If you are working out how to study masters in Korea, the first surprise is how many routes there are. You can apply directly to a university’s graduate school, compete for the government-funded Global Korea Scholarship, or join an English-taught program designed for international students. Each route has its own language rules, deadlines and costs, and choosing the wrong one can cost you a year.

This guide is for international applicants from the US, UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and elsewhere who are asking whether they can do a masters in South Korea and what it takes. It covers English-taught and Korean-taught programs, the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) graduate track, TOPIK levels, costs as officially stated, D-2 student visa basics and the thesis requirements you will meet at a Korean graduate school.

Can you do a masters in South Korea?

Yes. Korean universities run graduate schools that admit international students to master’s and doctoral programs, and the national Study in Korea portal, run by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED), lists programs and scholarships for foreign applicants. In practice there are two main ways in:

• Direct admission. You apply to a university’s graduate school or a specific department during its international admissions round, usually with transcripts, a study plan, recommendation letters and language test scores. You pay tuition yourself or win a university scholarship.
• The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS). You apply through a Korean embassy or a participating university for a government scholarship that covers tuition up to a set limit, airfare and a monthly allowance, and you are placed in a degree program after a year of Korean language training.

Graduate study in Korea uses the same basic structure as elsewhere: coursework credits, an examination stage and, for most research master’s, a thesis. Grading scales differ too: the GKS guidelines accept GPAs on 4.0, 4.3, 4.5 and 5.0 scales or a 100-point scale, and ask applicants to submit a converted transcript if theirs uses none of these.

English-taught or Korean-taught programs

The language of instruction shapes everything else: which programs you can enter, how long you need to prepare and whether you need TOPIK at all.

Confirm the language of each course, not just the program. A program advertised as English-taught may still offer some electives only in Korean, and graduation rules sometimes include a language requirement of their own. The department’s admissions page and graduate regulations are the authority, so read them before you apply.

Korean language preparation and TOPIK levels

TOPIK, the Test of Proficiency in Korean, is the standard Korean language test for university admission and for the GKS program. It has two papers: TOPIK I covers levels 1 and 2, and TOPIK II covers levels 3 to 6. The KAIST Language Center summarises the score bands and what each level means:

Source: KAIST Language Center TOPIK level guide. Test dates, registration and the internet-based version are published on the official TOPIK website.

Even if your program is in English, start learning Korean before you arrive. Begin with the alphabet and pronunciation, then build vocabulary you will actually hear in class, in shops and in your lab. If textbooks feel dry, learning Korean through short stories, K-dramas and webtoons is a lighter way to build everyday vocabulary, with short practice rounds and spaced review before you read each story. Combine that with a structured course aimed at the TOPIK level your program or scholarship requires.

The Global Korea Scholarship graduate track

For many applicants, the funded answer to how to study masters in Korea is the GKS graduate program, managed by NIIED and the best-known government scholarship route. The 2026 application guidelines for graduate degrees set out the structure (2026 GKS application guidelines for graduate degrees):

• Length. The master’s scholarship lasts three years: one year of Korean language program plus two years of degree program.
• Two tracks. The 2026 quota table lists 800 places in the Embassy Track and 1,200 in the University Track, 2,000 in total. The University Track includes R&D and Global Network programs that each university selects under its own criteria.
• Grades. Applicants need a score percentile of 80% or above, a top-20% class rank, or a CGPA of at least 2.64/4.0, 2.80/4.3, 2.91/4.5 or 3.23/5.0.
• Age. Applicants must be under 40 (born after September 1, 1986) for the 2026 round.
• Korean. “All GKS scholars should achieve TOPIK level 3 to proceed to their degree program”, and some departments require more, such as level 4. Scholars who already hold TOPIK level 5 or 6 are exempt from the language program.
• Benefits. An economy flight ticket, tuition of up to 5 million KRW, Korean language training fees of 5.2 million KRW, and a monthly allowance listed as 14,400,000 KRW per year during the language program and 16,560,000 KRW per year during the degree program, subject to budget availability.

Two details catch applicants out. First, an English-taught degree does not exempt you from the language year: the guidelines’ FAQ says all GKS scholars must take the Korean language program regardless of the curriculum unless they already hold TOPIK level 5 or 6. Second, the Global Network program is different: Study in Korea describes it as a master’s track without Korean language training, with lectures conducted mainly in English (Study in Korea scholarship overview).

The cycle runs early in the year. Study in Korea lists the graduate announcement in February, applications from February to March, review from April to June and final results in June; in 2026 the Embassy Track online application ran from February 12 to February 25 (Korea time). Our roundup of fully funded scholarships in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea compares GKS with other Asian programs, and our guide to scholarship application tips covers personal statements and recommendation letters.

Cost of studying masters in South Korea

Budgeting is the part of how to study masters in Korea that varies most, because tuition depends heavily on the type of university. Study in Korea lists annual tuition for graduate programs as follows (Study in Korea study-abroad expenses):

The same page explains that national universities receive financial support from the Korean government, which makes their tuition generally lower than at private universities. Treat the averages as a starting point only: individual programs, especially professional and specialised graduate schools, can charge much more, so check the fee page of each program you apply to.

Living costs are the other half of the budget. A useful official benchmark comes from the visa process: Seoul National University tells D-2 applicants to show funds equivalent to a year of tuition and living expenses, listed as KRW 20,000,000, and notes that the amount may increase depending on tuition. Housing and daily costs differ between cities, so compare locations as well as universities; our ranking of the best cities for international students weighs cost against quality of life.

D-2 student visa basics

Degree students in Korea hold the D-2 student visa; Seoul National University lists D-2-3 as the master’s sub-category. You apply at a Korean embassy or consulate after your university issues a Certificate of Admission. SNU’s visa overview lists the core documents (SNU international student visa overview):

1. Passport
2. Visa issuance application form
3. Certificate of Admission issued by the university
4. A color photo (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm)
5. A copy of the certificate of business administration
6. Certificate of your latest academic achievement
7. Documented proof of financial ability

The embassy or consulate may ask for more, such as apostilled degree certificates, so check its own page and the government portals before you book an appointment. The official Korea Visa Portal covers visa applications, and HiKorea handles residence matters such as alien registration and extensions after you arrive. GKS scholars follow the same process with paperwork from NIIED and their university.

Thesis requirements at Korean graduate schools

Most research master’s degrees in Korea end with a thesis, and the rules are set by each graduate school and department. A typical example comes from Seoul National University’s Department of Child Development and Family Studies, whose master’s students must complete “at least 4 semesters, up to 8 semesters”, earn at least 30 credits with an overall GPA of 3.0 or above, and “pass the thesis submission qualification test, submit their thesis, and have it approved” (SNU Child Development and Family Studies graduate information).

Expect a similar sequence in most departments:

• Coursework first. Credits are front-loaded in the first two or three semesters.
• A qualifying step. Many programs require a comprehensive or thesis-qualification examination, a language requirement, or both, before you can submit.
• A thesis proposal and committee. You present your plan to a committee that usually includes your advisor and other faculty members.
• Defense and approval. The committee reviews the full thesis, and approval is followed by formatting checks and library deposit.

Some professional and course-based master’s programs replace the thesis with a project or extra credits, so ask about this before you accept an offer. If you will write in English as a second language, our list of English mistakes international students make in a thesis helps you avoid the most common problems, and our guide to how long a master’s thesis should be explains how length expectations vary by field. Tesify can also help you structure and organize thesis chapters from the proposal stage onwards, with every word 100% written by you.

How to study masters in Korea: step by step

The sequence below is illustrative; exact deadlines differ by university and by scholarship round, so build your own calendar from the official pages.

1. 12 to 18 months before: shortlist programs, check the language of instruction and the thesis rules, and start Korean if you have not already.
2. 10 to 12 months before: take TOEFL, IELTS or TOPIK as required, request transcripts and recommendation letters, and convert your GPA if needed.
3. Early in the year: if you are applying for GKS, prepare for the February to March application window and the embassy or university selection rounds.
4. University rounds: submit direct applications in each university’s international admissions period, often with a study plan and research proposal.
5. After admission: receive the Certificate of Admission, prepare financial documents and apply for the D-2 visa.
6. On arrival: register your residence through the immigration system, enroll in courses and meet your advisor to plan the thesis timeline.

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