The Yonsei University Scholarships 2027 support international students pursuing undergraduate, master’s, integrated master’s and PhD, and doctoral programmes in South Korea. The strongest opportunities include the Underwood International College Admissions Scholarship, which covers full undergraduate tuition for four years, and the fully funded Global Korea Scholarship, which provides tuition fees, airfare, Korean-language training, and a living allowance. International students admitted to Yonsei’s General Graduate School through the international track may also receive the Yonsei International Student Companion Scholarship, which provides a stipend for up to four semesters for master’s and PhD students or six semesters for an integrated degree. These scholarships do not share one application route: UIC applicants are considered automatically during admission, eligible graduate students receive the Companion Scholarship without a separate application, and GKS candidates must apply through either the Korean embassy or Yonsei University track. In this article, we have explained everything you need to know about the Yonsei University Scholarships, including their benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.
The most valuable Yonsei University scholarships covered in this guide are:
- Underwood International College Admissions Scholarship
- Yonsei International Student Companion Scholarship
- Global Korea Scholarship
The UIC Admissions Scholarship covers tuition only, while the Companion Scholarship provides a graduate stipend whose exact value is not published in the current central admission guide. GKS is the most comprehensive option because it combines tuition, living, language-training, and travel support.
Related Scholarships in South Korea
Yonsei University Scholarships Summary
- Level of Study: Undergraduate / Master’s / PhD
- Institution: Yonsei University
- Study Destination: South Korea
- Program Period: Up to four years for undergraduate study, four regular semesters for master’s and PhD programmes, and six regular semesters for integrated master’s and PhD programmes
The full undergraduate admissions scholarship is offered through Underwood International College, Yonsei University’s English-language liberal arts college. UIC offers majors through the Underwood Division, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Division, and Integrated Science and Engineering Division.
Graduate applicants can choose from programmes across humanities, social sciences, business, science, engineering, computing, life sciences, biotechnology, theology, medicine, public health, and interdisciplinary fields. The programmes available through GKS can change each year and must appear in the relevant annual GKS university information file.
Yonsei University Scholarships Application Deadline
The deadline depends on the scholarship and degree level.
Underwood International College Scholarship Deadline
For international students beginning undergraduate study in Spring 2027, the current UIC admission schedule lists:
- Online application opens: August 26, 2026
- Online application deadline: September 17, 2026
- Physical document arrival deadline: October 2, 2026
- Online interviews: December 11–12, 2026
- Admission and scholarship results: December 18, 2026
- Programme commencement: March 2027
The official UIC table also displays an online application period extending to September 22, 2026, while separately identifying September 17 as the online application deadline. Applicants should therefore treat September 17, 2026 as the safe final date for completing and paying for the online application. Hard copies must arrive at the UIC office by October 2, and the university does not normally extend the deadline.
For students beginning in Fall 2027, UIC currently states that applications will take place in March 2027. The exact opening date, deadline, document submission date, interview schedule, and result date have not yet been announced.
There is no separate deadline for the UIC Admissions Scholarship. International applicants are considered automatically when their undergraduate applications are evaluated, and selected students receive the scholarship offer with their admission package.
Yonsei Graduate Scholarship Deadline
Yonsei University has not yet published the complete General Graduate School admission calendar for students commencing in 2027.
For planning purposes, the previous international graduate admission rounds followed this schedule:
- Spring 2026 application: October 10–15, 2025
- Fall 2026 application: April 6–13, 2026
The Spring 2027 graduate application is therefore expected during the second half of 2026, but applicants must wait for Yonsei to publish the confirmed dates before treating any estimated period as final.
The Yonsei International Student Companion Scholarship does not have a separate application deadline. Eligible graduate students are assessed through the international graduate admission process and receive the stipend automatically without submitting a separate scholarship form.
Global Korea Scholarship Deadline
The official GKS 2027 application dates and participating-department lists have not yet been released.
In the previous Yonsei graduate university-track round, applications were accepted from:
March 9 to March 20, 2026
Documents had to arrive at the Yonsei Graduate School by 5:00 PM Korea Standard Time on the closing date, and university-track candidates also had to complete the designated online form. This date applies to the previous cycle and should not be used as the confirmed 2027 deadline.
Embassy-track deadlines are determined separately by each Korean embassy and can close earlier than Yonsei’s university-track application. Applicants should monitor the Study in Korea GKS notice board, Yonsei’s GKS admission page, and our Global Korea Scholarship guide for the 2027 announcement.
Yonsei University Scholarship Coverage
Underwood International College Admissions Scholarship
The UIC Admissions Scholarship provides:
- Full undergraduate tuition fees
- Scholarship support for up to four years
- Automatic consideration during the international admission evaluation
- No separate scholarship application
The award is reserved for newly admitted international students to Underwood International College. Recipients are selected according to the strength of their academic credentials and overall admission applications.
The scholarship offer is enclosed in the selected applicant’s admission package. Recipients must maintain the GPA required by UIC in each semester to continue receiving tuition funding. The public scholarship page does not publish one universal renewal GPA, so students must follow the conditions stated in their individual award letter.
The UIC Admissions Scholarship does not list standard funding for:
- Monthly living expenses
- University accommodation
- International airfare
- Student visa costs
- Health insurance
- Books or personal expenses
It should therefore be described as a full-tuition scholarship rather than a completely funded undergraduate award.
After enrolment, UIC students may also be considered for merit-based scholarships covering full, half, or one-third tuition for a semester. Need-based scholarships offering the same tuition levels require a separate application and supporting financial documents.
Yonsei International Student Companion Scholarship
The Yonsei International Student Companion Scholarship supports eligible non-Korean students admitted to the General Graduate School through the international student track.
It provides:
- A graduate stipend
- Automatic assessment without a separate application
- Support for up to four regular semesters for master’s students
- Support for up to four regular semesters for PhD students
- Support for up to six regular semesters for integrated master’s and PhD students
The scholarship payment is transferred to the bank account registered by the student in the Yonsei Portal at the end of the semester.
Yonsei’s current graduate admission guide describes the benefit only as a “stipend” and does not publish its exact semester value. Applicants should not confuse this award with a full tuition waiver or assume a particular monthly payment until the amount is confirmed by the Graduate School or stated in their admission information.
The central scholarship page states that continuing students generally need a GPA above 3.4 out of 4.3. Students already holding another fellowship, GKS recipients, and students in the bachelor’s–master’s accelerated programme are excluded. The scholarship is also not available to students in the Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing under the current graduate admission guide.
Individual departments may provide additional research, assistantship, laboratory, or BK21 funding. These opportunities differ significantly by department and should be discussed with the academic supervisor or graduate programme office. For example, Yonsei’s current guide lists a BK21 award of KRW 6,000,000 for master’s students and up to KRW 9,600,000 for PhD students in English Language and Literature.
Global Korea Scholarship
The Global Korea Scholarship is funded by the Korean Government and is the most comprehensive route for eligible international students seeking to study at Yonsei University.
Based on the latest confirmed graduate GKS package, the scholarship provides:
- Economy-class airfare based on actual cost
- Tuition fees of up to KRW 5,000,000
- Payment of the admission fee by the university
- Korean-language training valued at KRW 5,200,000
- A living allowance of KRW 14,400,000 per year during Korean-language study
- A living allowance of KRW 16,560,000 per year during the degree programme
- Research and academic support under the applicable GKS rules
- Insurance support
- Additional Korean-language proficiency support for eligible scholars
The annual degree allowance is equivalent to approximately KRW 1,380,000 per month, while the Korean-language-stage allowance is equivalent to approximately KRW 1,200,000 per month. These are the confirmed 2026 figures and may be revised for GKS 2027.
For graduate students, the standard scholarship period is:
- Master’s: One year of Korean-language training plus two years of degree study
- PhD: One year of Korean-language training plus three years of degree study
Scholars holding TOPIK Level 5 or 6, and certain students admitted to qualifying English-taught or specialised programmes, may receive an exemption from all or part of the Korean-language year under the annual rules.
Yonsei covers the graduate admission fee and any qualifying tuition amount exceeding the standard government tuition contribution for its GKS scholars. Master’s funding normally continues for four degree semesters, while doctoral funding continues for six degree semesters, excluding any separate Korean-language period.
The benefits, eligible departments, quotas, and application tracks can change each year. Applicants must use the GKS 2027 guidelines when released rather than relying only on the previous figures above.
Eligibility Criteria for Yonsei University Scholarships
Applicants must first meet the admission criteria of their selected Yonsei University programme. Scholarship requirements then depend on the particular award.
UIC Admissions Scholarship Eligibility
To qualify for international admission and automatic scholarship consideration at Underwood International College, applicants must:
- Be international applicants with non-Korean citizenship
- Have parents who are both non-Korean citizens
- Hold or expect to receive a recognised high school diploma before enrolment
- Submit all required academic and identity documents
- Provide the English-language evidence required for the 2027 intake
- Complete the online interview if shortlisted
- Demonstrate excellent academic and non-academic achievement
Applicants or parents holding Korean dual citizenship are not eligible under the international student track. Ethnic Korean applicants must provide documents showing the loss or renunciation of Korean citizenship where applicable.
GED, home-schooling, cyber-schooling, and similar alternative qualifications are not treated as regular high school diplomas for this admission route. Applicants must have completed a recognised secondary-school curriculum that satisfies Yonsei’s admission requirements.
UIC does not publish a minimum GPA that guarantees the full four-year Admissions Scholarship. The admission committee evaluates applicants holistically using academic achievement, non-academic accomplishments, English ability, application materials, and interview performance.
Yonsei International Student Companion Scholarship Eligibility
To be considered for the Companion Scholarship, applicants must:
- Be non-Korean citizens
- Apply through the international student track
- Receive admission to Yonsei University’s General Graduate School
- Not hold Korean citizenship
- Not be receiving GKS or another excluded fellowship
- Maintain the required graduate GPA after enrolment
- Be enrolled during the regular scholarship-supported semesters
Students in Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing are not eligible under the current graduate admission guide. Master’s and PhD students may receive support for up to four semesters, while integrated degree students may receive it for up to six semesters.
Global Korea Scholarship Eligibility
The final GKS 2027 criteria will be published in the new annual application guide. Under the latest confirmed graduate requirements, applicants must:
- Be citizens of a country invited to participate in GKS
- Have parents or legal guardians who are not Korean citizens
- Not hold Korean dual citizenship
- Hold the qualification required for the intended degree
- Meet the minimum academic-performance requirement
- Be under the applicable age limit
- Be in good physical and mental health
- Apply only through an eligible GKS track
- Select a programme and department included in the annual GKS university list
Master’s applicants must hold or expect to complete a bachelor’s degree, while PhD applicants must hold or expect to complete a master’s degree by the date specified in the annual guide.
Applicants must normally meet at least one of the following academic conditions:
- An overall score of 80% or higher
- A class ranking within the top 20%
- A CGPA of at least 2.64/4.0
- A CGPA of at least 2.80/4.3
- A CGPA of at least 2.91/4.5
- A CGPA of at least 3.23/5.0
Applicants whose transcript does not use one of the accepted grading systems must provide an officially recognised conversion or supporting grading explanation.
Graduate candidates must generally be under 40 years of age. Eligible academic professors from Official Development Assistance recipient countries may receive a higher age limit under the annual GKS rules.
Under the latest graduate rules, applicants who graduated or are expected to graduate from a Korean high school or Korean university are generally ineligible, subject to the exemptions stated in the annual guide.
Language Requirements
For the 2027 UIC intake, applicants must provide one of the following forms of English evidence:
- TOEFL PBT, CBT, or iBT
- IELTS
- CEFR English certification
- IB Diploma English A
- AP English Language and Composition
- AP English Literature and Composition
- A high school diploma from an approved country where English is the sole official language
- Evidence that the entire high school curriculum was taught in English
UIC does not publish a minimum score for these tests in the current 2027 admission information.
Graduate language requirements differ by department. Depending on the programme, applicants may need TOPIK, TOEFL, IELTS, TEPS, or acceptable proof of previous study in Korean or English. Some departments require both Korean and English scores or impose higher test thresholds. Applicants must check the language table in the new 2027 graduate admission guide when it is released.
GKS does not use IELTS as a universal eligibility requirement. However, Korean or English test results can strengthen the application, and individual Yonsei departments may impose their own language conditions. You can review our guide to scholarships without IELTS, but Yonsei University and NIIED make the final decision on acceptable language evidence.
How to Apply for Yonsei University Scholarships?
The correct application process depends on the scholarship and degree level.
How to Apply for the UIC Admissions Scholarship?
(1) Review the Underwood International College international admission page and confirm that you meet the citizenship, education, and English-language requirements.
UIC offers several English-taught majors, but applicants should research the curriculum carefully before choosing a division and intended major.
(2) Prepare your academic and supporting documents before the online application opens.
For Spring 2027, high school transcripts and graduation documents must eventually carry an apostille or Korean consular confirmation. Obtaining authentication can take several weeks, so applicants should not wait until after completing the online form.
(3) Complete the application through the UIC application system or through the Common Application.
The UIC online system becomes available from August 26, 2026. Applicants using Yonsei’s system pay an application fee of KRW 150,000, while Common Application applicants pay approximately US$150. UIC does not offer an application-fee waiver.
(4) Complete the application form and upload or enter the required information.
Your application should present your academic preparation, intellectual interests, achievements, extracurricular activities, and reasons for choosing Underwood International College. Avoid writing a general statement that could be submitted unchanged to any university.
(5) Print the completed application and send the full physical document package to:
UIC International Admissions
Underwood International College, Yonsei University
Daewoo Annex Hall #301
50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu
Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
The documents must arrive by October 2, 2026 for the Spring 2027 intake. Merely posting the package by the deadline does not normally satisfy the arrival requirement.
(6) Attend the online verification calls and interview if your document submission is accepted.
UIC evaluates applicants through a document review worth 200 points and an online interview worth 100 points. The Spring 2027 interviews are scheduled for December 11–12, 2026.
You can use our guide to scholarship interview questions and answers when preparing, but your responses should remain consistent with your own application and achievements.
(7) No separate UIC Admissions Scholarship form is required.
Every newly admitted international applicant is considered automatically. Selected students receive the full-tuition scholarship letter together with their admission documents on or after December 18, 2026.
How to Apply for the Yonsei Graduate Scholarship?
(1) Search the Yonsei University Graduate School for a master’s, integrated, or PhD programme that matches your academic background.
Check the programme’s admission eligibility, teaching language, required test scores, interview arrangements, and department-specific documents.
(2) Research the faculty and contact a potential supervisor when this is expected in your field.
Applicants in research-intensive programmes should send a short, personalised email explaining their previous degree, thesis, research experience, intended topic, and reasons for approaching that academic.
Attach a focused academic CV highlighting your thesis, publications, research projects, technical skills, awards, conferences, and relevant employment.
(3) Prepare your study plan and recommendation letter.
Yonsei provides a study-plan form and a sample recommendation-letter format with each international graduate admission guide. Your study plan should connect your academic background, proposed research, reasons for selecting Yonsei, and future goals.
You can use our guides on writing a statement of purpose and requesting a strong recommendation letter when preparing these materials.
(4) Submit the international graduate admission application through the portal linked from the official admission page.
The current process is completed online. Applicants enter their personal and academic information, upload PDF copies of the required documents, pay the application fee, and receive an application number. Hard copies are not normally accepted for regular international graduate admission except where explicitly requested for certain music programmes.
(5) Submit all documents before the 2027 deadline published for your intended Spring or Fall intake.
Applications cannot be amended after payment, so applicants should verify the department, programme, campus, academic records, test scores, and uploaded files before final submission.
(6) No separate application is required for the Yonsei International Student Companion Scholarship.
Eligible non-Korean students admitted through the international track receive the stipend automatically. The Graduate School transfers the scholarship to the registered student bank account at the end of the relevant semester.
How to Apply for GKS at Yonsei University?
(1) Wait for the official GKS 2027 application guide and confirm that Yonsei University and your intended department are included.
The available programmes, university tracks, country quotas, benefits, and eligibility rules can change each year.
(2) Choose one application route:
- Embassy Track: Apply through the Korean embassy responsible for your country
- University Track: Apply directly to Yonsei University
Do not submit applications through both routes during the same GKS competition.
(3) Complete the GKS forms and prepare the authenticated academic documents.
Graduate applicants normally need a personal statement, study plan, recommendation letters, applicant agreement, medical assessment, degree certificates, transcripts, citizenship documents, family-relationship evidence, and an apostille or consular confirmation where required.
(4) University-track applicants must follow Yonsei’s separate submission instructions.
In the previous cycle, applicants sent the original document package to the Yonsei Graduate School and completed a separate online form. The 2027 Yonsei guide will confirm whether the same process remains in place.
(5) Embassy-track applicants submit their application through the process announced by their Korean embassy.
Embassy candidates may be allowed to select several universities under the annual GKS rules, while university-track applicants apply directly to one participating institution or programme.
(6) Applications pass through multiple assessment stages.
University-track candidates are first reviewed by Yonsei University and then nominated to NIIED. Embassy-track candidates are reviewed by the embassy, NIIED, and the selected universities according to the process stated in the annual guide.
Applicants who are selected by GKS should follow Yonsei’s admission, Korean-language training, visa, and enrolment instructions.
Documents Required for Yonsei University Scholarships
UIC Admissions Scholarship Documents
International UIC applicants should prepare:
- Printed copy of the completed application form
- UIC Letter of Consent and Verification
- Official transcripts from every high school attended
- High school graduation certificate or expected graduation certificate
- English-language proficiency test or accepted equivalent
- Passport or identity document of the applicant
- Passport or identity documents of both parents
- Birth certificate or another document proving the parent–child relationship
- Alien registration documents for applicants and parents residing in Korea
- Citizenship-renunciation documents for applicants of Korean ethnicity, where applicable
- Apostille or Korean consular authentication for the required academic documents
- Certified Korean or English translations
- Optional SAT, ACT, AP, IB, A-Level, national entrance examination, or other academic results
- Additional evidence of achievements or extracurricular activities where permitted
From the 2027 intake, English-language evidence is compulsory. Applicants may submit an accepted test, qualifying English-country school diploma, or evidence that their entire high school curriculum was taught in English.
Graduate Scholarship Documents
Regular international graduate applicants may be required to submit:
- Completed online graduate admission application
- Passport copy
- Applicant and parental citizenship documents
- Family-relationship evidence
- Bachelor’s degree certificate and transcripts for master’s admission
- Bachelor’s and master’s certificates and transcripts for PhD admission
- Expected graduation evidence, where applicable
- Study plan or research plan
- Academic recommendation letter
- Korean or English-language test result
- Academic CV
- Evidence of research, publications, awards, or professional experience
- Apostille or Korean consular authentication where required
- Notarised Korean or English translations
- Programme-specific portfolio, thesis abstract, writing sample, or supplementary materials
All uploaded information must match the supporting evidence. Documents in languages other than Korean or English must normally include a notarised translation.
Global Korea Scholarship Documents
GKS applicants should prepare:
- GKS application form
- Personal statement
- Study plan or research proposal
- Two recommendation letters, where required by the annual guide
- GKS applicant agreement
- Personal medical assessment
- Bachelor’s degree certificate and transcripts for master’s applicants
- Bachelor’s and master’s certificates and transcripts for PhD applicants
- Applicant citizenship evidence
- Parental citizenship evidence
- Family-relationship certificate
- Passport copy
- Korean or English-language test results, where available
- Evidence of publications, books, awards, or other achievements
- Apostilled or consular-authenticated academic documents
- Certified translations
- Comprehensive medical examination after conditional selection
- Yonsei department-specific supplementary documents
Yonsei’s previous university-track guide required GKS applicants to submit the application, personal statement, study plan, recommendation letters, applicant agreement, medical form, academic documents, citizenship evidence, family documents, and programme-specific materials. Applicants must follow the updated 2027 checklist when it is released.
Website
For more information about the Yonsei University Scholarships, please visit the official pages:
- Yonsei University Scholarship Overview
- Underwood International College Scholarships
- Graduate Scholarships for International Students
- Global Korea Scholarship at Yonsei
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Yonsei University Scholarships fully funded?
Some are fully funded, while others cover only tuition or provide a limited stipend.
The Global Korea Scholarship provides tuition, living support, airfare, Korean-language training, and other benefits. The UIC Admissions Scholarship covers full tuition for four years but does not include a standard living allowance. The Companion Scholarship provides a graduate stipend, but its current exact value is not publicly listed.
Can international undergraduate students receive full tuition for four years?
Yes. Newly admitted international students to Underwood International College may receive the Admissions Scholarship covering full tuition for four years.
Selection is based on the strength of the admission application, and no separate scholarship form is required.
Is every Yonsei undergraduate applicant considered for the UIC Scholarship?
Only international applicants applying to Underwood International College are covered by the automatic UIC Admissions Scholarship process described on the official UIC page.
Scholarships for Korean-taught undergraduate colleges and Global Leaders College follow their own rules.
Does the UIC Scholarship cover accommodation and living expenses?
No standard accommodation or living allowance is listed. The scholarship covers full tuition for up to four years.
Recipients should budget separately for housing, meals, health insurance, visa costs, books, and other personal expenses.
Do graduate applicants need a separate Companion Scholarship application?
No. Eligible non-Korean students admitted to the General Graduate School through the international track receive the scholarship automatically without a separate application or selection form.
How much is the Yonsei International Student Companion Scholarship?
Yonsei’s latest central graduate admission guide describes the award as a stipend but does not publish an exact amount.
Applicants should wait for the Graduate School or their admission documents to confirm the payment value.
Can I apply for GKS directly to Yonsei University?
Yes, when Yonsei University is included in the relevant annual GKS university track and your intended department is listed.
Applicants may alternatively use the embassy track, but they cannot apply through both routes during the same competition.
Is IELTS compulsory for Yonsei University Scholarships?
Not always.
UIC requires English evidence for the 2027 intake but accepts several alternatives and does not publish one minimum IELTS score. Graduate requirements differ by department. GKS itself does not impose a universal IELTS requirement, although the selected Yonsei programme may require English or Korean proficiency.
Can students with Korean dual citizenship apply through the international track?
No. UIC international applicants and GKS candidates cannot hold Korean dual citizenship.
Applicants or parents who previously held Korean citizenship may need to submit official documentation proving its loss or renunciation.
