Global Korea Scholarship PhD Candidate Gitima from India Shares Her Journey of Studying Cancer Biology in South Korea

I am Gitima from India. I am pursuing my PhD in cancer biology at a South Korean university through the Global Korea Scholarship. I have been passionate about science and research since my school days, which led me to this field. GKS is the only international scholarship I have received, and I am very grateful.

Educational Background

I always maintained an average score. When I applied for the GKS scholarship, I graduated with a master's degree in Pharmacy with a GPA of 3.7 out of 4, and this score has helped me a lot throughout. In my master's studies, I worked on similar projects, which gave me an initial idea about research.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Institutions?

How Did You Find Information About Scholarships and Institutions?

I learned about GKS on the MHRD website, which provides information on foreign scholarships.

I applied through NIIED, and the Korean embassy sent a notification. Study in Korea is a website where information about universities is available.

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

I was preparing for other scholarships, so I took the IELTS and GRE tests, which benefited me a lot. I used to check YouTube videos and previous test materials to learn and prepare for the test.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the GKS Scholarship?

A year ago, I gathered all the required information and documents. When I was preparing, my professors and friends helped me. I developed the knowledge over time. I appeared in many interviews with the embassy and university panels.

Are Your Classes Conducted in English or Korean?

South Korean Universities are world-class and equipped with advanced technology. In our university, English is considered.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I think I mentioned a project in my application that helped me. Being a PhD candidate, the panel may have found it interesting, and based on that, they have proposed my name to the scholarship authority.

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

In Korea, having TOPIK III proficiency while applying strengthened my application, and I think if I had to go through the same process again, I would have definitely taken the Korean language test.

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

To apply for any scholarship, we need to work on it in advance, such as maintaining good grades, appearing for the language test, and achieving a good score. Depending on the field of interest, we need to shape our application by writing a good personal statement. We can take help from seniors or professors. We can also submit any extracurricular activity-related documents, such as those for national-level players (if we have), to boost our application.

Thank you