KAIST International Graduate Students Scholarship, 2027-2028

The KAIST International Graduate Admission for Spring 2027 is now open. This is for Master’s, doctoral, and integrated master’s-PhD programs. If you are an international student who wants to study at one of South Korea’s top science and technology institutions, this is your chance. The aim of the KAIST Institute Scholarship Program is to attract the brightest minds that are able to contribute to its research activities.

Here is the thing about the KAIST scholarship: it is automatically considered when you apply. You just select “KAIST Scholarship” as your financial resource in the application. The scholarship covers full tuition, national health insurance premiums, and a monthly stipend that depends on your department and research involvement. Most international students at KAIST receive this support—about 94% of them. It is not a separate application. Just check the box.

The Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology is a national research university located in Daedeok Innopolis, in South Korea. The institute has approximately 10,200 full-time students and 1,140 faculty researchers and had a total budget of US$765 million in 2013, of which US$459 million was from research contracts. In 1971, the Korean government established KAIST as the nation’s first research-oriented science and engineering institution. Furthermore, KAIST is ranked 4th on the QS WU Asian University Rankings, 13th on the QS WU Rankings in Material Sciences, 15th on the QS WU Rankings in Chemical Engineering and 17th on the QS WU Rankings in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Program Details

• Host Institution: KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), South Korea.
• Field of study: All departments, except the Global Technology Innovation Program (GDI-GTIP Track).
• Number of awards: Not specified.
• Duration: Master’s (4 semesters), PhD (8 semesters), Master’s-PhD Integrated (10 semesters).
• Eligible countries: Open to all nationalities except Korean citizens. Korean ethnicity applicants must meet additional conditions.

KAIST International Graduate Admission Benefits

The KAIST Scholarship for International Graduate Students to study in Asia provides various benefits. The exact amount depends on your degree program and department. There are three main scholarship tracks:

KAIST Global Presidential Scholarship (KGPS)

• Departments: All departments (except GDI-GTIP Track).
• Eligibility: Master’s- or Master’s-PhD-integrated applicants.
• Benefits: Full tuition coverage + 1,000,000 KRW monthly stipend for 4 regular semesters.
• Details: Automatically considered. Only highly competitive applicants are recommended by the department head.

KAIST Prestige Scholarship for International PhD Students (KPS)

• Departments: All departments.
• Eligibility: Master’s-PhD Integrated or PhD applicants.
• Benefits: Full tuition coverage + 300,000 KRW monthly stipend for 8 regular semesters. Integrated program students receive this at the start of the PhD program.
• Details: Automatically considered. Department heads recommend outstanding candidates, and college deans make the final selection.

KAIST Collaborative Excellence Scholarship (e.g., GDI-ITTP, Global EPSS, GT-TEP)

• Departments: Specific programs (see details below).
• Eligibility: Varies by program.
• Benefits: Full tuition, monthly stipend (up to 1,500,000 KRW for GDI-ITTP), airfare, national health insurance, and additional support.
• Details: Select the sponsoring organization as your financial resource. No separate certificate or sponsorship letter is needed – the Office of Admissions verifies this with the representative office.

KAIST International Graduate Students Scholarship Eligibility

To apply for this university scholarship, candidates must meet all of the following requirements:

• Degree Requirement:
  • Master’s or Master’s-PhD Integrated: hold or expect to hold a bachelor’s degree by February 2027.
  • Doctoral: hold or expect to hold a master’s degree by February 2027.
  • Your degree must be equivalent to a 4-year Korean bachelor’s degree. Check the WHED database for comparisons.
• Citizenship: You must NOT hold Korean citizenship. Korean citizens with dual citizenship are not eligible for international graduate admission.
• Korean Ethnicity Applicants must additionally satisfy ONE of the following:
  1. NEITHER parent holds Korean citizenship. If one or both parents were Korean citizens, you must submit a Certificate for Renunciation of Korean Citizenship, completed before the application period starts.
  2. You completed your ENTIRE education (from elementary school through high school) OUTSIDE of Korea. International schools in Korea are not recognised as foreign schools. You must submit certified copies of graduation certificates and transcripts from all primary and secondary schools attended, plus a Certificate of the Facts Concerning Entry & Exit issued by the Korean Immigration Office.
• English Language Proficiency: You must provide one of the following test scores, taken on or after 1 September 2024:
  • TOEFL iBT: 83 (iBT MyBest Scores are NOT accepted; Home Edition is accepted).
  • IELTS: 6.5 band (Academic Type only; IELTS Online is accepted; one skill retake is NOT accepted).
  • TOEIC: 720 (Listening & Reading).
  • TEPS: 326.

  You may request a waiver if you are a citizen of an English-speaking country (e.g., USA, UK, Canada, Australia, etc.) and have completed a degree in that country, or if you hold citizenship of a specified country (e.g., India, Philippines, Ghana, etc.) and have physically studied and completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher in English as the medium of instruction. A certificate proving the medium of instruction is required. KAIST graduates expecting to graduate in February 2027 also do not need to submit an EPT score.

How to Apply for KAIST International Graduate Admission

There is no separate application process for the KAIST scholarship. Just check “KAIST scholarship” on the Statement of Financial Resources section of the online application system for admission. Please click on the “Apply” button below to start the application process. You apply for admission, and the scholarship is considered automatically if you select the KAIST Scholarship as your financial resource. To submit your application correctly for this Asia scholarship please follow the steps below to submit your application for admissions.

Online Application Process

1. Access the system at https://gradapply.kaist.ac.kr between 18 August (10 AM) and 1 September (5 PM) KST.
2. Step 1: Select your degree program and major. Upload your portrait photo, enter your personal information, and upload ID documents for yourself and your parents, plus a certificate of family registration. Choose your financial resources – select KAIST Scholarship if you want to be considered.
3. Step 2: Enter your academic background, English test scores (if applicable), and work experience. Upload your degree certificate and transcript (certified copies). You may designate up to two recommenders (recommendation letters are optional but strongly encouraged).
4. Step 3: Write your statement of purpose and answer the required short questions.
5. Step 4: Upload your CV (required) and supporting documents for honors and awards (optional). Some majors require additional documents – check the program-specific requirements.
6. Step 5: Review your application carefully. Once you pay the USD 80 application fee, you CANNOT edit your application. Payment methods include credit card, bank transfer, and domestic (Korean) payment options. The fee is non-refundable.

Application Fee Waiver Program

The KAIST Application Waiver Program is for applicants from Least Developed Countries (UN list of LDCs). To request a waiver:

• Be a national of an LDC.
• Be in the top 5% or higher of your BS or MS class.
• Submit a recommendation letter from your department head through the online system.
• Submit the fee waiver request form between 29 July and 5 August (6 PM KST). The recommendation letter deadline is 10 August (6 PM KST).

Only one application per applicant is allowed. Submitting multiple applications for different departments or programs will lead to disqualification.

Required Documents

Upload the following PDF files (max 3 MB each) to the online system:

1. Identity Document of the Applicant – photocopy of the ID pages of your valid passport (redact passport number).
2. Identity Document of BOTH Parents – official documents proving parents’ citizenship (redact passport numbers).
3. Certificate of Family Registration – birth certificate or equivalent showing the relationship with your parents. For Korean ethnicity applicants, also provide Certificate for Renunciation of Korean Citizenship or a Family Relation Certificate with dates of loss of citizenship.
4. Academic Documents – certified copies of your bachelor’s degree certificate and official transcript. If you hold a Master’s degree or higher, submit those as well. All documents must be in English or Korean or translated by a public notary.
5. English Proficiency Test Score – provide evidence if applicable. You may also submit a waiver request.
6. Scholarship/Sponsorship Letter – if you select a sponsoring organization as your financial resource, include the relevant evidence.
7. Curriculum Vitae (CV) – no designated form, but required.
8. Certificate of Employment – optional, but if included, must have supporting documents.
9. Proof of Excellence – honors, awards, fellowships, publications, or other academic achievements. Only provided with evidence will be acknowledged.

Interview and Decision

Departments may directly contact applicants for interviews. Final decisions will be announced through the online application system on 18 December 2026. You must confirm your decision and follow the enrollment instructions provided with the decision. Check your email regularly. The Office of Admissions will not send separate notifications for all updates.

The online application deadline is 1 September 2026 at 5 PM KST. The application portal will be inaccessible during the department evaluation period. For more details on the KAIST International Graduate Students Scholarship, visit the KAIST Office of Admissions website. The application fee is non-refundable, and late submissions will not be accepted.