How an Indonesian Law Graduate Secured the Fully Funded Global Korea Scholarship to Study Multiculture and Diaspora at Sun Moon University

Hello! My name is Chintia Putri Hanaan, I am from Jakarta, Indonesia. Having a dream as a Notary Public in Indonesia since a job fair-like event my high school held led me to have a Bachelor’s degree in Law, then a Master’s degree in Notarial Law, while working in a Notary Public Office. When I was getting my degrees and working, I realized how important notaries are for foreigners, and that made me want to study a foreign language. I chose to study Korean because of my personal liking of their culture. Studying the language made me want to learn more about Korea, so I decided to look for the curriculum of Korean Studies in the universities in Korea. I found out about Sun Moon University, whose Korean Studies department has a Multicultural and Diaspora major. I felt like it was meant to be; I did not find this major in other universities in Korea. So, I decided to apply for the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) in 2021 for my second Master’s degree, applying for Sun Moon University in Multiculture and Diaspora major under the Korean Studies Department, which I graduated from in 2024.

Scholarship Details

The Global Korea Scholarship is a fully-funded scholarship provided by the National Institute of International Education (NIIED), by South Korea’s Ministry of Education. The GKS program includes a year of the Korean Language Program before the actual degree program, in Korea. The scholarship covered the round-trip plane tickets, both the Korean Language Program and the degree program’s tuition fee, monthly stipend, health insurance, et cetera.

The GKS program is a bit different now from when I received it in 2021. The university we went to for our Korean Language Program was different from our degree program’s university, and NIIED chose the university we went to for the Korean Language Program. Now, the awardees will go to the same university for both the Korean Language Program and the degree program. I lived in Busan and went to Busan University of Foreign Studies for my Korean Language Program for a year, before I moved to Cheonan Asan to study at Sun Moon University for 2 (two) years.

Educational Background

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Tama University, which I graduated in 2019 with a GPA of 3.71 out of 4.0 scale, then a Master’s degree in Notarial Law from Yarsi University, graduated in 2021 with a Cum Laude predicate on GPA of 3.81 out of 4.0 scale, both are located in Jakarta. Neither major is related to the Multicultural and Diaspora major, nor Korean Studies. However, in order to do my plans that were written in the GKS essay, I need the knowledge from those 3 three majors.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Sun Moon University?

I remember it took me weeks to look for the perfect university and curriculum for me, as I have a really specific thing I want to learn. Sun Moon University provides a detailed curriculum for each department, and that was how I found out about the Multicultural and Diaspora major. GKS applicants have to apply to the university/universities while applying for the GKS itself.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the GKS Scholarship?

The first thing I did was to decide if I should get a Master’s degree or a Doctoral degree. The curriculum provided by Sun Moon University played a big role in this. Then I started to write my essay, which I had prepared for months. I believe essays are the most important part of the scholarship application, as we could explain to the readers who we are, what we are capable of, why we applied, and what our dreams are. The reason why I prepared my essay for months was because I wanted to make it clear the bridge between my background and future plans. In order to do this, I made a mind map of my life and my plans.

I do not think I prepared much, I just kept doing things I did before I decided to apply because I felt those things lined up with my written plans in the essay. I remember I was so busy at that time because of COVID, work, my Master’s degree thesis, and also Korean classes, so I wrote my essays on the nights and weekends only. I also submitted the Score Report of a "TOEIC IBT from Home" exam. I wish I could get a TOPIK exam, but because of COVID-19, TOPIK exams are not available.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I believe it was my essay. Even though I did not get any proofreading of it, I explained in detail how I can connect and use my law background and Multicultural and Diaspora knowledge to achieve my written future plan in the GKS essay, despite having zero background in multiculturalism, diaspora, and Korean Studies. Other than that, I also explained in depth how I can give back to Korea without having to work there after graduation.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

Other than typos in my essay, I would say I am satisfied with everything I did.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

Studying abroad can be really hard and lonely. In times like these, we should remember why we applied in the first place. So my first advice would be to ask yourself what your dreams are and what you are capable of. Look for a university and major that you can feel excited to learn from. My second advice would be to make a mind map, so it would be easier to know and explain the connection between your background and your future plan. The third one is to enjoy the process. Do not delete that essay file from your computer, so you can look back later to remember what you wish and pray for.