Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) Scholar Geovanna Luisa Romero Gomez from Brazil Shares Her Journey of Securing a Fully Funded Bachelor's Degree at the Kyung Hee University, South Korea

My name is Geovanna Luisa Romero Gomez, and I am from a small city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. I attended public school until high school, at which point I passed an entrance exam to enroll in a technical school, ETEC Rio Grande da Serra. I graduated in 2019 with a dual diploma in High School and Informatics. After working for a year to gain professional experience, I applied for the GKS (Global Korea Scholarship) in 2020. I chose to pursue a Biology degree at Kyung Hee University because I wanted to challenge myself in a scientific field after my technical studies in IT. The prospect of studying in South Korea, which is a global leader in biotechnology and research, was a major motivator for me to seek further education abroad.

Global Korea Scholarship Details

• Scholarship Name:  Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) provided by the NIIED (National Institute for International Education) of the South Korean government
• Host Institution: Kyung Hee University (Seoul Campus).
• Estimated Value: The total scholarship for the Biology degree was approximately 88,719,280 KRW, which covered tuition and living expenses.
• Additional Funding: This also included a mandatory year of Korean language school, which I estimated at roughly 18,000,000KRW.

Educational Background

I earned a Technical Diploma in Informatics with a 4.0/4.0 GPA and maintained a 3.96/4.0 GPA throughout high school. Technical school was much more challenging than I expected, with a heavy focus on research, projects, and a final graduation thesis. Frequently presenting in front of the entire school helped me build confidence. Most importantly, it taught me how to be proactive: if I don't know something, I know how to go out, research it, and find the answers myself.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Kyung Hee University?

How Did You Find Information About the Global Korea Scholarship and Kyung Hee University?

On university websites, YouTube, and, most importantly, the official guidelines. Because university websites can often be confusing, I watched videos of other people's experiences to understand the process in more detail. For the specifics of how to apply for the GKS, I trusted the official guidelines.

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

I took the TOEIC as proof of my English proficiency, but it was not required for the GKS application. I found it to be very accessible, and I prepared by taking mock tests on YouTube that were very similar to the actual exam. Understanding the format of language proficiency exams is really important to do well.

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

I did a lot of prep work before applying. I spent months watching 'GKS journey' videos to see the difference between candidates who got in and those who didn’t. It really helped me understand what to expect in the interview. I also spent a lot of time digging into the specifics of the universities, from the professors' backgrounds to internship options and foreign support. I made sure every document was perfect, knowing that meeting the technical requirements is the first step to getting accepted.

Are Your Classes Conducted in English or Korean?

My classes were primarily conducted in Korean, with very few exceptions.

Would Potential Students Have Any Problems Not Knowing Korean?

It depends. Universities with more international students usually offer classes 100% in English. However, many of them don’t. In mine, even when classes were advertised as "English-speaking," they often ended up being 90% Korean. I have had professors promise exams in English and, on exam day, offer them only in Korean. I strongly recommend knowing both languages, since in these cases, international students compete against native speakers in classes that use "relative grading." Maintaining a high GPA while competing with native speakers in their own language is a significant challenge that can take a toll on your grades.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

The awards from my school, being prepared, and confident. I was lucky enough to end up in a school that offered awards for outstanding students every semester, and adding all of these to my application definitely helped. But many will have good GPA's, win awards, and be the best at their schools, so during the interviews, I felt like showing them I knew what I was talking about made a difference. I talked about how I prepared my family for my absence, what I planned on doing in Korea during that time (including specific internships, with the institutions' names), and the programs I would join at the universities.

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

I would have prioritized learning the Korean language much earlier. While I do not regret choosing the Korean track and taking my major classes in Korean, as it significantly improved my fluency, this made maintaining a high GPA much more difficult.  I wish I had achieved a higher level of Korean before moving, so I could have better balanced my language growth with my academic performance.

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

My biggest piece of advice is: prepare in advance and do not give up. I have seen friends who applied years after graduating high school or who did not have a perfect GPA still successfully receive the scholarship. You simply need to do your best and never stop looking for opportunities. Also, be mentally prepared for the challenge, as studying abroad is more than academics; it is about your ability to adapt and persevere, and the admissions committee will check for those qualities during the selection process.