Scholarships and Fellowships Requiring a Research Plan or Proposal in Korea
A research plan or proposal is different from a personal statement and from merely naming a research field. The programmes here explicitly require a plan or proposal in the application or admission process. Some also require an adviser, Korean host or joint research commitment; submitting a plan does not guarantee selection or funding.
9 programmes from the published database. Application status as of 2026-10-22 (KST); source review dates are recorded individually. Past calls remain labeled by their year and deadline. A policy without dates is not treated as an open call.
University scholarshipAdditional eligibility conditions
Dongguk University · Seoul; Goyang
SRD-I Scholarship · Science, Engineering or Pharmacy
Restricted field; advisor recommendation; prior academic performance and research obligations
PhD
Full tuition including entrance fee · Up to 6 semesters
Science, Engineering or Pharmacy only. Previous major must be similar or equivalent. Previous degree score at least 80/100 OR class rank in top 40%. Dongguk advisor recommendation and joint research plan required. International-admission nationality, parent-nationality and language criteria apply; these are not replaced by the scholarship. Publish two papers as first author in SCIE Q2 or higher, with a full-time Dongguk advisor as corresponding author. No unconditional award.
Submit scholarship forms and advisor recommendation / joint research plan to the Office of General Graduate School. International admission acceptance is required.
Full tuition including entrance fee · Up to 8 semesters
Science, Engineering or Pharmacy only. Previous major must be similar or equivalent. Previous degree score at least 80/100 OR class rank in top 40%. Dongguk advisor recommendation and joint research plan required. International-admission nationality, parent-nationality and language criteria apply; these are not replaced by the scholarship. Publish three papers as first author in SCIE Q2 or higher, with a full-time Dongguk advisor as corresponding author. No unconditional award.
Submit scholarship forms and advisor recommendation / joint research plan to the Office of General Graduate School. International admission acceptance is required.
Tuition support is conditional. Funding stops if semester GPA falls below 3.5 and may resume when the grade requirement is met. An adverse advisor evaluation can also stop funding after committee review. Degree-specific publication obligations must be completed; withdrawal requires repayment or satisfying the paper obligations.
University scholarshipAdditional eligibility conditions
Dongguk University · Seoul; Goyang
SRD-II Scholarship · Science, Engineering or Pharmacy
Restricted field; advisor recommendation; prior academic performance and research obligations
Master
Full tuition including entrance fee · Up to 4 semesters
Science, Engineering or Pharmacy only. Previous major must be similar or equivalent. Previous degree score at least 80/100 OR class rank in top 40%. Dongguk advisor recommendation and joint research plan required. International-admission nationality, parent-nationality and language criteria apply; these are not replaced by the scholarship. Publish one paper as co-author in SCIE Q2 or higher, with a full-time Dongguk advisor as corresponding author. No unconditional award.
Submit scholarship forms and advisor recommendation / joint research plan to the Office of General Graduate School. International admission acceptance is required.
Tuition support is conditional. Funding stops if semester GPA falls below 3.5 and may resume when the grade requirement is met. An adverse advisor evaluation can also stop funding after committee review. Degree-specific publication obligations must be completed; withdrawal requires repayment or satisfying the paper obligations.
University scholarshipAdditional eligibility conditions
Dongguk University · Seoul; Goyang
SRD-M Scholarship · Medicine or Korean Medicine
Restricted field; advisor recommendation; prior academic performance and research obligations
Master
Full tuition including entrance fee · Up to 4 semesters
Medicine or Korean Medicine only. Previous major must be similar or equivalent. Previous degree score at least 80/100 OR class rank in top 40%. Dongguk advisor recommendation and joint research plan required. International-admission nationality, parent-nationality and language criteria apply; these are not replaced by the scholarship. Publish one paper as co-author in SCIE Q2 or higher, with a full-time Dongguk advisor as corresponding author. No unconditional award.
Submit scholarship forms and advisor recommendation / joint research plan to the Office of General Graduate School. International admission acceptance is required.
Full tuition including entrance fee · Up to 6 semesters
Medicine or Korean Medicine only. Previous major must be similar or equivalent. Previous degree score at least 80/100 OR class rank in top 40%. Dongguk advisor recommendation and joint research plan required. International-admission nationality, parent-nationality and language criteria apply; these are not replaced by the scholarship. Publish two papers as first author in SCIE Q2 or higher, with a full-time Dongguk advisor as corresponding author. No unconditional award.
Submit scholarship forms and advisor recommendation / joint research plan to the Office of General Graduate School. International admission acceptance is required.
Full tuition including entrance fee · Up to 8 semesters
Medicine or Korean Medicine only. Previous major must be similar or equivalent. Previous degree score at least 80/100 OR class rank in top 40%. Dongguk advisor recommendation and joint research plan required. International-admission nationality, parent-nationality and language criteria apply; these are not replaced by the scholarship. Publish three papers as first author in SCIE Q2 or higher, with a full-time Dongguk advisor as corresponding author. No unconditional award.
Submit scholarship forms and advisor recommendation / joint research plan to the Office of General Graduate School. International admission acceptance is required.
Tuition support is conditional. Funding stops if semester GPA falls below 3.5 and may resume when the grade requirement is met. An adverse advisor evaluation can also stop funding after committee review. Degree-specific publication obligations must be completed; withdrawal requires repayment or satisfying the paper obligations.
University scholarshipAdditional eligibility conditions
Dongguk University · Seoul; Goyang
SRD-B Scholarship · International Buddhist Studies
Restricted field; advisor recommendation; prior academic performance and research obligations
Master
Full tuition including entrance fee · Up to 4 semesters
International Buddhist Studies only. Previous major must be similar or equivalent. Previous degree score at least 80/100 OR class rank in top 40%. Dongguk advisor recommendation and joint research plan required. International-admission nationality, parent-nationality and language criteria apply; these are not replaced by the scholarship. Publish one paper as co-author in SSCI-level, with a full-time Dongguk advisor as corresponding author. No unconditional award.
Submit scholarship forms and advisor recommendation / joint research plan to the Office of General Graduate School. International admission acceptance is required.
Full tuition including entrance fee · Up to 6 semesters
International Buddhist Studies only. Previous major must be similar or equivalent. Previous degree score at least 80/100 OR class rank in top 40%. Dongguk advisor recommendation and joint research plan required. International-admission nationality, parent-nationality and language criteria apply; these are not replaced by the scholarship. Publish two papers as first author in SSCI-level, with a full-time Dongguk advisor as corresponding author. No unconditional award.
Submit scholarship forms and advisor recommendation / joint research plan to the Office of General Graduate School. International admission acceptance is required.
Full tuition including entrance fee · Up to 8 semesters
International Buddhist Studies only. Previous major must be similar or equivalent. Previous degree score at least 80/100 OR class rank in top 40%. Dongguk advisor recommendation and joint research plan required. International-admission nationality, parent-nationality and language criteria apply; these are not replaced by the scholarship. Publish three papers as first author in SSCI-level, with a full-time Dongguk advisor as corresponding author. No unconditional award.
Submit scholarship forms and advisor recommendation / joint research plan to the Office of General Graduate School. International admission acceptance is required.
Tuition support is conditional. Funding stops if semester GPA falls below 3.5 and may resume when the grade requirement is met. An adverse advisor evaluation can also stop funding after committee review. Degree-specific publication obligations must be completed; withdrawal requires repayment or satisfying the paper obligations.
Full tuition including entrance fee · Master’s/PhD: 4 semesters; integrated: 6
General Graduate School only. Advisor joint-research commitment, research plan and financial-capacity proof required during admission; assist the advisor and publish an international scholarly journal (SCI) paper.
Closed Spring 2027 · Admission application · International Graduate Admission deadline: 2026-10-12 KST · 24:00 KST
Official source ↗· Printed pp.8–10 campus programme tables; pp.16,19 Global Scholarship documents and benefits
Source checked:
Later semesters and re-application
Full tuition including entrance fee covers 4 semesters for master’s/PhD and 6 for integrated degrees. Maintain GPA 3.5 or higher, assist the research advisor, and fulfill the SCI-paper obligation.
Government scholarshipResearch;PostdoctoralKorean studies abroad
KF Fellowship for Postdoctoral Research
The Korea Foundation
Research stipend and dissertation printing/editing costs. Amount determined individually from the proposal and host region.
Korea-related postdoctoral research at an overseas university or research institution. PhD obtained within five years before the fellowship begins, or completed before the start. Applicants cannot hold a regular full-time lecturer/researcher position or higher at the start. This call excludes host institutions in North America, Europe and Japan; those regions have separate calls. Citizenship or permanent residence outside Korea is required; Korean nationals must have obtained it by August 2026. Research cannot be hosted by the PhD-awarding university. No parental citizenship requirement is stated.
Apply through the KF portal with a research proposal, CV, dissertation materials, academic transcripts, degree/residency proof and correspondence with prospective hosts. Three referees, including the doctoral supervisor, submit letters through KF. Applications closed September 11, 2026 at 18:00 KST; references closed September 16 at 18:00. Documents must be Korean or English, with notarized translations otherwise. Remain in the host country and conduct full-time research throughout the award.
One year starting in Spring or Fall 2027. Paid in installments of 50%, 40% and 10% after agreement, interim and final reports. Interim report at six months; final report within seven days of completion. Revise and publish the dissertation within three years, acknowledge KF and report progress annually for three years. Previous recipients cannot receive this fellowship again. Concurrent Korean-institution support is prohibited and may require full repayment.
Foundation scholarshipResearch;PostdoctoralResearch fellowship
International Scholar Exchange Fellowship (ISEF)
Chey Institute for Advanced Studies
KRW 3,500,000 per month research stipend; KRW 1,000,000 settlement support; KRW 1,000,000 on submission of the final research paper. Round-trip airfare and medical insurance are provided. Publication incentives have separate conditions.
Doctorate-holding faculty, researchers or postdoctoral researchers currently employed at an overseas university or research institute. Korean nationals and people currently residing or researching in Korea are excluded. In principle, applicants must be aged 50 or younger at the deadline and able to conduct research in English. This is not a degree tuition scholarship.
Apply through the Chey Institute ISEF application system with a research proposal, supporting documents and recommendations. At least one referee must be outside the home institution. The general annual application window is early November to mid-February; exact dates for the next call have not been announced on the reviewed page.
Dates not listed · Scholarship application
Next application dates have not been announced on the reviewed programme page.
Award duration and continued support
Research in Korea for six months or one year. A one-year extension for postdoctoral researchers may be granted after review; it is not automatic. Initial, interim and final research reports are required. If entry to Korea is not made within one month of the recommended entry date, the monthly stipend for that period is forfeited.
Government scholarshipResearch;PhD;PostdoctoralResearch fellowship
KF Fellowship for Field Research
The Korea Foundation
Monthly stipend: KRW 2,300,000 for doctoral candidates or KRW 3,000,000 for eligible faculty/PhD professionals. Entry allowance and travel insurance; airfare only for qualifying lower-income countries of residence.
Overseas-affiliated researchers studying Korea-related humanities, social sciences or relevant emerging topics. Type A: doctoral coursework completed and dissertation in progress. Type B: full-time lecturer or higher, or PhD holder active in research/professional work. Foreign citizenship or permanent residency outside Korea is required; Korean nationals must have obtained it by August 2026. Secure a Korean affiliate scholar and host institution before applying. Excludes continuous extension of prior study/research in Korea, Korean-public-institution field-research funding in the preceding three years, concurrent Korean institutional funding and regular degree/language-study applicants. No parental citizenship requirement is stated.
Apply online through KF by October 14, 2026 at 18:00 KST. Referees submit two letters by October 19 at 18:00. Upload nationality/residency proof, CV, research proposal, signed Korean cooperative-research proposal and degree/employment documents; doctoral candidates also need coursework completion and transcripts. Research and documents must be Korean or English, with translations where needed. Accommodation is not provided. Entry allowance: KRW 500,000 for doctoral candidates, KRW 1,000,000 for PhD holders or KRW 1,500,000 for tenured associate/full professors; only the highest applicable amount is paid. Economy return airfare is restricted to residence in eligible DAC least-developed, low-income or lower-middle-income countries; upper-middle-income countries are excluded.
Field research in Korea for 1–6 months during 2027, starting by November 30. Submit the final report two weeks before completion. Doctoral candidates should obtain their degree within two years and send the dissertation to KF. Faculty fellows are encouraged to publish an article within two years or a book within three. Acknowledge KF and report progress annually for three years. Concurrent support from Korean institutions is prohibited.
Government scholarshipMaster;PhD;ResearchResearch fellowship
AKS Graduate Fellowship
The Academy of Korean Studies · Graduate School of Korean Studies
KRW 750,000 per month for six months; free on-campus dormitory and Korean language courses. Economy return airfare reimbursed at actual cost within the city ceiling, capped at KRW 2,088,000 per person.
As of September 1, 2026: enrolled in a master’s or doctoral programme at an overseas university, or master’s coursework completed with dissertation pending. Doctoral ABD applicants are ineligible. Research must concern Korea/Korean studies. Foreign nationals qualify; Korean nationals must have completed all equivalent primary, secondary and university education outside Korea. Previous AKS Graduate Fellows cannot reapply. Korean proficiency is preferred; no minimum TOPIK/English score is stated. No parental-nationality requirement is stated. This is a non-degree research visit in Korea, not tuition support for enrollment in a Korean degree.
The 2026 call is closed: online application April 27, 2026, 10:00–May 8, 17:00 KST through gradaks.recruiter.co.kr. Name an AKS academic advisor. Upload application, personal statement, research plan, degree/enrollment/coursework certificates, transcripts, passport and photo; valid language certificates are optional. The home-university advisor must email a recommendation from their own account within the same application period. Documents must be Korean or English, or accompanied by notarized translations. Selected fellows submit original documents by post. Up to five fellows; no selection if none qualifies. Insurance is advised at the fellow’s own cost. Final report minimum: 16,000 Korean characters or 5,000 English words, excluding bibliography. Obtain prior approval for exceptional overseas conference travel, acknowledge AKS in publications and provide return-ticket details. No later call dates are announced here.
September 1, 2026–February 28, 2027; no extension. Select an AKS advisor and complete at least one advisor-taught course or independent study with a successful grade. Present findings, submit a final thesis/report and proof of stay in Korea; complete obligations at least two weeks before departure. Academic-status proof was due September 21. Paid work and registration at another Korean institution are prohibited. Delayed arrival, early departure or time abroad reduces the stipend by KRW 25,000 per day. Airfare is paid after completing obligations; certain cases receive one-way fares only. Unsuccessful courses or missing reports/presentations can remove airfare; false information or non-compliance can revoke support and require repayment.