My KGSP-G Experience: Applying to Study in Korea via Korean Embassy

Hi there!

Thanks for visiting my blog. 

You are probably here because you sent me a message about the Korean Government Scholarship Program for Graduate Degrees. You are not alone. My name is the first one you see in the list of successful 2018 KGSP-G applicants from the Philippines, so many have already sent me questions about applying via Embassy of Korea (I’m probably in the top of the list under Philippines because I was the sole PhD student accepted).

You may also ask questions to other accepted Filipino applicants. If you haven't seen the list, download it from here. You may also take a look at my post about the 2018 KGSP-G Scholars. Not all of us applied via Embassy, so if you are applying for KGSP via University track, it’s best to ask those who were accepted via said track.

Or, maybe this post was one of the results when you were Googling regarding KGSP-G application in the Philippines? If you're looking for a simple guideline for your preparation for KGSP, hopefully this post will help you!

What is KGSP?

It is important to know the underlying principle of KGSP-G. Besides, why would a government pay for the graduate studies of foreign students?

From the program objectives under the “Application Guidelines” of 2018 KGSP Korean Government Scholarship Program for Graduate Studies:

The Korean Government Scholarship Program is designed to provide higher education in Korea for international students with the aim of promoting international exchange in education, as well as fostering mutual friendship amongst the participating countries.

In the quote above, it is obvious that the Korean Government truly believes in the importance of education. However, it also aims to promote “international exchange in education” and build a bridge among participating countries. Take these to heart, because the Korean Embassy will probably consider these while looking at your application forms. For application requirements, check out the Application Guidelines here.

Why Apply via Embassy Track

The reason I did not choose the University track was because mail delivery was too expensive for me. The Embassy Track gave me a chance to apply to three universities without paying for anything. However, I do think that the Embassy Track is more nerve-wracking than the University Track because you are pitted against other applicants (more than a hundred!). I thought back then that if I ever did not get in, at least I did not spend too much money from applying.

The challenge, however, is that you can only choose one major, or majors that are very alike (i.e. a university has the same major but with different code/name).

Call for Applications: The call opens every February, probably on the first or second week.

Don't wait for the call to open before preparing your documents. Some requirements need time to be obtained, and you must not hurry your references to write their recommendation. So save at least the whole January for the preparation of your documents.

Pre-Application

1. Ask yourself: Are you really ready for Graduate Studies? If yes, then you should know by now what to do in applying for scholarship. Moreover, if you are planning to apply for KGSP-G, then you should be doing several readings about Korea and its culture. I do think that the fact that you are here trying to find out how to successfully apply for KGSP-G says a lot about your dedication in studying in Korea.

However, that is not enough.

Applying for the scholarship program is not different from any other international programs. You need to prove that you are ready for higher education, whether it is for a Master’s degree or PhD. If you simply want to live in Korea or see your KPOP idols, well, I am sorry, but no. The government will certainly not give you money for your desires.

Think of it this way: The Korean government will give you money, but in return, you must give something back. How will Korea benefit from you?

This brings us to the Application form.

2. Fill out the application form wisely. Follow all the instructions in the application form. The most important parts, I believe, are the Personal Statement and Statement of Purpose. In my experience, most questions during the Embassy panel interview were based on what was written in these parts.

Personal Statement. Under this, you must talk about why you want to study in Korea. What can Korean universities provide you in terms of your educational aspirations? Moreover, state your strengths by talking about your previous studies and work experience, specially if you are applying for PhD. This is no different from other scholarship programs. When I wrote mine, I made sure to point out that I have been doing a lot towards my own improvement in my field (Humanities / Literature) by writing and publishing. This is where you need to prove that you indeed have aptitude and passion for graduate studies and/or research.

Statement of Purpose. This is where you show them that you are indeed ready for Graduate Studies. What are your goals? What is your study plan? Here, you must talk about your potential research. This is basically a mini-research proposal. What I wrote under “Goal of study & Study Plan” is an abstract for a potential PhD dissertation.

Under “Future Plan after Study,” talk about what you see yourself in after your KGSP experience. Talk about how KGSP may have helped you in furthering your knowledge. Discuss how you will use your future degree for research.

Tip: Don’t provide a Miss Universe answer. Don’t talk about how your studies will bring you glory, or how it will solve Korea’s or the Philippines’ problems. Be realistic AND specific. Talk about how you might be able to contribute in your field of study. 

3    3. Think about your choice of University and Major. If you are going to choose a major that is not aligned to your current degree, then you may have a big problem, because how can you prove that you actually know anything about your chosen major? Choose a major within your current field of study, unless of course you have been doing a lot of work and documented studies in the major you want to study in Korea.

      As for the choice of the university, research about the Universities you have picked so far. Are they really the best Universities for your chosen major/program? What can the University provide you when it comes to your planned research?

Tip (or Cheat?): I have heard from a few fellow KGSP-G students here in the university where I am learning Korean language that they chose one top university and two lesser known universities, so at least they were sure they could get in in one of their chosen universities. I did not do this. I listed the top three universities in Korea.

      4. Look for the best people for your recommendation letters. Ask your credible professors or bosses to fill out the recommendation forms for you. If you are now thinking that it will be difficult for you to ask the best person you can think of now for a recommendation, then you might face a problem. Any scholarship committee will always do background check on the applicants' references. If your reference isn’t credible enough, then how will the committee know that you are a truly outstanding applicant? So don’t ask just anyone you know.

Better if you have been talking to a professor from one of your chosen universities. It’s a common practice for those who want to study abroad to approach professors from universities they want to get into. If the professor likes your research plan, then they can vouch for you. It’s the same for KGSP-G. If you can ask for the recommendation of a Korean professor who believes in your research, then you have a very good chance to get accepted.

Remember: Ask for three copies from each of your references.

        5. Submit all forms and documents on time to the Korean Embassy. My advice is to submit it personally a week before the deadline.

GOLD TIP: If you are reading this and you have a few months’ time before the application opens, then study Korean now! Applicants with TOPIK results have better chances. THEY ARE A PRIORITY. Having a TOPIK certificate (at least Level 1) does not guarantee you getting accepted, but the fact that you know Korean says a lot about your dedication to study in Korea.

The Embassy Interview (Two weeks after the Deadline of Application)

Part of the KGSP-G Embassy track process is the panel interview. If they like your application, you will receive after a week or two an email requesting you to appear before a panel of interviewers from the Embassy’s KGSP-G Committee. One or two will be Filipino members, while the rest, about three to four, if I remember correctly, are Korean officials, but all of them communicate in Korean. They will ask questions in English, of course. You will also be interviewed along with four or five other applicants, so you need to stand out. Think of it as a competition where you must prove that you are the best.

Like any other interview, you must dress appropriately and arrive at least an hour before your scheduled interview. They are strict about the time. If you miss your interview slot, you will not get another chance.

As for my own experience, I expected it to be like any other interview. It was actually a bit like a thesis panel. They will ask you about your research plan. Like what I said before, they will look mostly at your Personal Statement and Statement of Purpose.

Although I did say that you must stand out among the rest of the applicants, I could not really do so. I was only asked about two or three questions, and all of them were already in my forms, so I simply repeated what I wrote. This was probably because I was very specific in my plans and research goals. During that time, however, it felt like they did not like me at all! I thought the interviewers were more interested in the other applicants (one of which already knows Korean and has a TOPIK certificate).

This is why I was really surprised when I got an email that I was one of the five successful applicants whose documents would be sent to our prospective universities.

Like what I said above, having TOPIK does not guarantee your acceptance. I remember, there was one question asked in Korean from one of the interviewers. Not one of us was able to answer it. Then, on our way out, I remembered that one of the applicants had a TOPIK certificate. I asked her why she did not answer. She said that she thought that the question was rhetorical. I asked her what it was, to which she replied, “He asked us whom we think got the highest score among all of us.”

I think that she lost her chance when she did not answer the question. If I had learned Korean, I would have said, albeit jokingly, that I got the highest score. So remember, if you see a chance to stand out, STAND OUT.

Result of the Interview: Released in a week. The result was posted on the Embassy website under “Notice.” It was also announced on the Embassy’s Facebook page.

University Acceptance

Once you pass the Embassy round, the more grueling period begins: Waiting for the Arrival of University results. This takes a longer time, about two-three months. In my experience, the results were released in late May. Representatives will contact you via email whether you are accepted or rejected. According to my new friends here in my language university, Konyang University, some of them were even contacted via Skype or phone call for further interview. I did not get any calls.

Once you get an acceptance, then congratulations! No more worries for you! All you have to do from then on is to fill out the documents the National Institute for International Education will send you, like for flight details, additional information, medical records, etc.  Then in a few months, you will fly to Korea for your language study in your first year.

My advice is that after you are accepted, start studying Korean if you have not yet started. Buy the Korean Grammar in Use books. They are the most useful books I have currently. I use them when I get confused about certain grammar rules. My newfound Filipino friends (with whom I flew to Korea!) also recommended TOPIK in 30 Days.

Lastly, contact all of your fellow accepted KGSP-G Applicants! You will comfort each other once you reach Korea, because you will be undergoing the same experience. Besides, getting more friends won’t hurt!

***

That’s it for this post. I hope you learned a lot. To be honest, when I applied for the scholarship, I simply followed the guidelines provided by NIIED. I did not get any help from previous successful Filipino applicants (except when I actually got accepted. I asked one friend who were accepted years before me).

Me, in brown coat, with some of my fellow 2018 KGSP-G Filipino students 

(photo grabbed from Kenneth Lagamayo)

If you have further questions, just comment below and I’ll answer them as soon as I can. I will also update this post whenever I remember certain stuff that must be shared.