GKS Scholar Carlotta from Italy Shares Her Journey of Securing a Fully Funded Master's at Chung-ang University, South Korea

Hello everyone,

My name is Carlotta, I come from Italy, and I am 26 years old. I am currently a Global MBA candidate at Chung-ang University in Seoul, South Korea. I have lived in many countries, such as France, Germany, and Spain, but after visiting South Korea for the first time in 2019, I fell in love with the culture and the vibes here. During my bachelor’s degree, I was determined to graduate and later enroll in a master’s degree in Korea because my heart belonged there. I studied Mass Media communication during my bachelor's and graduated with honors in Siena, Italy. After graduating, I left for Korea to experience the “real life” here, and I lived with an H-1 visa that allowed me to meet new people, get to know different universities and their scholarship system. This was very crucial for me: getting to know a place before establishing yourself for so many years is an important move to make you feel sure about your decision. During my one-year experience in Korea, I heard about a fully funded scholarship program for foreigners given by the Korean Government: The GKS Scholarship.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the GKS Scholarship?

The GKS scholarship is a fully funded scholarship that the Korean government gives out to excellence in studies after a very competitive selection. GKS has two tracks students can follow: the Embassy track (where students can choose up to 3 universities to which to apply) and the University track (only one university selected and applicable). During this time, I had to collect not only my Bachelor's grades and graduation certificate but also my birth certificate, family relation certificate, and many more. Moreover, I had to write a full study plan and a personal statement, which is extremely important to write with care since it is going to be your calling card. After the first screening, the embassy decides who can access the second round and sends all these hard-paper copies and original documents directly to Korea. Be careful about apostilles and all the recognized translations; if your documents are not legally translated or apostilled, you can be immediately rejected without explanation. Make sure to double or triple check all your required documents, and make sure to be original when writing your personal statement; they do not like robots. I think I had a great advantage in that I have always been used to writing in English, and they value a lot your presentation skills and your ability to write. GKS is a great opportunity if you want to live in Korea for more than 2 years. GKS covers your 1-year-long language school (obligatory if you have no Korean language certification), all your tuition fees, and, especially, gives you a monthly stipend (around $700) to pay all your allowance (such as dormitory, national health insurance, and personal expenses). If you live in Seoul, this stipend might not be sufficient, so make sure to depart with a little bit of savings or try to manage your money as well as possible. You can find more information in your Country’s Korean Embassy (e.g., for me it was the Korean Embassy in Italy). Make sure to check the deadlines for applications since Korea is very strict with that. Do not be afraid of learning a new language; Korean is very hard, but day by day, your skills will get better. I honestly do not regret any of my actions. The time for applying was good; I was at a point in my life where I really wanted to push more and more.

How Is (was) Your Experience at Chung-ang University?

Chung-ang University is located in South Seoul, which is still very central, with two subway stations nearby that allow you to move across the city without any major problems. My MBA specifically is conducted fully in the English language, but many GKS students here are studying fully in Korean too; it is a matter of the availability of English tracks for each major. Chung-ang University is one of the top 10 universities in Korea and is ranked in the top 30 in all of Asia. It is a valid university that provides lots of activities and benefits for students. The Seoul campus is huge, with dormitories, cafeterias, football courts, etc. Each year around May, the university hosts the spring festival with major K-pop groups that come and perform for free. Food tracks and festival atmosphere are what I enjoy most about university life. I wish I could study in this environment forever.

Thank you for reading about my experience and my tips. I am very grateful.