Funding: with or without a scholarship

You rarely pay full freight for graduate study in Korea. Amounts change year to year, so each route links to the guide that keeps the current numbers and their sources.

With a scholarshipThe fully funded route: GKS-G from the government, plus university scholarships and tuition waivers. Competitive, and on an earlier calendar than regular admission.Read the guide Without a scholarshipYou can still fund a degree: tuition waivers, teaching and research assistantships inside a funded lab, and departmental awards. This is the normal path for many graduate students.Read the guide

Route	What it covers
GKS Graduate scholarship (GKS-G) The Korean government's fully funded scholarship for a master's, PhD, or research program.	Tuition, a monthly living stipend, round-trip airfare, a settlement and research allowance, and a funded year of Korean. Runs on its own earlier spring calendar.
University scholarships and tuition waivers Institutional awards many Korean universities offer to strong international graduate applicants.	Partial to full tuition reductions, sometimes with a stipend, awarded by the university or department rather than the government. Terms vary by school.
Teaching and research assistantships Paid roles inside a funded lab or department, common in science and engineering.	An advisor's research grant or a TA position can cover tuition and pay a monthly stipend. This is why the advisor and the lab's funding matter so much for a PhD.

Where to study, in English

A sample of English-taught graduate destinations we have verified. For the full searchable list, use the universities directory and the GKS-G universities guide.

School	Taught in English?	Funding
KAIST Science and technology; Korea's top research-intensive institute	YesGraduate degrees are taught in English, and labs commonly work in English day to day.	The KAIST Scholarship fully funds most admitted international graduate students with tuition plus a stipend.
Academy of Korean Studies Korean studies (humanities and social sciences), a government institute	In partOne major, Korean Cultural Studies, is taught fully in English and requires no TOPIK to apply; other majors are in Korean.	Every admitted international student receives a full tuition waiver.

What the application asks for

In order of how much weight it carries. The documents guide walks through each one, and the research plan gets its own section.

Document	What it is read for
Study or research plan	The core of the application: a focused question, command of the field, and clear fit with an advisor.
Statement of purpose	Why this program, this advisor, and this research, told as a coherent story.
Recommendation letters	Usually two, from people who can speak to your research ability, not just your grades.
Degree and transcripts	Your most recent degree and marks, authenticated with an apostille and translated. The slowest step, so start early.
Language proof	An English test (IELTS or TOEFL) and/or TOPIK, depending on the program's language of instruction.
CV and any publications	Your academic and research history. Publications and research experience matter most for PhD applicants.

Then: contact a professor

For a PhD especially, an advisor who already wants to take you is the single strongest part of your application. The outreach guide covers how to shortlist professors by their research, what to write, what to attach, and when, with copy-paste email templates you can adapt.

How to email a professor

All graduate guides

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