Korea Foundation - The Korea Foundation Fellowship for Korean Language Training

What you get

Each year, the Korea Foundation awards approximately 40 scholarships for an intensive Korean language course at a South Korean university of its choosing. The scholarship amounts to about EUR 850 per month (KRW 1,000,000–1,200,000): The lower rate applies to undergraduates, Master’s graduates and those with less than three years’ relevant professional experience; the higher rate applies to PhD students and professionals with at least three years’ professional experience. In addition, the Foundation will cover your tuition fees directly, provide accident and health insurance, and pay a one-off settlement allowance of approximately EUR 210 (KRW 300,000). The programme lasts six months and begins in March or September. Participants who perform well may extend the programme by up to two further three-month blocks, bringing the maximum duration to twelve months.

Who can apply

• Nationality: Open to all nationalities.
• Field: You are working or studying in a field within the humanities, social sciences or cultural studies that relates to Korea.
• Korean language: You already have at least a basic knowledge of Korean.
• Status: You must belong to one of the following groups: undergraduates majoring or minoring in Korean Studies or the Korean language (see the geographical note below); a Master’s or PhD student in a Korea-related field with a specific research project; a lecturer, professor or researcher at a higher education institution who teaches or conducts research in the field of Korean studies; or a professional in a Korea-related role within the arts and culture sector (for example, a curator of Korean art at a major foreign museum, a librarian specialising in Korean studies, or a journalist specialising in Korea).
• Undergraduates - where your university is: Applicants for a Bachelor’s degree programme are generally eligible to apply if their university is located in South-East Asia, Central Europe, the CIS, the Middle East, Africa or Central or South America. If your university is located elsewhere, you are only eligible to apply if you have completed at least eight Korea-related modules at a university that does not offer a Master’s degree programme in Korean Studies.
• Where you are now: You are not currently in South Korea for study or research purposes and do not intend to enrol on a degree programme there during the duration of the scholarship.
• Previous funding: You have not yet received this scholarship. It can only be awarded once per person.
• Other funding: You are not currently receiving funding under any other programme run by the Korea Foundation or any other organisation.

How to apply

Please apply via the Korea Foundation’s online portal at apply.kf.or.kr. The application deadline is 31 August; please check the portal for the latest call for applications, as the exact dates are confirmed with each annual announcement.