How I Secured a Fully Funded Bachelor's at Soonchunhyang University, South Korea Through the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)

Hello everyone! My name is Erenza, and I’m from Indonesia. I’m currently studying AI and Big Data at Soonchunhyang University in South Korea.

If I had to describe myself in a simple way, I would say I’m someone who is curious about how technology can turn a huge amount of confusing information into something useful. Basically, I enjoy asking, “Okay, we have all this data… but what can we actually do with it?”

My major, AI and Big Data, combines two areas that I find really exciting: data analysis and artificial intelligence. Through my studies, I’ve learned about programming, statistics, machine learning, data visualization, and how AI can be applied to real-world problems.

I decided to pursue further education in this field because I realized that data is becoming one of the most important resources in almost every industry. Whether it is healthcare, manufacturing, business, finance, or even everyday technology, there is data everywhere. But collecting data is only the beginning. The real challenge is understanding it and using it to make better decisions.

That is what I want to learn more about. I want to develop not only the technical skills to build AI and data-driven systems, but also the ability to understand real-world problems and find meaningful solutions.

Global Korea Scholarship Details

In 2023, I was fortunate to receive the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) for an undergraduate degree from the Korean government. Interestingly, I actually applied for the scholarship twice before finally becoming one of the awardees, so receiving it meant a lot to me.

The scholarship covers airfare, living expenses, one year of Korean language training, and full tuition fees throughout my degree. Since my program lasts five years, including the language year, I estimate that the total value of the scholarship is around 100 million Korean won.

I feel incredibly blessed and grateful for this opportunity because it has allowed me to pursue my education in Korea with much less financial burden and has opened many opportunities for my personal and academic growth.

Educational Background

My academic journey actually started with a pretty simple interest: I really enjoyed mathematics. I graduated from a high school in Medan, Indonesia, with a Mathematics and Natural Sciences concentration, achieving a score of 95.6 out of 100.

During high school, I joined quite a lot of mathematics competitions. I was lucky enough to win three regional competitions. They weren’t national-level championships, but they definitely taught me something important: I genuinely enjoy sitting in front of a difficult problem and thinking, “Okay… how am I going to solve this?”

And I think that experience became a strong foundation for my current field.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Soonchunhyang University?

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

I mainly prepared by researching online about universities and scholarship opportunities for international students. That’s actually how I discovered the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS). I carefully studied the eligibility requirements, application guidelines, and benefits before preparing my documents.

For language tests, GKS did not make a language test mandatory for undergraduate applicants, so I didn’t take a test specifically as a requirement for the scholarship. However, I had already been working on my English skills and later achieved a TOEIC score of 910.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Global Korea Scholarship?

I focused on making my application more personal and more specific. Instead of writing a general study plan, I tried to clearly explain what I wanted to study, why I chose the field, and what I wanted to do with that knowledge in the future. I also made my personal statement more like me; I wanted the reviewers to understand my personality, experiences, and motivation rather than just see a list of achievements.

Another challenging part was the document preparation. Since I was applying from Indonesia, I had to prepare many official documents, translate them into English, and have them properly apostilled.

How is Your Experience at Soonchunhyang University?

My experience at the university has been really meaningful, and I honestly feel very blessed to have met so many good people along the way.

I’ve had the opportunity to make friends not only with Korean students but also with international students from many different countries. Being surrounded by people with different backgrounds and perspectives has made my university experience much more than just studying.

Of course, there have been challenging moments, especially adapting to a new country and culture, but the people I’ve met have made the journey much more enjoyable. In the end, some of my best memories from university are not from the classroom, but from the people I met outside of it.

How Does Soonchunhyang University Support International Students?

Soonchunhyang University provides great support for international students through the Office of Global Education & Exchange, which gives us helpful information and guidance for both university life and living in Korea. I also had the opportunity to become a Global Supporter for the university. I’ve been able to help fellow international students, share information, and sometimes simply be someone they could talk to when they were confused about something in Korea.

Are Your Classes Conducted in English or Korean?

Most of my classes are conducted in Korean. However, some professors are very supportive of international students. For example, if we ask in advance, some professors are willing to provide English versions of exam questions, which makes studying and taking exams much more comfortable for international students.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I think what made my application stand out was that I tried to make it genuinely personal. I didn’t just focus on my grades or achievements. I explained why I wanted to study in Korea, why I chose my field, and what I wanted to do in the future.

Since I had already applied once and didn’t get selected, I also used that experience to make my second application stronger. I made my study plan more specific and my personal statement more “me” rather than trying to sound too formal or perfect. I think being honest, specific, and showing a clear purpose helped my application stand out.

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

If I could go through the process again, I would start learning Korean earlier. Since Korea is not an English-speaking country, having some Korean ability before coming here would have made my transition much easier.

I would also prepare my application documents earlier. The translation and apostille process took quite a lot of time, and there were many small details to check.

Finally, I would spend more time researching the university, my major, and life in Korea before applying. That would have helped me make my study plan even more specific and realistic.

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

My biggest advice is don’t underestimate yourself, and don’t be afraid to dream bigger than what you think is possible.

Before I applied, I always thought I was just an ordinary student. Studying abroad felt like something that happened to other people not someone like me. But I decided to try anyway. I applied twice, and after being rejected the first time, I almost thought maybe it really wasn’t meant for me. But I tried again, and eventually, I became a GKS awardee.

Looking back, that experience changed the way I see myself. Sometimes, we limit ourselves before anyone else even gets the chance to say no.

Start early, prepare carefully, and most importantly, believe that you are worth the opportunity. You don’t have to be the smartest or most outstanding student. You just have to be brave enough to try, learn from failure, and try again.

Because sometimes, the opportunity you think is impossible is actually waiting for you to simply apply.