Scholarships for a PhD in South Korea
23 active scholarships for Indian students pursuing a PhD in South Korea, each linked to its official source.
✓ Official sources only · ✓ 11 full-funding awards · ✓ 21/23 confirmed at source (run: 2026-07-29)
23 active PhD scholarships fund doctoral study in South Korea for Indian students - the highest full-funding share of any destination covered here. The government-run Global Korea Scholarship covers tuition, a monthly stipend, and airfare with a dedicated India quota, while KAIST, POSTECH, and the POSCO Asia Fellowship each waive tuition and pay a research stipend automatically on admission.
All 23 PhD scholarships for South Korea
Click a column header to sort (works without JavaScript too -- rows are static HTML). Every row links to its own official source.
| Scholarship ↕ | Amount ↕ | Deadline ↕ | Funding type ↕ | Verified ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GIST Graduate Scholarship for International Students Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) | Full tuition (KRW 3,607,000/semester) automatically waived for all admitted international graduate students; M.S.: KRW 140,000/month student allowance; Ph.D.: KRW 295,000/month; plus ~KRW 100,000/month meal allowance and KRW 120,000/month international allowance (GPA 3.0+/4.5 and 9+ credits required for allowances); one-time KRW 680,000 matriculation fee (exemptions possible); 60% national health insurance coverage; one-way airfare reimbursed on first entry | Applied automatically with GIST graduate admission; biannual spring/fall intakes | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) — Graduate National Institute for International Education (NIIED), Korean Government | Full tuition + KRW 900,000/month stipend + round-trip airfare + one-time settlement allowance (KRW 200,000) + health insurance + 1-year Korean language training | February–March annually (Embassy Track); varies by university (University Track) | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| KAIST International Graduate Scholarship Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) | Full tuition waiver (4 semesters master's; 8–10 semesters PhD/integrated) + KRW 350,000–500,000/month base stipend; additional RA funding from advisor lab is typical and substantially higher | Biannual (spring and fall intakes); applied with graduate admission | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| SNU Global Scholarship (GS) Seoul National University, Office of Global Affairs (OGA) | GS1: full tuition waiver + KRW 1,200,000/month stipend + one-time airfare support; GS2: full tuition waiver only; Korean Language Special Program (Evening Class) tuition waiver also available | Announced each semester (spring/fall); check OGA notices | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| SNU Graduate Scholarship for Excellent Foreign Students (GSFS) Seoul National University (SNU) | Full tuition waiver (max 4 semesters) + minimum KRW 500,000/month living allowance (amount varies by major) | Applied with SNU admission; biannual spring and fall cycles | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| SNU President Fellowship (SPF) Seoul National University (SNU) | Full tuition (max 6 semesters) + KRW 1,500,000–2,000,000/month + round-trip airfare + national health insurance; 3–4 year duration | Biannual; spring and fall intake cycles aligned with SNU admissions | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| POSCO Asia Fellowship POSCO TJ Park Foundation | Master's: full tuition for 4 semesters + KRW 1,000,000/month living allowance for 22 months; Doctoral: full tuition for 6 semesters + KRW 1,000,000/month for 36 months; plus one-time KRW 1,000,000 settlement fee and insurance premiums. Approximately 20 students selected per year. | Graduate admission (~November) → institution recommendation (~December) → foundation interview (~January) → final announcement (~February) | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| POSCO TJ Park Foundation Scholarship (Korea) POSCO TJ Park Foundation | Full tuition for up to 6 semesters (Doctoral) + KRW 1,000,000/month living allowance (~USD 720) for 36 months + KRW 1,000,000 one-time settlement fee + national health insurance | Graduate school admission required first; contact [email protected] for current cycle dates | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| POSTECH Graduate Research/Teaching Assistantship Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) | Full tuition waiver + monthly RA/TA stipend (~KRW 1,400,000 master's; ~KRW 1,900,000 PhD) funded through advisor lab; first-time international entrants also receive airfare subsidy and settlement allowance | Biannual; spring and fall graduate intake cycles | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| UNIST Graduate Scholarship for International Students Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) | Full tuition waiver (KRW 7,680,000/year value) + monthly stipend of at least KRW 800,000 (Master's) or KRW 1,100,000 (PhD), higher when combined with lab research funding (PhD can exceed KRW 13,200,000/year); on-campus dormitory available | Applied with UNIST graduate admission; biannual spring/fall intakes | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Yonsei Global Leader Fellowship Yonsei University | Full entrance fee and tuition (4 semesters for master's/PhD; 6 semesters for joint degree) + living stipend (amount varies by college; not officially published centrally) | Applied with Yonsei graduate admission; spring and fall intakes | Full funding | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Ewha Solvay Scholarship Ewha Womans University (Solvay-funded) | KRW 12,000,000 (PhD) or KRW 10,000,000 (Master's), disbursed over 4 semesters | November annually | Stipend | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Lotte Scholarship Foundation – GIST Scholarship Program Lotte Scholarship Foundation (in partnership with GIST) | One-time KRW 200,000 settlement allowance + monthly stipend: KRW 900,000 (Master's), KRW 1,100,000 (PhD), integrated program KRW 900,000 (year 1) / KRW 1,100,000 (year 2); layered on top of GIST's standard full tuition waiver (KRW 3,415,000/semester) | Selected from among enrolled GIST international students; no fixed public deadline stated | Stipend | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| SNU BK21 FOUR Fellowship (GSIS) Seoul National University Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS), funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea | Monthly stipend on top of standard funding: KRW 1,000,000 (Master's), KRW 1,600,000 (PhD coursework), KRW 1,300,000 (PhD candidacy) | Selected each semester; check GSIS BK21 FOUR notices | Stipend | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Hanyang University International Excellence Awards (HIEA) Hanyang University | 30%, 50%, or 70% tuition reduction per semester based on academic performance evaluation; duration 1 semester (renewable) | March and September annually | Tuition only | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| SKKU Graduate Scholarship for International Students Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) | STEM (Natural Sciences/Engineering/Medical): up to 100% tuition waiver + KRW 600,000 one-time settlement fund, renewed annually with professor recommendation; Humanities/Social Sciences/Art admission scholarship: 100%, 70%, 50%, 25%, or 10% of admission fee + first-semester tuition; merit renewal from 2nd semester onward: 20-50% tuition waiver based on GPA (3.8-4.5+/4.5) | Applied with SKKU graduate admission; check current cycle for STEM professor-recommendation timing | Tuition only | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Sogang GSIS Scholarship (A/B/C/D) Sogang University Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) | Scholarship A: 100% tuition reduction; B: 75%; C: 50%; D: 25%. New students awarded per admission evaluation; from the 2nd semester, based on prior-semester GPA (9+ credits, GPA 3.5+ for Master's / 4.0+ for PhD, on a 4.3 scale) | Applied with Sogang GSIS graduate admission; renewed each semester | Tuition only | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Yonsei Outstanding International Student Scholarship Yonsei University | Type I: 100% tuition for 1 semester; Type II: 50% tuition for 1 semester; Type III: 50% tuition for 4–6 semesters depending on program type | Semester-by-semester; applied through department | Tuition only | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Hanyang GSIS Foreign Alumni Scholarship Hanyang University, Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) | 50% tuition coverage; combinable with research/teaching assistantships | Applied with GSIS graduate admission | Tuition only | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Hanyang University TOPIK Scholarship Hanyang University | Admission fee waiver of KRW 40,000 (TOPIK Level 3+); additional KRW 190,000 scholarship for TOPIK Level 4+; combinable with other Hanyang scholarships | Rolling, tied to TOPIK test results obtained after enrollment | Partial | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Korea University Business School (KUBS) Graduate Scholarships Korea University Business School (KUBS) | Global Leader Scholarship: 100% tuition + KRW 2,000,000 living support fee (coursework period); Research Assistantship: KRW 1,300,000/month (up to 10-12 semesters); PhD Candidate stipend: KRW 400,000/month (up to 6-8 semesters); Humanities & Social Sciences award: 60% tuition (freshman) / 75% (continuing) | Applied with KUBS graduate admission; renewed each semester | Partial | 2026-07-28 under review |
| Korea University Graduate International Scholarship Korea University | Type A (Global Leader): 100% tuition + KRW 500,000/month for 4 months; Type B (Humanities/Social Sciences): 60% tuition; Type C (Natural Science/Engineering): 65% tuition | March and September annually (semester basis) | Partial | 2026-07-28 confirmed |
| Korea University Graduate School of International Studies (KUIS) International Student Scholarship Korea University, Graduate School of International Studies (KUIS) | Scholarship amount and recipient count determined each semester by GPA ranking among KUIS international students (entrance-evaluation score applies for the first semester) | Applied with KUIS graduate admission; renewed each semester | Partial | 2026-07-28 under review |
Frequently asked questions
How many PhD scholarships are available for Indian students in South Korea?
As of the latest verification run, 23 active PhD scholarships are listed for South Korea, including 11 that cover full tuition plus a living stipend - the highest full-funding ratio of any destination in this finder - plus 3 stipend add-ons, 4 partial awards, and 5 tuition-only waivers. Every entry links to its own official university or government source.
Which South Korea PhD scholarships are specifically for Indian students?
The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is run by the Korean government and confirms a dedicated seat quota for Indian applicants; the SNU President Fellowship and POSCO Asia Fellowship both name developing Asian countries, India included, as priority recipients. Nearly every remaining university award on this list - KAIST, POSTECH, Yonsei, Korea University, SKKU, Hanyang, and others - states India as eligible directly in its own eligibility notes.
Do South Korea PhD scholarships require a specific test score?
A handful do - several Korea University and Sogang GSIS tiers set a minimum TOEFL iBT or IELTS score to unlock the top scholarship tier, and Hanyang's merit awards require a TOPIK Korean-language certificate. Most others, including the GKS and the KAIST, POSTECH, and GIST scholarships, are awarded automatically with admission and don't carry a separate test-score threshold.
What does the funding mix look like for South Korea PhD scholarships?
South Korea funds PhDs more generously than most destinations here - 11 of 23 awards cover both tuition and a monthly stipend outright, typically automatically on admission at KAIST, POSTECH, GIST, or through the government's GKS. The remaining awards are 3 stipend top-ups, 4 partial tuition-percentage awards, and 5 tuition-only waivers, mostly layered on top of a lab-funded research assistantship.
When should I apply for a South Korea PhD scholarship?
Only 5 of the 23 listings carry a fixed calendar deadline; the rest are built into the university's own biannual spring and fall graduate admission cycles, so the scholarship application happens automatically alongside your PhD application - there's rarely a separate form. Apply well ahead of each university's own admission deadline and select the scholarship option on that form.
How current is this list, and what happens when a scholarship changes?
21 of these 23 entries were confirmed live at their official source on the latest verification run; the remaining 2 are held in an integrity queue as not-yet-confirmed - their official page is live, but we couldn't confirm the listing on our last review run (sometimes the provider's site restricts outside access). See the Verification Ledger for the full methodology and run date.
Every scholarship above is checked against its own official source — see the full methodology and run date on the Verification Ledger, last updated 2026-07-29.
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