Scholarships in Korea Requiring an Essay or Personal Statement
These reviewed applications explicitly tell the applicant to submit or complete an essay or personal statement. The document can be part of admission, a separate scholarship form or a fellowship application. An annual recipient essay after selection is not enough by itself, and a study plan or research proposal is not automatically treated as the same document.
10 programmes from the published database. Application status as of 2026-10-17 (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.
KRW 4,000,000 · 2025 annual award, two installments
Japanese Korean diaspora students studying in Korea. No nationality or previous-school restriction. Must be enrolled in Spring 2025 and plan a regular Fall 2025 semester. No leave, extended semester or exchange enrollment. Interest in Korean-Japanese human rights, peace and related activities. Orientation, two award ceremonies, an annual essay and designated activities required.
Email the application, personal statement, recommendation, confirmation and enrollment certificate to yi97dd@mongdang.org. Submit prescribed forms as Word files, not PDF. Deadline is March 30, 2025, 24:00 in the notice.
The 2025 annual KRW 4,000,000 award is paid as two KRW 2,000,000 installments. Required attendance and activities apply. Automatic support in a subsequent year is not promised in this call.
University application routes (1)
Incheon National University
Closed All 2025 · University route deadline: 2025-03-30 KST · 24:00 KST
Email the application, personal statement, recommendation, confirmation and enrollment certificate to yi97dd@mongdang.org. Submit prescribed forms as Word files, not PDF. Deadline is March 30, 2025, 24:00 in the notice.
Japanese Korean diaspora students studying in Korea. No nationality or previous-school restriction. Must be enrolled in Spring 2025 and plan a regular Fall 2025 semester. No leave, extended semester or exchange enrollment. Interest in Korean-Japanese human rights, peace and related activities. Orientation, two award ceremonies, an annual essay and designated activities required.
Full tuition for eligible semesters; housing subject to review.
New undergraduate applicants to SUNY Korea Stony Brook. Selection considers high-school grades, tests, activities and talents. Stony Brook students complete a required one-year New York residency. Confirm the coverage for that year in your award letter.
Submit the scholarship form and essay with the online admission application. Requests after submission are not accepted. Selection is competitive.
Dates not listed · Scholarship application
Apply in the university’s announced application period. Selection and the award letter determine your award.
Award duration and continued support
2–6 eligible semesters. Full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits; term and cumulative GPA at least 3.2/4.0; at least 12 GPA credits completed; no academic dishonesty or misconduct. Award length follows the award letter.
New undergraduate applicants to SUNY Korea Stony Brook. Selection considers high-school grades, tests, activities and talents. Stony Brook students complete a required one-year New York residency. Confirm the coverage for that year in your award letter.
Submit the scholarship form and essay with the online admission application. Requests after submission are not accepted. Selection is competitive.
Dates not listed · Scholarship application
Apply in the university’s announced application period. Selection and the award letter determine your award.
Award duration and continued support
2–6 eligible semesters. Full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits; term and cumulative GPA at least 3.2/4.0; at least 12 GPA credits completed; no academic dishonesty or misconduct. Award length follows the award letter.
USD 1,000–10,000 in tuition coverage, as specified in the award letter.
New undergraduate applicants to SUNY Korea Stony Brook. Selection considers high-school grades, tests, activities and talents. Stony Brook students complete a required one-year New York residency. Confirm the coverage for that year in your award letter.
Submit the scholarship form and essay with the online admission application. Requests after submission are not accepted. Selection is competitive.
Dates not listed · Scholarship application
Apply in the university’s announced application period. Selection and the award letter determine your award.
Award duration and continued support
Two semesters; extension limited to one semester. Full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits; term and cumulative GPA at least 3.2/4.0; at least 12 GPA credits completed; no academic dishonesty or misconduct. Award length follows the award letter.
New undergraduate applicants to SUNY Korea Stony Brook. Selection considers high-school grades, tests, activities and talents. Stony Brook students complete a required one-year New York residency. Confirm the coverage for that year in your award letter.
Submit the scholarship form and essay with the online admission application. Requests after submission are not accepted. Selection is competitive.
Dates not listed · Scholarship application
Apply in the university’s announced application period. Selection and the award letter determine your award.
Award duration and continued support
One semester; a one-time award. Full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits; term and cumulative GPA at least 3.2/4.0; at least 12 GPA credits completed; no academic dishonesty or misconduct. Award length follows the award letter.
SUNY Korea · Stony Brook Shared Prosperity Scholarship
SUNY Korea · Stony Brook University
Full tuition, room and board for eligible semesters. During the required SBU visit, tuition and fees are covered at the SBU rate, excluding miscellaneous costs.
Outstanding students from developing countries; individual interview required. Recipients share a room with a Korean student. Stony Brook students complete a required one-year New York residency. Confirm the coverage for that year in your award letter.
Submit the scholarship form and essay with the online admission application. Requests after submission are not accepted. Selection is competitive. Interview and programme requirements apply.
Dates not listed · Scholarship application
Apply in the university’s announced application period. Selection and the award letter determine your award.
Award duration and continued support
1–8 eligible semesters. Full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits; term and cumulative GPA at least 3.2/4.0; at least 12 GPA credits completed; no academic dishonesty or misconduct. Award length follows the award letter.
Incoming undergraduate freshman or transfer students admitted to Mason Korea. Academic performance and leadership/extracurricular activities are considered.
Admission documents are reviewed first. Selected candidates submit an essay and attend a scholarship interview by the notified deadlines.
Dates not listed · Scholarship application
Apply in the university’s announced application period. Selection and the award letter determine your award.
Award duration and continued support
At least 12 credits per semester and cumulative GPA at least 3.5. Spring/Fall tuition at Mason Korea only; summer and Fairfax semesters are not covered.
Up to USD 8,000 per academic year by the priority deadline; up to USD 4,000 by the final deadline.
Incoming undergraduate students with leadership, activities, talents and potential to contribute to campus diversity. Open to U.S. and non-U.S. citizens.
Complete the scholarship section and two essays within the online admissions application before submission. Spring 2027: priority November 15, 2026; final January 15, 2027. Fall 2027: priority February 15; freshman final April 1; transfer final July 15.
Open · Scholarship application deadline: 2027-01-15 KST
Apply in the university’s announced application period. Selection and the award letter determine your award.
Award duration and continued support
Up to 6 semesters. Full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits, cumulative GPA at least 3.0, annual thank-you letters and the award’s renewal requirements. Valid at UAC only, not Salt Lake City.
University application routes (2)
University of Utah Asia Campus
Open Spring 2027 · University route deadline: 2027-01-15 KST
Complete the scholarship section and two essays within the online admissions application before submission. Spring 2027: priority November 15, 2026; final January 15, 2027. Fall 2027: priority February 15; freshman final April 1; transfer final July 15.
Incoming undergraduate students with leadership, activities, talents and potential to contribute to campus diversity. Open to U.S. and non-U.S. citizens.
Up to USD 8,000 per academic year by the priority deadline; up to USD 4,000 by the final deadline.
Open Fall 2027 · University route deadline: 2027-04-01 KST
Complete the scholarship section and two essays within the online admissions application before submission. Spring 2027: priority November 15, 2026; final January 15, 2027. Fall 2027: priority February 15; freshman final April 1; transfer final July 15.
Incoming undergraduate students with leadership, activities, talents and potential to contribute to campus diversity. Open to U.S. and non-U.S. citizens.
Up to USD 8,000 per academic year by the priority deadline; up to USD 4,000 by the final deadline.
AISA International Student Merit Scholarship · 2026
한국대학유학생실무자협의회 (AISA)
KRW 200,000 per selected student for the 2026 call; 50 recipients announced.
Foreign students enrolled at Korean four-year universities, junior colleges or graduate schools. The signed notice includes language-course, undergraduate and graduate students. Prior-semester grades and a recommendation from the home university or institution are required. No numerical GPA, TOPIK or English-score minimum or parental-nationality requirement is stated.
The 2026 call is closed: September 1–18, 2026. Submit all documents together as one PDF by email to dadreampark@gmail.com. Include the application form, personal-data consent, personal statement of up to three A4 pages, enrollment certificate, transcript, recommendation with proof of the recommender, foreign-registration card copy and bankbook copy. The notice scheduled screening September 30, results October 2 and a ceremony October 16; these are not new application deadlines.
Support for the reviewed 2026 call only. No automatic renewal is stated. False declarations or incomplete documents can lead to cancellation of selection.
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.