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Franca (20s) has always admired asian culture, so when she was looking for a scholarship, it felt natural to look in one of its countries. In this story, Franca shares how she landed a fully funded scholarship to her dream school in one trial, how she’s faring, and how others can replicate her success.
Where do you currently live, and when did you leave Nigeria?
I currently live in South Korea. I left Nigeria in August 2024.
What inspired your move to South Korea?
A huge part of my inspiration was the culture, really. I have always appreciated Asian culture, so when I was looking for a scholarship for my master’s, it felt natural to look in Asia. I tried South Korea, and it worked for me. That’s how I ended up here.
What course are you studying now?
I did my bachelor’s in Mass Communication, and I’m currently doing my master’s in International Relations.
What’s the name of the scholarship, and how did you find it?
It’s a fully-funded program called the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), and I believe it’s quite popular amongst people who are into Korean culture or Korean dramas.
The scholarship is funded by the Korean government through the Ministry of Education and implemented by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED). It opens up each year for graduates and undergraduates alike. Once opened, Korean embassies in various countries publicise the scholarship application period across their social media platforms. I follow the Korean Cultural Centre, KCC Nigeria (KCCN) on Instagram and have done so for a long time. I first saw their post about the scholarship in 2023 during my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year.
I started preparing my documents and requirements in 2023. By 2024, I was able to apply.
So, what was the application process like?
I wouldn’t say the application process was difficult, but I’ll say it was complicated. Compared to Western countries with online applications, the GKS requires you to do a procedure called document legalisation and authentication. This means you have to take your education documents, like transcripts, degree certificates, and your birth certificate. To the Ministry of Education for legalisation. After that, you will have to take it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korean Embassy for the same purpose. After that, you also have to take it to the High Court to get their stamp on it. It’s a long process with complicated steps.
There are actually two different application routes. You can either choose to do it through the Korean embassy, where documents are submitted at the Korean Cultural Centre, or you may choose to apply via the university route.
How does the university route work?
If you happen to choose the university route, after legalising and authenticating all your documents, you send them via a courier service to the University you’re applying to in South Korea.
Can you list all the required documents?
The scholarship usually publishes something called the GKS Guideline. The guideline usually entails all the documents you’re expected to submit. Some universities also request specific documents outside of the ones listed in the guidelines. Some may ask you to submit things like IELTS, an English proficiency test, a portfolio, among other things.
Overall, the main documents which you must have to apply are your transcripts, degree certificates and birth certificate if you’re a master’s student. For undergraduate candidates, it’s usually a testimonial, a high school transcript and a birth certificate. Additionally, a personal statement and study plan are required for both categories. If you have other documents that show evidence of meaningful extracurricular activities, such as volunteering, that would also boost your chances.
Can the quality of a person’s personal statement mar their application?
It does. The embassy application route (which I used) is in three stages, namely document submission/evaluation, interview, and successful candidates selection. The personal statement and study plan are reviewed in the first stage alongside other documents. If you do not make it past this stage, you can’t make it to the second and third rounds.
Do you have any tips for strong personal statements and study plans?
Sell yourself as much as you can in your essay. The people reviewing your application will accept it only if they’re absolutely convinced you’re a qualified candidate. Korea spends a lot of money funding this scholarship, so you need to prove that you’re worth the investment.
You need to project confidence in your essay. You also need to demonstrate that you are skilled and have engaged in meaningful extracurricular activities like volunteering, among others. Most importantly, you need to demonstrate that you have excelled academically in your past studies. This is especially important because you need to score at least a 3.5 on a four-point scale.
That makes a lot of sense. How many times did you apply?
I applied once and got in on my first trial.
Love it for you. How long did the application process take?
For graduate programmes, applications usually open in February up until early July when the final results for successful applicants are released. Students begin to come to Korea in August.It’s a little different for undergraduate studies; the applications open up in September, and students start coming in by March.
I understand the scholarship is fully funded; does it only take effect once you’re in South Korea?
Not exactly. You have to cover your transportation from your house to the airport, and that is all. They cover your flight to the country and every other thing you’ll need during your studies. This includes our round-trip flight ticket to and after studies, tuition fee, and a monthly stipend. All you have to do is carry your bags to the airport, then study hard when you get to South Korea.
That’s so cool. So, how much did you spend on the process back in Nigeria?
I spent money only on getting myself to the airport, getting around to the Korean Embassy, and the two ministries I mentioned earlier for the preparation of my documents. I spent about ₦200,000, and that was in 2024. I know the price has increased now because the cost of preparing those documents was hiked after my time. Those ministries probably hiked it after they saw the demand for those services was increasing; services that cost ₦1,000 per page suddenly began costing about ₦4,000. Things may have increased, but I don’t expect general expenses to exceed ₦500,000 if you leave within Abuja. But if you have to travel to Abuja to get it done, then of course, travelling down to Abuja will definitely mean spending more.
Awesome. Are students allowed to work under the scholarship?
Yes and no. We’re not allowed to work in our first year in the country. This is mainly to enable students concentrate on the one-year Korean language programme they are required to do. This stage is particularly crucial because you can be sent back to your country if you don’t pass the programme.
Once you pass the language programme and get into undergraduate or graduate school, you’ll be allowed to work during breaks. Working may distract you or make things tedious for you, and that’s the last thing you need because studying in another language is already hard enough. The sponsors of the scholarship, the NIIED, also emphasise the importance of good grades in keeping the scholarship. You are expected to maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 80% or higher on a 100-point scale.
You also need to maintain near-perfect attendance. The school keeps track of your attendance and will report to the NIIED if you miss class more than three times; you will get three warnings and will likely be sent back to your country after you’ve exhausted all three warnings. There’s no need to risk it. I advise you put your head down and study.
Are students expected to leave after their studies?
Students are not required to leave, and I think it’s an advantage that South Korea has over Western countries, where it’s insisted that you return to your home country after a stipulated time. Things are much more flexible here in that aspect; the decision to stay back is usually up to you. You’re also not mandated to secure employment within a stipulated time. Of course, it’s in your best interest that you get a job so as to sustain yourself, but you’ll not be sent packing if you don’t have one just yet.
So, what’s studying in South Korea like?
It’s been an interesting experience full of new learning so far; however, I think the answer to that is highly dependent on who you ask. Some students attend universities where a majority of the courses are taught in complete Korean; I imagine that wouldn’t be so enjoyable for them. My classes are taught in English, so I enjoy them.
What university do you attend? Would you recommend it?
My school is called Sogang University, and I hundred per cent recommend it. This
has always been my dream university, and I really enjoy studying here.
What would you say to Nigerians who are looking to study in South Korea?
Come ready to learn. I say this because things are a lot different here than they are back home. The culture is different, people’s behaviours are different, and things are done in an orderly manner. No one is pushing to get ahead of a queue or roughing their way into public transportation.
My experience here has opened my eyes to new things, new experiences, and new cultures. Also, South Korea is becoming a little like the US in the way that international students flock here. I’ve met so many people here, and I love it.
South Korea is also technologically advanced and a good place to do business. I encourage people to explore this place.
Is there racism in South Korea?
It depends on who you’re asking. I personally haven’t experienced racism here. It might be because I’m in the capital, where South Koreans are much more familiar with other races. You’ll find that it’s the same in some other countries.
It has been easy for me to settle in here. The only difficult part has been the weather. It gets quite cold here during winter.
On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate South Korea, and why?
I’ll rate it an 8.5. I haven’t been here that long, so I’m probably swayed by my good experiences. I haven’t had any dreadful moments here, and I’ve met really nice people here. Overall, I’ll say I’ve been favoured a lot.
Sounds great. I wish you the best, Franca
Thank you.
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