Korea Maritime and Ocean University Scholarships for International Students 2026

KMOU’s commonly listed scholarships are described as tuition waivers and on-campus study support (e.g., “100% of tuition” for qualifying freshmen and registered students), so they are not presented as scholarships specifically for online-only courses.

For many degree programs, Korean is the default: international undergraduate guidance commonly requires TOPIK level 3 (or completion of an equivalent Korean language course level) as a language proficiency baseline. At the same time, KMOU also has some departments/courses noted as English-taught (for example, exchange-program department lists mark several majors as having courses taught in English).

KMOU’s internal tuition-waiver style scholarships (freshmen/registered student scholarships) are typically defined by academic/language requirements rather than an explicit age limit in the same table. However, external scholarships can have age rules; for example, the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) publishes age eligibility criteria that applicants must meet for the relevant track/year.

In practice, many KMOU scholarship recipients apply through GKS pathways; as Dewi Masitoh put it, she was “incredibly grateful to be selected as a GKS awardee,” which highlights that your eligibility must also match GKS rules (including age) when you apply via that route.

KMOU scholarships (like the international-student tuition waivers) generally apply across KMOU’s available majors rather than being limited to one subject, so scholarships commonly support STEM-heavy maritime/ocean fields and also humanities/social sciences offered at KMOU.

• Engineering / STEM: maritime/ocean engineering and related STEM areas (e.g., navigation, marine systems, naval architecture & ocean systems, ocean engineering, energy & resources, mechanical, electrical/electronics, AI/computer, data science, civil/environmental, ocean materials, marine biotech/aquatic bioscience).
• Business (maritime-focused): shipping management, logistics system engineering, international trade and economics (plus related policy/admin programs).
• Humanities: English language & literature, East Asian studies, and other humanities/social science options listed in KMOU’s divisions

KMOU’s international undergraduate eligibility language is typically framed broadly around being a foreign national (for example, applicants whose parents are also foreign nationals, and not holding Korean dual citizenship). That means KMOU’s internal international-student scholarships are generally “open to international students” rather than limited to a single nationality.

For external scholarships like GKS, eligibility depends on the countries designated by the program for that year/track. As an example of an eligible nationality in practice, Dewi Masitoh (Indonesia) wrote, “I was born in Jakarta,” and later studied at KMOU through GKS.

For undergraduate admission, Korean proficiency is commonly required (e.g., TOPIK level 3, or completion of a Korean language course level as specified). For some situations (like certain exchange pathways), language test results may be “not required” but still recommended.

For scholarships, language tests can directly increase your tuition-waiver level: KMOU’s freshmen scholarship table commonly lists larger waivers for higher TOPIK levels and also for strong English scores (TOEFL/IELTS). This matches what Dewi Masitoh described: “Luckily, I already had my TOEFL PBT certificate… and achieved a score of 591,” so she could focus on compiling the rest.

KMOU’s international undergraduate selection method is commonly described as interview-based, with an admission selection threshold (e.g., applicants selected if the interview score reaches a stated minimum such as 60/100). The guide emphasizes fit (major suitability, study plan, etc.) and uses your academic documents/transcripts as part of evaluating readiness.

Separately, scholarship continuation can have clear GPA cutoffs: KMOU’s registered-student scholarship table commonly tiers tuition waivers by prior-semester GPA bands. That’s why applicants often aim for strong grades, like Dewi Masitoh, who said, “I graduated with a 3.87 GPA.”

A strong profile for KMOU scholarships usually combines (1) solid academics in a relevant field (STEM/maritime/ocean/business tracks that match KMOU), (2) language strength (TOPIK and/or TOEFL/IELTS that unlock higher tuition waivers), and (3) a credible study plan tied to your major.

In KMOU’s internal scholarship tiers, registered-student awards can scale with GPA (higher GPA = higher tuition waiver) and may require TOPIK level 4+ for continuation. A real example: Dewi Masitoh combined a high GPA with language readiness.

KMOU’s international undergraduate document checklist commonly includes: application form (with consent), personal statement and study plan, graduation/enrollment certificates and transcripts, proof of TOPIK (or proof of Korean course completion where accepted), nationality/ID documents (passport, etc.), proof of family relations (or birth certificate equivalent), financial proof (e.g., bank statement meeting a stated minimum and/or sponsor income documents), and additional Korea-related entry/exit records where requested. Some applicants (e.g., maritime science tracks) may also need a medical examination form.

From a recipient’s perspective, document speed matters: Dewi Masitoh wrote, “It was a bit challenging at first to prepare all the documents,” and noted that having her TOEFL ready early made compiling everything easier.

KMOU is specialized in maritime, ocean, and related engineering/social-science fields. At the undergraduate level, commonly listed divisions/departments include navigation and coast guard-related studies, marine systems, naval architecture/ocean systems, ocean engineering, energy/resources, ocean architecture, marine science (ocean science, marine biotech/aquatic bioscience), mechanical, refrigeration/air conditioning, electrical/electronics/communications, nano-semiconductors, mobility convergence, data science, AI/computer engineering, logistics systems, environmental/civil engineering, and ocean advanced materials, plus humanities/social sciences such as shipping management, maritime law, international trade & economics, international relations, public maritime administration, English language & literature, and East Asian studies.

Yes. For international undergraduate applications, KMOU’s guide commonly states a specific application fee (for example, 54,000 KRW) and notes that cancellation/refunds are limited to specific cases described in the fee/refund section.

Fees can differ by level and intake (e.g., undergraduate vs. graduate), so it’s worth confirming the exact amount in the current intake’s official guide before paying.