Guide
Want to study in Korea from Indonesia?
Interest in Korea keeps climbing in Indonesia, and the path is more open than most people assume. The real question is how you pay for it. Here are all the ways, plus the documents and the language question.
Korea is a rising study destination for Indonesian students, and admissions are set up to welcome 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. National-university tuition is often around USD 3,500 a year, plus partial scholarships and part-time work.
- The apostille is straightforward. Indonesia is an apostille country, so a single certificate replaces the longer consular legalization.
- You can study entirely in English with an English score instead of TOPIK.
- GKS from Indonesia runs through the Korean Embassy in Jakarta, under Indonesia's quota.
How Indonesian students actually fund Korea
Think in four routes. You do not pick just one; strong applicants stack them, 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 in Jakarta |
| 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 Indonesia, undergraduates apply on the embassy track through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Jakarta, under Indonesia's country quota. It is competitive, so treat it as one bet among several.
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. 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 Indonesia
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 in Jakarta under Indonesia'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 |
The 2026 GKS undergraduate cycle moved to a mandatory online application through the official Study in Korea site, though the embassy may keep its own step. Confirm with the Korean embassy in Jakarta how and when to submit.
Your documents: apostille and translation
Korea needs your academic documents authenticated. Because Indonesia is a member of the apostille system, you can use a single apostille certificate rather than the longer consular legalization chain, which simplifies this step.
| Step | Notes |
|---|---|
| Authenticate | Apostille your diploma (ijazah) and transcripts through the competent Indonesian authority |
| Translate | Indonesian-language documents need a certified translation into English or Korean |
| Confirm format | Check whether your university wants the apostille on the original, the translation, or both |
Even with the simpler apostille route, start early: translation and authentication still take time. The full list is in the application documents checklist.
Do you need to speak Korean?
Not to start. English-taught programs ask for an English score such as TOEFL or IELTS, not TOPIK, so you can earn a full degree in English. A Korean-taught program needs TOPIK, usually Level 3 or higher, when you apply. GKS includes a funded year of Korean regardless of track. The 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 Indonesia.
- Browse the scholarships directory and the fully funded scholarships guide for university and foundation awards.
- Map your dates with the application timeline.
- Apostille and translate your documents early.
- Budget with the cost of studying in Korea guide.