Overview
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, known as KAIST, offers one of the most comprehensive fully funded scholarships available to international graduate students in South Korea. Established in 1971 as the country's first dedicated science and engineering research institution, KAIST has grown into a globally respected innovation hub located in Daedeok Innopolis, Daejeon. The KAIST Scholarship operates through the Global Korea Scholarship program's University Track, providing Master's and doctoral students with a financial package that covers nearly every major cost associated with studying abroad in Korea.
Scholarship Details
The scholarship package is unusually comprehensive. It includes round-trip international airfare in economy class, a one-time resettlement grant to help cover initial relocation costs, a monthly subsistence allowance for accommodation, food, and daily expenses, full tuition fee coverage, comprehensive health insurance, Korean language courses to support integration into Korean academic and daily life, dedicated research support funding for laboratory materials and research activities, a lump sum for dissertation printing costs, an additional prize for scholars who demonstrate outstanding Korean language development, and a one-time completion grant upon successful graduation. Together, these benefits address academic costs, daily living expenses, and the practical costs of relocating internationally.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants and their parents must not hold Korean citizenship, since the scholarship is reserved exclusively for international students. Candidates must be under 40 years of age at the time the program begins. Master's program applicants must hold or expect to hold a bachelor's degree, while doctoral applicants must hold or expect to hold a master's degree; those who have not yet graduated at the time of application must submit an expected graduation certificate confirming their anticipated completion date. English language proficiency is required, but unlike many international scholarships, KAIST accepts an English proficiency letter from the applicant's previous academic institution in place of a formal IELTS or TOEFL score, making the language requirement notably more accessible than at many comparable programs.
