Sungkyunkwan University Scholarships for International Students 2026

Most SKKU scholarships are designed for degree-seeking students who are formally enrolled at SKKU (with requirements tied to semesters, credits, and GPA), rather than for standalone online courses.

Both. SKKU offers many courses in Korean, and also a significant number taught in English. SKKU’s course information notes that general courses are typically taught in Korean, while courses marked “International Language” are taught in English.

In the scholarship stories, you can see that mix in real life: Muhammad Omer said, “Mostly yes, and lab meetings are also in English,” while Kristien Contino shared that she “struggled at first with classes that were not in English.”

For many SKKU-run scholarships, eligibility is usually based on your admission status (international student track), academic performance, and scholarship-specific conditions. An explicit age cap is often not the main deciding factor.

However, if you’re applying through large external scholarships that can be used at SKKU (especially government programs), age limits can apply. For example, Kristien’s scholarship route (GKS) is known for eligibility rules that can include age criteria depending on whether you apply for undergraduate or graduate tracks.

SKKU scholarships span a wide range of subjects. At the graduate level, SKKU explicitly lists scholarships for international students in Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts, and also separate scholarship pathways for Natural Sciences, Engineering, and Medical departments (often grouped as STEM for scholarship purposes).

That range shows up in recipient stories too: Muhammad Omer pursued “Graduate Studies in Medical Image Processing” with a professor-sponsored STEM scholarship, while Kristien Contino completed a Master’s in Political Science with the fully funded GKS.

In general, SKKU’s international scholarships target international applicants (i.e., students applying through international student admissions). Many are open to a wide range of nationalities, but some are intentionally more targeted. External scholarships used at SKKU can have their own nationality rules: Muhammad Omer applied as a Pakistani student, while Kristien Contino applied through GKS as a Cuban-American from the U.S.

Language proof requirements can vary by program and track, but language test scores can be especially important for certain scholarships. SKKU’s undergraduate scholarship listings include scholarships specifically for high English proficiency (with IELTS/TOEFL thresholds) and also scholarships tied to Korean proficiency (TOPIK levels).

The recipient stories show flexible real-world routes: Muhammad Omer explained, “I only needed to prove English proficiency, so I prepared for and submitted the TOEIC (Listening and Reading only),” and also noted, “No GRE or SAT was required.” Meanwhile, Kristien Contino emphasized that “getting a TOPIK score is crucial” for the GKS path and said she submitted her TOPIK score and proof of Korean language programs.

So yes, strong language scores can directly help you win language-based scholarships, and they can strengthen your admissions profile even when not strictly mandatory for every program.

SKKU admissions decisions are typically holistic (reviewing transcripts and other materials), and many tracks describe evaluation based on academic transcripts, personal statements, and language ability rather than publishing one single “minimum GPA” that guarantees admission.

That said, scholarships can be more explicit about academic thresholds, especially for continuation once you’re enrolled (e.g., credit completion and GPA requirements). In the recipient stories, you can see that different profiles can succeed: Muhammad Omer reported a “GPA of 3.31” in his bachelor’s and still secured fully funded support by aligning closely with a professor’s lab, while Kristien Contino described having “a strong academic record” and building a research-focused application for a competitive government scholarship.

A strong academic background helps, but the “best” profile depends on the scholarship type. For professor-linked graduate STEM scholarships, research fit and relevant projects can matter as much as raw grades; for competitive external awards (like GKS), well-prepared documents and a clear study plan can be decisive.

Muhammad Omer described a very research-fit approach: he shortlisted universities by faculty research, contacted professors directly, and said he “customized my CV and statement of purpose accordingly.” Kristien Contino emphasized alignment and planning too, explaining she aligned her “personal statement and study plan” with goals and that reviewers want confidence you can finish and graduate.

Document requirements vary by degree and track, but commonly requested items include academic transcripts, a personal statement (and/or statement of purpose), proof of language ability, and identification documents (like a passport copy). Some scholarship routes also require recommendation letters and formal study plans.

The scholarship stories make this very concrete: Kristien Contino said, “I gathered academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and a study plan, all of which needed to be notarized.” Muhammad Omer also highlighted practical application materials, contacting professors, tailoring a CV, and preparing a statement of purpose as part of his process.

SKKU offers a broad set of undergraduate and graduate programs across humanities, social sciences, business, natural sciences, engineering, and medicine/biomedical fields. SKKU also publishes “International Language” course offerings (English-taught course categories) alongside Korean-taught general courses.

• Business: Examples include global-track departments like Global Business Administration and Global Economics.
• Engineering / STEM: Engineering and science fields are central to SKKU’s graduate scholarship pathways; Muhammad’s “Medical Image Processing” is one example of an applied, interdisciplinary STEM route.
• Humanities & Social Sciences: Programs such as Political Science (Kristien’s field) sit within the scholarship-supported Humanities/Social Sciences categories.
• Medicine / Biomedical: SKKU’s graduate medical/biomedical tracks include advanced research-focused programs, and medical departments are explicitly included in graduate scholarship listings for international students.

Yes, international application guides commonly list an application fee (for example, KRW 100,000 is shown in SKKU’s undergraduate international admission guide, with a note that it is non-refundable).