How an Indonesian Student Earned the Fully Funded Global Korea Scholarship to Pursue a Master's Degree in Environmental System Engineering at Chonnam National University, South Korea

Hi, my name is Rahmania Hanifa (Hani), and I come from Depok, West Java, Indonesia. After studying and gaining a deeper understanding of environmental engineering, I developed an interest in learning more about water quality and distribution systems, groundwater engineering, and their correlation with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

My passion for environmental studies led me to study for a master’s degree in Environmental System Engineering at Chonnam National University, Yeosu Campus, under the Global Korea Scholarship 2023. I work full-time as a research assistant in the Water Environment Laboratory, focusing on paper writing and water systems development. Currently, I am working on the development of water quality analysis for anomaly detection. Through these projects, I have gained valuable experience working with stakeholders and contributing to paper publication.

Global Korea Scholarship Details

I received the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) funded by the National Institute for International Education (NIEED) under the Korean Government. The scholarship provides full tuition coverage, visa fees, a monthly living allowance of around KRW 1,300,000 for a graduate degree, airfare tickets for entry and return, settlement, and Korean language training fees. However, if you are recommended to work as a research assistant in a laboratory, the professor in charge usually provides a salary based on the available research funding for the laboratory. All research assistant appointments are made under the professor’s recommendation and approval.

Global Korea Scholarship offers two application tracks: the embassy track and the university track. At that time, I applied through the university track. It is important to note that each university has a different deadline for the university track, therefore, careful attention is needed to avoid missing it.

Educational Background

I graduated from the University of Indonesia, majoring in Environmental Engineering in 2021. My undergraduate thesis focused on the evaluation of a water treatment plant. I continued my master’s studies at the same university, conducting research on the development of a Fenton catalyst from waste-to-energy (WTE) fly ash for leachate wastewater treatment. I also gained experience as a research assistant at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in Indonesia, where I participated in research on sustainability and life cycle analysis for integrated agricultural production systems and the food industry. Through these experiences, I have developed several advanced skills essential for environmental engineering, including proficiency in R program and OpenLCA.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Chonnam National University?

I learned about study opportunities in Korea through the internet and several education fairs held in Jakarta, Indonesia. One of the education fairs I attended was organized by NIIED, which allowed me to directly learn about the documents required to apply for the Global Korea Scholarship. At that time, language certificates were considered supplementary and not mandatory, therefore, I only submitted TOPIK 1 certificates. In addition, I included my scientific publication and several field trip projects that I participated in while working as a research assistant.

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

Global Korea Scholarship has a strict document submission deadline; therefore, I have already reviewed several essential documents based on previous application guidelines. Usually, the differences are not very significant, allowing some documents to be prepared in advance; however, it is still necessary to carefully check the official guidelines released in the year of application. All documents issued in languages other than English or Korean must be translated, notarized, and then apostilled. Document submission for GKS is done directly and not through an online system, so everything must be printed out. Based on my experience and that of several fellow applicants from the same batch, GKS places strong emphasis on the motivation letter and study plan, therefore, it is very important to prepare them as compelling and convincing as possible.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

In my opinion, the most important factor was the motivation letter. At that time, I carefully wrote and prepared my motivation letter with peer reviews from several colleagues. In addition, my research experience in environmental engineering and the papers or projects I had worked on also supported and strengthened my motivation letter.

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

If I could go through the process again, I would make sure that the documents required by the university were fully prepared. Because at that time, I had to submit additional documents that were specifically required by the university but not by the general GKS guidelines.

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

If I could give some advice, there are several important points to consider. First, pay attention to the document requirements, especially the submission deadlines, as shipping times can vary depending on the country. Second, make sure the university offers the program you are interested in, particularly the laboratory and research focus that aligns with the applicant’s background. Third, for the GKS-Graduate scholarship for a master’s degree, applicants are generally expected to have a bachelor’s degree in the same or a closely related field.