Guide
Want to study in Korea from Vietnam?
Vietnam already sends one of the largest groups of international students to Korea, so the path is well worn. The real question is not whether you can go, but how you will pay for it. Here are all the ways, plus the paperwork and the language question.
Korea is one of the most popular study destinations for Vietnamese students, and the system is set up to receive you. Most people only know about one scholarship. In reality there are four ways to fund a degree in Korea, and the best plan usually combines a few. This guide covers all of them, then the documents and the language question.
- There are four ways to pay, not one: GKS, university scholarships, foundation or corporate scholarships, and the self-funded route.
- GKS is the famous one, not the only one. University scholarships in aggregate fund more international students than GKS does.
- Self-funding is realistic. Tuition at national universities is often around USD 3,500 a year, and partial scholarships and part-time work bring it down further.
- Document legalization is changing. Vietnam joins the apostille system on 11 September 2026; before then it is consular legalization.
- You can study entirely in English with an English score instead of TOPIK.
- Confirm the current step at the source, since the embassy process and the legalization rule are both in transition this cycle.
How Vietnamese students actually fund Korea
Think in four routes. You do not pick just one; strong applicants stack them, for example applying for GKS while also sending regular applications that carry their own university scholarships.
| Route | What it is | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| GKS | The Korean government scholarship, fully funded | Tuition, stipend, airfare, and a year of Korean; applied for through the embassy |
| University scholarships | Awards from the universities themselves | KAIST, POSTECH, SNU, Yonsei, Korea University, Hanyang, SKKU and more; collectively fund more students than GKS |
| Foundation and corporate | Private and company-funded awards | POSCO Asia Fellowship, Hyundai Chung Mong-Koo, Samsung Global Sungkyun |
| Self-funded | You pay, with partial help | National-university tuition is often near USD 3,500 a year; part-time work on a D-2 visa helps |
1. GKS, the government scholarship
The Global Korea Scholarship covers tuition, a monthly stipend, airfare, and a funded year of Korean. From Vietnam, undergraduates apply on the embassy track through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Hanoi (there is also a Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City), under Vietnam's country quota. It is competitive, so treat it as one bet among several rather than your only plan.
2. University scholarships
This is the route most people overlook. Korean universities offer their own tuition waivers and stipends to international students, and in aggregate they fund more international students than GKS does. Strong options include KAIST International and POSTECH Global in science and engineering, Seoul National, Yonsei (including the English-medium Underwood International College), Korea University, Hanyang, and Sungkyunkwan. Many are awarded automatically based on your admission profile, so a regular application can come with funding attached. Browse them in the scholarships directory and the fully funded scholarships guide.
3. Foundation and corporate scholarships
Private foundations and companies fund international students too, often with their own focus. Examples include the POSCO Asia Fellowship, the Hyundai Chung Mong-Koo scholarship, and Samsung Global Sungkyun at SKKU. These are smaller in number but worth checking against your field.
4. The self-funded route
You do not need a full scholarship to study in Korea. Tuition at national universities is often around USD 3,500 a year, lower than many assume, and private universities are higher but frequently discount tuition for international students. Add a partial scholarship and part-time work, which a D-2 student visa allows within limits, and a self-funded degree is realistic. Run the numbers with the cost of studying in Korea guide.
The application route from Vietnam
You will use one or both of two channels: the GKS embassy track, and direct applications to universities.
| Channel | How it works |
|---|---|
| GKS embassy track | Apply through the Korean embassy under Vietnam's quota; name up to three universities; the embassy, then NIIED, then the universities review you |
| Direct to universities | Apply to each university's international admissions, where university and foundation scholarships are decided |
For the 2026 cycle the GKS undergraduate application moved to a mandatory online submission through the official Study in Korea site, but some embassies still have their own process. Confirm with the Korean embassy in Vietnam whether you submit online, in person, or both, and never assume a date from a forum.
Your documents: legalization is changing in 2026
Korea needs your academic documents authenticated, and for Vietnam this is genuinely in transition.
| When | How to authenticate documents |
|---|---|
| Before 11 September 2026 | Consular legalization: certified in Vietnam, then legalized for use in Korea |
| From 11 September 2026 | Apostille: a single certificate issued by the Vietnamese authority, since Vietnam joins the apostille system |
Whichever applies when you apply, your Vietnamese-language documents also need a certified translation into English or Korean. Because the rule is mid-transition, confirm the current requirement with the Korean embassy or your university before paying for anything. The full list is in the application documents checklist.
Do you need to speak Korean?
Not necessarily. You can earn a full degree in English. English-taught programs ask for an English score such as TOEFL or IELTS, not TOPIK. A Korean-taught program needs TOPIK, usually Level 3 or higher, at the time you apply. GKS bundles in a funded year of Korean. The full breakdown is in Study in Korea in English.
What to do next
- Run the KoreaAdmit quiz to see the programs and scholarships you qualify for from Vietnam.
- Browse the scholarships directory and the fully funded scholarships guide for university and foundation awards.
- Map your dates with the application timeline.
- Start your documents early, and check whether legalization or apostille applies to you.
- Budget with the cost of studying in Korea guide.