Kyungpook National University (KNU) in South Korea offers several scholarships for international undergraduate and graduate students. Depending on the scholarship and the student’s qualifications, support can range from a partial tuition reduction to a full tuition waiver.
KNU scholarships should not generally be described as fully funded. Most of the university scholarships focus on tuition fees, while living costs, airfare, meals, visa costs, and other expenses are not generally listed as covered benefits.
Quick Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Host Country | South Korea |
| University | Kyungpook National University (KNU) |
| Study Levels | Undergraduate, Master’s, Doctoral, Combined Master’s–Doctoral |
| Eligible Applicants | International students, depending on the scholarship |
| Main Funding | Partial or full tuition waiver |
| Major Scholarships | KINGS, Excellent KINGS, G-KNU, TOPIK Scholarships |
| Scholarship Deadline | No single general deadline |
| Application Method | Depends on the scholarship and admission category |
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Read Guide →KNU Scholarships for Graduate Students
KNU provides several scholarship options for international graduate students. The conditions and benefits are different for each program.
1. KINGS Scholarship
The KNU International Graduate Scholarship (KINGS) is available to new and enrolled international graduate students.
The scholarship provides:
- 100% tuition fee waiver; or
- 50% tuition fee waiver.
For new international students, departments screen applicants and recommend them in ranked order. The university states that selections can be made within a budget equivalent to up to 70 full-tuition scholarships.
For enrolled international students, the available scholarship budget is equivalent to up to 210 full-tuition scholarships. Students must be registered for the following semester and normally need at least a B0 grade from the previous semester.
Selection takes place before each semester. Support can continue for up to four semesters for Master’s and Doctoral programs and up to eight semesters for combined Master’s and Doctoral programs, subject to scholarship selection each semester.
2. Excellent KINGS Scholarship
Excellent KINGS is aimed at newly admitted graduate students.
Selected students receive a full tuition waiver for the first semester. Up to 30 students may be selected.
Applicants must meet at least one of the specified qualification routes, such as:
- graduating from an overseas university ranked within the top 500 in THE or QS World University Rankings;
- qualifying KNU graduates continuing to a Master’s or combined program; or
- having strong Korean or English language proficiency.
For the language route, the listed standards include:
- TOPIK Level 6;
- TOEFL iBT 100 or higher;
- IELTS Academic 7.0 or higher;
- CEFR C1; or
- New TEPS 392 or higher.
Meeting one of these conditions does not mean that the scholarship is automatically awarded.
3. G-KNU Scholarship
The G-KNU Scholarship is designed for eligible full-time graduate students in Doctoral and integrated Master’s–Doctoral programs.
It provides full tuition support. If another scholarship already pays part of the tuition, G-KNU can cover the remaining tuition amount.
For integrated Master’s–Doctoral students, additional academic conditions apply, including semester, credit, and GPA requirements.
Some students are excluded, including GKS recipients and students already receiving full tuition reimbursement from another scholarship.
The university states that scholarship details may change depending on the progress of the KNU Glocal University Project.
KNU Scholarships for Undergraduate Students
International undergraduate students also have several scholarship opportunities.
TOPIK Scholarship for New Students
KNU provides first-semester tuition scholarships based on Korean language ability.
The 2026 admission guide lists:
| TOPIK Level | First-Semester Tuition Scholarship |
|---|---|
| Level 3 | 16–20% |
| Level 4 | 40–42% |
| Level 5 | 80–84% |
| Level 6 | 100% |
These percentages should be checked again in the admission guide for the semester in which you apply because scholarship amounts can change.
KNU Korean Language Program Scholarship
Students who complete two semesters of the KNU Korean Language Program may also qualify for a first-semester scholarship.
This scholarship cannot be combined with the TOPIK scholarship for new students. A student can receive only one of these two benefits.
Dormitory Support
New international undergraduate students selected for university housing may receive an exemption from dormitory room fees for the first semester.
Meals are not included.
Dormitory support is limited by the available budget, so admission to the dormitory and this benefit are not guaranteed for every international student.
Scholarships After Enrollment
International students may have additional opportunities after beginning their studies at KNU.
For undergraduate academic excellence, the 2026 guide states that:
- students in the top 7% by GPA within each college can receive an 80–84% tuition scholarship for the following semester;
- students ranked within the top 8–37% can receive a 16–20% tuition scholarship.
An enrolled student who entered without TOPIK or with TOPIK Level 3 may also qualify for a one-time KRW 500,000 award after obtaining TOPIK Level 4 or higher within three semesters after entering KNU.
What Expenses Are Covered?
The exact benefit depends on the scholarship.
KNU scholarship programs can provide:
- partial tuition reduction;
- 50% tuition waiver;
- full tuition waiver;
- first-semester dormitory room fee exemption for selected undergraduate students;
- a KRW 500,000 TOPIK-related award for qualifying enrolled undergraduate students.
Applicants should not assume that airfare, monthly living expenses, meals, visa costs, health insurance, or other personal expenses are covered unless their specific scholarship notice clearly states this.
Language Requirements
There is no single language requirement that applies to every KNU scholarship.
Some scholarships are directly linked to TOPIK scores. Excellent KINGS also includes a language-based qualification route using TOPIK or recognized English tests.
Admission language requirements may be different from scholarship requirements. Applicants should therefore check both the admission guide for their chosen program and the rules of the scholarship they want to receive.
Required Documents
KNU does not provide one universal document list specifically for all of the scholarships described above.
Required documents depend on the applicant’s study level, admission route, department, and scholarship. Applicants should use the current international admission guide for their intended semester rather than relying on a general document list.
For scholarships based on TOPIK or English proficiency, the relevant language certificate must meet the scholarship conditions.
How to Apply
There is no single separate application procedure for all KNU scholarships.
For KINGS, new graduate students are screened and ranked by their departments for scholarship recommendation.
Excellent KINGS is considered for eligible new graduate students according to its selection conditions.
G-KNU follows its own process for eligible full-time graduate students, including payment of tuition followed by the scholarship application process.
Undergraduate scholarships are connected to conditions such as TOPIK level, completion of the KNU Korean Language Program, academic performance, or dormitory selection.
Applicants should first follow the official KNU international admission process for their chosen degree and semester and then follow the scholarship instructions that apply to their category.
Application Deadline
KNU does not publish one universal application deadline covering all of these scholarships.
Scholarship timing depends on the program. KINGS selection takes place before the beginning of each semester, while other scholarships are connected to admission, enrollment, academic performance, or separate university procedures.
Applicants should therefore follow the current KNU admission schedule for their intended semester and not use an old admission deadline from a previous cycle.
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